
Knowledge of the relations of waterfowl to the habitat in that region 
Was incomplete, and it was decided to initiate as part of the project a 
complete study of the waterfowl use of, and production from, a block area 
as nearly as possible representative of such habitat. With the aid of 
Mr. Staunton, an area was selected in the vicinity of Waubay, South Dakota, 
in May 1950. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA 
Location 
The study area (fig. 1) is in Day County, one of the northeastern 
counties of the State, 50 miles east of Aberdeen, South Dakota, and 13 
miles north of Waubay on U.S. Route 12. It includes 11.25 square miles. 
The area was selected to represent, as nearly as possible, “typical 
pothole country" as found in parts of the glaciated prairies of the Dakotas, 
Minnesota, and Canada. 
Topography and soils 
The study block, shown in figure 2, lies about 1,900 feet above sea 
level in an area of rolling upland between the James and Minnesota River 
valleys. This region is described by Rothrock (1935) as the Prairie Coteau, 
which consists of glacial deposits high in lime. Under native prairie © 
grasses, these deposits have developed fertile soils, predominately dark, 
grayish-brown silt loams and silty clay loams (Westin et al. 1951). These 
vary considerably in depth and slope, as well as in the underlying material, 
which consists mainly of silts and clays. There are a few local gravel and 
sand outwash deposits. | 
Although most of the soils are highly productive, much of the land is 
rather steep, varying from undulating (3 to 4 percent slope) to hilly (18 
percent slope and steeper). Some is too steep and stony for cultivation, 
and some is even too rough for cutting hay. Most is highly susceptible to 
erosion when cultivated, and in the years since it was first broken up its 
productivity has been severely reduced. As pointed out by Paul Underwood, 
then Soil Conservation Service farm planner, the ultimate future of this 
land lies in a grassland economy. 
Climate 
Temperatures of the region are summarized in table 13 the maximum and 
minimum temperatures for the breeding season (April 15-June 14) are shown 
in figure 3. Warm summers and cold winters are usual, with moisture in the 
subhumid range as shown in table 2. Most of the moisture falls in the 
growing season, and small grains are the predominant crop. Precipitation 
during the period of the study, except for 1953, was below the long-term 
average, but the character of the runoff was such that water levels were 
well above normal. In 1952, the year with the lowest precipitation, water 
levels in the region were at their highest point in 40 years, according to 
local residents, 
