This, from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Lots of talk here about siphons and gravity flow and other details, but the bottom line is that the flooding of the Dave Donaldson WMA — among the top public duck hunting spots in Arkansas — is being delayed:
POCAHONTAS – Because of infrastructure maintenance and repair on the Dave Donaldson Black River Wildlife Management Area, the fall flooding schedule on the area’s greentree reservoirs could be delayed up to 10 days until mid or late October.
Flooding usually begins about Oct. 15. Because of maintenance, flooding is tentatively scheduled to begin Oct. 18. That date is subject to change because repairs require at least five days of dry conditions.
They way it’s been going, five days of dry conditions shouldn’t be a problem. Still, there’s the chance that conditions for optimum hunting might be delayed as well.
The full news release, plus details on exactly what kind of work is being done, after the jump.
POCAHONTAS – Because of infrastructure maintenance and repair on the Dave Donaldson Black River Wildlife Management Area, the fall flooding schedule on the area’s greentree reservoirs could be delayed up to 10 days until mid or late October.
Flooding usually begins about Oct. 15. Because of maintenance, flooding is tentatively scheduled to begin Oct. 18. That date is subject to change because repairs require at least five days of dry conditions.
The upper siphon, an integral part of the gravity-flow system used to seasonally flood about 5,000 acres of greentree reservoir impoundments, is under renovation. The renovation process includes repairing the outlet headwall and updating erosion-control measures to the river bank adjacent to the siphons.
The repairs began in mid-August and have been temporarily delayed by elevated river levels. After repairs have been completed, the disturbed area to the headwall will have to remain dry so soil can settle to reduce potential for erosion.
During Oct. 11-15, the WMA staff will install stop-logs and gates in water-control structures. The logs will not have an adverse effect on the upper siphon renovations. It is an attempt to hold rain water that may fall during the five-day soil-compaction period.
After the upper siphon repairs are complete and soil settles, the flooding operations will proceed as normal. Every attempt will be made to achieve adequate water conditions throughout the WMA.
