The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has begun a controlled drawdown of the Wham Brake Impoundment within the Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The process, which started yesterday, is part of a management strategy aimed at limiting the spread of invasive giant cutgrass and promoting the growth of plant species more beneficial to the local ecosystem, especially for providing habitat for wintering waterfowl.
According to a statement from LDWF, while the drawdown is underway, boaters may continue to enter the brake, however, with several potential hazards emerging as the water recedes, they are urged to proceed with increased vigilance; the lowering of the water is a controlled gradual process aimed at unveiling the overrun vegetation.
Wham Brake, donated to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) by International Paper in 2013, has undergone several improvements in recent years. In 2017, new water control structures were constructed with funding from Ducks Unlimited and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). These upgrades have allowed LDWF to more effectively manage the area to support wildlife, particularly migratory waterfowl that inhabit the site during the winter months.
Following the drawdown's completion, an aerial herbicide application is scheduled to target approximately 1,000 acres of giant cutgrass. Following this treatment, water levels will be managed to encourage the growth of moisture-dependent soil vegetation. These actions are part of an overall effort to enhance the area as a suitable wintering habitat for waterfowl.
