Inside Priorities

While my phone's camera didn't capture it completely, last Friday afternoon's snow squalls
caused near white-outs over the marsh 

As quickly as the snow came, it's just about gone. I pulled into the bunkhouse drive this morning and nearly forgot that it had been blanketed in white just last Friday (the last time I was there). We only had maybe four inches on the ground at most, but with the last several days in the forties -- approaching 50 a couple times -- there isn't much evidence left.

I did get to sit through some heavy, albeit brief, snow last Friday evening (photo above). It wasn't even forecast, or if it was, it was to be a "snow shower." But it came fast and furious for about 45 minutes while I sat in the tree stand. I probably had an inch on my shoulders before I moved for the first time.

[Still no deer for 2017, by the way. Limited time out, some poor timing, and a little bit of bad luck have all contributed. Plus, in talking with neighbors, we all agree that general deer numbers have been down this year locally as compared to recent years. We speculate that it may have to do with high water flooding out what has been "high" ground, relatively speaking. These dry spots serve as critical secluded refuge in and around the marshes, but if the water comes up just inches, we can loose them.]

An portion of the water conveyance structure design
slated for installation in the West Marsh in 2018
(click to enlarge)

At any rate, most of our time this past week has been spent on indoor priorities. We feel that we are making good headway on what will be a major management priority for 2018 -- namely, the replacement of our main water conveyance structure on the West Marsh.

This is the project that we are working on in cooperation with local partners (ODNR Office of Coastal Management and Erie County Soil & Water), but it is being funded by federal  GLRI (Great Lakes Restoration Initiative) dollars. It will be a game changer for our western management units.

We had good meetings this week relating to permitting, design, and implementation. Standing Rush is serving as the project manager, so we will be busy with administrative and construction management activities. We hope to have permitting and design in place such that we can choose a contractor and have the new structure functional by mid-summer 2018. If all goes smoothly, we hope this specific project could allow us to make two related improvements on the site -- if not next year, than by 2019 for sure. Exciting stuff.