Lower Mississippi River Environmental Program. Report 3. Bird and Mammal Use of Main Stem Levee Borrow Pits Along the Lower Mississippi River

摘要

Soil used to construct the main stem levees is obtained from adjacent land, usually between the levee and the river. Surface depressions resulting from excavation of such material are known as borrow pits. A series of borrow pits is generally found along the riverward toe of the main stem levee system throughout its length. The Levee Borrow Pit Investigation (LBPI) was designed to provide data on fishery, benthos, wildlife, vegetation, physical, and chemical aspects of main stem levee borrow pits. Specific objectives of the LBPI are: (1) To develop an inventory of wildlife and fishery resources of the main stem levee system borrow pits; and (2) To formulate environmental design considerations for main stem levee system borrow pits. The first fieldwork of the LBPI included fish and aquatic sampling by the US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES) from June through August 1981. Topographic surveys of selected pits were conducted by the US Army Engineer District (USAED), Vicksburg, in 1982. Wildlife surveys were carried out by WES on a seasonal basis for 2 years from December 1981 to October 1983. This report presents partial results of the wildlife study conducted as part of the LBPI.