Stoney Slough National Wildlife Refuge is a

easement refuge An easement refuge is a special type of National Wildlife Refuge under the auspices of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Such refuges exist on privately owned land, with the law of easements guaranteeing their status. On an easeme ...

with owned in fee title and the remaining area of covered by

easement An easement is a nonpossessory right to use and/or enter onto the real property of another without possessing it. It is "best typified in the right of way which one landowner, A, may enjoy over the land of another, B". An easement is a propert ...

. The

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

fee title of 1,120 acres allows some

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

and upland management. The wetland areas on the Refuge cover approximately in four permanent pools and two temporary pools. Water management using a series of

canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...

s and a water control structure is possible when there is sufficient spring runoff. The Refuge is a popular stopover for

snow geese The snow goose (''Anser caerulescens'') is a species of goose native to North America. Both white and dark morphs exist, the latter often known as blue goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The species was previously placed ...

and

white-fronted geese The greater white-fronted goose (''Anser albifrons'') is a species of goose related to the smaller lesser white-fronted goose (''A. erythropus''). It is named for the patch of white feathers bordering the base of its bill, in fact ''albifrons ...

during fall

migration Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

. The refuge was established by Executive Orders during the

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

administration and was set aside as "a refuge and breeding grounds for migratory birds and other wildlife." The refuge is maintained by the

Valley City Wetland Management District The Valley City Wetland Management District is located in the U.S. state of North Dakota and consists of 76,000 acres (307 km2). The wetland district is a substation of the Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge Complex, overseen by the U.S. ...

and is a part of the

Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge Complex The Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge Complex consists of numerous National Wildlife Refuges and Wetland Management Districts in the U.S. state of North Dakota. Altogether, twelve separate areas are in the complex, with the Chase Lake Prairie Proj ...

. Stoney Slough NWR is located approximately south and west of

Valley City, North Dakota Valley City is a city in Barnes County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Barnes County. The population was 6,575 during the 2020 census, making it the 12th largest city in North Dakota. Valley City was founded in 1874. Val ...

and can be reached via Highway 1 South. Potential wildlife observation and photography opportunities are available from roads adjacent to and through the Refuge.

Notes

External links

* - includes Stoney Slough National Wildlife Refuge
Oh Ranger: Stoney Slough National Wildlife Refuge
{{authority control National Wildlife Refuges in North Dakota Easement refuges in North Dakota Protected areas of Barnes County, North Dakota Protected areas established in 1941 Wetlands of North Dakota Landforms of Barnes County, North Dakota

See also

Notes

External links