The Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge is an important breeding area for mammals,

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

s, and other animals. The National Wildlife Refuge is located on land surrounding Lake Lowell, just outside Nampa,

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...

. It serves as a resting and wintering area for birds, including mallards and

Canada geese The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...

, along the

Pacific Flyway The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south flyway for migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading ...

and was named a "Globally Important Bird Area" by the

American Bird Conservancy American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is a non-profit membership organization with the mission of conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. Its focus is on threats to birds in the Western Hemisphere – threats which include ov ...

. The refuge consists of two sections which contains open water, edge wetlands, grasslands and

riparian A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks a ...

and

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

habitats. The largest portion of the refuge consists of Lake Lowell and its environs, located in Canyon County, just west of Nampa, while the second comprises the Snake River islands located in non-contiguous localities along the river in Canyon, Owyhee, Payette, and

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

counties (Idaho) and Malheur and Baker counties (

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

). There is a visitor center at the Lake Lowell site, which is the hub of activity for visitors and those volunteers who donate their time and services to

wildlife conservation Wildlife conservation refers to the practice of protecting wild species and their habitats in order to maintain healthy wildlife species or populations and to restore, protect or enhance natural ecosystems. Major threats to wildlife include habita ...

projects.

Wildlife and Habitat

Wildlife has dynamic and unique needs that require a variety of habitats for food, shelter, and raising young. Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge is managed to improve and maintain wildlife habitat. Habitats at Deer Flat include wetlands, riparian forests, uplands, and croplands at the Lake Lowell sector, as well as the 101 Snake River Islands.

History

President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

created a national bird refuge at Deer Flat Reservoir, now Lake Lowell, with his February 25, 1909, executive order.Dooley, Bryan. "Deer Flat Refuge celebrates 100 years." ''Idaho Press-Tribune''. 31 May 2009. Main 8, 9. The refuge was one of 17 federal reclamation projects referenced in the order, each of which used manmade aquifers to provide safe havens for migratory birds. The effort to include the Canyon County site was spearheaded by James H. Lowell, then-president of the Payette-Boise Water Users Association. *1902 Reclamation Act authorizes establishment of U.S. Reclamation Service, now the Bureau of Reclamation, to irrigate western lands. Survey for location of Deer Flat Reservoir conducted. *1905 James H. Lowell, begins securing contracts to purchase the lands that would become the Deer Flat Reservoir, now Lake Lowell. *1906 Work begins on the upper and lower embankments. *1907 Caldwell Interurban Railroad begins public route to Lower Dam *1908 Lower Embankment completed in January. Equalization trench in Deer Flat Reservoir excavated with steam shovel No. 1 from Upper Embankment. Earthwork at Upper Embankment completed. *1909 Outlet channel at Lower Embankment completed and water turned in to Lake Lowell from New York canal. Roosevelt signs Executive Order 1032 on February 25. *1913 Sebree Dance Pavilion completed at Lower Dam Recreation Area. *1926 Nampa-Meridian Irrigation District signs agreement with federal government stipulating that Board of Control is now in charge of the project. *1928 Sebree Dance Pavilion dismantled and moved to Caldwell. *1930 First Lake Lowell Boat Races held at Upper Dam. *1935

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...

BR-24 Co. 2506 charged with restoring dams eroded by waves and ice. *1937 President

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 ...

creates the Snake River Islands Refuge by executive order. Thomas Horn assigned as first refuge manager. *1938

Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...

workers help build refuge infrastructure (roads and buildings). *1939 WPA workers complete observation tower. *1943 Youth Aid Farm Camp for girls housed in Civilian Conservation Corps barracks at Lower Dam. *1948 Deer Flat Reservoir renamed Lake Lowell in honor of J.H. Lowell. *1957 Special-use permit issued to Canyon County for sanitary landfill on refuge property. *1963 Snake River Islands Refuge consolidated with Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. *1967 Last of CCC barracks removed from Lower Dam Recreation Area. *1970 Environmental Education building constructed at the Lower Dam. *1971 Landfill closed. Marsing Job Corps starts construction of Visitor Center. *1975 Visitor Center completed and First Youth Conservation Corps formed. *1976 Bureau of Reclamation nominates embankments to

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. *1979 Special-use permit issued to Clint Eastwood to film part of

Bronco Billy ''Bronco Billy'' is a 1980 American Western comedy-drama film starring Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke. It was directed by Eastwood and written by Dennis Hackin. Plot Bronco Billy McCoy (Clint Eastwood) is a stuntman performing in front of a me ...

at Upper Embankment. *2006 Friends of Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge formed. *2009 Centennial Trail installed across historic upper dam.

References

External links

* * * {{authority control Protected areas of Baker County, Oregon Protected areas of Canyon County, Idaho Protected areas of Malheur County, Oregon Protected areas of Owyhee County, Idaho Protected areas of Payette County, Idaho Protected areas of Washington County, Idaho National Wildlife Refuges in Idaho National Wildlife Refuges in Oregon Snake River Civilian Conservation Corps in Idaho Works Progress Administration in Idaho Protected areas established in 1909 1909 establishments in Oregon Wetlands of Idaho Wetlands of Oregon Landforms of Baker County, Oregon Landforms of Canyon County, Idaho Landforms of Malheur County, Oregon Landforms of Owyhee County, Idaho Landforms of Payette County, Idaho Landforms of Washington County, Idaho 1909 establishments in Idaho