Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Bear Lake refuge sits in the mountain-ringed Bear Lake Valley in southeastern Idaho, north of the deep body of water that is the namesake of both the valley and the refuge.

The refuge protects 18,000 acres of the Dingle Swamp, a mosaic of cattail marshes, open water, and flooded meadows.

Portions of the refuge include scattered grasslands and brush-covered slopes. The wildlife habitats on the refuge are cultivated primarily for waterfowl and water bird production. The refuge's white-faced ibis colony of 5,000 birds is one of the largest in the West.

Because the refuge and surrounding area provided excellent goose nesting habitat, refuge staff initially worked to create Canada geese habitat. But today, priorities have shifted to four other species whose populations have declined, including redhead and canvasback ducks, trumpeter swans, and white-faced ibis.

Muddy water caused by carp feeding and silt from the Bear River have reduced water quality and resulted in a decline in wildlife use on the refuge. To correct some of these problems, diked units have been constructed to stabilize water levels for duck nesting, reduce the amount of silt deposited by the Bear River, and exclude carp.

The refuge cuts hay to provide short cover that is flooded in the spring to create feeding sites and rearing areas for waterfowl, sandhill cranes, and ibis.

The refuge also cultivates several fields around the edge of the marsh to provide food crops of barley and alfalfa for waterfowl and sandhill cranes. They are planted on a rotation schedule to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and herbicides.

Up to 1,000 geese and 500 sandhill cranes use these crops during the spring, summer, and fall. These farming operations also help reduce off-refuge crop damage caused by migratory birds. Control of non-native, invasive weeds is another key management operation. Weed pests have few natural controls and can quickly replace native Idaho plants.

The refuge uses selected herbicides to keep these problem species under control. The refuge also maintains abundant habitat in an undisturbed, natural state. These areas provide tall, dense vegetation for species that prefer seclusion over nesting.