Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in the central portions of the U.S. state
of Montana
. It lies in northern Cascade County
, just north of the city of Great Falls
. It is part of the larger Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge
and the Swan River National Wildlife Refuge
, both also in Montana. The gently rolling terrain of Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is dominated by native shortgrass prairie
and seasonal wetlands, and surrounded by mountain ranges on three sides: the Highwood Mountains
to the east, the Big Belt Mountains
to the south, and the Rocky Mountains
to the west.
These ranges form a dramatic backdrop to a scene reminiscent of the days when the entire prairie-wetland ecosystem of the Great Plains
was alive with thousands of ducks, geese, swans, and shorebirds each spring and fall. Benton Lake NWR is one of more than 535 national wildlife Refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that were established to protect, enhance, and restore the Nation's wildlife heritage. Covering 12383 acres (50 km²), the Refuge is located on the western edge of the northern Great Plains
, 50 miles (80.5 km) east of the Rocky Mountains
and 12 miles (19 km) north of Great Falls, Montana
. Despite its name, Benton Lake is actually a 5000 acres (20 km²) shallow wetland created by the last continental glacier thousands of years ago.
During Montana's early development, Benton Lake was first viewed as a resource to be exploited. In 1885, the government excluded the Benton Lake basin from homesteading so it could be used as a reservoir for irrigating lands to the east. That plan proved to be impractical. Early in the 20th century, several Montana businessmen planned to "reclaim" the wetlands for use as croplands. A ditch 26 feet (8 m) deep and 1½ miles long was dug, but the drainage was ineffective and the project was abandoned. This early drainage ditch is still visible from the blacktop road leading to the Refuge.
As the surrounding land was settled, local sportsmen pushed for the establishment of a Refuge to keep the area in public ownership. By Executive Order of President Herbert Hoover in 1929, Benton Lake was set aside as a "Refuge and breeding ground for birds." However, the Refuge remained dry more often than not until 1957, when members of the Cascade County Wildlife Association secured Congressional funding to transform the marsh into a more consistently wet environment. Over the next 4 years, a pump house and pipeline were built to bring water to the Refuge from Muddy Creek. In addition, dikes were built to divide the wetland into manageable units, and Refuge roads and facilities were constructed.
Water still flows from the original pump station on Muddy Creek, but the Refuge wetlands have been further divided for more efficient water management. An interior pump system allows movement of water from one Refuge unit to another as needed, and is especially useful in the event of a waterfowl disease outbreak. Water is kept fairly shallow to produce an optimum mix of aquatic plants and insects for wildlife.
Several thousand acres of native prairie on the Refuge are protected from disturbance, while former farm fields have been seeded to a mixture of grasses and forbs preferred by ground nesting birds and other wildlife. The farm fields are rejuvenated every five years or so by haying, burning, grazing, or even farming and reseeding to keep plant growth tall and dense.
Benton Lake NWR is truly an oasis for water birds. During spring and fall migrations, up to 150,000 ducks, 2,500 Canada geese, 40,000 snow geese, 5,000 tundra swans, and perhaps as many as 50,000 shorebirds use the marsh. Bald eagle
s are commonly seen in spring and fall, while an occasional golden eagle
, prairie falcon
, or peregrine falcon
adds a bit of drama to the scene.
During the summer breeding season, the marsh teems with life. On average, 20,000 ducks are produced yearly, while colonies of Franklin's gulls may contain more than 10,000 nests. Avocet
s, phalarope
s, willet
s, grebe
s, and other water birds seem to be everywhere. Of the approximately 240 species of birds recorded on the Refuge, nearly 90 are known to nest here. The Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge has been designated as a site of regional importance to shorebirds by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
(WHSRN).
Other Refuge wildlife includes 28 different species of mammals such as mountain cottontail, common muskrat
, American badger
, striped skunk
, common raccoon
, long-tailed weasel, Richardson's ground squirrel, coyote
, and a limited number of white-tailed deer
, mule deer
, and pronghorn
. Few reptile and amphibian species are found on the Refuge, and there are no sizeable fish due to the shallowness of the marsh.
To get to the Refuge, follow Highway 87 (Havre
Highway) north out of Great Falls for about a mile and turn left onto Bootlegger Trail for approximately 9 miles (14 km) which leads to the well-marked Refuge entrance.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. It lies in northern Cascade County
Cascade County, Montana
-National protected areas:*Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Lewis and Clark National Forest -Economy:Malmstrom Air Force Base is a driving force in the regional economy...
, just north of the city of Great Falls
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
. It is part of the larger Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge
Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge
Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of Montana and consists of 7,885 acres . Established in 1999, it is one of the newest National Wildlife Refuges in the U.S. and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior...
and the Swan River National Wildlife Refuge
Swan River National Wildlife Refuge
The Swan River National Wildlife Refuge is located in the northwestern section of Montana in the United States. The refuge was primarily set aside to protect prime habitat for various species of birds and particularly waterfowl. The refuge does not have a permanent staff and is managed from the...
, both also in Montana. The gently rolling terrain of Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is dominated by native shortgrass prairie
Shortgrass prairie
The shortgrass prairie ecosystem of the North American Great Plains is a prairie that includes lands from the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains east to Nebraska and Saskatchewan, including rangelands in Alberta, Wyoming, Montana, North, South Dakota, and Kansas, and extending to the south...
and seasonal wetlands, and surrounded by mountain ranges on three sides: the Highwood Mountains
Highwood Mountains
The Highwood Mountains cover approximately 4,659 km² in north central Montana in the U.S., east of Great Falls and Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, at the northern end of the Lewis and Clark National Forest...
to the east, the Big Belt Mountains
Big Belt Mountains
The Big Belt Mountains are a section of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. state of Montana. Situated mainly in the Helena National Forest, the mountains are used for logging and recreation for the surrounding residents. Nearby is Helena, Montana, Canyon Ferry Lake, the Missouri River, Townsend,...
to the south, and the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
to the west.
These ranges form a dramatic backdrop to a scene reminiscent of the days when the entire prairie-wetland ecosystem of the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
was alive with thousands of ducks, geese, swans, and shorebirds each spring and fall. Benton Lake NWR is one of more than 535 national wildlife Refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that were established to protect, enhance, and restore the Nation's wildlife heritage. Covering 12383 acres (50 km²), the Refuge is located on the western edge of the northern Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
, 50 miles (80.5 km) east of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
and 12 miles (19 km) north of Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
. Despite its name, Benton Lake is actually a 5000 acres (20 km²) shallow wetland created by the last continental glacier thousands of years ago.
During Montana's early development, Benton Lake was first viewed as a resource to be exploited. In 1885, the government excluded the Benton Lake basin from homesteading so it could be used as a reservoir for irrigating lands to the east. That plan proved to be impractical. Early in the 20th century, several Montana businessmen planned to "reclaim" the wetlands for use as croplands. A ditch 26 feet (8 m) deep and 1½ miles long was dug, but the drainage was ineffective and the project was abandoned. This early drainage ditch is still visible from the blacktop road leading to the Refuge.
As the surrounding land was settled, local sportsmen pushed for the establishment of a Refuge to keep the area in public ownership. By Executive Order of President Herbert Hoover in 1929, Benton Lake was set aside as a "Refuge and breeding ground for birds." However, the Refuge remained dry more often than not until 1957, when members of the Cascade County Wildlife Association secured Congressional funding to transform the marsh into a more consistently wet environment. Over the next 4 years, a pump house and pipeline were built to bring water to the Refuge from Muddy Creek. In addition, dikes were built to divide the wetland into manageable units, and Refuge roads and facilities were constructed.
Water still flows from the original pump station on Muddy Creek, but the Refuge wetlands have been further divided for more efficient water management. An interior pump system allows movement of water from one Refuge unit to another as needed, and is especially useful in the event of a waterfowl disease outbreak. Water is kept fairly shallow to produce an optimum mix of aquatic plants and insects for wildlife.
Several thousand acres of native prairie on the Refuge are protected from disturbance, while former farm fields have been seeded to a mixture of grasses and forbs preferred by ground nesting birds and other wildlife. The farm fields are rejuvenated every five years or so by haying, burning, grazing, or even farming and reseeding to keep plant growth tall and dense.
Benton Lake NWR is truly an oasis for water birds. During spring and fall migrations, up to 150,000 ducks, 2,500 Canada geese, 40,000 snow geese, 5,000 tundra swans, and perhaps as many as 50,000 shorebirds use the marsh. Bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s are commonly seen in spring and fall, while an occasional golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, prairie falcon
Prairie Falcon
The Prairie Falcon is a medium-sized falcon of western North America.It is about the size of a Peregrine Falcon or a crow, with an average length of 40 cm , wingspan of 1 metre , and weight of 720 g...
, or peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
adds a bit of drama to the scene.
During the summer breeding season, the marsh teems with life. On average, 20,000 ducks are produced yearly, while colonies of Franklin's gulls may contain more than 10,000 nests. Avocet
Avocet
The four species of Avocets are a genus, Recurvirostra, of waders in the same avian family as the stilts.Avocets have long legs and long, thin, upcurved bills which they sweep from side to side when feeding in the brackish or saline wetlands they prefer...
s, phalarope
Phalarope
A phalarope or wadepiper is any of three living species of slender-necked shorebirds in the genus Phalaropus of the bird family Scolopacidae. They are close relatives of the shanks and tattlers, the Actitis and Terek Sandpipers, and also of the turnstones and calidrids...
s, willet
Willet
The Willet, Tringa semipalmata , is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family. It is a good-sized and stout scolopacid, the largest of the shanks...
s, grebe
Grebe
A grebe is a member of the Podicipediformes order, a widely distributed order of freshwater diving birds, some of which visit the sea when migrating and in winter...
s, and other water birds seem to be everywhere. Of the approximately 240 species of birds recorded on the Refuge, nearly 90 are known to nest here. The Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge has been designated as a site of regional importance to shorebirds by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network is a conservation strategy targeting shorebirds in the Americas launched in 1985. Its aim is to protect the nesting, breeding and staging habitats of migratory shorebirds...
(WHSRN).
Other Refuge wildlife includes 28 different species of mammals such as mountain cottontail, common muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...
, American badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
, striped skunk
Striped Skunk
The striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, is an omnivorous mammal of the skunk family Mephitidae. Found over most of the North American continent north of Mexico, it is one of the best-known mammals in Canada and the United States.-Description:...
, common raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
, long-tailed weasel, Richardson's ground squirrel, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
, and a limited number of white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, and pronghorn
Pronghorn
The pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl mammal endemic to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or simply antelope, as it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World and...
. Few reptile and amphibian species are found on the Refuge, and there are no sizeable fish due to the shallowness of the marsh.
To get to the Refuge, follow Highway 87 (Havre
Havre, Montana
Havre is a city in, and the county seat of, Hill County, Montana, United States. It is said to be named after the city of Le Havre in France. The population was 9,621 at the 2000 census.-History:...
Highway) north out of Great Falls for about a mile and turn left onto Bootlegger Trail for approximately 9 miles (14 km) which leads to the well-marked Refuge entrance.