August-September 2026 • Nebraskaland 15
For example, a Poor rating could be given when a wetland
has plenty of water, but there is not an open spot for
hunters to set out decoys or ducks to land.
"You're obviously looking for Good and Excellent," said
LaGrange. "With Good, there is enough water to float a
decoy. Fair is a little water, and it might be OK for teal. And
Dry is dry."
What to Pump When?
The report obviously raises question, including which
areas should be pumped. The determination process
and a timeline for doing so starts with a meeting among
wetland biologists in mid-August. Hot, dry and windy
days cause evaporation, making it difficult to sustain
water levels achieved through pumping. "Some areas are
so dry," said LaGrange, "that an entire week of pumping
wouldn't help."
Another factor is vegetation. "What are the conditions
of the plant community?" LaGrange stated. If it's solid
cattails, there's no reason to pump because of how hard it
would be to hunt. "It's not the best use of money," he said.
But if it's smartweed or barnyard grass — both excellent
food sources for ducks — then just a few inches of water
would create a duck magnet.
Sometimes an area could be involved in a management
plan, such as the removal of invasive species, that would
preclude pumping. "Biologists will mow at times," said
LaGrange. "They'll disk. We may have something with a
lot of cattails that is nearly dry. We might let it winterkill
and disk it to create better habitat in the long run."
When a wetland covers both public and private land, and
pumping that wetland could lead to water spilling onto
adjacent land, then there must be an understanding between
the biologists and that landowner. "Some neighbors are
tolerant of additional water and others don't mind water if
their crops are out," said LaGrange. "Keep in mind we don't
pump to capacity because there is still a chance of rain, and
we don't want to flood an adjacent landowner."
What Should Hunters Understand?
Biologists visit these sites once a week starting in mid-
August, passing along their assessments to LaGrange and
his staff, who compile the wetland conditions report. "I
trust the biologists," said LaGrange. "If they say there's
water, there's water, but pumping remains a complicated
process. We want to have huntable water with some
open vegetation. If you have 6 inches of water, food and
openings, you're going to have teal. That's good water."
A teal hunt bag shot from the Rainwater Basin. JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
