By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Bird watchers visit Cheyenne Bottoms, in large part, for the birds. But those birds will not stop if there's nothing to eat. Dry conditions ahead of recent rains have allowed Cheyenne Bottoms staff to plant millet that will eventually serve as duck food. Wildlife Manager Jason Wagner said staff worked approximately 40 acres in Pool B earlier this week.
"We really could have used another shot of rain or two to keep things going a little bit more, but we're perfectly fine with what we've got," he said. "We're heading in the right direction, still."
A few pools around the Bottoms continue to hold water. Pool 1A, with a capacity of 72 inches, is still at approximately 52 inches. Pool 1B, with a capacity of 48 inches, was at 27 inches earlier this week.
"We're still bringing in some water and, of course, we're losing quite a bit of water now because it's starting to get hot and dry," Wagner said. "On those windy days, sometimes we'll lose half an inch to an inch of water a day when it's around 100 degrees."
Wagner said the drier conditions are also allowing staff to work on roads that have deteriorated. A base of large rock has been applied in some areas, and small rock and eventually sand will be laid on top of the large rock.