News Release

Hickory Mound improvements highlight partnership between FWC and Ducks Unlimited

October 23, 2007
Contact: Karen Parker 386-758-0525

The improvements to the Hickory Mound Impoundment were officially recognized Oct. 16 when members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Ducks Unlimited unveiled a sign at the area commemorating the project’s partnerships.

The project was an upgrade of the impoundment dike and water control structures.

“The reconstruction of the impoundment dike was designed to allow this structure to withstand a 50-year storm event by drastically reducing the number of breaches that have occurred in the past,” explained David Nicholson, district biologist at the FWC Big Bend Field Office in Perry.

The major portions of the construction project included the installation of two 1,000-foot concrete geoweb spillways, four 5-foot by 5-foot box culverts, one aluminum water control structure, and the placement of rip-rap material along approximately 3,600 feet of the dike as reinforcement in areas susceptible to storm erosion in the past.  

“These upgrades also give biologists better control over the flow of water into and out of the impoundment, allowing FWC staff to better manage waterfowl and other wildlife species. This increased management ability will produce higher quality recreational opportunities,” Nicholson explained.  

During the ceremony, members of the FWC and Ducks Unlimited spoke of the close working relationship between the two agencies and the obstacles they overcame on the project. The ceremony concluded with an unveiling of a sign listing all those entities who contributed to making the project a reality.

This project was funded by FWC, Ducks Unlimited, Taylor County, and grants received from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, Nicholson said.

Nicholson gave a brief history of the impoundment during the ceremony.

“It was constructed in 1968 as a joint venture between Buckeye Cellulose Corporation, the landowner at the time, and the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (GFC), currently the FWC,” Nicholson said.

The primary goals were to enhance waterfowl habitat and waterfowl hunting opportunities.  The impoundment also provided many other recreational opportunities including crabbing, fishing and bird watching.

In response to damages caused by Hurricane Kate in 1985, the GFC joined with Ducks Unlimited for the cooperative maintenance and management of Hickory Mound Impoundment. 

“In 1986, the Nature Conservancy purchased those lands that make up the bulk of the Big Bend Wildlife Management Area, which included Hickory Mound. These lands were subsequently transferred to the State of Florida in 1987,” Nicholson said.

Over the years the impoundment has been plagued by damages caused by tropical systems:

• March 1993:  Storm of the Century

• August 1994:  Tropical Storm Beryl

• June 1995:  Hurricane Allison

• October 1995:  Hurricane Opal

• September 1998:  Hurricane Earl

• September 2004:  Hurricane Jeanne

“Because of damage caused by these storms, as well as vandalism to the water control structures, the management of the area for waterfowl had been greatly hampered.  To combat this, in 2001, the FWC contracted with Turnbull Environmental, Inc. to develop a feasibility study for upgrading the impoundment levee to withstand a 50-year storm event.  The results of this study were then used to develop construction plans for the upgrades,” Nicholson said.

In April 2005, a contract was awarded to Carter’s Contracting Services, Inc. of Andalusia, Ala., and construction began soon thereafter.

“The problems with storms continued,” Nicholson said. “In July 2005, when construction was about one-third completed and the impoundment was in a vulnerable state, Hurricane Dennis made landfall in Pensacola. Although this storm remained well offshore of the Big Bend region, its path and strength resulted in considerable damage from tidal surge all along the Big Bend coast.  Tidal surge at the impoundment was estimated to be more than 9 feet and resulted in extensive damage.”

As a result of the damage and an active hurricane season, construction was suspended until hurricane season ended.  FWC worked with FEMA to recover some funds for repairs, and Anderson Columbia assisted by providing a storage location for the excess material and debris removed from the dike.

Construction was completed in June 2006, and the area reopened to the public for recreational use. FWC worked with Ducks Unlimited to draft an updated management plan for the impoundment that still focuses on waterfowl habitat but also takes into account wading birds, blue crabs and the marine fishery to maximize the area’s potential.

“Even though the upgrades to the impoundment have not been tested by tropical systems, we feel this project is a success. Vandalism has been minimal, and the new water control structures are operating efficiently,” Nicholson said. “This is a great resource for the visitors and residents of Taylor County.”