Kulm WMD

The Kulm Wetland Management District (WMD) is a four county area located in south central North Dakota (Dickey, LaMoure, Logan and McIntosh Counties). The eastern third of the WMD is located in the drift prairie physiographic region, a gently undulating landscape. It contains the James River, a valuable migration pathway for many species of migratory birds. The drift prairie was historically a transition area between tall grass prairie to the east and shorter grasses to the west. Presently it is intensively farmed with only a few scattered tracts of grassland remaining. Wetlands in the drift prairie, while historically numerous, tend to be shallower and have been easily drained. The Missouri Coteau occupies the middle half of the WMD. The Coteau is a glacial end moraine. It has a very hilly character. Wetland density in the coteau is extremely high, exceeding 50 wetlands per square mile in some areas. The mixed grass prairie of the coteau is the most productive waterfowl nesting area in the United States. This area is primarily grassland used for raising cattle, with some areas of crop land. Numerous species of ground nesting and marsh birds depend on the coteau's grasslands and wetlands for breeding, nesting and rearing broods.