Los Banos Rotary Club History
Tells Rotarians Of Duck Survey

Carl Eklund, leader of a U. S. Fish and Wildlife survey crew which is in Los Banos to conduct is year-long survey of the local marsh area in relation to its importance to the Pacific Coast duck flyway, was guest speaker at the Rotary Club luncheon Tuesday noon. Eklund explained the purpose of the survey, and outlined the thorough manner in which it will be made.

The survey, he said, is being made at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in an effort to accurately determine and evaluate the marshlands area in its combined usage as a migratory bird flyway and as grazing land. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Eklund said, has determined from previous studies the importance of the area as an integral link in the waterways frequented by migratory wildfowl in the semi-annual migrations to and from the northlands. Until now, however, no attempt has been made to actually place a dollars and cents value on the birds, and this will be one of the most important phases of the present survey.

To do this accurately, Eklund emphasized that his party must have the full cooperation of the duck hunters who frequent the area. In so far as possible they will endeavor to contact every duck club in the area, and obtain lists of both affiliated and non-affiliated hunters, acreage owned, assessments, dues and other costs involved, average number of ducks and geese killed, and other pertinent information that will be analyzed and compiled to present an overall picture.

Immediately after the present duck season closes they plan to send questionnaires to all hunters of whom they have the names and addresses, to obtain information as to personal cost of their duck hunts, shells, guns and supplies purchased, etc., together with individual duck kills this year and in former years.

"If the duck hunters," Eklund emphasized, "are unwilling to supply this needed information, both they and the duck clubs will be the losers, because only by the returns from these questionnaires will we be able to accurately compute the value of the ducks on a dollar and cents basis.

At the same time the survey crew will make an extended series of aerial surveys over the entire area to determine the duck population. These surveys will be taken weekly during the winter months, and every two weeks through the remainder of the year, except during the summer, when a separate nesting survey will be taken to determine the number of ducks that nest and raise their young here.

Eklund emphasized that the results of this survey may well determine whether the grasslands area is retained as a permanent part of the Central Valley plan, and further, results of the survey may determine a non-reimbursable benefit that may be charged off in the construction of Friant dam. In such event, Eklund said, the Bureau of Reclamation may be able to rightfully sell the grasslands area irrigation water at a cost comparable with the ability of this area to pay. Eklund also emphasized that any water that might be permanently allotted to the grasslands area would in no way interfere with nor detract from the supply of water that is now allotted by contract to local canal companies for irrigation of agricultural lands.

October 28, 1947

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