A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM TO CURTAIL BOAT DISTURBANCE TO 
MIGRATING WATERFOWL ON THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

Kevin P. Kenow1 and James M. Nissen2
1U. S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI  
54603, 2U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and 
Fish Refuge, Onalaska, WI 54601

A voluntary waterfowl avoidance area (VWAA) was established on Lake Onalaska in 
Navigation Pool 7 of the Upper Mississippi River in 1986, to reduce boating disturbance 
to migratory waterfowl.  The U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service have collaborated to monitor boater compliance with the VWAA program when 
the program was established (1986-88) and again in 1993, 1997, and 2004.  Boating 
traffic on Lake Onalaska during the avoidance period has increased steadily from the 
1981 level of 1.59 boating events per hour to 3.06 in 2004.  Since the inception of the 
VWAA, the hourly rate of intrusion into the VWAA and rate of resulting disturbances 
have remained fairly constant.  Consequently, the number of disturbances per boating 
event has declined dramatically.  The lake-wide disturbance rate in 2004 (0.08 
disturbances per lake-wide boating event) was at the lowest point measured and well 
below the rate of boating disturbance to waterfowl before establishment of the VWAA 
(0.30 disturbances per boating event).  We also saw evidence of better boater compliance 
with the VWAA program in 1997 and 2004 compared to 1986-88 and 1993 as indicated 
by a decline in the proportion of boats that intruded into the VWAA.  Reduced boating 
activity in the VWAA, in turn, has probably contributed considerably to the value of the 
VWAA as a waterfowl refuge, a notion supported by the observed concentration of birds.  
Monitoring conducted in 1986-88, 1993, 1997, and 2004 indicate that the VWAA 
program has been successful in reducing disturbance to waterfowl and it has been evident 
that many boaters made an obvious effort to travel out of their way to comply with the 
VWAA.  This program is an example of a management strategy that River managers and 
biologists may use to enhance the UMR as an important waterfowl staging area.

Keywords:  disturbance, Lake Onalaska, staging, Voluntary Waterfowl Avoidance Area, 
waterfowl