Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District

05/09/2026

Wilson's phalaropes feed on a variety of mostly aquatic insects and frequently spin around in the water to create a whirlpool to stir up invertebrates.

Video: Wilson's phalaropes foraging in the water at Moger WPA (J. Bolser/USFWS)

03/09/2026

A few sights from Massie WPA and Moger WPA in Clay County over the weekend.

Photo credit: Jessica Bolser/USFWS

03/05/2026

This morning's views at Gleason WPA, starting in the fog and after it lifted. Snow geese and northern pintails have been abundant at many WPAs across the District the last couple of weeks. Approximately 65,000 ducks (99% pintails) were observed by our Biologist, roosting and foraging in the wetland basin at Gleason in Kearney County this morning.

Photo credit (all photos): Jeff Drahota/USFWS

10/01/2025

Due to the federal government shutdown, this account is not being actively updated.
For more information, please visit:

Operations in the Absence of Appropriations

09/05/2025

Water delivery begins today at Funk WPA and Cottonwood WPA.

Photo: Water flowing out of the Whitefront unit structure at Funk WPA

08/29/2025

Current wetland conditions are variable across the Wetland Management District and largely dependent on recent rainfall.

Updated wetland habitat conditions and early pumping plans for the Rainwater Basin can be found at the following link: https://outdoornebraska.gov/hunt/game/waterfowl/

Photos: Views of Smith WPA on 8/26 with a mostly full wetland basin.

11/13/2024

Ferruginous hawks are a winter visitor on some of the WPAs across the District. This area is along the eastern edge of the range for this species. They are usually spotted in or near prairie dog towns looking for their next meal.

Photos: Ferruginous hawks at Lindau WPA by USFWS

10/19/2024

We are currently pumping water (or have been within the last week) into the basins at the following WPAs: Funk (Mallard, Teal, and Peterson units), Johnson, Cottonwood, Atlanta, Clark, Gleason, Eckhardt, Smith, Massie and Harvard.

Check out the following link for information on fall pumping plans on the WPAs.
https://outdoornebraska.gov/hunt/game/waterfowl/
Scroll down to the section on wetland habitat conditions for weekly updates.

Photo: Water flowing from the discharge pipe into the Teal unit at Funk WPA.

10/11/2024

Check out the following link for information on fall pumping plans on the WPAs.
https://outdoornebraska.gov/hunt/game/waterfowl/
Scroll down to the section on wetland habitat conditions for weekly updates.

We are currently pumping water (or have been within the last week) at the following WPAs: Hansen (north), Harvard (southwest), Smith, Eckhardt, Clark, Funk (Mallard), Funk (Teal), and Atlanta.

Photo: Water flowing out of a new discharge pipe towards the wetland basin at Atlanta WPA

07/18/2024

Job Announcement! The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hiring an Administrative Support Assistant (GS 6/7). This one position could be located at one of four possible locations, including our District office here in Funk, NE or at Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge in Kirwin, KS.

For more information about the position and directions on how to apply check out the following links:

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/800584600

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/800584900