Matheson Wetlands Preserve
The Matheson Wetlands Preserve, located just a half-mile from Moab, provides some of the best wetlands wildlife watching in Utah. It is the only major wetland along the Colorado River in Utah. It is a critical 'steppingstone' for migrating waterfowl, raptors and shorebirds. Point of entry is on Kane Creek Road. The preserve is open seven days a week, from sunrise to sunset. For more information call (435) 259-4629.
Moab Wetland History
Beginning in the 19th century, ranchers grazed cattle among the thick vegetation of what they called the Moab Slough. Other settlers to the valley attempted to drain the slough and plant orchards and crops. Although ditches and canals are still visible, drainage efforts were abandoned when the Colorado River reclaimed this wetland as her own in the floods of 1983 and 1984.
The slough also provided townspeople with respite from their desert environment. For generations, the Moab Slough was a favorite haunt of children bow-fishing and exploring an exotic green world. In the fall there was hunting; in the winter, ice skating; in the spring, bird watching.
In 1990, The Nature Conservancy began to acquire land in the slough with the support of the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation. Because it is the only high-quality wetland along the Utah shores of the Colorado River, the slough is of great importance to wildlife. Today, 875 acres are owned and jointly managed by the Conservancy and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. In 1991, the preserve was named in honor of the late Scott M. Matheson, Utah's distinguished former governor and a conservation advocate.
A Watery World
Wetlands are places where land and water meet. They can be grasslands, small prairie potholes, or places like the Matheson Wetlands Preserve. They all have in common the presence of water that supports uniquely adapted plants, soils, and wildlife. Wetlands across the United States continue to be lost at an astounding rate: some 300,000 acres each year.
Water is the defining element of this wetland, making it a dynamic and diverse system. The preserve's ponds and marshy areas draw animals not usually found in the desert: beavers, frogs, river otters. Other desert dwellers, such as mule deer, gravitate to the feast that this wetland offers.
More than 175 species of birds have been spotted here, with their numbers peaking during fall and spring migrations. Songbirds and shorebirds forage among Russian olives. Many birds choose to build nests and raise their young.
Water fluctuations in the preserve dictate the types and locations of plants and trees. For instance, river flooding helps regenerate Fremont cottonwood trees, while drier years spark the spread of cattails and bulrush. Knotgrass grows in standing water and saltgrass grows on drier ground. The shifting nature of this wetland creates a patchwork of vibrant habitats and an accompanying diversity of life.