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<br />000033 <br /> <br />PREFACE <br /> <br />Thirteen miles below Flaming Gorge Dam, between Red Canyon <br />and the Gates of Lodore Canyon, lies Browns Park, a 35-mile long <br />valley where the Green River meanders between saucer-shaped bot- <br />toms. Before the dam was constructed in 1962, the Green River <br />flooded annually, creating excellent waterfowl nesting, feeding, and <br />resting marshes in the backwater sloughs and old stream meanders. <br />The dam stopped flooding, destroying much of this productive water- <br />fowl habitat. <br /> <br />On August 20, 1963, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commis- <br />sion approved acquisition of Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge to <br />develop and manage waterfowl habitat in that portion of Browns <br />Park within the State of Colorado. The Utah portion of the Park is <br />being developed for waterfowl and other wildlife by the Utah Depart- <br />ment of Fish and Game. <br /> <br />The primary purpose of Browns Park Refuge is to provide high <br />quality nesting and migration habitat for the Great Basin Canada <br />Goose, ducks, and other migratory birds. When the marshes and <br />meadows along the Green River are restored and managed, the ref- <br />uge will contribute significantly to Pacific and Central Flyway water- <br />fowl populations. <br /> <br />Browns Park Refuge will be developed and managed to pre- <br />serve the quality outdoor recreational activities it has always been <br />noted for. Distant from centers of population and many miles from <br />any major highway, the refuge attracts people seeking a quality <br />outdoor experience- waterfowl and resident game hunters, fisher- <br />men, tloat Ooatmg enthUSIasts, and others who appreciate a wild <br />area where wildlife and fish abound. <br /> <br />Browns Park Refuge encompasses 12,833 acres, and an addi- <br />tional 1,036 acres is proposed. The private land is being purchased <br />with funds from the JVfigratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act. On July 13, <br />1965, the first tract of private land was acquired. <br /> <br />The total estimated cost of Browns Park Refuge is $2,414,000: <br />$570,000 for land acquisition and $1,844,000 for development. <br />