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To provide the greatest benefit for wildlife, irregular shorelines with inlets and points will maintain the most upland vegetation. One to several small islands located at least 50 feet from share would also help with waterfowl nesting and rest areas. Any of the islands need to be protected at the waterline by riprap on the upwind side and should be covered with a permanent short grass cover. To provide the best combination of open water to riparian type vegetation, the ratio of deep water to shallow water areas should be about 50:50. The pond shorelines can be seeded with a grass legume mix including reed canary9rass, bluegrass, switch9rass, wheatgrass (either western or slender, or both), and alsike clover or alfalfa. These plants will tolerate a water table and some can establish to the waters edge. Upland slopes should be graded to 3:1 or flatter and smoothed to near normal contours. Pond embankment slopes should also be 3:1 or flatter and vegetated to the waterline to prevent soil slumping. The shallow water areas should have slopes 4:1 or flatter. Nesting platforms can help enhance the benefits to wildlife. Clump plantings of shrubs and trees can be scattered throughout the unit. Clumps need to consist of at least 5 to 15 shrubs, planted on about 4 foot centers. Trees can be planted in groups of 1 to 6, on 8 to 15 foot centers depending on species. Shrub species beneficial to wildlife include skunkbush, honeysuckle, caragena, and rugosa rose. Trees species could include cottonwood, Russian olive, and willow. On drier portions of the area pines, spruce, and hardwoods could also be grown. Consult the Colorado State Forest Service for species that do well on wetter sites. Cattails, willows, sedges, and rushes will invade the site and provide excellent wildlife habitat. The shallow water areas and sloping shorelines will support this type of riparian vegetation. Topsoil should be stockpiled for reclamation work. The stockpiles need to be protected from wind and water erosion. Broadcast the upland seeding mix at double the recommended seeding rate. Rake the seed into the ground and mulch with a weed free long stem native grass hay. The seeding can be done in late fall or early spring. If the soil will be stockpiled in the late spring or early summer, a temporary cover crop of a sterile forage sorghum should be planted at 1/2 normal seeding rates. The temporary cover will stabilize the soil until a more permanent cover can be planted. The upland seeding mix can be drilled or broadcast directly into the temporary cover crop. On the upland areas, spread topsoil material uniformly over the areas to be reseeded. Seedbed preparation prior to grass seeding is needed. Incorporate 40 lbs./acre of available phosphorus fertilizer. The seedbed must not be rock hard or too fluffy. A firm seedbed is best. Grill grass seed to a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch between November 1 and April 15, preferably before a period of anticipated moisture. Use a grass drill capable of handling fluffy seed, equiped with double disc furrow openers, depth bands, and packer wheels. Spacing of drill rows should be 7 to 12 inches. After drilling, mulch with 3000 to 4000 lbs./acre of long stemed prairie hay. The hay needs to be weed free. Spread the hay uniformly over the seeded area and crimp into the soil to a depth of 3 to 4 inches.