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I have a friend, an old-timer named Jay, who was an avid
hunter in his youth, who remembers a wonderful wetland about 4 miles east of
Magna, just south of Hwy 201. Apparently there used to be a series of
ponds there (the largest of these on the old USGS topo map appears to have been
over a quarter mile across) called the Duck and Fish Club. The property,
which was owned by Kennecott Copper, apparently used to have many cabins,
excellent warm-water fishing, boating, and other recreational activities, along
with waterfowl. Apparently this was a very popular spot. For some
sad reason (perhaps the fact that there was an algal bloom that messed with
Kennecott's ore processing), the ponds were drained by canals some time around
the late 1950s. Jay believes that it is possible that Decker
Lake is/was part of the same aquatic system.
Anyway, my friend was wondering whether anyone out there in
the birding community remembers this lost wetland and knows some more of its
history. I cannot but lament the loss of such an oasis so close to
our major metropolitan area, which creeps steadily along, swallowing once-open
land.
WOAH
there!
OK, I better stop right here and now before I start blithering
and babbling about swanee swans and the Lorax, who speaks for the trees,
those truffula trees...
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