On
April 2, 2002 the restoration of Jumbo and Pullman Valley fens was completed
with the sale of the property back to private ranching operations. The
2700 acre ranch was sold in two parcels. The larger northern portion
(approximately 2200 acres) containing Jumbo Valley was sold to Stan and Jean
Huffman. The southern portion containing the Pullman Valley was sold to
Glen Coble and Sons, Inc. Both parcels were sold at appraised valley with
a conservation easement on the property. Prior to the sale of the
property, The Nature Conservancy transferred the conservation easement to the
Sandhills Task Force.
The easement prohibits future drainage or alteration of the wetland hydrology of the two fens. It restricts the building or improvement of ranch buildings to the six acres has been used as the ranch headquarters. Normal ranching operations are allowed on the entire property.
In negotiating the sale of the Pullman Valley portion of the property, Glen Coble and Sons, Inc. agreed to sell a restoration and conservation easement on West Twin Lake, located approximately one-half mile east of Pullman Valley. Currently the lake is surrounded by a drainage ditch that removes enough surface water to allow about half of the lake bed to be hayed. The newly acquired easement will allow the Sandhills Task Force to construct and maintain a water control structure that will restore approximately 113 acres of lake to its near historic level. Natural Resources Conservation Service is currently designing the water control structure. The Task Force will also obtain the necessary permits to restore the lake.
Map of West Twin Lake restoration project.
West Twin Lake, Cherry County