Waterfowl Impoundment Condition Alerts

Pumping operations are currently paused due to low water levels in the impoundment supply canal. Currently we are unsure if we will have enough water to flood impoundment during 2026-27 waterfowl season.

Water levels are currently above prescribed levels. Water levels will recede to prescribed levels as winds turn to a westerly direction.

Water levels at the Parker Farm are below target levels, but huntable.

E. Merle Edwards/Loop Road Impoundment - The impoundment has water throughout and no issues are expected. The impoundment is managed for submerged aquatics on the deeper portions of the impoundment and moist soil vegetation on the drier portions on the northwest corner. 

Willow Point Waterfowl Impoundment – This impoundment is hunted by permit only. No issues to report. Permitted hunters will find a non-combustion powered boat, canoe, or kayak helpful.

Hunters using the Holly Shelter Green Tree Impoundment may experience below optimal water levels until significant rainfall occurs. Water supply to the Lodge Road Impoundment pump is at a level where we are unable to pump into the impoundment. Currently we are unsure if we will be able to flood the impoundment this season.

Water levels at the White Oak Impoundment are above prescribed levels and will return to prescribed levels as river levels stabilize from recent wind events and King tide. Bridges have been repaired. However, hunters should still be prepared to cross ditches using drag boats as needed.

No issues to report. 

The easternmost impoundment has some huntable water in the northeast corner. The westernmost impoundment is dry. We will continue pumping as conditions allow with limited progress through November.

Impoundments are flooded. Permitted hunters for the North River impoundment hunts can hunt anywhere within the unit for which they are drawn. Two earthen mounds have been built in each impoundment, but the brush has not had time to establish. The blinds are available.

All the managed waterfowl impoundments are dry. There is a little water in the northwestern portion of the Minges impoundment where the canal is wide, but that water does not extend into the flats of the impoundment. Minges will not be flooded unless the river floods. Waterfowl permit holders can hunt anywhere within the tract for which they are drawn. If the impoundments are not flooded for a hunt, hunters should consider hunting the adjacent swamps. Most of the adjacent swamp are also dry.

No report

No report.

Zone 1 impoundment was managed as a moist soil unit with some water present though the summer. All are expected to be flooded by the November opening.

Water levels will not be at or near the desired pool for the November season and not likely for the December-January season in all of the Butner-Falls waterfowl impoundments.
Butner Depot and Beaver Dam Impoundments have adequate huntable water for the beginning of the November season, but not quite as much as traditionally for this time of year. Pumping has been ongoing for weeks and continues as the river level allows (only during the days on weekdays now at this point). The intake for the permanent pump station for these two impoundments is now over half exposed, so eventually without a sustained rise in the river level it will become unusable. Hopefully though, we can continue to pump a little at a time and might get these two impoundments to full pool by the late season.
NOTICE to Permit Holders: Flat River and Bluff Impoundments are completely dry, pumping out of the upstream pump stations for these two impoundments has not been possible. The river here is so low that there isn’t enough water to even attempt pumping. Until the level of Falls Lake recovers significantly and the flow of the Flat River returns to normal, we will not be able to move water. A few (even large) rain events won’t remedy this issue, though run-off might start to fill the ditches. The outlook for the November season seems to indicate non-existent hunting opportunity, and only with a dramatic change in conditions does pumping water seem a possibility even for the late season.
Highway 98 Impoundment should have a decent amount of huntable water for the November season. The second set of stop logs have been added to the water control structure and Lick Creek is still maintaining at least some flow. A few rain events will provide enough run-off to fill it to the level the logs are now. A final drop of stop logs will be added in early December. This impoundment is anticipated to be at full pool for the late season.
Knapp of Reeds Impoundment only has very limited huntable water in the low end and ditches, but not out into the fields. Lower Brickhouse Road Impoundment has some huntable water, but
mostly near the water control structures and in the lowest areas and channels. Little River Impoundment is dry, except for some small areas of water in front of the water control structures on the main dike. These conditions are unlikely to change soon without significant/substantial rainfall, as these impoundments are flooded by runoff alone.
Patterson Road and Upper Brickhouse Road Impoundments are not included in the 2026-2027 flooding schedule.

In the Caswell Impoundment water levels will be more than adequate for the beginning of the November season and at or near full pool for the December-January season, as long as drought conditions don’t continue to worsen and pumping from this section of Country Line Creek remains feasible.
In the Brumley Impoundment, currently the upper sub-impoundment is completely full, while the lower sub-impoundment remains dry. (The lower is filled by the upper.) The conditions at the pumping station here on Country Line Creek have now become too low to continue pumping until some rainfall fills the creek channel again. This is thought to be temporary though, as it won’t take a whole lot more pumping to fill the lower sub-impoundment. It is anticipated that all of Brumley will be at or near full pool for the late season.

The second set of stop logs have been added to the water control structures of the four impoundments scheduled for flooding this year and the feeder creeks are maintaining reasonable flows currently. There will be adequate huntable water for the November season. A final drop of stop logs will be added in early December. Water levels are expected to be at full pool for the December-January season given adequate rainfall and sustained creek/river levels. Impoundments #2 Lower Little Creek, #3 New Hope River, #5 Northeast Creek, and #7 I-40 are included in the 2026-2027 flooding schedule.