Hunters are likely to be disappointed when they arrive at southeast Kansas waterfowl areas this fall.

At Marais des Cygnes Wildlife Area near Pleasanton, prolonged drought has nearly dried the Marais des Cygnes River, preventing wildlife area staff from pumping water into area wetlands.

“This fall is particularly frustrating because we have generally good food and cover in the marsh units,” area manager Karl Karrow said.

There is, however, some good news.

“Several marshes have water remaining from last spring, and two marshes were pumped in September,” Karrow said. “In spite of this, the entire wildlife area has less than 500 acres of water in hunting pools and less than 200 acres inundated in the refuge marsh.”

Not only is the wildlife area critically low on water, but private duck clubs and natural wetlands throughout the Marais des Cygnes Valley are mostly dry.

In addition, the nearby Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge is almost dry.

“There is enough water for this weekend’s youth season,” Karrow said, “but unless we get major rains in the next four weeks, the regular duck season will be pretty bleak here.”

The story is much the same at Neosho Wildlife Area near St. Paul.

“If we don’t get rain, it’s going to be pretty poor,” area manager Monte Manbeck said. “We’ll pump as much as possible, but the Neosho River needs about six inches of rain.”

Currently, the area has about 350 acres of marsh with huntable water.

At Otter Creek Wildlife Area near John Redmond Reservoir, it’s the same story.

“Water in the reservoir is one foot below conservation pool,” area manager Scott Barlow said. “The marsh along Otter Creek has very little water, and the small marsh below the dam is bone dry.”

If heavy rains do hit the area, most marshes have plenty of habitat to attract ducks.