Joe - I'm a little north of you in extreme southwest Boone county. I actaully plan to let the cattails move in in about 5 years or so when other plants have a firm footing. I may be sorry though. Once established, they exclude everything else and are hard to get rid of. I am hoping that my dams are wide enough to keep the muskrats from causing leakage. I have a neighbor who traps, and I plan to continue to let him trap on my property; but he comes in after deer season, so he won't disturb my hunting.