 The government had hoped to add land in the Gaston area to the main refuge , but initially met resistance from local residents . Some residents later asked the government to buy their land for the refuge in 2000 . By 2002 , up to 6 @,@ 400 acres ( 2 @,@ 600 ha ) were being studied in that area for inclusion into the wildlife refuge as part of the then uncreated unit . At that time the Fish and Wildlife Service owned 108 acres ( 44 ha ) in the area , with plans to restore the lake if the unit was established . In March 2007 , the Service approved the creation of the Wapato Lake Unit with a boundary encompassing 4 @,@ 310 possible acres ( 17 @.@ 4 km2 ) . In June 2008 , the Wapato Lake Unit purchased its first sets of properties . Totaling 180 acres ( 73 ha ) from three properties , the Fish and Wildlife Service paid $ 631 @,@ 000 for the land using a grant from the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission . An additional 15 acres ( 6 @.@ 1 ha ) were added in September . Plans called for restoring the farmland back to its natural state and acquiring all land by 2011 . 
