LAKE VILLAGE, Ind. (AP) _ State wildlife officials say they'll restore a northwestern Indiana wetland to turn it into a rest stop for stressed-out waterfowl and shore birds during their migrations.

The state Department of Natural Resources will re-establish the Black Oak Bayou as a wetland mimicking the natural water fluctuations found there before it was closed off from the Kankakee River.

Restoring the wetland is expected to spur the growth of wetland plants and attract a large variety of waterfowl, shore birds and other water-dependent species.

Black Oak Bayou is located along the Illinois state line 30 miles south of Gary within the 3,800-acre LaSalle Fish and Wildlife Area. That site boasts forests, marshes, brushes and open water.

The Kankakee River bisects the area, making it an ideal stopover site for migratory birds.