Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is a 240,000-acre (970 km2),[2] 261-mile long (420 km) National Wildlife Refuge located in and along the Upper Mississippi River. It runs from Wabasha, Minnesota in the north to Rock Island, Illinois in the south.

(United States Fish and Wildlife Service)
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Looking west over the Mississippi River from an overlook within the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Map of the United States
LocationIllinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, United States
Nearest cityDubuque, Iowa
Coordinates42°53′00″N 91°06′00″W
Area240,000 acres (970 km2)
Established1924
Governing bodyU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WebsiteUpper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Official nameUpper Mississippi River Floodplain Wetlands
Designated1 May 2010
Reference no.1901[1]

In its northern portion, it is in the Driftless Area, a region of North America that remained free from ice during the last ice age. Certain parcels contained within the refuge were later transferred to the Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge.

The refuge is an important element of the Mississippi Flyway. It has many wooded islands, sloughs, and hardwood forests. The wildlife found here include the canvasback duck, tundra swan, white-tailed deer, and muskrat. Recreational activities include boating, hunting, fishing, and swimming.

Refuge Headquarters are located in Winona, Minnesota, with district offices located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and Thomson, Illinois.

Geography

The refuge is one of only two that spans portions of four states (the other is Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge). As of 30 September 2007 the area per state was: Wisconsin: 89,637.54 acres (362.75 km2), Iowa: 51,147.78 acres (206.99 km2), Minnesota: 33,868.64 acres (137.06 km2), Illinois: 33,489.57 acres (135.53 km2).[3]

The following counties border on or have land within the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. In each state, the counties are listed from north to south. The lakes and rivers within the refuge area of each county are also listed.

Minnesota

Wisconsin
Paddling the Mississippi River
Sign

Iowa

Illinois

See also

References
  1. "Upper Mississippi River Floodplain Wetlands". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge, Retrieved July 15, 2007
  3. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "National Wildlife Refuge System".

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

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