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Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

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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.

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 showing the location of Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Map showing the location of Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
Location in the United States
LocationIllinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, United States
Nearest cityDubuque, Iowa
Coordinates42°53′00″N 91°06′00″W / 42.88333°N 91.10000°W / 42.88333; -91.10000
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]
(United States Fish and Wildlife Service)

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.[3] 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.[4]

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

Geography

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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).[5]

The area is only separated from the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge by a railroad line. The protected areas White Dam Wildlife Area, Thorpe Wildlife Management Area, Goose Island County Park, Dorer State Forest, Perrot State Park, Van Loon Wildlife Area, Great River Bluffs State Park, Pool Slough Wildlife Management Area, Blackhawk Point Wildlife Management Area, Fish Farm Mounds Wildlife Management Area, Lansing Wildlife Management Area, Rush Creek Natural Area, Effigy Mounds National Monument and Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge also border the Refuge directly or only from roads.

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

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Wisconsin

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Paddling the Mississippi River
 
Sign

Iowa

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Illinois

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Cardinal-Hickory Creek high-voltage transmission line

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An editorial in The Washington Post on April 6, 2024, discusses the challenges faced by clean energy projects caused by environmental activists in lawsuits. An example is the Cardinal-Hickory Creek high-voltage transmission line between Iowa and Wisconsin. It would connect over 160 renewable energy facilities producing 25 gigawatts of green power. It is facing a temporary halt due to a lawsuit by environmental groups condemning its impact on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. The editorial argues this is just one example of the conflicts between environmental protection and the need for new infrastructure to support the clean energy transition.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Upper Mississippi River Floodplain Wetlands". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  2. ^ Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge, Retrieved July 15, 2007
  3. ^ Richmond, Todd (March 22, 2024). "Federal judge temporarily blocks plans for a power line in Mississippi River wildlife refuge". ABC News. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  4. ^ Heim, Madeline (June 9, 2024). "For a century, this upper Mississippi River refuge has been an ecological oasis. What comes next?". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  5. ^ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "National Wildlife Refuge System".
  6. ^ The Editorial Board, "Opinion Environmentalism could stop the clean-energy transition" The Washington Post April 6, 2024; online

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

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