| 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 | |
  Location in the United States | |
| Location | Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, United States |
| Nearest city | Dubuque, Iowa |
| Coordinates | 42°53′00″N 91°06′00″W / 42.88333°N 91.10000°W |
| Area | 240,000 acres (970 km2) |
| Established | 1924 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge |
| Official name | Upper Mississippi River Floodplain Wetlands |
| Designated | 1 May 2010 |
| Reference no. | 1901[1] |
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.
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.
- ^ "Upper Mississippi River Floodplain Wetlands". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
- ^ Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge, Retrieved July 15, 2007
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.