Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge
| Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Refuge sign | |
Map of the United States | |
| Location | Missouri River, Missouri, United States |
| Coordinates | 38°57′17″N 92°36′40″W / 38.95472°N 92.61111°W |
| Area | 16,700 acres (68 km2) |
| Established | 1994 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge |
The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge was established in 1994, and has grown to over 16,700 acres (68 km2). Like pearls on a string, these acres are spread out as individual units along the Missouri River between Kansas City and St. Louis. These pearls of habitat benefit floodplain-dependent fish and wildlife species. The Big Muddy Refuge is planning to grow to 60,000 acres (240 km2) by buying land from willing sellers who want to see their properties set aside for the benefit of wildlife and the enjoyment of all.
The pre-development Missouri River as documented by Lewis and Clark was considerably different from today's river. The historic Missouri was a broad, slow-moving, shallow river with braided channels. These past river conditions created a haven for wildlife, which included vast floodplain forests of giant trees, marshes, and even wet prairies. Today's river is channelized. It is deeper and faster, and controlled by levees, dikes, and other containment structures. These controls make the river more navigable and the surrounding floodplain ideal for agriculture.
The Big Muddy Refuge is allowing the Missouri River to be a river again, to enter its floodplain. This occurs during minor flood events. Management has created side channels, cut down levees, and allowed the floodplain vegetation to return. Currently, in many places the refuge is an impenetrable thicket of young trees and vegetation, but, as the trees grow and the refuge matures, its appearance will change. The process may take decades or even centuries.
Missouri River tracts
There are sixteen separate units of land along the Missouri River that comprise Big Muddy NWR.[1]
Other tracts
There are four separate units of land along other rivers besides the Missouri River. One is in the Grand River watershed in northern Missouri, and three are in the Osage River watershed in western Missouri.[1]
| Name | County(ies) | Area | Notes | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moresi Unit | Cedar and St. Clair | 415 acres (168 ha) | Consists of two parcels along the Sac River | 37°50′57″N 93°48′40″W / 37.849109°N 93.811039°W |
| Panther Creek Unit | Bates | 223 acres (90 ha) | Consists of mostly forest and a small wetland along the Panther Creek tributary of the Osage River. | 38°05′23″N 94°06′06″W / 38.089841°N 94.101588°W |
| Schmitt Unit | Chariton | 310 acres (130 ha) | Consists of wetlands, upland fields, and bottomland forests along the East Yellow Creek, an indirect tributary of the Grand River. | 39°41′05″N 93°02′12″W / 39.684713°N 93.036737°W |
| West St. Clair Unit | St. Clair | 250 acres (100 ha) | Consists of wetland near the Osage River. | 38°01′01″N 93°54′56″W / 38.017014°N 93.915585°W |
External links
References
- ^ a b "Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.