Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge is a 6,486 acre (26 km²) wildlife refuge located 5 miles southeast from Dardanelle, Arkansas
.
The Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge is bounded on one side by the Arkansas River
and on its other sides by an oxbow lake
that was formerly the main channel of the Arkansas. The oxbow lake was formed in 1954 by the Army Corps of Engineers during their efforts to straighten the Arkansas River navigation channel. The island that was formed by this project between the old and new channels was transferred to the US Department of the Interior in 1957 for use as a wildlife refuge. The land was formerly agricultural land but was abandoned after the 1927 flood.
The primary function of this refuge is to provide a winter home for duck
s and geese
that migrate
from the north along the Mississippi Flyway
each year. Up to 100,000 of these fowl live in the refuge during the winter months.
Dardanelle, Arkansas
Dardanelle is a city in Yell County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,228 at the 2000 census. Along with Danville, it is one of two county seats for Yell County...
.
The Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge is bounded on one side by the Arkansas River
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
and on its other sides by an oxbow lake
Oxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong, derived...
that was formerly the main channel of the Arkansas. The oxbow lake was formed in 1954 by the Army Corps of Engineers during their efforts to straighten the Arkansas River navigation channel. The island that was formed by this project between the old and new channels was transferred to the US Department of the Interior in 1957 for use as a wildlife refuge. The land was formerly agricultural land but was abandoned after the 1927 flood.
The primary function of this refuge is to provide a winter home for duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s and geese
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
that migrate
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
from the north along the Mississippi Flyway
Mississippi Flyway
The Mississippi Flyway is a bird migration route that generally follows the Mississippi River in the United States and the Mackenzie River in Canada. The main endpoints of the flyway include central Canada and the region surrounding the Gulf of Mexico...
each year. Up to 100,000 of these fowl live in the refuge during the winter months.