The Iowa Wetland Management District is part of Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge

Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge

Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge, located in Kossuth County, Iowa, was established in 1938 to provide a refuge and breeding ground for waterfowl and other migratory birds. The actual slough is all that remains of a pre-glacial riverbed, and its name is derived from the connection or "union" of...

 but is very different from other wetland management districts. Under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is a department/agency of the U.S. state of Iowa charged with maintaining state parks and forests; protecting the environment; and managing energy, fish, wildlife, land resources, and water resources of Iowa.The Mission Statement: To conserve and enhance...

, the State manages many of the waterfowl production areas (WPAs) in the district. This is a partnership that has been very beneficial to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...

. Together, the State and the Service have been able to develop large complexes of habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife species.

Although the Wetland Management District encompasses 35 counties, at this date, there are WPAs in 16 counties. Most acquisitions are intended to increase habitat at existing wetland

Wetland

A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....

 complexes, so it is unlikely that tracts will be acquired in the entire 35-county area.

Most WPAs are small, from 100 to 500 acres (2 km²), but several have grown considerably. Union Hills WPA in Cerro Gordo County

Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 44,151 in the county, with a population density of . There were 22,163 housing units, of which 19,350 were occupied.-2000 census:...

 is the largest in Iowa at over 2000 acres (8.1 km²). Spring Run, a large complex of State and Federal lands in Dickinson County

Dickinson County, Iowa

-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 16,667 in the county, with a population density of . There were 12,849 housing units, of which 7,554 were occupied.-2000 census:...

, is the second largest WPA. Dugout Creek WPA in Dickinson County and Lower Morse Lake in Wright County

Wright County, Iowa

-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 13,229 in the county, with a population density of . There were 6,529 housing units, of which 5,625 were occupied.-2000 census:...

are also among the larger restored tracts in the Iowa Wetland Management District.