Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
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 two watersheds: the Blue Earth River
of Minnesota
and the East Fork of the Des Moines River
. The terrain is nearly flat, allowing the flow of the water to be determined by the direction of the wind at times.
The refuge is on the eastern edge of the tallgrass prairie
region of the Northern Great Plains an area known for its agriculture. This 3334 acres (13.5 km²) refuge surrounded by a sea of corn
and soybean
s provides vital habitat for a variety of plants and animals dependent upon tallgrass prairie and wetland habitats.
Kossuth County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 15,543 in the county, with a population density of . There were 7,486 housing units, of which 6,697 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, was established in 1938 to provide a refuge and breeding ground for waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
and other migratory birds. The actual slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
is all that remains of a pre-glacial riverbed, and its name is derived from the connection or "union" of two watersheds: the Blue Earth River
Blue Earth River
The Blue Earth River is a tributary of the Minnesota River, 108 miles long, in southern Minnesota in the United States, it is also a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources designated Water Trail. Two of its headwaters tributaries, the Middle Branch Blue Earth River and the West Branch...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and the East Fork of the Des Moines River
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...
. The terrain is nearly flat, allowing the flow of the water to be determined by the direction of the wind at times.
The refuge is on the eastern edge of the tallgrass prairie
Tallgrass prairie
The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance. In the past, tallgrass prairies covered a large portion of the American Midwest, just east of the Great Plains, and portions of the Canadian Prairies. They flourished in areas with...
region of the Northern Great Plains an area known for its agriculture. This 3334 acres (13.5 km²) refuge surrounded by a sea of corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
and soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s provides vital habitat for a variety of plants and animals dependent upon tallgrass prairie and wetland habitats.