Trempealeau Information

The Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge is in Wisconsin, right across the Mississippi River from Minnesota. The refuge is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. It is part of the North American flyway, along which birds fly as they migrate in the spring and fall.

Wetlands

Without wetlands, ducks, geese, egrets, herons, and many other types of birds wouldn't have a place to rest and eat during their long migrations. Wetlands also provide a place for runoff after large rainstorms which can help prevent flooding. Many people enjoy the wetlands, especially people who like fishing or boating.

A wetland is an area where the land is wet at least part of the year. Rivers and lakes are usually not considered wetlands because they are more or less constantly covered with water. In many wetland areas, the land is low and swampy. One moment you are on soil and the next step takes you into shallow water. If you leave the trail where the vegetation is dense, it isn't always possible to tell if you are going to put your foot down in a dry spot, or pull back a wet and muddy shoe.

Not all of the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge is wetlands. Many acres are prairie. The boundary between areas is not clearly defined and many birds and animals move back and forth between wetlands and prairie.

Refuge Background

The Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1936 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The waterways in the refuge were cut off from the Mississippi and Trempealeau Rivers by railroad levees built in 1911. Although the Mississippi River is in plain sight from many parts of the refuge, there is no direct water connection.

In 1978, 4778 acres were added (bringing the total acres to 6,220). Besides providing habitat for wildlife, the refuge also serves as a resource for outdoor recreation and environmental education.

Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge Contact Information*

The Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge is 3 miles southwest of Centerville, Wisconsin on Highways 35 and 54.