Lake Nettie National Wildlife Refuge is located in the Central Flyway and provides important habitat for migratory birds. Lake Nettie is a haven for waterfowl and other water birds, with several thousand geese and ducks using the Refuge habitats during spring and fall migration periods. The Refuge is managed by the Audubon Wetland Management District.

Visit Us

Lake Nettie National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the Audubon Wetland Management District. The Refuge is located in McLean County in central North Dakota, approximately 10 miles east and 6 miles north of Coleharbor, or 19 miles east of Garrison.

The District Headquarters and Visitor Center is located at: 3275 11th St NW, Coleharbor, ND 58531.  Please visit the Visitor Center to learn more about this Refuge.

Audubon National Wildlife Refuge -  Wetland Management District Headquarters and Visitor Center

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is an important breeding area for migratory birds, and is often credited with producing 50-70% of North American Waterfowl. The Refuge protects critically important nesting grounds for several groups of migratory birds including waterfowl, song birds, wading birds, and secretive marsh birds. In the 1930s and 40s, a sharp decline in many migratory bird species prompted swift action to recover many of these species. Many refuges in the PPR were established through presidential executive orders to protect and enhance migratory bird nesting areas. 

      What We Do

      Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
      A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

      Learn more about national wildlife refuge
      is established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used. Using conservation best practices, the Refuge System manages Service lands and waters to help ensure the survival of native wildlife species. 

      Our Organization

      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With over 565 refuges and 38 wetland management districts spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.

      A bright blue sky obstructed by fluffy white clouds reflected off of a stream shot from inside a kayak
      The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 570 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.

      Our Species

      Lake Nettie is a haven for waterfowl and other water birds, with several thousand geese and ducks using the Refuge habitats during spring and fall migration periods.

      Numerous resident wildlife can be observed year-round.