Big Muddy National Wildlife Refuge sign

The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge was created in September of 1994 ". . .for the development, advancement, management, conservation and protection of fish and wildlife resources ." The refuge has grown to over 10,000 acres via purchases of land from willing sellers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approval through Congress to allow the refuge to acquire up to 60,000 acres of floodplains and adjacent lands on the lower Missouri River between Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri. The refuge consists of several units named for towns that once flourished, pioneers, or interesting facts or landmarks that have occurred on and along the river called the Big Muddy.