Natural Resource Condition Assessments for Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

The Mississippi River.

NPS/Gordon Dietzman.

The Mississippi River is one of the world’s great rivers and one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet. It is also a defining feature of the North American continent and is home to a diverse collection of wildlife and plant life. Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is located in eastern Minnesota. The Mississippi and the surrounding bluffs and floodplains provide food and shelter for migrating birds, unique fish, and remarkable mammals. The increasing populations of river otters, amphibians, mussels, and a multitude of fish species show promising improvement in the quality of water within the park.

NRCA reports completed for this park:

Traditional NRCA: 2015

Traditional NRCA Report: 2015

In an effort to better understand the natural resources and processes within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a Natural Resource Condition Assessment was written and published in 2015. This assessment was a collaborative project between the National Park Service and the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. This team examined available data and the needs of the park and chose 16 resource topics to evaluate: