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BCR 26 - Mississippi Alluvial Valley
ABC-designated Globally Important Bird Areas in this BCRAtchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge (Southeast Louisiana Refuges) and the Atchafalaya River Basin, including Bayou des Ourses Area, Indian Bayou, and Sherburne Wildlife Management Area Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge , including Dewey Wills National Wildlife Refuge and Catahoula Lake Delta National Forest Lake Ponchartrain Causeway Mathews Brake Morgan Brake and Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuges Mingo National Wildlife Refuge Reelfoot Lake Wildlife Management Area Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge , including Big Lake and Buckhorn Wildlife Management Areas White River National Wildlife Refuge Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge Complex including Hillside |
The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley consists of approximately 24 million acres of alluvial floodplain south of the river's confluence with the Ohio River. Prior to European settlement, this was the greatest bottomland hardwood forest on earth and was subject to massive annual flood events of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. These forested wetlands were the main wintering area for mid-continent Mallards, Wood Ducks and other waterfowl species. Flood control and deforestation for agriculture began more than 100 years ago and today less than 25% of the region remains forested and flooding has been reduced by about 90%. Despite these changes, the region still winters large numbers of waterfowl, estimated at about 9% of the continental duck population. With the large reduction in native habitat and natural flooding, the major waterfowl management issue today is providing enough foraging habitat on managed private and public lands to reliably meet the needs of wintering ducks and geese. Many shorebird species also use managed wetlands for migration stopover sites. Remnant forests harbor populations of