The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Before 1944, when a series of federally authorized projects spurred its restructuring, the Missouri River represented one of North America’s most diverse and dynamic ecosystems. Pulses of rainwater and snowmelt, carrying tons of sediment, created an ever-changing landscape of meandering channels, chutes, sloughs, islands, sandbars, and backwater wetlands and woodlands.

Today, six main-stem dams on the upper reaches of the Missouri have transformed one-third of the river into lake environments, and all of the 735 miles of river between Sioux City, Iowa, and St. Louis, Missouri, have been stabilized and channelized.

The Conservancy is working to protect what remains and to restore some of what has been lost.  

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site

The Missouri River has been greatly altered in the last 200 years - today, most of the river would not be recognized by Lewis and Clark. The Nature Conservancy is building partnerships among groups who are united in the goal to protect and restore portions of the landscape.  Our goal is to catalyze a community-based conservation presence on the Missouri River, focusing on the highly-altered reach from Yankton, South Dakota to St. Louis, Missouri, where the river joins the Mississippi. 

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing

The Conservancy is working with conservation partners to restore riverine habitats lost within this system.

Learn more about our restoration work on "The Big Muddy from the perspective of  Tyler Janke, wetlands restoration specialist in the Conservancy's Missouri River program. 

Lower Missouri River Comprehensive Action Planning (CAP) Process

Find out more about the Conservancy's multi-partner plan to restore the health of the Lower Missouri River in Nebraska. (PDF, 2.5 MB) 

Things To Do

What to See: Flora  

• Bur oak 
• White oak 

• Red oak

• Paw paw

• Showy orchid

• Western prairie fringed orchid

• Big bluestem

• Little bluestem

What to See: Fauna

• Paddlefish

• Pallid sturgeon
• Lake sturgeon
• Sicklefin chub
• Sturgeon chub
• Five-lined skink
• Timber rattlesnake
• Interior least tern
• Piping plover
• White-tailed deer
• Red fox
• Eastern chipmunk

Plan Your Visit

Directions

Discussion

Have you been to this preserve? Are you thinking of visiting? See what others are saying about their experiences and add your comments below.

Add Your Comments

Time for you to join the discussion. Tell us about your experience at this preserve. What plants and animals did you see? When did you go? You can help others plan their visit when you share your thoughts. And thank you for visiting one of our nature preserves!

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