North Ottawa Impoundment Bird Trail

About

Set amongst the abundant agricultural fields of West Central Minnesota, the North Ottawa Impoundment is a man-made flood reduction facility designed to hold rain overflow and snow melt. Secondary benefits of the facility include habitat for birds, waterfowl, and shoreland birds. The facility also augments low summer stream flow for downstream water bodies. North Ottawa provides a phenomenal place on the prairie to observe wildlife and agriculture.

Check-out the latest sightings: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2182908

The impoundment is 3 square miles and divided into a number of cells where water can be managed independently. Each year, some of the cells are managed to encourage habitat for bird migration. Public roads are found around the periphery of the site; internal roads should be walked.

Manmade wetland, mudflat and deeper water habitats may be present depending on snow melt and rains. Some cells are planted to agricultural crops like corn and soybeans or other crops for wildlife such as millet.