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Visitors Guide to the
Prairie Slough
Conservation Area consists of 584 acres, including 463 acres of bottomland
timber and 121 acres of open land, shrub swamp with backwater sloughs of the
Upper Mississippi River. Prairie Slough once was a chute, a narrow channel
through which the flow of water is swifter and deeper than the normal flow,
of the Mississippi River at the turn of the century. Most of the area on the east side of the
chute was an
island. Natural river meandering and man's
efforts have combined to shift the river flow away from the chute, resulting
in a slough, a body of water blocked from the river on the upstream end,
except during periods of flooding. Prior
to its purchase in 1979 by the Missouri Department of Conservation, the area
was a fee fishing area, known as Prairie Slough Fishing Paradise. Deer Slough was added to the
area in 1985. The public has access to 3/4
mile of frontage on each of Prairie Slough and Deer Slough. Recreational
opportunities include fishing, hunting, outdoors photography, and bird and
wildlife watching. Two emergent marshes near the main entrance maintain water throughout much of the year, providing habitat for birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals that require water to be available throughout most of their life cycle. Wintering bald eagles use the area and ospreys and Mississippi kites have been observed here during their migrations. The flood of 1993 damaged the old growth bottomland hardwoods of the timbered portion of the area and the habitat is seeing the growth of more flood tolerant overstory species. Common trees include pin oak, burr oak, ash, pecan, cottonwood, hackberry, silver maple, honey locust, and persimmon. Visiting Prairie Slough Conservation Area
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