About Us

Creedman Coulee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1941 by Executive Order Number 8924 as a Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. Historical records document two other names for this drainage and refuge, Greedman Coulee or Greenman Coulee. The Refuge is comprised of the Creedman Reservoir and uplands of short, mixed-grass prairie, and agricultural land. When full, Creedman Reservoir attracts migrating waterfowl and provides habitat for hundreds of nesting birds. Established trees near the reservoir serve as a rookery for great blue herons and double-crested cormorants.

Our Mission

Each Unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System is established to serve a statutory purpose that targets the conservation of native species dependent on its lands and waters. All activities on those acres are reviewed for compatibility with this statutory purpose.

Creedman Coulee National Wildlife Refuge was establish as "a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife" through the issuance of Executive Order 8924 on October 25, 1941.

Our History

The history of Creedman Coulee National Wildlife Refuge is tied to the Emergency Relief Act and the Works Progress Administration program. Created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl era of the mid-1930s. These programs were developed to employ the maximum number of people to work on public lands. During the Dust Bowl era, the country and the government were very focused on capturing and conserving water for wildlife, particularly waterfowl, and agricultural operations. Water impoundments were popularized when the connection was made to employing out-of-work citizens to build the structures needed to impound and manage limited water resources.

Other Facilities in this Complex

flock of flying mallard ducks dropping in to land
Black Coulee National Wildlife Refuge
Black Coulee National Wildlife Refuge is a land of rolling mixed-grass prairie with major drainages running in a northeasterly direction, and with a 173 acre reservoir. Black Coulee Reservoir provides water for migratory birds as well as nesting and brood-rearing habitat. It also serves as an...
National Wildlife Refuge
Malta,MT
Flock of Northern Shovelers landing among other ducks
Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge
Welcome to Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1936, with the primary purpose of preserving and enhancing resting, feeding, and breeding habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife, this 15,551-acre refuge contains numerous wetlands. The habitats provide a refuge and breeding ground...
National Wildlife Refuge
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Early summer on the short-grass prairie at Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge with two pronghorn antelope fawns lying in the vegetation.
Bowdoin Wetland Management District
The Bowdoin Wetland Management District was established in 1973 after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began protecting small wetland areas and grasslands. The District includes nine Waterfowl Production Areas, four satellite refuges, and over 150 grassland and/or wetland easements spread over a...
National Wildlife Refuge
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White-faced Ibis Silhouette
Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge
The general topography of Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge is rolling, mixed-grass prairie with the major drainage running in an easterly direction. The lake, enhanced by an earthen dam, creates a shallow seasonal wetland. In most years the lake goes dry by late summer, but during the spring...
National Wildlife Refuge
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Canadian geese in flight
Lake Thibadeau National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Thibadeau National Wildlife Refuge is primarily composed of Refuge easements on private lands. Visiting the refuge requires securing permission from an adjacent landowner, as there is no publicly accessible route to access the portion of the refuge owned by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
National Wildlife Refuge
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Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located on the heavily glaciated rolling plains of northeastern Montana, between the Missouri River and the Canadian border. The Refuge, established in 1935, provides important breeding and stopover habitat for a diverse array of migratory birds.
National Wildlife Refuge
Medicine Lake,MT