Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge is named after the 800-acre Hamden Lake, which was drained in the early 1900's for agricultural development, while much of the rich prairie soil was also plowed for agriculture, followed by a decline in wildlife populations. In September 1989, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approved a designated boundary for Hamden Slough Refuge to restore habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds. It became the 452nd refuge of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and land acquisition and restoration are ongoing. The refuge goal is to restore almost 6,000 acres of prairie wetland habitat, including Hamden Lake and Pierce Lake, as diverse groups of migrating shorebirds and large numbers of waterfowl return to the refuge.