Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge in east central Louisiana protects more than 25,000 acres of wetland and lowland hardwood forest in two units associated with Catahoula Lake, one of the state’s best-known natural wetlands. Established in 1958 as a wintering area for migratory waterfowl, it is shaped by seasonal backwater flooding from the Ouachita and Red rivers and is especially important for birdlife, with winter duck numbers reaching 75,000. Habitat management includes the Duck Lake Impoundment, created in 1979. The refuge’s broader significance is reflected in major bird and wetland designations and in its role, alongside nearby protected land, in preserving Lower Mississippi River habitats.