Officially the Green Island Wildlife Management Area, it is (was?) the Green Island Bottoms to locals. Though I grew up in and around Green Island, a place where people fished and canoed (meh), and is considered an elite birding location. Located near the confluence of the Maquoketa River and Mississippi River, the rivers’ rising levels during spring melts or heavy raids often resulted in flooding.
Despite living nearby and knowing of the WMA for decades, I’ve never really explored it. Recently my wife and I drove the gravel road which leads to the Maquoketa River levee and she asked Is this all planned? Great question, had never considered it, but the ditches are straight, standard width, apparently intentional. We drove to the levee to find three water gates which are (presumably) opened or closed to manage the water levels.
The overgrowth, dead trees, and blocked ditches shows how the WMA has not been actively managed in recent decades, and, as of 2023, the Army Corp of Engineers took feedback on a rehabilitation project but follow-up, decisions, funding statements, etc. are not found anywhere.
Green Island has degraded into a disaster area since being de-incoporated in 1993, with many abandoned, decaying, and falling apart buildings. No retail, even the bars are gone. An improved WMA could lead to an entrepreneur buying/bulldozing the entire town to build a modern resort for people wanting to visit. Until then, better to just avoid the town.
Image Credits
- All images © 2026, Scott C Sosna, all rights reserved.
