Isle Le Plume is a major industrial area within La Crosse. The island itself hosts the cities largest wastewater treatment plant, a large marina, several industrial plants, and parking for city vehicles. The area on the mainland adjacent to the island is also a heavy industrial area. This section of town has resisted the economic pressure to build housing and people friendly amenities. A key reason is that the island is low and is prone to flooding.

The Niedbalski bridge at Hood Street is the only vehicle connection on or off of the island, other than the footbridge on the north end of the island. The Niedbalski Bridge is involved in a controversy (as of 2006) since the bridge is badly in need of repair, and the road on the mainland is prone to flooding (which cuts off the island). The city would like to build a new bridge in a better location, at Cook Street, then either rebuild the Niedbalski Bridge, or turn it into a fishing pier. Local residents and the mayor oppose that plan, with one group wanting to simply replace the current bridge, while others want to build a parallel span to the current bridge.

An odd situation is that several college aged students have drowned near the Niedbalski Bridge in past years, all after extensive drinking. Some say it is a string of bad luck, where the students get disoriented, and end up falling into the river. Others say that the pattern is too similar for chance, and the numbers are too high to be random, so it must be the work of a serial killer.