Summary
Havasu National Wildlife Refuge is a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge on the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California. It preserves habitat for desert bighorn sheep, the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, and other animals. The refuge protects 30 river miles - 300 miles (480 km) of shoreline - from Needles, California, to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. One of the last remaining natural stretches of the lower Colorado River flows through the 20-mile-long (32 km) Topock Gorge.
| Havasu National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 | |
  Map of the United States | |
| Location | Mohave County, Arizona / San Bernardino County, California, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Needles, California |
| Coordinates | 34°36′34″N 114°25′02″W / 34.6095812°N 114.4173321°W |
| Area | 37,515 acres (151.82 km2) |
| Established | 1941 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | www |
Species edit
Animal species that inhabit this refuge include peregrine falcon, coyote, fox, desert bighorn sheep, greater roadrunner, bobcat, and cougar. Thousands of bats emerge from historic mines and razorback suckers swim in the back of Beal Lake.
Support edit
A large river in a dry, hot land attracts wildlife and people like a powerful magnet. Many thousands of visitors annually flock to the refuge to boat through the Topock Gorge, watch waterbirds in Topock Marsh, or hike to the Havasu Wilderness Area.
A non-profit membership organization supports and advocates for the refuge. It assists refuge staff with several of the refuge annual events, help to obtain grants to support refuge projects, conducts fund-raising activities to support environmental education programs, and helps the United States Fish and Wildlife Service operate and maintain the refuge facilities and programs by providing volunteer labor.
Locations edit
| Fivemile Landing, Arizona | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 34°47′43″N 114°30′21″W / 34.79528°N 114.50583°W |
| Elevation | 463 ft (141 m)[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 24417 |
Five Mile Landing edit
To aid visitors to the Colorado River, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has allowed a private contractor to operate a boat, canoe, campsite, RV site, and a store in the refuge at Five-Mile Landing, a 35-acre (14 ha) site with boat ramps at Topock Marsh in the northern part of the refuge.[2]
Topock Marsh edit
The Topock Marsh is one of the larger birding sites found in the Lower Colorado River Valley, between Hoover Dam and the Colorado River Delta.
Catfish Paradise edit
Catfish Paradise is an area located at the southern end of the Topock Marsh.[3] Many species living in the area include Bullfrogs, Carp, Sunfish, Catfish (Channel), Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Tilapia.
See also edit
- Sonoran Desert topics index
References edit
- ^ "Feature Detail Report for: Fivemile Landing". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Concessionaire sought for Five-Mile landing operation". Needles Desert Stat. Needles, California. July 26, 2006. p. 8.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
External links edit
- Official website
- Friends of the Bill Williams River and Havasu National Wildlife Refuges
- Bird Checklist for Havasu National Wildlife Refuge