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SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX ALERTS

Updated June 28, 2024

ALERTS: 

  • EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING: As of 6/28, The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued an Excessive Heat Watch for the Sacramento Valley and Foothills from July 2-July 5, with high temperatures predicted between 105 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Please stay safe this holiday week - heat-related illnesses are serious and preventable! Here is a link to NWS's page for the Sacramento NWR  for more information. 
  • WE'RE HIRING: We are seeking applicants for an ACE Visitor Services Support Member position (apply by June 28)! Visit our Get Involved page for more details!
SACRAMENTO RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Sacramento River NWR is made up of 30 different units that lie between Red Bluff and Princeton. Twenty-four of the units are partially or entirely open to the public, providing a variety of hiking trails and hunting/fishing opportunities.
Butte City Bridge Project -
aerial image of the temporary 2022 expanded hunting safety zone of the Sul Norte Unit at Sacramento River NWR
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Starting March 14, 2022, CalTrans began construction on the new Butte City Bridge at the Sul Norte and Codora Units.  A new bridge and causeway is being constructed adjacent to the existing structures, after which the old structures will be demolished.  The Sul Norte and Codora Units will continue to be open to the public through the current parking lot, although road and trail access may be temporarily re-routed to accommodate construction activity.  The SAFETY ZONE adjacent the bridge has been expanded by 150 feet during the construction project - please follow all signs in the field.

Brush Control Project - from late November 2022 through February 2023, a brush control project will be implemented on the Pine Creek, Drumheller North, Drumheller Slough, Afton, Packer and Codora units and equipment and disturbance may be encountered during this time period.

Dairy Fire burn area is re-opened to public access - The area that was closed in June 2021 due to the Dairy Fire has been re-opened after hazard tree removal has been completed.  The Dairy Fire affected the southern portion of the La Barranca Unit, the western portion of the Todd Island Unit, and the northern portion of the Mooney Unit.  Please continue to use caution when visiting this area as tree health may continue to change over the upcoming months.

Visit Us

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Welcome to Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge!   

Sacramento River National Wildlife is one of the 5 National Wildlife Refuges and 3 Wildlife Management Areas that make up the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex:  Sacramento NWR, Delevan NWR, Colusa NWR, Sutter NWR, Sacramento River NWR, Llano Seco Unit (STNCV WMA), Butte Sink WMA, Willow Creek-Lurline WMA.  Sacramento River NWR offers a variety of recreational activities for visitors across its 24 units that are open to the public: hunting, fishing, hiking, photography, and wildlife viewing.

There are LOTS of recreational opportunities across the Complex, including a Visitor Center, Auto Tours, trails, bicycling, photography, hunting and environmental education.

VISIT US!  <-- Click here to find all the information you need to plan your visit!  Or use the quicklinks, below...

VISITOR CENTERAUTO TOURSTRAILSBICYCLINGPHOTOGRAPHYHunting-RiverHUNTING-WaterfowlRiver Units SummaryMAPS, DIRECTIONS + BROCHURESENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      sacramento river riparian section snwrc
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      The Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. It is located along a 80-mile stretch of the Sacramento River between Red Bluff and Princeton, in Tehama, Butte, Glenn and Colusa Counties. The refuge's 30 properties or Units total 10,353 acres, and consist primarily of restored and remnant riparian riparian
      Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.

      Learn more about riparian       habitats, but also include grasslands and some orchards. 

      Click on the link below to learn more about us!

      What We Do

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      • Resource Management

      To help plants and wildlife, Refuge staff uses a variety of habitat management techniques to maintain, recover or enhance plant and wildlife values. Refuge staff carefully consider any management techniques and employ them in varying degrees according to the situation.

      • Conservation and Partnerships

      The Complex is involved in many conservation endeavors, including Comprehensive Conservation Plans, Private Landowner Programs, and the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act.

      Click on the link below to learn more about what we do!

      Our Organization

      National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997:The NWRS Improvement Act defines a unifying mission for all refuges, including a process for determining compatible uses on refuges, and requiring that each refuge be managed according to a CCP. The NWRS Improvement  Act expressly states that wildlife conservation is the priority of System lands and that the Secretary shall ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of refuge lands are maintained. Each refuge must be managed to fulfill the specific purposes for which the refuge was established and the System mission. The first priority of each refuge is to conserve, manage, and if needed, restore fish and wildlife populations and habitats according to its purpose.

      Our Species

      Several threatened, endangered, and sensitive species can be found on the Sacramento River Refuge including Chinook salmon, Valley elderberry longhorn beetle, yellow-billed cuckoos, Swainson's hawks, and bank swallows. 

      Click on the link below to learn more about our Seasons of Wildlife, Wildlife Checklist, Wildlife Surveys, and Our Species....