Feedback |
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
|
Bill
Williams River National Wildlife Refuge |
Richard
A. Gilbert, Manager
|
[Welcome]
[Habitat] [Wildlife] [Tips
for Watching Wildlife] [Working
for Wildlife]
[History] [Watchable Wildlife] [Hunting] [Fishing and Boating]
[A Few Simple Rules] [Volunteering]
[Arizona
Links]
With its majestic rock cliffs; its ribbon of cool water running through classic Sonoran Desert; and its cattail-filled marsh harboring rails and waterfowl, Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge offers a little bit of everything for both wildlife and people. Rare HabitatA century ago, cottonwood forest was widespread along the Colorado River. In their journals, western explorers such as General John C. Fremont noted miles-thick stands of cottonwood and willow along the banks. They also mentioned the presence of abundant mesquite on the higher reaches. |
In 1935, the 726-foot Hoover Dam was built on the Arizona-Nevada border, followed by twenty smaller dams over the following decades. As the water backed up into a series of lakes, many of the riparian forests along the Colorado River were drowned. The construction of Alamo Dam on the Bill Williams River in 1968 changed the old flood cycle, which reduced stands of native cottonwood and willow trees.Fortunately, Bill Williams River NWR holds one of the last stands of natural cottonwood-willow forest along the lower Colorado River, creating a unique ecosystem that provides good habitat for resident and migratory wildlife. |
Wildlife
|
Native
Fish Get a Finhold Just below refuge headquarters lies a cove where razorback suckers and bonytail chubs are raised. The two species are among 31 native Arizona fish, 28 of which are either endanger-ed, threatened, or candidates for listing. At Bill Williams River NWR, biologists from the Fish and Wildlife Services Arizona Fishery Resources Office receive young razorback suckers and bonytail chubs from Dexter National Fish Hatchery, a New Mexico facility that produces endangered fish. The fish are introduced into the cove, where theyll grow to around 10 inchesa size that offers them a chance against predators. At that point theyre released into Lake Havasu and other areas, where theyll be monitored to determine their survival. In the future, these fish will also be released into stretches of free-flowing river. |
Working for WildlifeRefuge staff use various management techniques to protect and restore the native plants and animals at Bill Williams River NWR. Cottonwood and willow trees are planted and maintained, salt cedar is controlled, and native fish are being reintroduced. The refuge is also working with the Army Corps of Engineers, the agency in charge of water releases from Alamo Dam, to return water flows in the Bill Williams River to a more natural state. |
History Mystic Ties to Mythic PastThe lower Colorado River region is within the ancestral boundaries of the Mojave and Chemehuevi, tribes whose legacies date back many thousands of years. Descend-ants of these tribes still use willow stems from the refuge for traditional Native American basket weaving. The river that flows through the refuge gets its name from Bill Williams, a mountain man who traveled through much of Arizona in the early 1800s. Williams came west from St. Louis, serving as a missionary to Native Americans. He eventually gave up the life of a missionary and spent the rest of his life traveling the west as a trapper. The year and cause of his death remains a mystery, but legend has it he is buried in an unmarked grave somewhere on Bill Williams Mountain near Williams, Arizona. |
[Back to Index] |
Things to do at the RefugeWatchable Wildlife/Viewing OpportunitiesThe delta area, including much of the cattail marsh,
can be viewed from several turnouts off Arizona Highway 95. |
HuntingHunting is permitted for dove, quail, cottontail, and desert bighorn sheep, but is confined to the area south of the road. All hunting activities must comply with State of Arizona and federal regulations. The hunting of mourning dove, white-winged dove, Gambel's quail, and cottontail rabbit on designated areas of the refuge is subject to the following conditions:
|
Fishing and BoatingFishing for striped and largemouth bass, catfish, bluegill, and other fish is permitted on Lake Havasu according to Arizona Game and Fish Department regulations. Please use catch-and-release techniques with any native fish captured and report captures to refuge personnel. Boating is permitted only at NO WAKE SPEED. Water skiing and personal watercraft are prohibited. All applicable Arizona boating regulations must be followed. A Few Simple RulesCamping, fires, firearms, trapping, and off-road vehicle operation is prohibited. All vehicles, including other forms of transportation including but not limited to bicycles, horses, mules, and motorcycles are confined to the La Paz County road right-of-way. The maximum speed is 25 mph. Travel beyond the road is by foot only. Domestic animals must be kept under control (such as on a leash). This includes dogs used for hunting. All vehicles and drivers must be licensed. All plants, animals, and minerals are protected. Removal or undue disturbance of any of these (except for those species legally taken by hunting or fishing) is prohibited. No prospecting, metal detectors or rock hounding is allowed. Please leave only your footprints; take all litter with you. |
VolunteeringThere are many volunteer opportunities at the refuge, including maintenance work (carpentry, plumbing, "handyperson" skills, welding, etc.); biological work (if qualified); photographers (landscape or nature and wildlife); clerical (filing, typing, answer phone); artists (crafters, painters, carvers); educators; and someone with a flair for creative writing or design to help design displays for the visitor center. One gravel trailer pad (with water, electricity, and sewer) is available for volunteers; arrangements must be made at least 2 months in advance. Please contact the refuge for more information. |
[Back to Index] |
See Arizona Links for more information about natural areas and tourism in Arizona.
Last Updated May 20, 2002
The text for
this website was adapted from Western Wildlife Refuges: Thirty-Six Ecological
Havens from California to Texas by Dennis Wall (Museum of New Mexico Press).