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Sonny Bono Salton Sea
National Wildlife Refuge
906 W Sinclair Rd
Calipatria, CA   92233 - 9744
E-mail: Christian_Schoneman@fws.gov
Phone Number: 760-348-5278
Visit the Refuge's Web Site:
http://saltonsea.fws.gov
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  Overview
Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge
Sonny Bono Salton Sea Refuge management programs maintain and improve habitat for wintering waterfowl and shorebirds. Waterfowl programs are designed to limit waterfowl depredations to adjacent croplands. The refuge provides habitat for over 375 bird species for many as a critical wintering or migration stopover area.

The refuge winters up to 30,000 snow, Ross's, and Canada geese, and 60,000 ducks from November through February. Marsh birds and shorebirds account for more than 6,000,000 use-days each year. Endangered species observed on the refuge include the southern bald eagle, peregrine falcon, California brown pelican, Yuma clapper rail, and desert pupfish.

A significant Yuma clapper rail population nests on the refuge. Sensitive species using the refuge include the fulvous whistling-duck, wood stork, long-billed curlew, mountain plover, western snowy plover, burrowing owl, and white-faced ibis.


Getting There . . .
From East Interstate 10, take South Highway 111 (Niland).

At the stop sign, turn right. At the stop light, turn left (Highway 111). Turn right onto Sinclair Road. Head west until you see the refuge sign.

From East Interstate 8, exit onto Forrester Road. Head north. Forrester turns into Gentry Road. Continue north until you see the refuge sign.

Get Google map and directions to this refuge/WMD from a specified address:

Your full starting address AND town and state OR zip code


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NOTE: When using this feature, you will be leaving the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service domain. We do not control the content or policies of the site you are about to visit. You should always check site policies before providing personal information or reusing content.

These driving directions are provided as a general guide only. No representation is made or warranty given as to their content, road conditions or route usability or expeditiousness. User assumes all risk of use.

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Managment Activities

Sonny Bono Salton Sea Refuge was designed to reduce waterfowl depredation to adjacent croplands. Management practices include an intensive farming program that involves cooperative farmers. Crops are grown for waterfowl consumption during the winter. The refuge also manipulates water levels in ponds to provide ideal habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl.

More recently, Salton Sea Refuge has become heavily involved with fish and wildlife disease and contaminant issues. The refuge routinely surveys the Salton Sea for dead or dying fish and wildlife. Fish and wildlife are removed from the area in order to prevent the spread of disease and sent to the lab for investigation.