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Sacramento NWR Complex - flooding at Sutter NWR
SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX ALERTS

UPDATED March 19, 2024:

ALERTS:

SMOKE INFORMATION:  Sacramento NWR Complex Fire Staff will be conducting the following prescribed burns to manage fuels and enhance vegetation for wildlife:

  • Monday, March 18 = Colusa NWR Tract 27 (at south end, on Abel Road)
  • Tuesday, March 19 = Delevan NWR Tract 17 (middle of refuge)
  • Wednesday, March 20 = Delevan NWR Tract 40 (at south end near Maxwell Road)
  • Thursday, March 21 = Sacramento NWR Pool 10 (in hunt area, south of Road 68)

CLOSED due to flood damage (pending repairs):

  • Colusa NWR Auto Tour
  • Sutter NWR Spring Trails
  • NEW!  Sacramento River NWR - La Barranca/Mooney Units = the south end of the La Barranca Unit and north end of the Mooney Unit will be closed from March 20 - April 10 while a hand-crew is on-site to do weed management as part of the 2021 Dairy Fire recovery effort.

OPEN:

  • Sacramento NWR Auto Tour (including Pool 2 Seasonal Extension) and Wetland Walk Trails
  • Sacramento NWR Spring Trails (aka Logan Creek Trails)
  • Colusa NWR Trail and Observation Platform
  • Llano Seco Unit of Steve Thompson NCV WMA Trail and Observation Platform

Conditions are subject to change - please use caution and recreate safely.


New information will be posted here and to our Facebook Page immediately as it is determined.

Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area is part of the SACRAMENTO NWR COMPLEX. Steve Thompson NCV WMA consists primarily of conservation easements on privately-owned wetlands, but also includes one 1,732-acre, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-owned property known as the Llano Seco Unit. The Llano Seco Unit offers wildlife viewing, a short walking trail and photographic opportunities for visitors.
Wildlife viewing from the Observation Platform at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge
Learn about Birdwatching, Photography, Hiking, Biking, Hunting and Education at Sacramento NWR Complex

Visit Us

Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area is just one of the 5 National Wildlife Refuges and 3 Wildlife Management Areas that make up the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex. This WMA is primarily composed of privately-owned properties under conservation easement conservation easement
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a government agency or qualified conservation organization that restricts the type and amount of development that may take place on a property in the future. Conservation easements aim to protect habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife by limiting residential, industrial or commercial development. Contracts may prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, drainage of wetland and establishment of game farms. Easement land remains in private ownership.

Learn more about conservation easement
, but does have one Service-owned property that is open to the public: the Llano Seco Unit.  Located about 10 miles southwest of the city of Chico in Butte County, the Llano Seco Unit offers opportunities for photography, wildlife viewing and a 1-mile trail. 

Find out more about Steve Thompson N. Central Valley WMA by exploring the menu to the left (desktop) or hamburger menu top-right (handheld device), or see our Plan Your Visit page (link below) to find everything the Complex has to offer.

 PLAN YOUR VISIT <-- Click here to find all the informtion you need to visit the Complex.....

       • ACTIVITIES
            • visitor center
            • auto tours
            • trails
            • photography
            • bicycling
            • hunting
            • environmental education
      • HOURS
      • FEES AND PERMITS
      • RULES AND POLICIES
      • ACCESSIBILITY
      • DIRECTIONS
      • OTHER LOCAL INFORMATION

VISITOR QUICK-LINKS for Sacramento NWR Complex

Refuge
Home
Pages:

Maps with
Driving
Directions:

Trail Maps/
Visitor
Leaflets:

Wildlife
Checklists
& Surveys

Hunt
Maps:

PLAN YOUR VISIT to the complex  

(Complex includes
all refuges, below) 
(see specific
refuges, below)
-TRAILS page
-AUTO TOUR page
-BICYLCING page
-PHOTOGRAPHY page
-EDUCATORS page
-River NWR MAPS page
-Wildlife Checklist
-Waterfowl Surveys
-HUNTING page
-Riv NWR HUNTING page
Sacramento NWRDirections - Sac NWR-Visitor Maps -Sac NWR
-Wetlands Walk guide
-Wildlife Checklist
-Waterfowl Surveys
Hunt Map - Sac NWR
Delevan NWRDirections - Del NWR--Wildlife Checklist
-Waterfowl Surveys
Hunt Map - Del NWR
Colusa NWRDirections - Cls NWRVisitor Map - Cls NWR-Wildlife Checklist
-Waterfowl Surveys
Hunt Map - Cls NWR
Sutter NWRDirections - Sut NWRVisitor Map - Sut NWR-Wildlife Checklist
-Waterfowl Surveys
Hunt Map - Sut NWR
Sacramento river nwrRiv NWR MAPS pageRiv NWR MAPS page-Wildlife ChecklistRiv NWR MAPS page
Llano Seco Unit (stncv wma)Directions - Llano SecoVisitor Map - Llano Seco-Wildlife Checklist
-Waterfowl Surveys
-
Butte Sink WMA---Waterfowl Surveys-
Willow Creek/lurline wma----

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      TheSteve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Areais part of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex.  It is located across 11 counties in California's Sacramento Valley and San Joaquin Delta.  It consists primarily of conservation easements on privately-owned wetlands, but also includes one 1,732 acre fee-title property known as theLlano Seco Unit .

      Click on the link below to learn more about us!

      What We Do

      • 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 Species

      The Llano Seco Unit supports large populations of wintering waterfowl, as well as other species such as: bald eagle, mountain lion, bobcat, State-listed threatened greater sandhill cranes, Swainson's hawk, federally threatened giant garter snakes and valley elderberry longhorn beetle, federally endangered vernal pool tadpole shrimp and vernal pool fairy shrimp, and species of concern California linderiella and Ferris's milk-vetch.

      Species and Habitats  <-- Click here to learn more about our species and habitats!

      Wildlife Checklist  <-- Click here to view our Wildlife Checklist