Cibola National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1964 as mitigation for the straightening, channelization, and armoring of the banks of the Colorado River by the Bureau of Reclamation to prevent flooding. The purpose of the 18,444-acre refuge is to protect and recreate the marshes, backwaters, and meanders that historically provided wintering grounds for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife that natural flooding would have formed. 

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A woman aims her camera at birds through a photography blind at Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.
Recreation
Photo Blinds on Wildlife Refuges
These national wildlife refuges are among those with photography blinds or wildlife observation blinds.
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The lower Colorado River flowing through Cibola NWR.
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National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Visitors have an opportunity to connect with nature in multiple ways. The lower Colorado River and its backwaters provide numerous outdoor recreational opportunities as well as a vital resource: water! 

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      Flock of pintail on a spit of land next to the marsh.
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      Migratory birds, wintering waterfowl, and endangered and threatened species can be found at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge contains several miles of historic river channels and backwaters that provide key habitats in a changed environment. Because of the river's life-sustaining water, wildlife thrives in this environment where temperatures reach 120 degrees in the summer and the average rainfall is two inches per year. 

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