Xxxx National Wildlife Refuge. The Xxxx NWR was created by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission in 1961. The approximately 10,600-acre refuge is located 6 to 7 miles east of Interstate 5, 35 miles northwest of Bakersfield, and 19 miles west of Delano, in northern Xxxx County. The Xxxx NWR was established to restore a part of the wetland habitat lost because of the drainage of Buena Vista, Xxxx, Goose, and Tulare lakes for agricultural use. Nearby land uses include wetlands, croplands, and uplands. Management of Xxxx NWR has four objectives (Service, 1986a): • Provide wintering and migration habitat for waterfowl and water birds • Preserve and improve habitats that support the endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard, San Xxxxxxx kit xxx, and other endangered and sensitive species • Maintain populations and habitats for native plants and animals • Provide for public use that is compatible with the refuge ’s and Service’s objectives and encourages visitors ’ environmental understanding
Xxxx National Wildlife Refuge. The Xxxx NWR is on the lower margins of the historic Tulare Lake, and the surrounding area contains large remnants of native habitats, as well as lands converted to agricultural use. Native uplands are located primarily to the south and east of the refuge, and are also found to a lesser extent north of the refuge. Portions of the lands south of the refuge contain wetland and riparian habitats. Several duck clubs are located south and east of the refuge. Developed farmlands are located primarily to the west and northeast of the refuge. Because of its federal ownership, the refuge is considered “Non-Jurisdictional ” lands in the Xxxx County General Plan. Surrounding land uses are designated as a combination of “Intensive Agricultural, ” “Resource Reserve, ” and “Extensive Agriculture, ” with all three land uses applying to surrounding parcels. The Xxxx NWR Master Plan states that justifications for creating the refuge included preserving lower San Xxxxxxx Valley waterfowl habitat, providing local hunting opportunities, and protecting nearby crops from depredation. The Master Plan does not address compatibility with adjacent farmlands, and refuge / farmland compatibility is not addressed in the Xxxx County General Plan.
Xxxx National Wildlife Refuge. Both consumptive and non-consumptive recreation uses occur at the Xxxx NWR. Public hunting is consistent with federal objectives for the refuge, and occurs in cooperation with CDFG. The primary emphasis is on waterfowl hunting but, to a lesser extent, pheasant hunting also occurs. The current master plan for the Xxxx NWR calls for an increase in waterfowl hunters from levels in the mid-1980s of an estimated 2,600 hunters per year to approximately 3,300 hunters per year. Pheasant hunter levels are expected to remain at approximately 20 hunters per year. Other consumptive recreation opportunities (such as fishing or dove hunting) are not currently permitted on the Xxxx NWR. Non-consumptive recreation use (such as bird watching) has historically been low, but is planned to increase. In the mid-1980s, it was estimated that approximately 500 visitors per year took part in nonconsumptive recreation activities on the Xxxx NWR. These numbers are expected to increase to more than 2,000 visitors, in part a result of new development commitments on the refuge to expand nonconsumptive recreation opportunities. Such commitments include developing auto tour routes and footpaths, and providing interpretive exhibits describing refuge wildlife and habitats. The Xxxx NWR Master Plan states that some recreational development is contingent on securing a long-term, reliable water supply.
Xxxx National Wildlife Refuge. The Xxxx NWR lies in the swampy remnant of sloughs associated with Tulare Lake. Before reclamation efforts, the land had little value for agriculture. Consequently, there were few early settlers in the study area. There were some attempts to homestead the land in the decades between 1880 and 1920, but many of the homesteads were relinquished once or twice before they were finally taken up between 1920 and 1940. One of the main land uses in the 1920s appears to have been the establishment of gun clubs for waterfowl hunting. According to the South San Xxxxxxx Valley Information Center, nine cultural resources surveys have been prepared for specific projects within the Xxxx NWR. Although no comprehensive surveys or studies have been performed for the Xxxx NWR, the area encompassed by the nine surveys covers a substantial portion of the refuge area. There have been 32 sites recorded within the Xxxx NWR. Most of these sites are prehistoric in nature, and are mostly lithic scatters consisting of artifacts such as milling equipment and chert, basalt, and obsidian flakes. Remants of Native American burial sites were observed (such as mineralized human bone fragments). Three historic habitation sites and two historic trash dumps are also known to be located on the Xxxx NWR.
