Sacramento River Wildlife Area
Map SatelliteThree units, two on the right side and one on the left side of the Sacramento River, form this Wildlife Area. The three units have essentially the same vegetation, a riparian association with some wet meadow.
In the riparian association the overstory includes cottonwood, Populus fremontii, willows, Salix spp., Oregon ash, Fraxinus latifolia, box elder, Acer negundo, and California black walnut, Juglans hindsii. Vegetation in the understory, which often forms dense thickets, includes wild grape, Vitis californica, Dutchman's pipe, Aristolochia californica, blackberry, Rubus ursinus, and poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum.
Animals are abundant. Among the mammals observed here are beaver, Castor canadensis, ringtail, Bassariseus astutus, red fox, Vulpes fulva, and river otter, Lutra canadansis. Over 150 species of birds have been sighted in the area, including wood duck, Aix sponsa, yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus, and the bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocaphalus.
Gravel bars, sloughs and some ponds are present.
Integrity: Much of the riparian vegetation is relatively undisturbed, though portions have been cleared for agriculture. Management plane; call for planting portions of these areas with valley oaks, Quecus lobata, and sycamores, Platanus racemosa, where possible.
Use: Research, educational, observational, present.
May 1982
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman