Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
The Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge is a 3,577 acre (14.4 km²) National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants...
located in central Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, along the Cahaba River
Cahaba River
The Cahaba River is the longest free-flowing river in Alabama and is among the most scenic and biologically diverse rivers in the United States. The Cahaba River is a major tributary of the Alabama River and part of the larger Mobile River Basin...
downstream from Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. The refuge was established on September 25, 2002. Additional purchases were approved that will potentially increase the size of the refuge to 7,300 acres (29.5 km²). Additional negotiations propose an expansion to a potential 280000 acres (1,133.1 km²), most of which currently belongs to private landowners. The facility is unstaffed, but is administered by the Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located in eastern Alabama, near Anniston, Alabama on the former site of Fort McClellan...
in Anniston, Alabama
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
.
The refuge extends from just north of the confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
of the Little Cahaba and Cahaba Rivers to the Piper Bridge in Bibb county
Bibb County, Alabama
Bibb County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of William W. Bibb, the first Governor of Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 22,915. The county seat is Centreville...
, approximately five miles east of West Blocton, Alabama
West Blocton, Alabama
West Blocton is a town in Bibb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,372.- Geography :West Blocton is located at ....
. Approximately 3.5 miles (6 km) of the Cahaba River flow through the refuge.
Wildlife
The Cahaba River NWR is a critical habitat for the endangered Cahaba shinerCahaba Shiner
The Cahaba Shiner is a rare species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is endemic to Alabama in the United States, where it is limited to the Cahaba River. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.This fish was first described in 1989. It is similar to its...
, goldline darter
Goldline darter
The goldline darter is a rare fish found primarily in the Cahaba River in central Alabama and the Coosa River in Georgia and Alabama. It has been federally listed as a threatened species since April 22, 1992....
, round rocksnail, and cylindrical lioplax snail. There are also 64 other rare plant and animal species within its borders.