Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuge near Atwater, California.
The refuge contains artificial wetlands created from agricultural runoff water from the Central Valley and supplied by the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The Kesterson Reservoir, completed in 1971, included twelve evaporation ponds across 1,280 acres as part of the San Luis Drain project.
Scientists continue research at Kesterson to understand the effects of selenium concentrations on local bird populations and their reproduction patterns.
Visitors can obtain information about seasonal availability and current conditions by contacting the refuge office at 209-826-3508.
The environmental changes at Kesterson led to the identification of selenium-related deformities in birds, which scientists named the Kesterson Syndrome.
Location: California
GPS coordinates: 37.25830,-120.89300
Latest update: December 11, 2025 21:44
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