Kesterson Reservoir
The Kesterson Reservoir is the name of a former unit of the Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge which is part of the current San Luis National Wildlife Refuge. The site gained national attention during the latter half of the 20th century due to selenium toxicity and rapid die off of migratory waterfowl, fish, insects, plants and algae within the Kesterson Reservoir.
The Kesterson Reservoir is located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley in central California. The reservoir and San Luis National Wildlife Refuge are located in western Merced County, approximately 18 miles (29 km) north of Los Banos, California. The refuge includes four units, the Kesterson, Freitas, Bear Creek and original San Luis Units. The refuge is 26,609 acres (107.68 km2) and includes a variety of wetland and riparian habitat which supports a large variety of waterfowl, mammals and other wildlife.
The San Joaquin Valley has been considered by historian Kevin Starr as being "the most productive unnatural environment on Earth" as approximately 25% of the United States’ agricultural products originate from the valley. Examples of the agricultural exports from this area include grapes, cotton, nuts, citrus, and vegetables. Cattle and sheep ranching also contribute to the agricultural output of the area.
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