Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge
| Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Watercress Darter NWR | |
| Location | Jefferson County, Alabama, United States |
| Nearest city | Bessemer, Alabama |
| Coordinates | 33°22′29″N 86°57′46″W / 33.374647°N 86.962892°W |
| Area | 24.52 acres (9.92 ha) |
| Established | 1980 |
| Visitors | 3,000 (in 2005) |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Watercress Darter NWR |
Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge is a 25-acre (100,000 m2) National Wildlife Refuge located in Jefferson County, Alabama, within the city limits of Bessemer. Watercress Darter NWR consists of a .25-acre (1,000 m2) pond known as Thomas Spring which is essential to the survival of the endangered watercress darter. A second pond was built on the site in 1983. The facility is unstaffed, but is administered by the Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge in Anniston, Alabama.