Neches River National Wildlife Refuge

Neches National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Location	Cherokee County, Texas, United States
Coordinates
Established	2006 (2006)
Governing body	U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Website	www.fws.gov/refuge/neches_river/

The Neches River National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area of Texas managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It is located in the rolling hills of East Texas near Jacksonville.

Encompassing the upper Neches River, the unit preserves a pristine waterway. After the city of Dallas proposed constructing a dam along the body of water, conservationists petitioned the federal government to protect the river, which resulted in the 2006 creation of the refuge. The Texas Water Board sued to prevent this acquisition, but in 2010, a federal judge ruled in favor of the Fish & Wildlife Service. Although the river is served by several canoe outfitters, the mainland portion of the facility is closed to visitors.