State of the Region
The BRBNA is named for two prominent geographic features Ð the Blue Ridge Mountains and Lake Berryessa. The region is also characterized by varied surrounding landscapes, most notably Capay Valley on the east side of the Blue Ridge to Coyote, Long, and Pope Valleys on the west. The region's diverse geology supports a unique assemblage of ecological communities, including serpentine chaparral, grasslands, oak woodlands, and extensive riparian and cliff habitats. Key water bodies within the BRBNA include Lake Berryessa and Indian Valley Reservoir. Clear Lake and Hidden Valley Lake are located outside the western boundary of the BRBNA. Bounded to the east by the Capay and Sacramento Valleys, on the west by the Clear Lake basin and the Napa River watershed, on the north by the largely roadless Mendocino National Forest, the BRBNA encompasses major portions of the Putah and Cache Creek watersheds.  Both creeks are tributaries to the Sacramento River Basin, originating and terminating close to one another. They represent the two most southerly of the significant east-flowing Coast Range drainages in the Sacramento River hydrologic basin.  The BRBNA is part of the Putah-Cache Bioregion, a sub-region of California's Central Valley Bioregion.

Sparsely populated and abundant in natural resources, the BRBNA stands out in California as a matrix of public and private lands that have witnessed relatively little change in the last century.  Wildlife habitat is rich and extensive Ð tule elk, bald and golden eagles, mountain lions and bears can be found in the more remote parts of the region.  Thousands of acres of oak woodland serve as the signature ranchlands that characterize those portions of the landscape shaped by human use.  Cache and Putah Creeks and their tributaries, as well as the region's lakes provide important riparian and fisheries habitat as well as a water supply for both urban and agricultural uses. Throughout the publicly accessible lands, there is also ample opportunity for nature-based outdoor recreation including hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, rafting and canoeing.