Desert Rivers Program
Tue, Mar 24 2009 at 1:39 PM EST
By The Nature Conservancy
Building on more than 15 years of on-the-ground conservation experience in Nevada, the Conservancy is expanding its reach through strategic partnerships with private and public landowners throughout the state. The program's goal is to protect aquatic and riparian habitat with model conservation strategies that abate threats at multiple sites.
Nevada river facts
Some 75 percent of Nevada's species depend on rivers for some part of their life. Rivers also comprise only 1 percent of the state's arid land base, down from 3 percent a century ago.
Projects
Truckee River
After 100 years of serious neglect, there has never been a better time to restore the glory of Northern Nevada's Truckee River. The next decade will see an unprecedented effort to restore 60 miles of the Truckee between Reno and Pyramid Lake — one of the largest and most ambitious river restoration projects ever undertaken in the American West.
After 100 years of serious neglect, there has never been a better time to restore the glory of Northern Nevada's Truckee River. The next decade will see an unprecedented effort to restore 60 miles of the Truckee between Reno and Pyramid Lake — one of the largest and most ambitious river restoration projects ever undertaken in the American West.
Amargosa River
The 125-mile Amargosa River is a unique aquatic system in the Mojave Desert. Most of its course is underground; where it sporadically surfaces it has created ecologically rich oases containing species and natural communities that exist nowhere else on Earth.
The 125-mile Amargosa River is a unique aquatic system in the Mojave Desert. Most of its course is underground; where it sporadically surfaces it has created ecologically rich oases containing species and natural communities that exist nowhere else on Earth.
Muddy River/Meadow Valley Wash
The Muddy River is one of the most biologically rich areas in Nevada, providing habitat for four rare and endemic fish species, seven species of rare invertebrates, numerous rare and declining bird species, as well as Mojave Desert riparian mesquite and wetlands habitat.
The Muddy River is one of the most biologically rich areas in Nevada, providing habitat for four rare and endemic fish species, seven species of rare invertebrates, numerous rare and declining bird species, as well as Mojave Desert riparian mesquite and wetlands habitat.
Carson River
More than 200 bird species can be found throughout the Carson River watershed, making it one of the richest bird sites in the entire state of Nevada. But the watershed is also one of the fastest-growing regions in the state, making it one of the fastest growing in the country, and development poses a serious threat to its ecological health.
More than 200 bird species can be found throughout the Carson River watershed, making it one of the richest bird sites in the entire state of Nevada. But the watershed is also one of the fastest-growing regions in the state, making it one of the fastest growing in the country, and development poses a serious threat to its ecological health.
Other rivers
Conservancy ecologists are working closely with the federal Bureau of Land Management and the Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition on watershed assessments of 66 rivers in the BLM's Ely District. This effort will inform the BLM's revised resource management plan (RMP).
Conservancy ecologists are working closely with the federal Bureau of Land Management and the Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition on watershed assessments of 66 rivers in the BLM's Ely District. This effort will inform the BLM's revised resource management plan (RMP).
A smaller-scale effort is being considered to help conserve the Humboldt River by working with BLM's Winemucca and Battle Mountain Districts on their respective RMP revisions.
MNN is working with The Nature Conservancy to bring you state-by-state environmental information.
