Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Desert Spring Restoration   Nye, Nevada Primary Project Type: Watershed Restoration      Secondary Type: Fish Passage   The Refuge supports at least 24 endemic plants and animals—the highest density o...   Primary Problem: Combination      Secondary Problem: Out-Competition of Native Fish Main Restoration Action(s): Flow management, Grade control structures, Grazing management, Habitat enhancement, Riparian revegetation, Streambank recontouring, Watershed restoration Native Fish Focus: Endemic dace, Endemic pupfish Is this project part of a watershed scale restoration? Yes Project Dates: 1998 to ongoing   Initial Monitoring: Restoration Implementation: Follow-up Monitoring: Lead Agency:      U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Project Partners:   Otis Bay Ecological Consultants Nevada Conservation Corps Exotic Plant Management Team (EPMT) from Lake Mead National Recreation Area Project Location: Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is the largest oasis within the Mojave Desert. It occupies 23.488 acres and is located in Nye County, on the southwestern edge of Nevada — just east of Death Valley National Park, California. The primary water sources in the refuge are from 24 thermal springs. The springs occupy a crescent-shaped area within the Refuge; the length between the two farthest springs is 9.5 miles. There are a few other springs off the Refuge, which are connected to this system. Click here for a map of the Refuge and the project area. Project Description: Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) supports at least 24 endemic plants and animals - the highest density of endemic species in the United States. Ash Meadows NWR is inhabited by six endangered and eight threatened species, the majority of which are found nowhere else in the world. In addition, the refuge supports numerous organisms that are characteristic of desert riparian habitats of the American southwest. Therefore, it is of extraordinary value to biodiversity and to the preservation of unique habitats. Native fish species within Ash Meadows are the Ash Meadows speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus nevadensis), the Devil’s Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis), the Warm Springs pupfish (Cyprinodon nevadensis pectoralis), and the Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish (Cyprinodon nevadensis mionectes). These fishes are on the Federal Endangered Species List and live in small thermal springs and their outflows located throughout the refuge. Historical land use has altered the landscape and habitat of these springs. Agricultural activities, road-building, and earth removal for water diversions and dams have resulted in large-scale disturbance to surface soil and vegetation, as well as large-scale hydrologic changes. In addition, this disturbance has allowed the proliferation of invasive species. Of particular concern for the native fishes has been the introduction of non-native fish species such as mosquitofish, and sailfin molly, which have preyed on native fish larvae and/or competed for habitat. Non-native crayfish have also preyed on native fish larvae. Non-native plant species, such as tamarisk, have also competed with native fish species for the scarce water resources within the Refuge and have drastically altered the habitat. Project Goals: Ash Meadows NWR has a recovery goal of ecosystem and species restoration. Recovery criteria for meeting this goal involve restoration of the natural distribution of habitats, as well as self-sustaining populations of all species throughout the Refuge (Otis Bay 2006). In 1990, a recovery plan was written for Ash Meadows NWR, which listed the recovery needs for 12 listed species. It also identified tasks necessary to down-list/de-list these species. Although emphasis was placed on endangered species, the plan recognized the necessity for recovery of the ecosystem processes on which these species depend. The Recovery Plan identified the following objectives in the service of down-listing/de-listing endangered fish: Eradicate all non-native species from essential habitat. Protect the Ash Meadows aquifer. Reestablish flow to historic channels. Protect essential habitat from human disturbances. Restore historic fish distributions. Create and maintain refugial populations of the Devil’s Hole pupfish. Maintain populations of Devil’s Hole pupfish at a minimum of 300 in winter and 700 in summer. The Recovery Plan also identified related criteria that must be achieved for five years in order to de-list endangered fish (except the Devil’s Hole pupfish, which cannot be de-listed because of their unique and isolated habitat): Accomplish down-listing criteria. Secure, protect, and maintain natural vegetation in essential habitat. Restore historic plant and aquatic communities. Achieve self-sustaining population structure for each endangered fish species. Project Methods: Explicit actions needed to protect the ecosystems and the 33 species of concern (which include Ash Meadows speckled dace, the Devil’s Hole pupfish, the Warm Springs pupfish, and the Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish) are: 1) securing and protection of land and water, which includes the acquisition of lands where Ash Meadows endemic and sensitive species occur, the physical restoration of spring flows to their natural historic channels and out-flow marshes, which selectively supports native endemic species, and the restoration of a natural landscapes which includes the removal of structures such as roads, diversions, and dams and restoring upland and riparian areas to their natural topographical and vegetative conditions; 2) on-going management in areas of management concern, which includes a long-term eradication program for non-native species, a long-term effectiveness monitoring program, and public education and management efforts to minimize human disturbance; and 3) regular monitoring of sensitive species populations to assess progress, guide amendments of recovery actions, and determine possible future de-listing of current threatened and endangered species. For more information about methods of ecosystem and native fish population restoration at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, click here.   Ash Meadows NWR is the largest oasis within the Mojave Desert. It occupies 23.48...       Historical land use has altered the landscape and habitat of springs on the Refu...   Monitoring Data and Collection Methods: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitoring of Ash Meadows native fish have taken place since 1989. The monitoring protocol has typically involved a single annual sampling run to limit research impacts on fish health, using minnow traps at major springs. Mark-recapture estimation has been repeatedly conducted and has been used to estimate the population size of each target species. In addition, notes on the numbers of non-native fish, crayfish, and other species have been recorded. To understand trends in fish populations throughout the refuge, fish monitoring data from 1989 to 2005 was compiled. The results indicated: 1) Ash Meadows pupfish were abundant through the spring systems and are particularly numerous in the shallow marshy areas; 2) Warm Springs pupfish were far less numerous; 3) speckled dace populations appeared to be declining over time in their few remaining habitats. Bradford and Jackrabbit Springs appeared to be the only locality that had continuously supported speckled dace, and all sites have been intensively invaded by crayfish. The data were insufficient to describe changes in fish species populations over time. Was this project effective and how was this determined? The results of a biological, hydrologic, and geomorphic assessment of the Ash Meadows NWR provided for a series of restoration recommendations that were ranked and prioritized. Fourteen ranking criteria were identified to guide the prioritization process, among them ability to protect sensitive and endemic species, habitat vulnerability, presence of invasive species, endemic species loss, and cost. An additional scoring system, based on estimated or quantitative assessment criteria, was used to rate spring ecosystem condition and function on the Refuge. The analysis of the species ranking scores ranked endemic fish highest priority in comparison to other groups of taxa. Ash Meadows speckled dace scored highest on the priority list. Over 15 years of monitoring data have shown that Ash Meadows speckled dace populations appear to be highly imperiled and declining at Ash Meadows. As a response, prompt habitat and population restoration was implemented to restore this species in its original habitat. Proactive restoration efforts in the Kings Spring drainage of the Refuge have promoted control of non-native fish populations and a swift return of Ash Meadows speckled dace and Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish populations to desirable levels. Research provided critical understanding of habitat preferences of native versus non-native fish to allow a sound restoration design that promoted natives over non-natives. Although restoration efforts at Jackrabbit Spring were only recently completed (Fall 2006), initial observations show Ash Meadows speckled dace have moved downstream from the natural channel and are using the reconstructed channel. Restoring native vegetation at the Kings Spring site and across the Refuge has been a challenge. Non-native species continue to be a concern. A revegetation plan is being written for Kings Spring and additional funding will be sought.   To date, restoration work specific to endangered fish species has been completed...       Emphasis of the overall Refuge restoration plan has been placed on endangered sp...   Confounding Effects/Additional Information: Project Specs (all specs are estimates):   Man Hours: To keep costs down, much of the restoration work done on Ash Meadows NWR is by volunteers. Overall Estimated Cost: For more information on this project contact:   Sharon McKelvey, Refuge Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Email: Sharon_McKelvey@fws.gov Shawn Goodchild, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern Nevada Field Office, Email: Shawn_Goodchild@fws.gov This information was collected by: Kristin Keith Project last updated on: 6/29/2007 Printable version (prints info on this main page only) back

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Updated: February 16, 2007 ©2009 Montana Water Center. All rights reserved.