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| Jackrabbit Spring Restoration at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge |
Nye, Nevada |
Primary Project Type: Instream Restoration
Secondary Type: Riparian Restoration |
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A new concrete box culvert was installed to improve fish passage and to reduce t... |
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Primary Problem: Channel Alteration, Loss of Fish Habitat
Secondary Problem: Channel Alteration, Natural Disturbance |
| Main Restoration Action(s): Channel reconstruction, Riparian revegetation |
| Native Fish Focus: Endemic dace |
Is this project part of a watershed scale restoration? Yes
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| Project Dates: 2006 to |
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Initial Monitoring: May 2006
Restoration Implementation: Summer 2006
Follow-up Monitoring: ongoing |
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Lead Agency:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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| Project Partners: |
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| Project Location:
The Jackrabbit Spring system is located near the southeastern boundary of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Nye County, Nevada. Ash Meadows NWR is in southwest Nevada, just east of Death Valley National Park, California. The Refuge is the largest oasis within the Mojave Desert, with its primary water sources 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.
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Project Description:
Jackrabbit Spring is one of the last places on the Ash Meadows NWR where endangered Ash Meadows speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus nevadensis) exist. Once widespread throughout the spring systems of the Refuge, they were extirpated except within only a few spring systems at the southern end of the Refuge. By the early 2000s, largemouth bass predation extirpated native populations in all but Jackrabbit and Big Springs, and by 2006 bass eradicated the dace within Big Springs. Elimination of largemouth bass from the area and restocking efforts have allowed for the return of the Ash Meadows speckled dace to other springs near the southern edge of the Refuge. In March 2005, 1,594 acres around the Jackrabbit outflow were burned by a human-caused fire. As the fire burned, there was serious concern about loss of the speckled dace population. Although the fire did affect the population, fish were observed in the outflow channel following the fire.
It was believed that Jackrabbit Spring was a physically intact spring; however, loss of vegetation by the fire revealed historical modifications along the channel, particularly further downstream from the spring pool, which created unfavorable habitat conditions for the Ash Meadows speckled dace. These modifications included excavation and enlargement of the channel, especially at the spring source, and diversion of water to large impoundments for agricultural purposes. These impoundments created conditions vulnerable to fire and were dominated by invasive species such as cattail, salt cedar, crayfish and sailfin molly. Other modifications included excavation of small irrigation ditches along the both sides of the outflow channel. |
| Project Goals: Based on a post-fire assessment done by The Burned Area Environmental Rehabilitation (BAER) program, restoration and fire rehabilitation objectives focused on 1,120 acres of the burned area around the Jackrabbit Spring channel and on reconstruction of the Jackrabbit Spring channel. Restoration of the burned area around Jackrabbit Spring aimed to promote the recovery of native biota, protect biological diversity of plant and animal communities, protect habitats of threatened and endangered species, minimize erosion in and around the channel, and prevent the return of invasive plant species, which had the potential to create fire-prone conditions. Channel reconstruction efforts were completed for the purpose of restoring the outflow channel to natural conditions, thereby increasing and improving habitat area for sensitive species, including the endangered Ash Meadows speckled dace. Restoration efforts also focused on recovery of the upland/riparian vegetation, which provides allochthonous material for the aquatic ecosystem and the dace. |
| Project Methods:
Restoration of Jackrabbit Spring took place in July 2006 and included removal and control of invasive plant species, removal of impoundments, and reconstruction of 1,500 feet of outflow channel to restore aquatic and terrestrial habitat conditions similar to those that existed prior to impoundment. Revegetation of native plant species took place following channel reconstruction.
For more information on restoration methods, click here.
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The restored Jackrabbit Spring channel in October, 2006.... |
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Restoration efforts also included mechanical removal of salt cedar, revegetation... |
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| Monitoring Data and Collection
Methods: In May 2006, 2,250 meters of the Jackrabbit outflow and the spring pool were snorkled. During the months of March, April, May and September, the progress and results of weed management and revegetation efforts within the burned area around Jackrabbit Spring and adjacent to its channel were monitored.
For more information on monitoring efforts at Jackrabbit Spring, click here.
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| Was this project effective
and how was this determined? Although potentially devastating, the 2005 fire provided an excellent opportunity for restoration action at Jackrabbit Spring. Although there were substantial concerns that the fire had devastated the Ash Meadows speckled dace populations, May 2005 minnow trapping suggested the speckled dace were fairly numerous just downstream of the spring source in a semi-natural reach of the outflow channel. Restoration of 1,500 feet of the Jackrabbit Spring outflow channel, 1,500 feet downstream of the spring pool, was completed in July 2006. Initial observations show that Ash Meadows speckled dace have moved downstream from the natural channel and are using the reconstructed channel. It is too soon to evaluate the progress and results of weed management and revegetation efforts.
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| Confounding Effects/Additional
Information: Early observations of the reconstructed channel conclude that the channel has widened and become more shallow. In the majority of the stream, the banks have sloughed into the channel due to either insufficient compaction or other characteristics of the soil used. Additional work will be done this winter to narrow and deepen the channel, including adding rocks, logs, and willow wattles for bank stabilization. Juniper and mesquite fenceposts are also being collected from the NWR and used for bank stabilization. |
| Project
Specs (all specs are estimates): |
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Man Hours:
To keep costs down, much of the restoration work done on Ash Meadows NWR is by volunteers.
Overall Estimated Cost:
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| For more information on this project
contact: |
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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
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| This information
was collected by: Kristin Keith |
| Project last updated on: 7/5/2007 |
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