2015 Project Summaries
Restoration of the Five Springs Complex at the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, NV
The Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) supports the only endemic population of the critically endangered Ash Meadows Amargosa Pupfish and the Ash Meadows Speckled Dace in the world. In an effort to address the direct threats of small population size, genetic isolation, and to improve aquatic habitat conditions the Ash Meadows NWR, the Nevada Department of Wildlife, and numerous other partners are working together to restore natural hydrologic connectivity between the Five Springs complex and downstream habitats.
This project removed nonnative species and restored the natural historic floods that were hindered by a road and fallow field. This restoration has benefited the Ash Meadows Amargosa Pupfish, the Ash Meadows Speckled Dace, and numerous other plant and animal species by improved fish passage and connectivity through the removal of barriers and impoundments, yielding increased genetic exchange for the pupfish, and increasing the available habitat for both the pupfish and the speckled dace.
San Francisco River Riparian Zone Fence Project on Black Bob Allotment, NM
This project enhanced ~ 220 acres of the river channel and riparian zone on the San Francisco River through the installation of 3.5 miles of cattle exclosure fencing on the east side of the river and the development of an upland well system. This project is attributed to reducing siltation, trampling of riparian vegetation and excessive nutrient/waste input from cattle, and has improve habitat quality for native fish and other sensitive riparian species.
