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Warm Springs Natural Area
Located approximately seven miles northwest of Moapa, the Warm Springs Natural Area contains nearly two dozen springs which form the headwaters of the Muddy River.
Formally known as the Warm Springs Ranch, the 1,218-acre property provides an ideal habitat for a number of listed and sensitive species. For a number of years prior to the SNWA's involvement, United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS)considered this property a top priority in Southern Nevada for acquisition and protection.
Approximately four miles of the Muddy River is located within the Warm Springs Natural Area. The property is home to a wide variety of fish, birds and other species, listed below:
- The majority of the Moapa dace population is found on site. The Moapa dace is protected by the Endangered Species Act and the USFWS considers the recovery of the Moapa dace to be essential in this region.
- The Warm Springs Natural Area also has the largest breeding population of vermillion flycatchers in Nevada.
- Additional sensitive species found on the property include the Virgin River chub, southwestern willow flycatcher and yellow-billed cuckoo.
The primary reasons for SNWA's acquisition of the Warm Springs Natural Area are to protect the headwaters of the Muddy River where the SNWA owns and leases water rights and to advance the SNWA's goal of fostering responsible environmental stewardship.
Acquisition Funding
To secure funding for property acquisition, the SNWA applied for Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA) funding. SNPLMA funding was secured through round 6 under the "Parks, Trails and Natural Areas" category. Other milestones in the acquisition process are listed below:
- In February 2006, the Secretary of the Interior approved the SNWA's request for funding to acquire the Warm Springs Ranch.
- In July 2006, the SNWA Board approved the purchase agreement between the SNWA and South Fifteen, LLC, Sunburst Properties, LLC, and Pay Dace, LLC.
- On Sept. 13, 2007, the purchase was finalized. The SNWA took ownership and began convening cooperators to identify long-term management priorities for the property. The property was subsequently renamed the "Warm Springs Natural Area."
The Future of the Warm Springs Natural Area
The Warm Springs Natural Area has been acquired to:
- Protect the endangered Moapa dace and its habitat
- Restore and manage the area as an ecological reserve, including actions identified in the Muddy River Recovery Implementation Program
- Create opportunities for low-impact public recreation
- Develop public education opportunities regarding ecological processes, including endangered species recovery
- Provide a program of national scientific research on aquatic and terrestrial systems
- Establish conservation projects that provide banked mitigation benefits for future water delivery systems
In addition, under the terms of SNPLMA funding, the SNWA will develop a management plan for the Warm Springs Natural Area in coordination with the USFWS, The Nature Conservancy, Nevada Department of Wildlife, signatories of the Memorandum of Agreement and other stakeholders. Commitments include the following:
- Develop educational and recreational areas/trails and emphasize the natural resources for public use consistent with the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge and other adjacent lands
- Restore and/or enhance riparian and upland habitat
- Stabilize the banks and channels
- Manage invasive fish and invertebrates
- Manage invasive plants
- Restore and/or enhance spring pools