Muddy River Reserve

Muddy River Reserve Unit The 116-acre Muddy River Reserve Unit is located in the Upper Muddy River watershed near the town of Moapa, downstream from both the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge and the Warm Springs Natural Area, and upstream of the Overton Wildlife Management Area. Home to eight endemic fish and invertebrate species, the Muddy River originates as a series of thermal springs before it flows along the Reserve Unit and down through Overton. The Reserve Unit is ideally located along the river to provide opportunities to enhance and increase habitat for covered riparian birds and other sensitive species in the riparian corridor. The Reserve Unit provides valuable breeding habitat for 76 detected bird species including potential habitat for the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher and other riparian birds covered by the MSHCP. The Reserve Unit includes groundwater rights, an operational well, a holding reservoir, and a municipal water feature.

Here is a complete list of species identified at the Reserve and in the watershed. Birds   Native Plants Invasive Weeds

Muddy River Reserve Unit Guiding Documents

The DCP has developed or commissioned the following documents for managing the Muddy River Reserve Unit:

• Clark County Desert Conservation Program Riparian Reserve Units Management Plan, (Clark County 2015)
• Integrated Science Assessment for the Upper Muddy River, Clark County, Nevada (Provencher et al. 2005)
• Draft Preliminary Management Plan for Upper Muddy River Aquatic and Floodplain Habitats in Clark County, Nevada (Wainscott 2004)
• Upper Muddy River Site Conservation Plan (TNC 1999; 2000)

Since the inception of the MSHCP in 2001, under the direction of the DCP, numerous planning, maintenance, and ecological restoration and enhancement projects have been conducted at the Reserve Unit. Since the DCP took direct ownership of the Reserve Unit properties in 2010 and 2012, the management actions have become more focused to protect and maintain the existing resource values and increase habitat for covered riparian birds. All activities are aligned with the goals and objectives of the management plan and are funded through the biennial Implementation Plan and Budget process and approved by the BCC. For a full list of our current projects and their associated current quarterly report, click here.  

Projects

The Muddy River Property Management project includes weekly inspections of the Reserve Unit and maintenance of property features, such as fencing, irrigation ditches, roads, as well as brush control. This work is conducted by a private contractor.

The Muddy River Weed Management project provides for the ongoing identification, survey, and treatment of invasive weeds throughout the Reserve Unit. The National Park Service’s Exotic Plant Management Team currently provides the services for this project.

Various property management contracts are implemented on an as-needed basis for activities such as trimming palm trees, firebreak creation, fencing, maintenance of groundwater well and irrigation ditch, and trash removal. These activities are performed by Conservation Crews from the Nevada Division of Forestry as well as private contractors.  

Previous DCP Projects:

Muddy River Botanical Inventory, Mapping and Weed Treatments 2012
Muddy River Restoration and Property Management 2012
Effectiveness Monitoring for Salt Cedar and Knapweed Control
Tamarisk Control
Riparian Property Acquisition Priority Ranking Criteria Tool

Other Muddy River Projects:

 Dragonflys Associated with the Muddy River Watershed