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| National Park Overview: |
 | The Moapa Valley Refuge was established on September 10, 1979, to secure habitat for the endangered Moapa dace. This small fish, the sole member of the genus Moapa, is endemic to the Muddy River system. Dace populations have declined due to habitat destruction and the introduction of nonnative fish species.
This modest refuge--106 acres--located in Clark County, Nevada, 60 miles north of Las Vegas, is critical to prevent extinction of the Moapa dace. Dace habitat on the refuge consists of stream channels supported by six thermal springs emerging near the center of the refuge. Moapa Refuge is a unit of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex. |
| Nature of the Area: |
| The refuge is comprised of three adjacent, but visually distinct units. The Pedersen Unit, to the west, was acquired in 1979 and is 30 acres in size. The Plummer Unit, to the east, was acquired in 1997 and is 28 acres in size. The Apcar Unit was acquired in 2000 and is 48 acres in size. Each unit has a separate stream system supported by the steady and uninterrupted flow of several springs that come to the surface at various places throughout the refuge. The total combined flow of the Pedersen Stream is about 3.6 cubic feet per second and the total combined flow of the Plummer Stream is about 3.1 cubic feet per second. These springs and streams eventually flow into the Muddy River. The springs are thermal in nature and have an average annual water temperature of 90 degrees Farenheit at the point of discharge. Water quality is good, although high in calcium carbonate.
Moapa Valley NWR was established to secure habitat for the Moapa dace (Moapa coriacea), a federally listed endangered species of fish, making it the first refuge within the National Wildlife Refuge System to be created for an endangered fish. The Moapa dace is unique because it is the only representative of its genus and it is found nowhere else in the world. It is a small fish once found throughout the headwaters of the Muddy River system and it is dependent upon this warm spring habitat for reproduction. Attempts to transplant this species into waters of two other habitats failed. Threats to its survival include modification, degradation, and loss of habitat; construction of impoundments; use of harmful chemicals; and introduction of non-native fishes and parasites. Currently over 95% of the dace produced in the valley come from the refuge springs and occur in the area below. The remainder of the system is unavailable to the dace due to an invasion of tilapia (Oreochromis aurea), a non-native fish, and other habitat modifications.
Until 1994, the dominant vegetation feature of the Pedersen Unit was a dense stand of non-native palm trees (Washingtonia filifera and Phoenix dactylifera). Their root masses were encroaching into Moapa dace spawning, nursery, and adult foraging habitats and constricting spring outflow channels. Following a wildfire in that year, about 200 of these trees were removed to prevent future catastrophic fires, to improve stream and pool habitats, and to open the canopy to allow sunlight to reach the water to increase primary production within the stream system. Aquatic plants such as Chara and other algae, spike rush (Eleocharis spp.), water nymph (Najas spp.), watercress (Nasturtium spp.), and pondweed (Potamogetonspp.) are now abundant in the spring pools and other slack water areas. With a ground cover of salt grass (Distichlis spicata), native riparian species have begun to return, including ash trees (Fraxinus velutina), honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), and screw bean mesquite (P. pubescens). Plant species on the drier, upland areas of the refuge are fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) and creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). Removal of non-native species, such as Canadian thistle (Cirsium arvense) and salt cedar (Tamarix spp.) is an on-going task.
The Plummer Unit continues to bear the scars of the 1994 wildfire and is still dominated by a dense stand of palm trees. The spring pools and stream are inhabited by non-native mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) and shortfin mollies (Poecilia mexicana) and portions are choked with non-native eel grass (Vallisneria spp.). However, efforts are continuing to create and improve habitat in both the Pedersen and Plummer stream systems for all three life stages of Moapa dace (larval, juvenile, and adult). This involves strategically placing substrates, logs, and boulders to provide the optimum arrangement of pools, riffle, and run habitats. |
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| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
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| Related Links: |
| Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge - Las Vegas - #1 Informational Guide Las Vegas, Nevada. Entertainment, restaurants, hotels, casinos, gambling ... Chapter Chamber Commerce Member Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge The Moapa Valley National ... | | Bird Checklists of the United States - ... Carson City, NV Desert National Wildlife Range -- Las Vegas, NV (Printed 3/92) Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge -- NV Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge -- Alamo, NV (Printed 9/88) Ruby Lake ... | | Bird Checklists of the United States - Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Bird Checklists of the United States Master Table of Contents United States and Canada U.S. Canada Great Plains States Colorado -- Iowa -- Kansas -- Minnesota ... | | Desert NWR Complex Home Page - Refuge Home Complex Home Photo Index Refuge Habitat Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located in the Warm Springs area of the upper Moapa Valley in northeastern Clark County in ... | | Desert NWR Complex Home Page - ... Range, Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and the Amargosa Pupfish Station. A wide array of additional information ... | | NvWF Places - Moapa - Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge The Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located approximately 60 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The refuge is newly established and developement is ... | | NvWF Places - Moapa - ... About NvWF NvWF in Action NvWF Issues Environmental Calendar NvWF Links Back Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge The Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located approximately 60 miles ... | | Outside Las Vegas - ... National Wildlife Refuge; Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge; and the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Visit the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex website. Desert NWR Facts: By far ... | | UNLV Educational Outreach - Exploring and Travel - Take an adventure and explore and travel with UNLV. ... Exploring and Travel * Arrow Canyon and Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge * Christmas Tree Pass * Coyote Wash * Geology of the Black Hills ... | | Astronomical Group of Las Vegas www.astronomylv.com - ... is located 93 miles northeast of Las Vegas and is a true desert oasis. Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a series of warm springs being developed to protect an endangered ecosystem east of ... |
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| Currently, due to its small size, fragile habitats, ongoing restoration work, and removal of unsafe structures, the refuge is closed to the general public. |
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