BIM LtBRARV 8807097 United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Las Vegas Field Office Las Vegas, Nevada March 2001 NEVADA WILDERNESS STUDY AREA NOTEBOOK I. Mr. -M" MISSION STATEMENT ^COl c.X. riie BureauofLand Managenieiitisresponsibleforstewardshipofourpubliclands. TheBLM isconiniitted to manage, protectand improve these lands in a manner to serve the needs ofthe American people. Managementisbased upontheprinciplesofmultipleuseandsustainedyield ofour nation’s resources within a framework of environmental responsibility and scientific technology. These resources include recreation, rangelands,timber, minerals, watershed, fish and wildlife habitat, wilderness, air and scenic quality, as well as scientific and cultural values. BLM/NV/GI-OO/0 8+8500 1 INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND : On Apnl 2, 1997 the Nevada State BLM Director approved and signed the Nevada Wilderness Action Plan. This Plan provides a framework of critical action items which must be accomplished before the passage of a Nevada BLM Wilderness bill. These action items, when completed, will BLM ensure that the Nevada is ready for the challenge and responsibility of protecting and managing BLM future additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System. One of the action items in the Nevada Wilderness Action Plan, Action Item I.C., required that Wilderness Study Area (WSA) notebooks be prepared for all BLM WSAs in Nevada. The notebooks provide BLM management with “desk reference guides” to WSAs within the State, and may ultimately be used by members of Congress and the general public as enhanced versions of the NEVADA BLM STATEWIDE WILDERNESS REPORT. BLM Printed notebooks have been prepared for the respectivejurisdictions ofeach of the six Nevada Field Offices and for the Nevada portions of the California BLM's Eagle Lake and Surpnse Field Offices. Each notebook consists of two parts for each WSA. The first part contains a one to three WSA NEVADA BLM page narrative, which is simply a condensation of the narrative contained in the STATEWIDE WILDERNESS REPORT. The elements described in the WSA narratives are as follows: WSA * The name, number, and acreage of the * A general location and boundary description * A characterization of the wilderness values * A discussion ofthe wilderness recommendation and rationale * A summary ofenergy and mineral resource values * A summation of issues and public interest in the WSA The second part ofeach notebook incorporates a series of six maps for each WSA which display the following Geographic Information System (GIS) themes; 1) contours, 2) counties, 3) geographic names and features, 4) land ownership, 5) public land survey system, 6) roads, 7) water features, 8) BLM WSA, recommended “suitable,” and “non-suitable” boundaries, 9) developments and disturbances, 10) rights-of-way, 11) grazing allotments, 12) herd management areas, 13) federally-listed threatened and endangered species, 14) mining claim density, 15) mining operation locations, 16) mineral potential, 17) special-use air space, and 18) military aircraft training routes. fT Sr Jf .;'! i*», ' » "V^l i .Wi« • -- ''<*/»•• --»»%• 7M r altlJM Jhmi'f • >|i '< *•^<1 -* Ml : •' I •. *# i-t in TUJti T. 4 TW0 // .Mill si. <VI< ivt MJfl *ilil 4i u .n> ^.1', *11 iVJU i ( iMk > <iiirf? h> ariU »> « ' . . 1^* • ‘ ' .»•' ' u-.: ^ 1 ^ •*#•«»• t/ If *71 "L •*• ' /.:.*•' lU V •', «. I ’ j)/ .1 imiMMI f'"' , 'i.« '-^'’'lliiii* *‘i it’* i"i»i ' k'/J ^l’» ,1 / J 'l •"** flXi^ f‘» » », (MfciMv 7>irt9ikidrf;sloa^*vl jcsoiTfO *• I.#.#!'’ > .,._. /„ tfiu # u wfT f_ :s rrf.r6 VfitilUA > -§t>* «^P » ^5<n-f« »fr ii(^*aftA - ,*,l IttamtA ^ » ^ r % . . A * - 1*1 A • . I *' • '•li'- 4 A »;^l< • ,. . , ,^ v» ifTHiiSUf* .• i,,i. ina»«>if- «'*%!«; T* # ».« . iflo^ m W n tr . (V Sfi(. »• 47^ / Ml . Mft- # rft '* 'y• ^m **« '. I*** 19^11 lutfh .'•t *1 tmm‘‘’tm i* i. •> *: ^ ' w^xayl apu»'* t'^7>if,iiiuhni 4*IM»* f*tw 1. ' ^-v 7«a »*ii QUALIFICATIONS : The information displayed on the subsequent maps is intended to give the reader an overview of the most significant physical, cultural, and resource management data available within and immediately WSA outside boundaries. Because resource data is constantly changing and is frequently modified, accuracy of the data only applies to this publication. Further, the data presented is limited to that which can be charactenzed at the scale utilized for this project, as it is impossible to portray all available GIS data in an 81/2" by 11" format. For example, not all mineral potential is shown for each WSA. In many cases, only the highest mineral potential for the most valuable mineral is indicated for a given WSA, as it would be spatially and graphically untenable, and visually discordant to attempt to exhibit all mineral potential for all minerals present within a WSA. Consequently, many medium and low mineral potentials for the least valuable minerals have not been WSA depicted on the maps. Refer to the “Definitions and Explanations” section which follows for more specific information regarding mineral potential. Similarly, only observations of federally listed threatened and endangered species are exhibited on the WSA maps. Proposed and candidate special status species are not shown, nor are State of Nevada listed species. The physical and resource management data arrayed on these maps has been collected from U.S. Geological Survey 1:100,000 Digital Line Graph files and were digitized from 71/2 minute (1:24,000) WSA U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle maps. In some cases, if no boundary exists on a 71/2 minute map, linear data may be incomplete for that file or map. Some linear data, such as utility rights-of-way, or livestock water systems or utility lines, may abruptly end on the map without extending all the way to the map frame line. WSA The physical and resource management data depicted on these maps portrays the most accurate data available at the time of map preparation. Base data has been extracted from various scale base maps and some of the data has not been field-checked or ground-proofed. As more accurate WSA inventory and resource management information becomes available, maps will be amended or revised. For a comprehensive depiction of mineral potential, special status species, or for complete information regarding any other GIS theme, please address mail to the GIS Coordinator, BLM Nevada State Office, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, Nevada 89520-0006. You may visit the GIS Coordinator at 1340 Financial Boulevard, or you may call the Coordinator at 775-861-6400. For information regarding a specific resource inventory or database that is not GIS related, please contact appropriate Field Office or Field Station resource specialists. Field Offices and Field Stations in Nevada are located in Elko, Winnemucca, Carson City, Ely, Las Vegas, Battle Mountain, Tonopah, and Caliente. Portions of the northwest section of the State are managed by the Eagle Lake Field Office in Susanville, California and the Surprise Field Office in Cedarville, California. MitiAiin t uiMr-t' 'Kft.il m >r ^nMn«0)|i )«> i«#i * -^4| AMU j»^wl tirf) lu «!>«••<^ ,'t. iMt* «« !) M • •OI ‘'lU ‘ ti - m£|s *ti ; f * * '\9 t * J^ I* *(lrt*.,'. sini , r-'. '-r 'll) ' 'I . 4« «»««k diM ' * . -^1-. iMM0|aaimO » • »rtt» * ** .i '*'‘C'','i • * •**“'*• ^ ^ V a. r«fi% ti< " '* * ' 'I MXi - I 5(1I i*f . ,. M atti' iii<i .<:)i.i(i “* , «pv r>'i• ;A:itivl'|3tir I wt) Ik ui^luy*! mfm Wk » •* -. *«4i • »c ttno* I. ‘ e<jt.,n . «. » (« •• vTnliTjiyTI lr:^iy,'3i <NMi4rr4N «M|VMN liN^ k '•!• •<» » •• »*«•.; -kt « ' * i % * ^ V‘*S'T'0 ,4 r. * ' tkI9(Ta«rfi *' < > :-r iinig>i>fri>iv r*'i> T ’ I -' 'dytywHUiyi nuvrriEj ^ j • -V i '< »a4 «» «4j*v5V'*. «l •in ' j * » II , Miix«*| wfinrsili_>Wfi^ ^ » »ii\f»,B.,’ *•. . .i, . ..U'y ,#j|i . .Z III .*jiVi.-> DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS ALLOTMENT -- An area of land designated and managed for the grazing of livestock. CHERRY-STEMMED ROAD -- A road that is completely enclosed on both sides by a Wilderness Study Area boundary. The Wilderness Study Area boundary is the edge of the right-of-way if a right-of-way has been granted, or the edge of disturbance if no nght-of-way WSA has been issued. Cherry-stemmed roads appear as red and black dashed lines within boundaries on the “WSA Boundaries and Land Ownership” maps. Cherry-stemmed ways, WSA “WSA trails, and washes appear as black dashed lines within boundaries on the Boundaries and Land Ownership” maps. In some instances, these black dashed lines may appear to be a solid line at the page size scale. DEVELOPMENT -- For purposes of this document, any structure, facility, or enhancement constructed and located on public lands. These include but are not limited to, developed springs, fences, wildlife guzzlers, stock ponds, gabions. DISTURBANCE - For purposes of this document, a disruption of the soil or vegetation within a Wilderness Study Area necessitating recontouring of the topography, replacement of topsoil, and/or restoration ofnative plant cover. These include but are not limited to, mines, material sites, ditches, roads, excavated trash dumps. HERD MANAGEMENT AREA (HMA) — A geographic area identified as having been used by a herd as its habitat on the date of passage of the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971 that has been established for the maintenance of wild horse and burro herds. INSTANT STUDY AREA — (ISA) Any of eleven natural areas formally identified by the Nevada BLM through a final action published in the Federal Register before November 1, 1975. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, Public Law 94-579, 90 Stat. 2743, 43 USC 1701) required an accelerated wilderness review of these areas which, for all intents and purposes, are Wilderness Study Areas. MILITARY TRAINING ROUTE - A route established to accommodate low-altitude military training operations of aircraft that permits speeds in excess of 250 knots indicated air speed below 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). 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