Moapa Valley Progress
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced, last week, its weekend hours at the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The wildlife refuge will open to the public this weekend for and is expected to be open each weekend thereafter through Memorial Day 2012.
For the Labor Day weekend only, the Moapa Valley NWR will be open Friday, September 2, 2011 through Monday, September 5, 2011, which is Labor Day. The refuge will be open from sunrise to sunset all four days.
Following the holiday weekend, the Moapa Valley NWR is scheduled to be open to the public from sunrise until sunset every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through the 2012 Memorial Day weekend.
Weekday group visits are also available. School groups, clubs, businesses, and other organizations can schedule a tour of the refuge in advance by contacting the refuge manager at (702) 515-5225.
Visitors can enjoy a number of features on the Moapa Valley NWR, including stream profile windows which provide a glimpse into the underwater world of the endangered Moapa dace, Moapa White River springfish and other aquatic wildlife. A short, accessible walking trail offers an enchanting stroll through a spring and stream system where dragonflies and birds can be observed. A new half-mile hiking trail heads up a desert hillside to a panoramic view of the refuge, the adjacent Warm Springs area, and the surrounding mountains. Several information kiosks are in place and the Service plans to install additional interpretive displays early this fall. A pavilion with shade and picnic tables is located near the parking lot.
Public access to the Moapa Valley NWR is made possible with the help of citizen volunteers. Those interested in volunteering at the wildlife refuge are asked to contact Harry Konwin via email to harry_konwin@fws.gov or by phone at (702) 515-5494.
The 116-acre Moapa Valley NWR was established in 1979 to secure habitat for and protect the endangered Moapa dace.
For more information about the Moapa Valley NWR, visit www.fws.gov/desertcomplex/ moapavalley or contact Refuge Manager Amy LaVoie via email to amy_lavoie@fws.gov or by telephone at (702) 515-5225.
