Residents and community leaders from Moapa, Logandale and Overton will join officials from the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) Dec. 2 to kick-off the opening of the Warm Springs Natural Area.
Adjacent to the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the Warm Springs Natural Area features a loop trail and more than two dozen bubbling springs, rushing streams and lush wetlands. The area also is home to 28 sensitive species and more than 200 species of birds. Warm Springs will be open to the public from Labor Day to Memorial Day, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, closed on Mondays.
The SNWA acquired the Warm Springs Natural Area, formerly known as the Warm Springs Ranch, in 2007 to protect the Muddy River headwaters and the endangered Moapa dace while advancing SNWA’s goal of fostering responsible environmental stewardship. The acquisition was funded through the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act.
Over the last decade, the SNWA restored the property by adding a ¾-mile trail that follows the two streams onsite and includes interpretive stops as well as a boardwalk, spring viewing platform, outdoor seating and an amphitheater.
“The SNWA and its partners have put in tremendous effort to restore the property so we can provide public access to this unique desert oasis,” said Stewardship and Sustainability Division Manager Keiba Crear. “As part of SNWA’s environmental accomplishments, restoration efforts have increased Moapa dace population from a low of 462 fish in August 2008 to 1,533 fish during the most recent census in August 2017.”
The SNWA is a regional entity that manages water conservation, water quality and water resource issues for Southern Nevada. Its members include: the Big Bend Water District (Laughlin); the cities of Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas; the Clark County Water Reclamation District; and the Las Vegas Valley Water District.
