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Fina Wilderness Management Plan and Environmental Assessment Department of the Interior of Land Management National Park Service State Office Pacific West Region s Field Office Lake Mead National M8339 Recreation Area 2007 April 24, 2007 Photo on cover: Bowl of Fire BLM/LV/ES07/06+1793 Muddy Mountains Wilderness Final Wilderness Management Plan and Environmental Assessment U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Nevada State Office Las Vegas Field Office National Park Service Pacific West Region Lake Mead National Recreation Area Clark County, Nevada April, 2007 Ron Wenker, Nevada State Director, Bureau of Land Management LUO JoifJarvis, est Regional Director, National Park Service Table of Contents Part 1 - Wilderness Management Plan Introduction. 2 Scope of the Wilderness Management Plan. 2 Wilderness Overview. 3 Wilderness Characteristics. 4 Wilderness Management Goals . 5 Wilderness Specific Issues. 6 Wilderness Management Objectives. 8 Current Situation and Assumptions . 9 Management Strategy . 11 Wilderness Management Actions . 14 Monitoring . 28 Plan Evaluation . 28 Plan Implementation Sequence. 31 Maps Location Map . 1 Management Strategy Zones Map .13 Desired Future Conditions Map.27 Part 2 - Environmental Assessment Purpose and Need . 33 Location . 33 Conformance with Land Use Plan . 33 Relationships to Statues, Regulations, or Other Plans. 33 Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives . 34 Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) . 34 Alternative 2 (Human activity least evident) . 36 Alternative 3 (Human activity most evident). 40 Alternative 4 (No Action) . 44 Mitigation Measures . 49 Affected Environment. 50 Environmental Impacts . 60 Cumulative Impacts. 77 List of Preparers . 78 Maps Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) .35 Alternative 2 (Human activity least evident) .39 Alternative 3 (Human activity most evident).43 Alternative 4 (No Action) .48 Part 3 - Appendices Impact Definitions (Appendix A). 79 Commercial Services Needs Assessment (Appendix B). 81 Fire Suppression Guidelines (Appendix C). 83 Bibliography (Appendix D). 85 Part 4 - Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) Bureau of Land Management. addendum National Park Service . addendum Legend Wilderness Bureau of Land Management National Park Service Nevada Land management status Bureau of Land Management National Park Service • Carson City Private u Clark County Muddy Mountains Wilderness Muddy7Mountains Wilderness Bit United States Department of the Interior No n by me Durum nf I arel Mtiufruvni h to thr , rrlwbtbfy. or oanytotaWM of litcwr data Urn »« IM* im U«f4 Oncinil dtt 2 Mam oMnptkU fnuw vmmmu touttv* fhi* lofontuitoo may <701 N. Torre-j Pines Laa Vegas, Nevada 89130-2301 (702) 515-WOO nta meet Nttnwi Niaji AcmftMgi st^njanjt, Hm jmaMi •vJvw mrtt?K •immi K 3 _--m 1 Introduction preservation of their wilderness character, and for the gathering and dissemination of information regarding their use and The United States Congress established the enjoyment as wilderness. National Wilderness Preservation System to Wilderness character is summarized as: assure that an increasing population, • untrammeled (unhindered and free accompanied by expanding settlement and from modern human control or growing mechanization, does not occupy manipulation) and modify all areas within the United • where outstanding opportunities for States. Wilderness designation is intended solitude or a primitive and to preserve and protect certain lands in their unconfined type of recreation exist natural state. Only Congress, with • undeveloped Presidential approval, may designate areas as Wilderness. The Wilderness Act of 1964 • natural (retaining a primeval defines wilderness characteristics, the uses character and influence and affected of wilderness, and the activities prohibited primarily by the forces of nature) within wilderness. Scope of the Wilderness Management Plan This plan provides the primary management guidance for the Muddy Mountains Wilderness. The plan also addresses some actions outside the wilderness area, including wilderness access and information provided to the public. This plan is jointly prepared by the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service. Each agency has jurisdictional authority for separate portions of the wilderness. The plan is anticipated to address management over the next 10 years. The plan 1) identifies the conditions and opportunities which will be managed within the wilderness; 2) creates specific guidance for managing the resources and activities existing in the wilderness; and, Anniversary Narrows 3) preserves the area’s wilderness characteristics cumulatively identified as Wilderness areas provide a contrast to lands untrammeled quality, outstanding where human activities dominate the opportunities for solitude or a primitive form landscape. Wilderness areas are managed of recreation, undeveloped character, and for the use and enjoyment of the American naturalness and primeval character. The people in a manner that will leave them first part of the Wilderness Plan is a unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as comprehensive description of the wilderness wilderness, for their protection, for the situation and proposed management. The 2 second part is an Environmental Assessment of the Muddy Mountains Wilderness are (EA) which fully describes and analyzes the superseded by this plan. proposed management plan and three other alternative management options. The plan is consistent with the following laws, regulation, and policy: • Clark County Conservation of Public Lands and Natural Resources Act of 2002 • Wilderness Act of 1964 • Grazing Guidelines (House Report No. 101-405, Appendix B) Bowl of Fire • Wildlife Management Guidelines (House Report No. 101-405, Wilderness Overview Appendix B). • Code of Federal Regulations 43 Part The Muddy Mountains Wilderness was 6300 added to the National Wilderness • BLM Manual 8560 (Management of Preservation System by the Clark County Designated Wilderness Areas) Conservation of Public Land and Natural • BLM Manual 8561 (Wilderness Resources Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-282 Management Plans) Nov. 6, 2002) and has approximately 48,019 • NPS Director's Order #41 acres. The Muddy Mountains Wilderness is (Wilderness Preservation and managed in part by the Bureau of Land Management) Management, Las Vegas Field Office, and • BLM Las Vegas Resource National Park Service, Lake Mead National Management Plan (USDOI 1998) Recreation Area. There are no private • Lake Mead National Recreation Area inholdings in the wilderness. General Management Plan (USDOI 1986) The Muddy Mountains Wilderness is • Memorandum of Understanding located approximately 20 miles northeast of Between the Bureau of Land Las Vegas and approximately 30 miles south Management and the Nevada of Overton in Clark County, Nevada. Department of Wildlife (BLM MOU Elevations range from about 1,700 to 5,400 6300-NV930-0402) feet. The landform is a thrust fault of • Master Memorandum of limestone over sandstone. Red, magenta, Understanding Between National and tan colored Aztec sandstone are exposed Park Service, Lake Mead National through a fenster, or erosion caused recreation Area and State of Nevada, “window,” through the limestone at Bowl of Department of Wildlife (MU 8360- Fire and Hidden Valley. Conglomerate rock 90-003) forms light brown cliffs at the Gale Hills. • Clark County Multiple Species Gypsum bearing soils of brown and red hues Habitat Conservation Plan (2000). are present in the lowest elevations. The wilderness is within a desert dominated by Other Environmental Assessments creosote. The only trees present are desert completed previously and covering the area catalpa which are found in washes. Rare 3 plants, including Las Vegas buckwheat and private lands are located within the Las Vegas bear poppy, occur in the gypsum wilderness. However, access to Anniversary soils. Animals of special interest include Narrows occurs through a 215 acre private desert tortoise and bighorn sheep. Fire is an parcel located outside the wilderness. extremely infrequent natural occurrence in the creosote dominated desert. The presence For a more detailed description of the of introduced annual grasses has the environment, see the Affected Environment potential to increase the incidence of fire by section in the Environmental Assessment yielding abundant fine fuel. Fires can carry portion of this plan. through this fuel to bum native shrubs causing their long term loss. Current fire management objectives are suppression of all fires. No springs occur in the wilderness, but water may be found during the cool season at natural rainfall catchments (called tenajas) in rock formations. The paved Northshore Road near the wilderness to the south and bladed dirt roads to the north provide relatively easy access to Ridge between Anniversary Narrows and the wilderness. Most visitation occurs at Bowl of Fire Anniversary Narrows, Bowl of Fire, and Flidden Valley. Muddy Peak is a prominent Wilderness Characteristics and challenging peak, and one of the recognized peak climbing destinations of Clark County. Recreational use levels are The Muddy Mountains Wilderness provides currently moderate but regular. However, outstanding opportunities for solitude except the potential for increased visitation is high for the extreme southeastern portion of the considering the area’s scenic attractions, wilderness. The southeastern area at proximity to Las Vegas, and the rapid Anniversary Narrows and the southern Bowl growth rate of southern Nevada. of Fire are the most frequently visited parts of the wilderness, and encounters with other One current but undeveloped placer mining visitors are common. That portion is claim overlaps approximately frequented by direct overflights of 15 acres on the southern edge of the helicopters, conducting scenic tours, which wilderness. There are no mineral leases. At diminish the natural quiet. Nearby highway the date of wilderness designation, no traffic is also audible. The wilderness grazing was established, permitted, or provides outstanding recreation authorized. The Muddy Mountain opportunities for hiking on and off trail, Allotment was closed in 1998 through the scenic viewing, hunting, and exploration. Las Vegas Resource Management Plan The natural character of the wilderness is (RMP) and the White Basin Allotment was generally free of human imprint except for voluntarily relinquished for closure in 2000. several former vehicle trails, and five small Abandoned livestock developments within dams. The primeval character is intact the wilderness include a small stock except for the occurrence of introduced reservoir, and several concrete dams. No plants, primarily annual grasses and tamarisk. Additional wilderness features of 4