Table Of ContentUnited States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Las Vegas Field Office
Las Vegas, Nevada 89108
December 2000
PROPOSED
GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
and
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
for
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
_)Lm library
BLDG ST-150A
50,
uBNVE- ’EDERAL CENTER
P.O. BOX 25047
DENVER, COLORADO 30225
U.S. Department ofthe interior
Mission Statement
As the Nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the
Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally-owned public
lands and natural resources. This includes fostering sound use ofour
land and water recourse; protecting our fish, wildlife, and biological
diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our
national parks and historical places; and providing for the
enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department
assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to ensure that
their development is in the best interests of all our people by
encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The
Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian
reservation communities and for people who live in island territories
under U. S. administration.
BLM/LV/PL-01/006+8322
20503 lb 3'-; :i?C>
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OFLAND MANAGEMENT
NevadaStateOffice
1340Financial Blvd., P.O. Box 12000
Reno, Nevada89520-0006
InReplyReferTo;
1610 (LVFO)
(NV930.1)(NV050)
Dear Reader:
Enclosed for yourreview is the Proposed General Management Plan (Plan) and Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (RRCNCA). The Proposed Plan outlines the
various decisions for the management ofapproximately 196,000 acres composing RRCNCA. The Plan is open for a
30 day protest period beginning on March 1, 2(X)1.
The Proposed Plan and FEIS has been developed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. This plan is a variation ofAlternative 3 which was
presented in the Draft General Management Plan released in July of 1999. Revisions have been made, based on the
comments received during the comment period for the Draft Plan.
The Proposed Plan may be protested by any person who participated in the planning process, and who has an interest
which is or may be adversely affected by the approval ofthe Proposed Plan. A protest may raise only those issues
which were submitted for the record during the planning process (see 43 Code ofFederal Regulations 1610.5-2).
Protests must be filed with the Director, Bureau ofLand Management, Attn. Ms. Brenda Williams, Protests
Coordinator, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.
All protests must be written and must be postmarked on or before March 30, 2001 and shall contain the following
information:
The name, mailing address, telephone number, and interest ofthe person filing the protest.
- A statement ofthe issue or issues being protested.
A statement ofthe part orparts ofthe document being protested.
A copy ofall documents addressing the issue or issues previously submitted during the planning process buy the
protesting party, or an indication ofthe date the issue or issues were discussed for the record.
- A concise statement explaining precisely why the Bureau ofLand Management, Nevada State Director’s
decision is wrong.
Upion resolution ofany protests, an Approved Plan and Record ofDecision will be issued. The approved
Plan/Record ofDecision will be mailed to all individuals who participated in this planning process and all other
interested publics upon theirrequest.
Sincerely,
Robert V. Abbey
State Director, Nevada
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COMPARISON SUMMARY OF ALTERNATIVES SI
CHAPTER 1 - PURPOSE AND NEED
Purpose and Need
1
Description of Planning Area 4
Issue Identification
5
Expanded Discussion of the Issues
6
Planning Considerations and Criteria 15
...
Planning Process and Selection of Proposed Action 18
Consistency With Other Plans 20
CHAPTER ALTERNATIVES
2 -
Introduction 23
Management Emphasis Areas 23
Alternatives Selected for Analysis 27
Changes from Draft to Proposed Plan 28
The Proposed General Management Plan
Biodiversity
Biodiversity Preservation 31
Ecosystem Management 32
Wild Horses and Burros 32
Visitor Education/Environmental Awareness 36
. .
Riparian Restoration 36
Air Quality 36
Vegetation 37
Recreation
Camping 3 7
Rock Climbing 4 0
Target Shooting 42
Hunting
4 2
Trails 42
Roads
4 8
Commercial Use 55
Cultural Resources and Native American Concerns 56
. .
Additional Management Considerations
Cave Management
58
Designation of Areas of Critical Environmental 58
Concern
Oliver Ranch 59
Red Spring Site Plan 59
Scenic Drive Mass-Transit System 59
Standard Operating Procedures 60
Implementation and Monitoring 67
1
CHAPTER AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
3
Land Status 69
Facilities 71
Visitor Demographics 87
Wilderness
88
Biodiversity
96
Wild Horses and Burros 122
Soils 127
Water Resources 131
Recreation 137
Visual Resources 145
Geology 149
Cultural Resources 151
Air Quality 154
Fire History Summary 158
CHAPTER 4 - ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES
Biodiversity
Biodiversity Preservation 161
Ecosystem Management 162
Wild Horses and Burros 162
Riparian and Water Resources 163
Vegetation 164
Recreation Opportunities
Camping 165
Rock Climbing 165
Target Shooting 166
Trail Opportunities 166
Touring Opportunities
Dirt Roads 166
Paved Roads 167
Visual Resources 167
Wilderness Characteristics 168
Cumulative Effects 169
CHAPTER CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION
5 -
General 173
ii
9
APPENDICES
Biological Data (1-16)
1 Special Status Species A-2
2 Priority Management Areas A-
3 Floristic Summary A-12
4 Vegetative Community Types A- 16
5 Species List - Mammals A-21
6 Species List - Bats A-23
7 Species List - Reptiles & Amphibians A-24
8 Species List - Birds A-26
9 Species List - Invertebrates A-33
10 Inventory of Springs A-36
11 Spring Discharge Measurements A-38
12 Spring Developments A-40
13 Artificial Waters A-42
14 Important Habitat Areas A-43
15 Disturbed Habitat Areas A-46
16 Fire Occurrence History A-50
Legislation (17-18)
...
17 Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area A- 58
Establishment Act of 1990
...
18 Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area A- 64
Boundary Expansion
Other Information
19 Acronyms List A-67
20 Road and Trails Data A-69
21 Fire Management A- 78
22 Cultural Resources Report A-88
23 Law Enforcement Analysis A-138
24 Interpretive Plan A-147
25 DEIS Comments and Responses A-159
iii
LIST OF MAPS
(in FEIS document)
MAP MAP# PAGE#
COMPARISON SUMMARY OF ALTERNATIVES
Camping within the Original NCA Ml S-7
Existing Trails - Scenic Drive M2 S-11
Existing Routes - Scenic Drive M3 S-14
Blue Diamond to Jean and Twilight Zone M4 S-15
Trails
CHAPTER
1
Vicinity Map M5
3
CHAPTER
2
Management Emphasis Areas M6 26
Herd Management Areas M7 34
Red Rock HMA Adjustments M8 35
Camping within the Original NCA M9 39
Existing Designated Trails MIO 45
Trails in the Scenic Drive Vicinity Mil 46
Trails in the Expanded Portion of RRC M12 47
Dirt Roads (Ways) within the Original NCA M13 50
Roads in the North Expansion Area M14 51
Roads in the South Expansion Area M15 52
La Madre Mountain WSA Roads (Ways) M16 54
CHAPTER
3
Land Status M17 70
Major Roads in Red Rock Canyon M18 80
Cottonwood Valley Mountain Bike/Equestrian M19 83
Trails
Existing Designated Trails - Scenic Drive M2 0 85
Wilderness Study Areas M21 95
Herd Management Areas M22 124
Visual Resource Management M23 148
APPENDICES
Dirt Roads (Ways) North of La Madre M24 A-73
Dirt Roads (Ways) in South Expansion Area M25 A-75
IV
COMPARISON SUMMARY
OF
ALTERNATIVES
S-1
3
ISSUE/ACTION ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE
1 2
BIODIVERSITY PRESERVATION
Re-introduce springsnails into restored Willow do not re-introduce do not re-introduce
Spring riparian habitat
Install bat gate at Wounded Knee cave install gate install gate
ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT
Utilize prescribed burns for resource enhancement no prescribed burning no prescribed burning
WILD HORSE AND BURRO MANAGEMENT For Red Rock Herd Management Area
Amendment to Las Vegas RMP Red Rock HMA expand to the east to include no change in boundary
boundary the area surrounding Calico
Basin and the area around
1
Mile Campground
Burro viewing areas (SR 159) develop viewing areas along develop viewing areas along
SR 159 SR 159
Safety and access fence both sides ofSR 159 remove nuisance animals
and construct highway along SR 159 as needed;
underpasses additional fencing if
necessary
Additional developments for water availability initiate developments to no new developments
Shovel Spring, Willow proposed
Spring. White Rock Spring,
Red Spring, Pine Creek, and
Wheeler Camp Spring
Existing developments improve developments at improve developments to
Mud Spring #1, Lone Mud Spring #1, Lone
Grapevine Spring, Tunnel Grapevine Spring. Tunnel
Spring and Bird Spring Spring and Bird Spring
Area closure Cottonwood Valley closed Cottonwood Valley closed
to organized hiking, to organized hiking,
equestrian and mountain equestrian and mountain
biking events during foaling biking events during foaling
season (March - May) season (March - May)
COMMERCIAL PURPOSES Full Time SRPs
Type and maximum active at any one time climbing - 6 climbing - 6
horse rides - 5 horse rides - 5
4x4 tours - 5 4x4 tours - 5
bike tours - 5 bike tours - 5
* Most actions that are the same for all alternatives are not included in this comparison.
S-2
