The Bureau of Land Management is gathering community input on a potential 20-year mineral withdrawal for more than 300,000 acres of land. The area, in western Nevada, is within the Amargosa River watershed. It is also at the intersection of the Western Shoshone and Southern Paiutes’ ancestral homelands. In late February the BLM hosted a public meeting in Amargosa Valley. It drew more than a hundred locals, environmental activists, and rural county officials. All of those who made public comments supported the 20-year mineral withdrawal. It would shield some 480 square miles of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge from development. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nevada Public Radio (@nevadapublicradio) The area is culturally significant to not only the Western Shoshone and Southern Paiute Tribes whose reservation is in nearby Death Valley The Timbisha Shoshone tribe urges government officials to protect Ash Meadows arguing they can only survive in their home’s extremely hot dry climate thanks to the Amargosa River’s groundwater aquifers the BLM rescinded its approval for Canadian-based Rover Metals’ lithium mining proposal Opponents subsequently dropped a lawsuit they had filed to block the project the land has been on a two-year segregation period Vernon Lee is a member of the Moapa Band of Paiutes He shares the broader community’s concern about the water consumption involved in lithium mining “It’s a mecca for all the birds and all the animals and plants There are currently nearly 800 mining claims in the area “The impact that me giving them up is pale in comparison to this beautiful place,” Hamm says “I would be honored to relinquish them in order to support this And I hope other mining companies would consider the same.” The nonprofit Amargosa Conservancy also opposes mining in the area says he’s optimistic that the science will speak for itself federal agencies in Nevada have not ruled in favor of Indigenous communities “So regardless of what the Natives really want to do and try to preserve and live our cultural lifestyle it's impaired by basically the government,” Lee says The public can comment until April 15 on the BLM’s website (VVNG.com) — A pedestrian was struck and killed Monday night in Victorville after being hit by a vehicle along Amargosa Road near the intersection of Amargosa Road and Gabriel Road Emergency personnel from American Medical Response (AMR) and Medic Squad 315 with the Victorville Fire Department responded to the scene and confirmed the pedestrian had died at the location Authorities said the crash involved a silver 2021 Honda Civic sedan which sustained major damage to its front passenger-side bumper The vehicle came to a stop along the southbound shoulder of Amargosa Road following the collision lying along the northbound right-hand shoulder of Amargosa Road A mangled Walmart shopping cart and one of the pedestrian’s shoes were found near the scene The driver of the Honda Civic remained at the scene and cooperated with law enforcement Deputies from the Victorville Police Department shut down both northbound and southbound lanes of Amargosa Road near Gabriel Road to conduct their investigation City of Victorville Public Works crews were dispatched to assist with a hard road closure A second vehicle was observed pulled over on the northbound side of Amargosa Road but it was not immediately clear if the vehicle was involved or if the driver had stopped as a witness Authorities have not released the identity of the deceased pedestrian pending next-of-kin notification The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing 📢 Stay connected with the High Desert’s largest news community 🔗 For more local news, visit VVNG.com Related Article: Pedestrian Fatally Struck on Amargosa Road in Victorville Identified as 61-Year-Old Phelan Man we’re dedicated to keeping the Victor Valley informed with essential Our newsroom works tirelessly to bring you the latest stories that matter—news that fosters awareness If you value our reporting and want to see it continue local news accessible to everyone—because an informed community is a stronger community The Species Status Assessment (SSA) report will inform the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s update of a recovery plan for Amargosa niterwort (Nitrophila mohavensis) in cooperation with California Botanic Garden The information in the SSA report is likely to be influential scientific information plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people Patrick Donnelly, Center for Biological Diversity, (702) 483-0449, [email protected]Naomi Fraga, California Botanic Garden, (626) 674-6746, [email protected] Interior Department Pumps Brakes on Mining Near Nevada’s Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge Department of the Interior announced today a two-year pause on new mining claims on land adjacent to Nevada’s Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Federal officials will also launch a public process to review a full 20-year withdrawal of the land from mining claims to protect it from pollution “This is a historic day for Ash Meadows and the entire Amargosa River watershed,” said Patrick Donnelly Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity and a longtime local resident “Ash Meadows is the crown jewel of the Mojave Desert and mining pollution doesn’t belong anywhere near this ecosystem With these protections in place it’ll remain a vibrant oasis for the many plants and animals whose survival depends on this beautiful place.” Ash Meadows is one of the most biodiverse places in North America with more than two dozen species of aquatic plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth These include the famous Devils Hole pupfish Mining in the area threatens to deplete scarce water resources and imperil the plants and animals that depend on them Shortly thereafter, the Amargosa Conservancy, a local conservation group, spearheaded a broad-based campaign to get a mineral withdrawal for the area The campaign was supported by the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe the town advisory boards in the communities of Amargosa Valley and Beatty With the complex hydrology that gives rise to Ash Meadows and the numerous rare organisms that live there scientists have also been an important part of the campaign for the mineral withdrawal “I’m thrilled to see powerful new protections put in place to safeguard this irreplaceable ecosystem,” said Naomi Fraga director of conservation at the California Botanic Garden “I’ve made my life’s work studying and conserving the rare plants of the Amargosa River As a lush oasis in one of the driest places on the planet Ash Meadows is a unique biodiversity hotspot It was heartbreaking to see mining companies on its doorstep.” Residents up and down the Amargosa River have expressed concern about the prospect of mining on the borders of Ash Meadows Rover Metals’ boreholes were slated to come within 1,500 feet of Fairbanks Spring home to several endangered species of fish and wildflowers Today’s announcement prevents new mining claims from being staked and subjects existing claims to the scrutiny of a “validity exam” before they can be developed “This withdrawal is an important tool to stop the proliferation of mining claims near Ash Meadows,” said Donnelly With hundreds of existing mining claims surrounding the refuge we’ll remain vigilant with our attorneys on call in case another operation like Rover Metals tries mining here The Center for Biological Diversity is a national nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places More Press Releases there's been an uptick in mining interest for what are called critical minerals— resources like lithium magnesium and copper— deemed vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity by the Department of the Interior concerned about the impacts of drilling on their communities exploratory mining may be on its way out for one area of Southern Nevada: 308,890 acres of public land in the Amargosa Valley including land near Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge This means a 20-year ban on any new mining operations is on the table Here's the memo released Wednesday The agency is holding a meeting to engage the public on Feb Review the 'Mineral Withdrawal' proposal and instructions to submit your feedback to the BLM here: local residents discovered that Canada-based company Rover Critical Minerals had been staking mining claims throughout the valley Locals told Channel 13 their concerns about the impacts lithium drilling could have on their already strained source of water “Don’t take a look at what the paper says," said resident Judy Faber don’t just sign papers because they say it’s a great idea and there’s lithium." Conservation groups also raised red flags because of the proximity of lithium drilling to Ash Meadows which is considered a globally significant biodiversity hotspot where a dozen threatened and endangered species live WATCH: Conservation group pushing for 'Mineral Withdrawal' near Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge Executive Director of the Amargosa Conservancy *Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the next BLM Meeting on the 'Mineral Withdrawal' would take place January 27th The correct date is February 27th at 5:30 PM at the Amargosa Community Center Report a typo (VVNG.com) — Authorities have identified the pedestrian killed in a traffic collision Monday night as 61-year-old David Joe Banales The collision was reported at about 7:43 p.m in the area of Amargosa Road and Gabriel Road in Victorville Deputies from the Victorville Police Department along with personnel from the Victorville Fire Department and American Medical Response deputies determined that a gray Honda sedan was traveling along Amargosa Road when it struck Banales Banales sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene The driver of the Honda remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors in the collision Amargosa Road between Gabriel Road and Eucalyptus Street was closed in both directions for approximately four hours while the Victorville Major Accident Investigation Team processed the scene Anyone with information regarding this collision is urged to contact the Victorville Police Department at (760) 241-2911 or Sheriff’s Dispatch at (760) 956-5001. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can contact the We-Tip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or leave information online at www.wetip.com Related Article: Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Vehicle on Amargosa Road in Victorville (KTNV) — Situated next to Death Valley south of I-95 is the Amargosa Valley It's an unincorporated town that has a post office about 1,400 people and desert as far as the eye can see It’s going to change our lifestyle and not for the better," said Mike Cottingham Cottingham told Channel 13 he's keeping tabs on what he says is a developing concern: new mining claims popping up on the backroads of the community Here's what Cottingham and others are seeing — wooden stakes about a yard high hammered into the ground, at the top is a tube with a rolled-up piece of paper — it's the only notification some residents say they received about new plans for lithium exploration. An 1872 federal mining law makes this possible “It’s part of my responsibility as we receive notices that they were going on Our water tables have gone down 45 feet in the last 18 years WATCH | Mike Cottingham shows Geneva Zoltek the mining stakes planted throughout the land no one let us know they were going to do that,” Joe Angle - who's been an Amargosa Resident for 17 years - told Channel 13 but if you uncork it and turn the water on And to drill our well deeper is a $20,000 bill," Angle continued Groundwater from the Amargosa River Basin has decreased in recent years but it’s the future that these residents are worried about Last year, the U.S. Department of Energy identified 18 critical minerals necessary for clean energy technologies meant to curb carbon emissions “The state of Nevada is really poised to be a leader in mining especially critical minerals," Amanda Hilton She said four of those minerals are produced in-state; “barium a Canadian mining company that is not a member of the association owns the new claims popping up in Amargosa Valley CEO Judson Culter said a portion of the publically traded company is American owned The company recently caught heat over an exploratory lithium mining proposal "LGL - Let's Go Lithium" that was submitted to the BLM saying the project proposal is too close to Ash Meadows Culter said two ongoing projects are intended for exploratory drilling of lithium — "LGL" and "Long Street Project" — which are about three miles apart “We’ve done enough work at surface to know that there is lithium in the area," Culter said big money by not skimping on environmental," Culter said Culter said he views new mining operations in the Amargosa Valley as a job creator for the community and that a new plan of operations for "LGL" is expected to be released towards the end of the summer "We look to find projects that can benefit a local community in terms of employment," Culter said But many residents and conservationists still want the company to pack up the stakes for a total ban on new mining projects in the area This letter signed by multiple Nevada Congress members urges the Department of the Interior to put a mineral withdrawal into place (KTNV) — Local and state authorities are asking you to be on the lookout for a driver involved in a fatal crash on Wednesday morning according to a social media post from the Nye County Sheriff's Office Sheriff's officials identified the suspect in this fatal hit-and-run as Isrrael Gutierrez-Naranjo He's described as 5 feet 6 inches tall and 165 pounds Authorities believe he is driving a silver 2017 Chevrolet Silverado with Nevada license plate 283J82 If you have any information that could help Nevada State Police - Highway Patrol locate Gutierrez-Naranjo, you're asked to call the state police Traffic Homicide Unit at 702-486-4100. Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or online at crimestoppersofnv.com (VVNG.com) — A brush fire resulted in a temporary closure of Amargosa Road in Victorville on Wednesday The incident was reported around 11:00 AM on July 17 in a field along Amargosa Road near Smoke Tree Road Firefighters from the Victorville City Fire Department responded quickly and noted that the fire covered approximately two acres with the potential to spread to five acres crews requested a full road closure of Amargosa Road A nearby resident mentioned that a similar fire occurred in a field close to his home around three weeks ago reportedly started by homeless individuals in the area Smoke from the fire drifted across the I-15 leading to some traffic delays for motorists on the freeway no structures were damaged and no injuries were reported The cause of the fire is still under investigation 🔗 For more local news, visit VVNG.com. At VVNG, we’re dedicated to keeping the Victor Valley informed with essential, community-driven journalism. Our newsroom works tirelessly to bring you the latest stories that matter—news that fosters awareness, engagement, and connection in the High Desert. If you value our reporting and want to see it continue, consider becoming a monthly supporter. Your contribution helps keep independent, local news accessible to everyone—because an informed community is a stronger community. (VVNG.com) — A portion of Amargosa Road was closed on Sunday following a traffic accident near the Red Lobster by the Mall of Victor Valley It happened at about 7:21 PM on December 1 and involved a black 2017 Nissan Murano that overturned onto its side and a silver Mitsubishi Eclipse that pulled into the parking lot of the Mall.  Good Samaritan’s broke the windshield of the Nissan SUV and assisted the occupant in getting out.  That person was eventually transported away from the scene via an ambulance with what appeared to be minor injuries.  Amargosa Road was briefly closed for the investigation and while the roadway was cleared.  The Victorville Police Department is investigating the collision.  (VVNG.com) — A woman was airlifted to a trauma center with critical injuries after a t-bone traffic accident Tuesday morning in Victorville at the intersection of Amargosa Road and Smoke Tree Road The collision involved a white Volkswagen Jetta and a black Toyota Scion TC Victorville City Fire responded to the crash and reported the female driver of Scion was trapped and required extrication Firefighters requested a helicopter to land at the scene Mery Air landed on Amargosa Road and subsequently airlifted the injured woman to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center The female driver of the VW was also injured and transported via ground ambulance to an area hospital Her son arrived at the scene and told VVNG that his mom was on her way to work at the toy factory just down the street Amargosa Road was closed in both directions for approximately two hours to allow for the investigation and the vehicles to be towed away The official cause of the accident is under investigation by the Victorville Police Department (VVNG.com) — City of Hesperia officials confirmed the first-ever Sam’s Club is coming to the Victor Valley City officials said Sam’s Club has purchased a 6.5-acre property at Amargosa Road and Key Pointe Avenue the City is working closely with Sam’s Club to move this project forward,” stated city officials “As the first Sam’s Club in the Mojave River Valley region this acquisition represents a significant addition to the City’s growing retail landscape enhancing the shopping experience for Hesperia’s residents and neighboring communities,” stated Kelly Brady “This investment by Sam’s Club reflects the continued appeal of Hesperia as a prime destination for businesses seeking to serve the Mojave River Valley region.” the new Sam’s Club location will contribute to local job creation and offer a variety of high-quality goods and services further strengthening Hesperia’s economic development goals Updates on project milestones will be provided as the development advances Sam’s Club is a membership-only warehouse club owned and operated by Walmart It was founded in 1983 and provides a wide range of products and services for members Here are some key points about Sam’s Club: Sam’s Club continues to adapt and expand its offerings to meet the changing needs of its members and drive sales growth through innovative shopping experiences Hundreds of New Mining Claims Threaten Death Valley National Park AMARGOSA VALLEY, Nev.— Hundreds of new mining claims have been staked within the community of Amargosa Valley on thousands of acres directly adjacent to Death Valley National Park These new mining claims, documented here for the first time, are staked above groundwater aquifers that feed the springs at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park and provide drinking water to the Timbisha Shoshone Reservation Furnace Creek hosts the park’s visitor center “We are extremely concerned about this dramatic rise in mining activity directly adjacent to Death Valley National Park,” said Mason Voehl executive director of the Amargosa Conservancy “These claims were filed right next to people’s homes and businesses and mining there would threaten the groundwater that communities and the environment rely on for survival.” Local governments, including the towns of Beatty and Amargosa Valley, have expressed support for pausing new mining claims in the area so that a mineral withdrawal planning process can be undertaken The Timbisha Shoshone Tribe has also supported that proposal “Our national parks were set aside for future generations to experience abundant wildlife and iconic landscapes and learn from our rich cultural stories These new mining claims are encroaching on our ability to tell that shared story across the California desert,” said Luke Basulto California Desert program manager at the National Parks Conservation Association “We have a fleeting opportunity to protect this place — Congress and the administration can act now to save Death Valley National Park Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and the rare waters that sustain them.” The claims have not yet been registered in the U.S Bureau of Land Management’s Minerals and Land Record System local residents encountered hundreds of claim markers staked in the ground with numbers indicated on the claim notices as high as 387 These claims appear to be blanketing an area of approximately 8,000 acres on the border of Nevada and California Drilling and mining in the area could harm springs and groundwater wells in Death Valley and impair Timbisha Shoshone Tribal water rights While new mine claims do not guarantee full-scale mining operations lax regulation means that exploratory drilling alone can have an impact on scarce groundwater sources and natural resources “These new mining claims are a real escalation against our efforts to save Ash Meadows and the Amargosa River Basin,” said Patrick Donnelly Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity and a longtime resident of the area “Now one of our country’s most beloved national parks and a sovereign Native American nation are also under attack We need immediate action to pause further expansion of the mining industry in this sensitive region.” The Amargosa Conservancy is a Nevada and California nonprofit organization dedicated to working towards a sustainable future for the Amargosa Basin through science the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations Southern Nevada’s federal delegation are calling on the federal government to prohibit mining on public land in the fragile Amargosa River watershed an effort pushed by locals in the area for months Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto sent a letter to federal land managers on Tuesday, Nevada Current reports urging the Department of the Interior to implement a 20-year ban on new mining operations on public land surrounding the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge — a critical wetland habitat that supports a dozen endangered and threatened species Supporters of the 20-year ban say a federal withdrawal would not dissolve previous mining claims but it would greatly reduce mining companies’ interest in developing the area The request comes after Rover Critical Minerals announced a new plan last year to drill as many as 21 boreholes less than a mile from the refuge — at depths of up to 150 feet — in search of valuable lithium deposits The proposal included plans to drill within a few thousand feet of Fairbanks Spring a critical habitat for the endangered Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish and the Ash Meadows speckled dace Pain In The Pass (Pain In The Pass) >> A crash involving two vehicles on Amargosa Road has injured two and airlifted one to the hospital Tuesday morning (Photo above is credit by Ruby McGlothin Olson) 2024 near the intersection of Amargosa Rd and Smoke Tree Rd The two-vehicle involved in the collision was a white Volkswagen Jetta sedan and a black Toyota Scion TC coupe The female driver of the Toyota was the only person in the car at the time of the crash Recuse crew said she was taken by Mercy Air #22 helicopter to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center but the extent of the injuries is unknown The driver of the VW was transported to a local hospital Pain In The Pass has learned it was a head-on crash involving the two vehicles Details of exactly what led up to the crash remain under investigation We will update this story with more information when the preliminary accident report is available Additional details were limited at this time This incident will be under investigation by the Victorville Police An official website of the United States government Open Search  Mobile Menu Wildlife Biologist. Photos are courtesy of Matt Rader Often called the "Crown Jewel of the Mojave Desert," the Amargosa is the only free-flowing river in the Death Valley region of the Mojave providing a rare and lush riparian area in the desert The narrow Amargosa Canyon is known for its dense greenery and the shallow Amargosa River complete with "hanging gardens" and a small waterfall the Bureau of Land Management started an intensive program to remove tamarisk from the area. We relied heavily on the natural growth of native trees in treated areas but some areas needed active restoration by planting native trees. Over the last six years with the Mojave Desert Native Plant Program and other partners including Amargosa Conservancy has put forth extensive work to restore habitat on lands in the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River Area.  The most recent collaborative effort saw 400 hours of work and 20,000 native trees planted to help restore habitat along the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River and 11,000 coyote willow stems on two sites near the town of Shoshone Our partners covered approximately 2.5 acres along the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River and planted additional trees on private land in Shoshone The trees were started from native seeds and poles sourced along the Amargosa River which serves to preserve the genetic diversity of the native species and is key to proper restoration of this unique place.  The tree planting project by The Nature Conservancy is a huge leap forward as we continue to restore the “Crown Jewel of the Mojave Desert” – the Amargosa River We extend our thanks to our partners and volunteers whose efforts are producing real and positive results in the restoration of the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River to the benefit of current and future generations An official website of the Department of the Interior to determine the amount of groundwater extraction that would be allowed in the basin The main resource that the state wants to protect is Devils Hole in Death Valley National Park in Nevada A 1976 Supreme Court order prevents the water level in Devils Hole to drop below a minimum threshold there are other natural resources that should be protected on the California side of the Amargosa Basin The Amargosa River starts at almost 4,000 feet at Pahute Mesa in the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and ends in the Badwater basin then southwest into California to Dumont Dunes where it bends and flows north to Badwater The river flows underground most of its 185 miles but surfaces around Beatty and in the Amargosa Canyon near Tecopa The section between Shoshone and Dumont Dunes was recently designated a Wild and Scenic River.  Groundwater Characterization and Effects of Pumping in the Death Valley Regional Groundwater Flow Systen, Nevada and California, with Special Refernce to Devils Hole. 2020 USGS paper 1863. Groundwater travels easily through carbonate strata which hydrologically connects basins below the surface Groundwater flows from the Pahute Mesa to the Amargosa Desert and to the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Groundwater also comes from the Spring Mountains and the Sheep Range and flows to the Ash Meadows NWR Groundwater also flows from Ash Meadows to Furnace Creek providing 40% of the discharge at Furnace Creek The water travels through the Amargosa Desert and into/through the Funeral Mountains The Ash Meadows and Furnace Creek basins are so hydrologically connected they could be considered one basin Groundwater pumping in Amargosa Desert can affect Furnace Creek springs There is also a groundwater flow through carbonate rocks and basin fill from the Spring Mountains to the Amargosa River near Tecopa pumping in Pahrump Valley impacts the springs in the section of the Amargosa River that has been designated as Wild and Scenic in California.  While the DV3 groundwater model is a good tool water rights have already been allocated on the Nevada side and groundwater pumping is impacting the springs on the California side Springs and groundwater monitoring is needed on the California side to measure the impacts.  Thresholds need to be worked into the Nevada’s groundwater management plan that will trigger reductions in groundwater pumping in order to maintain spring flows along the river on the California side I encourage you to attend the public hearing on May 25 or submit comments  You should start receiving our chapter enewsletter You may also be contacted from time to time to take action on conservation issues affecting Nevada and eastern California We will never share your name with other organizations Change your communication preferences here. Sierra Club® and "Explore, enjoy and protect the planet"® are registered trademarks of the Sierra Club. © Sierra Club 2025.The Sierra Club Seal is a registered copyright Seven years of carefully planned habitat restoration on private land in the Mojave Desert have yielded hope for the persistence of the endangered Amargosa vole a photograph from a wildlife camera placed by researchers from the University of California and dated July 3 revealed the presence of one vole pups born from parents that were reintroduced to restored marsh habitat on private land in Shoshone Village The Amargosa vole was first discovered in the marshes of Shoshone in the late 1800s but had disappeared by the early 1900s because of habitat conversion to agriculture and other uses that destroyed the marshes The only other place in the world where the voles persist in the wild is near the town of Tecopa Restoration of the Shoshone Spring marsh started in 2015 as a joint effort of Shoshone Village UC Davis and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Section 6 and Partners in Fish and Wildlife grants the Shoshone Spring marsh habitat appeared comparable to Tecopa marshes that support wild voles and thus the team was ready to take the next step: returning voles home to Shoshone The USFWS and the landowner entered into a voluntary agreement and – in coordination with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) — UC Davis and CDFW have translocated 16 voles from marshes with stable wild populations near Tecopa into the new Shoshone habitat since 2020 “The goal is to create an independent population in Shoshone to improve resilience of the species,” said Janet Foley vole lead and professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine “We were incredibly thrilled to see pups this year on camera This tells us that the restored marsh has the right conditions to support voles.” Amargosa voles are highly specialized animals “Amargosa voles live nowhere else on Earth except these unique Mojave Desert marshes fed by natural springs and the mostly underground Amargosa River,” said Deana Clifford CDFW senior wildlife veterinarian and co-lead on the vole reintroduction effort but we will provide critically needed water and habitat that many other species need and will increasingly rely on in the future to survive the predicted impacts of climate change The two go hand-in-hand – to save the vole we must save and restore the marshes that support not only voles The work took collaboration between scientists “The Amargosa Vole Recovery Implementation Team is an excellent example of how federal and state agencies non-governmental organizations and private partners can work together to conserve listed species,” said Scott Sobiech field supervisor for the USFWS Carlsbad and Palm Springs offices “We can accomplish more for wildlife through collaborative planning.” this achievement is part of a long-term commitment to land stewardship “It is so exciting to discover that the first generation of Amargosa voles have been born at Shoshone Spring we are dedicated to incorporating community and nature and also to protecting endangered species by assessing and stewarding the entire ecosystem It has been a delight to collaborate with the Amargosa Vole Team as we work together to bring the Amargosa vole back from the brink that has been rescued by implementing this approach.” the vole team will keep watching for more signs of hope in the marsh and will forge ahead with plans for future habitat restoration multi-partner program to restore the Mojave’s endangered Amargosa vole population The project is implemented by the “Vole Team” of CDFW Efforts have involved captive rescue and breeding; research on health genetics and diet; releases and translocations; habitat restoration; and community engagement This news release was originally published on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website on Sept University of California, Davis Copyright © The Regents of the University of California hotter weather and depleted groundwater in Nevada and California threaten this rare ecosystem California — Rivers are often seen as nature’s lifeline where life prevails because of a waterway that life in the Amargosa River Basin is intensely fragile With warming temperatures and the western United States long mired in what has been dubbed a “megadrought,” worries about the fate of desert rivers in the region are growing conservationists now speak of an existential battle to save one of the greatest biodiversity hotspots in the U.S with freshwater ecosystems declining faster than those on land or in the oceans Research suggests that rivers running through deserts and other arid environments as they are particularly prone to threats such as groundwater extraction and climate change “These are desert ecosystems that already exist on the edge, filled with species that have adapted to unique living conditions over a long time,” says John Zablocki “They can’t withstand much more pressure before being pushed over the brink.” who has monitored bird populations here for 13 years a federally endangered songbird that each year arrives from Mexico to nest in the oases along the Amargosa “It should have been here a few weeks ago,” says Warren California in the distance.Photograph by Stefan LovgrenThe reasons for the least Bell’s vireo’s late arrival could be simple Strong winds may have delayed departure for the birds or they could have had a bad food winter and needed to fatten up for the journey But there could also be something bigger afoot Warmer air temperatures are evaporating rivers. Since the megadrought began around 2000, the largest river in the Southwest, the Colorado, has averaged flows about one-fifth below the average of the previous century with up to one-half of that due to unprecedented temperatures The climbing temperatures spell particular trouble for birds, which can’t effectively cool their bodies in extreme heat. A 2019 PNAS study showed that the Mojave Desert has lost more than 40 percent of its bird species over the last hundred years; researchers point to loss of surface water caused in part by climate change. Along the Amargosa, the least Bell’s vireos finally show up a few days later, but they are far fewer in number than previous years. The water that brings life to the Amargosa comes from groundwater far away, in areas such as the Spring Mountains near Las Vegas and beyond. From there, it travels through the fractures of a massive regional aquifer of limestone and dolomite rock, occasionally surfacing in places along the river’s course. The U.S. Supreme Court several decades ago established minimum water levels in Devils Hole, essentially banning local water mining. But groundwater extraction has continued unabated elsewhere, with rapid residential development in the city of Pahrump, Nevada, about 30 miles from Devils Hole, fueling pumping, as are agricultural operations. That has led to declining groundwater water levels and reduced natural discharge at springs and seeps. Some observers warn that Nevada’s so-called perennial yield, the maximum amount of groundwater that can be extracted without depleting reservoirs, is far higher than is sustainable. “If we follow the current standard, species will go extinct,” says Zablocki. “We need to be clear on this.” Globally, climate change is expected to cause major shifts in the distribution of both flora and fauna. But some of the species that live in highly specialized environments such as those in the Amargosa may not be able to move to more favorable climatic conditions, and must adapt or die in their restricted habitats. Already living on the extreme edge, they are also vulnerable to sudden disruptions, as illustrated in the case of the Tecopa pupfish, which was completely wiped out as a species when a local hot springs facility drained its one and only habitat. “These species can go extinct in the blink of an eye,” says Patrick Donnelly, the Nevada state director for the Center for Biological Diversity. Last year, petitions were submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect three populations of speckled dace, a member of the minnow fish family, in the Death Valley region, under the Endangered Species Act. There are also nascent plans to turn the Amargosa River Basin into a national monument, a designation that would offer it more comprehensive protection. “The time is now to save the Amargosa’s future through a land status change,” says Susan Sorrells, who owns the town of Shoshone and is a driving force behind the campaign. Sorrells was instrumental in reviving the population of Shoshone pupfish, a species thought to have gone extinct in the 1960s before 80 or so fish were discovered living in a concrete ditch. The fish were placed in a series of restored groundwater pools on a few acres at the end of the town, and there are now thousands of fish. Some people, like Zablocki, say the desert inhabitants should not be counted out. “Everything living in the Amargosa is accustomed to life on the edge, and the abyss of extinction never seems far off,” he says. “But borne out of that is also an incredible resilience. You don’t find any proverbial quitters along the Amargosa. All they need is to be given the chance to survive.” the least Bell’s vireos finally show up a few days later but they are far fewer in number than previous years."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html13","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Frisky pups"},"type":"h2","style":{}},{"id":"html14","cntnt":{"mrkup":"The water that brings life to the Amargosa comes from groundwater far away in areas such as the Spring Mountains near Las Vegas and beyond it travels through the fractures of a massive regional aquifer of limestone and dolomite rock occasionally surfacing in places along the river’s course."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html15","cntnt":{"mrkup":"The aquifer has been intensely studied because of its proximity to Nevada’s nuclear test site and Yucca Mountain a proposed site for a nuclear waste repository we actually know a lot about it,” says Wayne Belcher a hydrologist with the United States Geological Survey whose analysis of the lower part of the underground system was used in the case to turn a 26-mile stretch of the Amargosa into a Wild and Scenic River in 2009 The designation was created by Congress in 1968 to preserve certain rivers in their free-flowing condition."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html16","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Above ground the current landscape looks nothing like it did more than 10,000 years ago when present-day Nevada was full of lakes and interconnected rivers As temperatures climbed and the waters receded animals and plants became stranded in isolated locations Among those in the Amargosa Basin are at least 10 species of inch-long pupfish tiny iridescent blue fish so named because they seem to play with one another like frisky puppies."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"PHOTO: Pupfish","cntnt":{"cmsType":"image","ariaLabel":"image","align":"contentWidth","belowParagraph":true,"envNme":"prod","flags":{"hideTitle":true},"qryStr":"userab=ng_pw_copy-287*variant_a-1126&forceMode=fitt","mrkup":"","placement":"inline"},"type":"inline","style":{}},{"id":"html17","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Ash Meadows a national wildlife refuge in the Amargosa basin is believed to have the greatest concentration of endemic species (those found in one place and nowhere else) anywhere in the United States This is where the world’s rarest fish species exists: the Devils Hole pupfish Confined to a rock shelf no bigger than a large rug inside a water-filled cave it is thought to have the tiniest habitat of any endangered vertebrate species in the world."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html18","cntnt":{"mrkup":"In 2013 divers tallied just 35 individual Devils Hole pupfish The population has since rebounded to several hundred but it remains highly vulnerable to any change with the fish living in mere inches of oxygen-low water that must stay 93°F year-round for them to survive “Climate change and anticipated falling water levels [could] put the Devils Hole pupfish into a critical ecological crisis,” says Mark Hausner a hydrologist with the Desert Research Institute in Reno."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html19","cntnt":{"mrkup":"The U.S Supreme Court several decades ago established minimum water levels in Devils Hole But groundwater extraction has continued unabated elsewhere with rapid residential development in the city of Pahrump That has led to declining groundwater water levels and reduced natural discharge at springs and seeps."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html20","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Some observers warn that Nevada’s so-called perennial yield the maximum amount of groundwater that can be extracted without depleting reservoirs “We need to be clear on this.”"},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html21","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Tree planting"},"type":"h2","style":{}},{"id":"html22","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Globally climate change is expected to cause major shifts in the distribution of both flora and fauna But some of the species that live in highly specialized environments such as those in the Amargosa may not be able to move to more favorable climatic conditions and must adapt or die in their restricted habitats."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html23","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Already living on the extreme edge they are also vulnerable to sudden disruptions as illustrated in the case of the Tecopa pupfish which was completely wiped out as a species when a local hot springs facility drained its one and only habitat “These species can go extinct in the blink of an eye,” says Patrick Donnelly the Nevada state director for the Center for Biological Diversity."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html24","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Warming temperatures also increase the risk of wildfires A few weeks after the least Bell’s vireos showed up in Amargosa a wildfire broke out in one of the bird’s two local habitats After initially burning through seven acres of honey mesquite trees this time scorching another 25 acres and wiping out up to 80 percent of the nesting sites for the songbird."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"PHOTOriver-basin","cntnt":{"cmsType":"image","ariaLabel":"image","belowParagraph":true,"envNme":"prod","flags":{"hideTitle":true},"qryStr":"userab=ng_pw_copy-287*variant_a-1126&forceMode=fitt","mrkup":"","placement":"inline"},"type":"inline","style":{}},{"id":"html25","cntnt":{"mrkup":"At the same time conservation efforts in the Amargosa have ramped up in recent years another 3.4 additional miles of river were added to the Wild and Scenic River designation The Nature Conservancy has bought large tracts of land to be set aside for conservation management and restoration including a 900-acre ranch at the Amargosa headwaters that could be used as an outdoor laboratory for conservation work “This is the perfect place to study the impacts of climate change,” says Warren."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html26","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Last year Fish and Wildlife Service to protect three populations of speckled dace under the Endangered Species Act."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html27","cntnt":{"mrkup":"There are also nascent plans to turn the Amargosa River Basin into a national monument a designation that would offer it more comprehensive protection “The time is now to save the Amargosa’s future through a land status change,” says Susan Sorrells who owns the town of Shoshone and is a driving force behind the campaign."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html28","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Sorrells was instrumental in reviving the population of Shoshone pupfish a species thought to have gone extinct in the 1960s before 80 or so fish were discovered living in a concrete ditch The fish were placed in a series of restored groundwater pools on a few acres at the end of the town and there are now thousands of fish."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html29","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Some people say the desert inhabitants should not be counted out “Everything living in the Amargosa is accustomed to life on the edge and the abyss of extinction never seems far off,” he says “But borne out of that is also an incredible resilience You don’t find any proverbial quitters along the Amargosa All they need is to be given the chance to survive.”"},"type":"p","style":{}}],"cid":"drn:src:natgeo:unison::prod:da749317-c21d-43c1-891a-be4286c9aa42","cntrbGrp":[{"contributors":[{"displayName":"Stefan Lovgren"}],"title":"By","rl":"Writer"}],"mode":"richtext","dtln":"Shoshone California","dscrptn":"Where the underground Amargosa bubbles to the surface hotter weather and depleted groundwater in Nevada and California threaten this rare ecosystem.","enableAds":true,"endbug":true,"isMetered":false,"isUserAuthed":false,"isTruncated":false,"isEntitled":false,"freemiumContentGatingEnabled":true,"premiumContentGatingEnabled":false,"ldMda":{"cmsType":"image","hasCopyright":true,"id":"80049bda-8195-4380-9ff5-69b4e839c435","lines":3,"positionMetaBottom":true,"showMore":true,"caption":"Sophie Parker a senior scientist with the Nature Conservancy in Los Angeles The Amargosa River system flows through the Mojave Desert hosting plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.","credit":"Photograph by Rick Loomis The New York Times/Redux","dsc":"Sophie Parker The New York Times/Redux","source":null,"text":"Sophie Parker hotter weather and depleted groundwater in Nevada and California threaten this rare ecosystem."},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"Byline","props":{"contributors":[{"name":"Stefan Lovgren","role":"writer","labelOverride":"By"}],"logoRadius":true,"publishedDate":{"date":"2021-06-11T16:04:47.384Z","postFormat":"MMMM D YYYY"},"shareProps":{"title":"Life on the Amargosa—a desert river faced with drought","url":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/life-on-the-amargosaa-desert-river-faced-with-drought","pageType":"Story","source":"NatGeo","shareButton":"inline","size":"l","networks":["facebook","twitter","email","link"],"description":"Where the underground Amargosa bubbles to the surface hotter weather and depleted groundwater in Nevada and California threaten this rare ecosystem."},"readTime":"11 min read"},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"Divider","props":{"className":"natgeoDivider"},"config":{},"usesArticleObject":true},{"name":"Body","props":{"body":[[{"type":"p","content":["Rivers are often seen as nature’s lifeline can’t be seen."]},{"type":"p","content":["The river is the Amargosa from the desert highlands of southern Nevada through California’s Mojave Desert and into Death Valley underneath a barren moonscape of crag and crust But in the stretches and springs where the river surfaces an explosion of life occurs; some of the plants and fishes found here ",{"type":"a","content":["exist nowhere else in the world"],"attrs":{"href":"https://es.education.nationalgeographic.com/projects/photo-ark/animal/anaxyrus-nelsoni/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," and appears to be growing increasingly so."]},{"type":"p","content":["With warming temperatures and the western United States long mired in what has been dubbed a “megadrought,” worries about the fate of desert rivers in the region are growing as they are particularly prone to threats such as groundwater extraction and climate change."]},{"type":"p","content":["“These are desert ecosystems that already exist on the edge filled with species that have adapted to unique living conditions over a long time,” says ",{"type":"a","content":["John Zablocki"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-zablocki-5693462b","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," “They can’t withstand much more pressure before being pushed over the brink.”"]},{"type":"h2","content":["Record heat"]},{"type":"p","content":["It’s early April and the sun has barely risen above the red-hued mountains around Shoshone when ",{"type":"a","content":["Len Warren"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/len-warren-322b7944","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," begins his daily bird monitoring work Inside a thicket of willows and mesquite trees which flourish along the springs that pop out of the Amargosa River near the town a cacophony of chirps and songs fill the heating air as a cast of birds with mating and nesting on their minds dart back and forth “It’s a real soap opera out here,” says Warren the Amargosa River project manager for the ",{"type":"a","content":["Nature Conservancy"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.nature.org/en-us/","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," who has monitored bird populations here for 13 years."]},{"type":"p","content":["More than 250 types of birds can be found in the species-rich Amargosa region and on this morning Warren and his colleague Bridgett Brunea quickly spot some of them: migrants like the black-tailed gnatcatcher as well as permanent residents like the Lucy’s warbler of the ",{"type":"a","content":["least Bell’s vireo"],"attrs":{"href":"http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/species/riparian/least_bell_vireo.htm","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," “It should have been here a few weeks ago,” says Warren."]},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Image","props":{"link":{},"caption":{"title":"","credit":"Photograph by Stefan Lovgren","source":null,"text":"The Amargosa River from above California in the distance.","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false},"image":{"id":"","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright Unauthorized use is prohibited.","alt":"the Amargosa River from above like the warming climate."]}],{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Ad","props":{"ad":{"type":"fitt-article-inline-box","className":"fitt-article-inline-box"},"className":"natgeo-ad","placeholders":{"compact":{"size":[300,250]},"regular":{"size":[300,250]}},"initSelf":true},"context":{},"config":{"gridDisplayMode":"none"}}},[{"type":"p","content":["The Mojave Desert is already the hottest place in North America Temperatures in ",{"type":"a","content":["Death Valley"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank"}}," ",{"type":"a","content":["warming by 3.6°F"],"attrs":{"href":"https://science.sciencemag.org/content/371/6529/633.abstract","target":"_blank"}}," "," over the last century and experiencing rainfall declines of 20 percent in some areas."]},{"type":"p","content":["Warmer air temperatures are evaporating rivers ",{"type":"a","content":["has averaged flows"],"attrs":{"href":"https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2016WR019638","target":"_blank"}}," about one-fifth below the average of the previous century with up to one-half of that due to unprecedented temperatures."]},{"type":"p","content":["The climbing temperatures spell particular trouble for birds which can’t effectively cool their bodies in extreme heat ",{"type":"a","content":["A 2019 PNAS study"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.pnas.org/content/116/43/21609.short","target":"_blank"}}," showed that the Mojave Desert has lost more than 40 percent of its bird species over the last hundred years; researchers point to loss of surface water caused in part by climate change."]},{"type":"p","content":["Along the Amargosa but they are far fewer in number than previous years."]},{"type":"h2","content":["Frisky pups"]},{"type":"p","content":["The water that brings life to the Amargosa comes from groundwater far away tiny iridescent blue fish so named because they seem to play with one another like frisky puppies."]},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Image","props":{"link":{},"caption":{"title":"","credit":"Photograph by Joel Sartore National Geographic Photo Ark","source":null,"text":"Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false},"image":{"id":"ash-meadows-pupfish","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright it is thought to have the tiniest habitat of any endangered vertebrate species in the world."]},{"type":"p","content":["In 2013 a hydrologist with the Desert Research Institute in Reno."]},{"type":"p","content":["The U.S “We need to be clear on this.”"]},{"type":"h2","content":["Tree planting"]},{"type":"p","content":["Globally and must adapt or die in their restricted habitats."]},{"type":"p","content":["Already living on the extreme edge the Nevada state director for the Center for Biological Diversity."]},{"type":"p","content":["Warming temperatures also increase the risk of wildfires this time scorching another 25 acres and wiping out up to 80 percent of the nesting sites for the songbird."]},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Image","props":{"link":{},"caption":{"title":"","credit":"Photograph by Rick Loomis The New York Times/Redux","source":null,"text":"A lighted relief map at the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge shows the path of the Amargosa River ","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false},"image":{"id":"amargosa-river-basin","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright “This is the perfect place to study the impacts of climate change,” says Warren."]}],{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Ad","props":{"ad":{"type":"fitt-article-inline-box","className":"fitt-article-inline-box"},"className":"natgeo-ad","placeholders":{"compact":{"size":[300,250]},"regular":{"size":[300,250]}},"initSelf":true},"context":{},"config":{"gridDisplayMode":"none"}}},[{"type":"p","content":["Last year under the Endangered Species Act."]},{"type":"p","content":["There are also nascent plans to turn the Amargosa River Basin into a national monument who owns the town of Shoshone and is a driving force behind the campaign."]},{"type":"p","content":["Sorrells was instrumental in reviving the population of Shoshone pupfish and there are now thousands of fish."]},{"type":"p","content":["Some people All they need is to be given the chance to survive.”"]}]],"blockquote":{"disableQuotationMark":true,"simple":true},"dateline":"Shoshone California","datePublished":"2021-06-11T16:04:47.384Z","description":"Where the underground Amargosa bubbles to the surface YYYY"}},"layoutOptions":{"top":{"colorMode":"light"},"sidebar":{"isSticky":true,"isStackable":true},"main":{"spacing":{"top":40}}},"Divider":{"className":"natgeoDivider"},"Body":{"inlines":[{"type":"image","data":{"disableFullscreen":false,"articleConfig":{"alignXxs":"full","align":"full"},"image":{"id":"","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.","lines":3,"showMoreText":"Read More","showLess":false}}},{"type":"image","data":{"disableFullscreen":false,"articleConfig":{"alignXxs":"full","align":"full"},"image":{"id":"amargosa-river-basin","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright 2023: Drone images of the Dredge Potter on the Mississippi River The state climatologist said that Missouri is currently in a one-in-20-year drought and the Mississippi River is expected to have near-record-low levels in the next few weeks The dredger works 24/7 to keep navigation up and down the river open for barges carrying supplies and goods The dredger removes sediment from the bottom of the river with a vacuum system that sends it through 800 feet of pipe and places it outside the navigation channel The Dredge Potter is a dustpan dredge and was built in 1932.","rchDsc":{"markup":"STE GENEVIEVE The Dredge Potter is a dustpan dredge and was built in 1932 Destroyed houses along the Swannanoa River in Swannanoa After years of documenting the effects of climate change in his home state of North Carolina a photographer found himself in the path of a hurricane.  Inyo County is the second largest county in California which may explain why those who live in Inyo County have never heard of Find Bishop on a county map and locate the villages of Shoshone and Tecopa and you’ll see that the two areas couldn’t be farther apart and still be in the same county something big is happening in this out-of-the-way corner a campaign is in place to create the Amargosa Basin National Monument (ABNM) The proposed borders would be Death Valley National Park on the west and continuing south nearly to Interstate 15 It could encompass the villages of Death Valley Junction and at its heart will be the Amargosa River which runs above and below ground from its headwaters just east of Beatty to the Badwater in Death Valley.  have pursued tourism as a means of economic development and have succeeded all too well Many have discovered the charms of Tecopa’s developed and undeveloped hot springs and Shoshone’s trails and historical sites All the villages boast restaurants featuring locally brewed beers and often live music These features combined with its proximity to Dumont Dunes has brought about the problem of loving a place to death Since the majority of the land is overseen only by several understaffed BLM offices there is a lack of coordinated oversight needed when large numbers of people congregate to play The Amargosa Basin National Monument is the dream child of diverse groups who love the many values of the Amargosa including its communities flora and fauna and unique  ecosystems They want to preserve  the integrity of the natural beauty of the area but at the same time continue to develop accessibility for recreation and to help create economic and social sustainability for its communities.This coalition of people and groups created the nonprofit to spearhead the monument campaign with the goal of the designation of the Amargosa Basin National Monument.  Many other partners have signed on to this endeavor including Sierra Club’s Range of Light Group the Shoshone Museum and many others.  The goals FAB are hoping to accomplish are to see a holistic and comprehensive management plan in place that will both protect and promote the Amargosa Basin for its unique qualities and is crafted with contributions of the communities and  the Tribal Nations They are reaching out to the Tribes and the communities in the area with the hope of creating a legal structure that establishes  a meaningful and lasting role in the monument’s creation and management The Friends hope to see the area protected from industrial uses and hope to ensure that recreational use is expanded but not at the expense of the area's biodiversity and its people FAB has made great progress in this effort and is now ready to promote and hopefully gain support from the people in Inyo County.  If you wish to know more visit the Friends of the Amargosa Basin website and if you want a deep dive check out the online prospectus: https://friendsoftheamargosabasin.org/ Look for an invite from ROLG to an in-person/zoom presentation by Susan Sorrells on the Campaign for the Amargosa National Monument in October Join the Sierra Club or donate today to support the Range of Light Group Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAS VEGAS we told you about the historic Amargosa Hotel and Opera House that’s still recovering from the impact of Tropical Storm Hilary we’re taking you back a century in time to how the Amargosa Hotel and Opera House came to be the heart of Death Valley Junction all that existed at the Death Valley Junction was a mill and a train leading to a mine an hour away the miners would sleep in tents by the train tracks he saw the conditions the miners were living in and he decided to write exposes on the Borax Mining Company and the conditions they allowed their miners to live in,” said hotel manager Emilee Brown So the company built what’s now the Amargosa Hotel to house those miners and they were on the west coast doing the tour and so she went to the service station just across the street and that’s how she kind of stumbled across the place,” said Brown where she would perform ballets for the next 40 years She later bought out the hotel and town and established her non-profit - bringing music “She created a legacy over the time that she was here,” said Brown continue everything as if she was still here.” The Amargosa Hotel and Opera House still welcomes guests and hosts weddings and shows on the same stage where Marta performed surrounded by her hand-painted murals that are still vibrant today The unincorporated community of Death Valley Junction is owned by Marta’s non-profit Amargosa Opera House Inc The board is now looking for a partner to help with funding so they can continue to preserve the rich history of the town Patrick Donnelly, (702) 483-0449, [email protected] Lawsuit Aims to Protect Highly Endangered Amargosa Voles in California Unmanaged Recreational Use of Tiny Mammals’ Habitat Threatens Recovery LOS ANGELES— The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S Bureau of Land Management today to protect highly imperiled Amargosa voles from unmanaged recreational use within their federally protected critical habitat The voles’ small range is limited to dense bulrush marshes near a popular hot spring in the Mojave Desert outside Tecopa “Amargosa voles are on the brink of extinction but federal officials are looking the other way while people party around the clock in these little animals’ only home,” said Patrick Donnelly Great Basin director at the Center and a local resident “Many visitors to this hot spring have an anything-goes mentality and without thoughtful management their activities threaten the voles’ continued existence.” among the most endangered small mammals in the country Their numbers have fallen as low as a few dozen in recent years and current estimates are that just a couple hundred remain An eight-year monitoring project in the voles’ habitat near the hot springs has revealed unsustainable recreational use and a lack of bathroom facilities have led to severe degradation of the animals’ habitat says the BLM is violating the Endangered Species Act by failing to prevent degradation of that habitat The vole was listed as endangered under California law in 1980 Fish and Wildlife Service designated critical habitat for the vole after protecting it under the federal Act The voles have been the subject of intense conservation efforts over the past decade as scientists and wildlife managers have fought to keep them from going extinct and creation of a lifeboat population helped start the voles on a path to recovery Amargosa voles live most of their lives in a very small home range of about one-quarter of an acre They have been known to “surf” rare flash-flood waters traveling long distances between suitable habitat patches The marsh created by the hot spring is the voles’ stronghold; at times it has held as much as 90% of the global population of the rare creatures Recent studies have concluded that the subspecies has an 85% chance of going extinct by 2026 if nothing is done to protect its habitat “If people are going to keep descending on the Amargosa vole’s home the BLM must adequately manage the activities there including providing bathroom facilities,” said Donnelly “Federal and state agencies have spent millions of dollars trying to save this special creature and we commend them for the progress they’ve made if they don’t get use of the hot spring under control.” to (DV for Death Valley) to help manage the groundwater levels and usage in the Amargosa Basin.  The section between Shoshone and Dumont Dunes was recently designated a Wild and Scenic River Groundwater also comes from the Spring Mountains and the Sheep Range and flows to the Ash Meadows NWR.  Springs and groundwater monitoring is needed on the California side to measure the impacts.  Thresholds need to be worked into the Nevada’s groundwater management plan that (VVNG.com) — Two men were critically injured after a two-vehicle traffic collision on Saturday afternoon near the City of Victorville Police Department near the intersection of Amargosa Road and Ramada Drive.  When emergency personnel arrived they found two vehicles a gray 2001 Chevy Tahoe and a burgundy color Infiniti sedan two adult males in the vehicle were trapped and critically injured The driver of the SUV was coherent and also trapped Firefighters used the jaws of life to extricate the occupants from the mangled vehicles All three of the injured were transported away from the scene via ground ambulances and crews requested one helicopter to airlift one person Witnesses said the SUV was traveling south on Amargosa Road when for reasons unknown the sedan crossed into and in the path of the oncoming Tahoe A woman working in an office nearby said the collision impact was so loud that it shook the windows of the nearby business Victorville City Public Works Employees responded to the scene and set up hard-road closure signs and barricades on Amargosa Road between Palmdale Road and Civic Drive This is a developing story and additional information will be updated as it becomes available local news accessible to everyone—because an informed community is a stronger community.