News
Blog
Work crew in the Amargosa Basin
A Brief Geologic Tour of the Amargosa Basin, by AC Board Member Bill Neill
A Brief Geologic Tour of the Amargosa Basin By Amargosa Conservancy board member and secretary, Bill Neill ORIGIN OF PALEOZOIC CARBONATE STRATA THAT ALLOWS LONG-DISTANCE GROUNDWATER FLOW By definition, desert areas have little rainfall and natural water sources such...
Executive Director’s Report: Amargosa Desert, a Collision Zone
Folks, it doesn't feel like hyberbole to proclaim that our quiet little river is in a state of uproar. Believe me: I wish it wasn't so. The phrase I keep turning over in my mind to describe the Amargosa River watershed right now, and especially the Amargosa Desert...
A new era of Nevada groundwater management has begun. Here’s what it could mean for the Amargosa River.
Special report from Patrick Donnelly Amargosa Conservancy Vice-President Great Basin director, Center for Biological Diversity A new era of Nevada groundwater management has begun. Here’s what it could mean for the Amargosa River. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in...
“What is a mineral withdrawal?” Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure what a mineral withdrawal is, or why one is needed for lands surrounding Ash Meadows? This FAQ is for YOU! Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Mineral Withdrawal under the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) “What is a mineral withdrawal?” Under mining law,...
Champions of Science: USGS Publishes AC-Funded Study of Evapotranspiration in the Amargosa Basin
Science is and always will be a pillar of of the work our organization does to protect the Amargosa Basin. For the last 20 years, Amargosa Conservancy has worked alongside local governments, state and federal agencies, non-profit partners, and researchers to develop...
PRESS RELEASE: Nye County Sends Letter Opposing Mining Activities Near Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
For Immediate Release: January 3rd, 2024 Contact: Mason Voehl, Amargosa Conservancy, (702)900-7589, mason@amargosaconservancy.org Nye County Sends Letter Opposing Mining Activities Near Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge PAHRUMP, NV. – The Nye County Board of...
Desert Magic
by Taylor Patterson Tribal Affairs Consultant to the Amargosa Conservancy The desert has always represented magic to me. I would sit wide-eyed while my mom regaled tales of dragonflies at the Shoshone pool and hikes in the Kingston Range. I would daydream about what...
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: TRAIL STEWARDSHIP EVENT, FALL 2023
Executive Director’s Report: Here come the storms
Storms are blowing into the Amargosa Basin. Some are bringing water to the land, and others are seeking to take it away. A hurricane in the desert After one of the wettest winters in recent memory in parts of California, all hands were on deck bracing for Hurricane...
Amargosa Hydrology: Springs and Current Conditions, by Andy Zdon
Miss out on our 2023 Summer Seminar on Amargosa Hydrology? Watch the recording of Andy Zdon's presentation on the fascinating science and stories of the Amargosa Basin's springs: Love springs, and love the work we're doing to protect them in the Amargosa Basin? Become...
Executive Director’s Report: Exploratory Mining Officially Halted on the Doorstep of Ash Meadows
Folks, I don’t think I have to tell you that these last few weeks have been confusing and chaotic. I first want to thank everyone for being patient with our deluge of communications lately. We strive to send monthly newsletters with relevant updates, but lately the...
SAVE ASH MEADOWS while rockin’ a sweet shirt!
Do you love Ash Meadows? Do you wear shirts? Do you want to help us save Ash Meadows from exploratory mining on its doorsteps? We have just the thing! Support the Amargosa Conservancy's campaign to save Ash Meadows from exploratory drilling by purchasing one of our...
Letter to Leadership: SAVE ASH MEADOWS
On Thursday, July 6th, 2023, the Amargosa Conservancy submitted the following letter signed by 20 local, regional, and national environmental organizations to senior leadership within the Department of Interior: Request for Consultation, Public Scoping and...
Save Ash Meadows Petition
Follow this link to sign our petition to save Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge from exploratory lithium mining: https://www.amargosaconservancy.org/saveashmeadows/
I asked ChatGPT to write a blog post about the Amargosa River. Here’s what happened.
by Mason Voehl Executive Director Artificial intelligence's moment has been long in coming, and now it's arrived. Testing the capacities of novel AI engines such as ChatGPT to "outsource" what has long been thought to be the strictly human activity of writing has been...
by Josh Jackson If I were to tell you I was going to visit a “wild and scenic river,” what kind of images would that conjure up for you? Perhaps a raging rapids of white water careening through large boulders? Or how about a meandering tributary with deep pools and a...
Executive Director’s Report: The Ephemerality of Laughter
by Mason Voehl, executive director Where are these men? Asleep beneath their grounds: And strangers, fond as they, their furrows plough. Earth laughs in flowers, to see her boastful boys Earth-proud, proud of the earth which is not theirs; Who steer the plough, but...
Executive Director’s Report: With a little help from our friends
The story of conservation in the Amargosa Basin has been largely written with the ink of collaboration. Looking back over the 19 year history of our organization, virtually every success we can claim has come from investments in partnerships. When the Amargosa vole...
Enjoy this boring plant, while you can
Despite being part of the rose family, there is really nothing about blackbrush -- Coleogyne ramosissima -- that commands your attention. Even after the rare very wet desert springs when it comes into full bloom, its flowers are pallid yellow, pretty close up but...
Art Auction Fundraiser featuring work by David Michaels
Please join us for a fun social evening of art, education, cocktails, and community in support of the Amargosa Conservancy! Join us in a historic Las Vegas home for a silent auction featuring landscape artist David Michaels who has found inspiration from the Amargosa...
Executive Director’s Report: The Deep Value of our Remaining Wetlands
by Mason Voehl Executive Director Questions of values are the hardest to answer. I was asked recently to put together a brief presentation describing the key features, resources, and values of the Amargosa Basin. There is a straightforward approach to crafting such a...
What is a “Solar PEIS,” and what does it mean for the future of the Amargosa Basin?
Caption: Palen Solar Project in Riverside, CA; determined as suitable under the DRECP by Chris Clarke Amargosa Conservancy Board Member Ruth Hammett Associate Director, California Desert Program National Parks Conservation Association In December 2022, the Us...
Rare Plants of Tecopa
by Naomi Fraga Amargosa Conservancy Board Treasurer Director of Conservation Programs, California Botanic Garden The Amargosa Basin is globally renowned among desert locations for its unique and rich biodiversity. Across the length of this “hide and seek” river, we...
Executive Director’s Reflection: The Road Ahead
Amargosa Conservancy Board of Directors, 2023 Effective conservation work takes vision. And vision takes people. Last weekend, January 21-22nd, the Amargosa Conservancy board of directors and staff met in Shoshone, CA for two days of intensive visioning and action...
Announcing: The Bill Christian Trailhead Project
It is with great excitement that we are sharing our plans for a bold new project in the Amargosa Basin: the Bill Christian Trailhead. For many years, public access to the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River in the Amargosa Canyon has been limited by challenges presented by...
Executive Director’s Reflection: Snowflakes and Springs
Saratoga Springs, Death Valley National Park: photo by Naomi Fraga by Mason Voehl, executive director Standing in the driveway of my home in Las Vegas, I watch cold clouds drag their snow-laden bellies across the high peaks of the Spring Mountains for the first time...
Executive Director’s Report: Reflections on this Monsoon Season
Rainbow over Ancient Lake Tecopa By Executive Director, Mason Voehl It is truly difficult to articulate just what this monsoon season has been like in the Mojave Desert. The last few years have been rough on the Amargosa Basin and the southwest as a whole. The drought...
CDFW News Release: Endangered Voles Begin To Repopulate In Inyo County, With Help From Scientists, Conservationists And Landowner
photo by Nancy Good "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. On Aug. 8, a photograph from a wildlife camera placed by researchers from the...
Mountain snowpack: A lifeline to the Amargosa
By AC Member Laura Dye A considerable body of scientific work highlights how climate change alters our landscapes. And while it is important to note the changes within the bounds of the Amargosa River Basin itself – warming temperatures, shifts in vegetation...
Fishes of the Amargosa Basin
By Patrick Donnelly Vice President, Amargosa Conservancy Great Basin Director, Center for Biological Diversity Before the Amargosa Basin was the hottest, driest place in North America, it was relatively moist. Abundant precipitation during the Pleistocene (as recently...
Warm Weather Hiking: When to go, what to bring
Temperatures are on the rise in the Amargosa Basin, which means it's a good time to reevaluate your approach to warm weather hiking. First, to be completely clear: May, June, July and August tend to be extreme in the Amargosa Basin. Temperatures regularly exceed 115...
Summer Seminar Series, 2022
The Amargosa Conservancy is thrilled to launch its first ever Summer Seminar Series! These seminars will feature presentations by our board of directors on the history, ecology, geology, and other fields related to our work in the Amargosa Basin. This is your chance...
Celebrating the Antiquities Act has never been more important.
On June 8th, our nation will observe the 116th anniversary of the Antiquities Act, and there has never been a more important time to celebrate this historic preservation policy and support its current use. When Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act into law in...
Volunteer Project to Trim Athel Grove at Salt Creek Hills
Located near highway 127 about midway between Baker and Shoshone, Salt Creek Hills ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern) is a small but important riparian resource managed by the Bureau of Land Management’s Barstow office. During the Ice Ages, the...
The drought is real in the Amargosa Basin. Here’s how we’re responding.
Spring is a time of rejuvenation in the Amargosa Basin. As the days begin to warm, the dense mesquite-willow groves of the Amargosa wetlands begin to green up, and a dozen different bird songs fill the air. Creosote on the bajadas blooms bright and golden against the...
Executive Director’s Report: How the AC is supporting a scientific approach to water policy
While peering out the window of a single-engine Cessna 210 propellor plane on an Ecoflight over the northern Amargosa Basin, I had two thoughts simultaneously: This river is incredibly beautiful. This river is incredibly vulnerable. The Amargosa River faces threats at...
A Pond of Many Purposes: Collaborative Conservation on China Ranch
The pond at China Ranch is a perfect example of collaborative conservation done right. This pond functions as a passive irrigation system that captures the natural flow of Willow Creek through gravity as opposed to active pumping. China Ranch relies heavily on this...
Ecoflight Illustrates the Majesty and Precarity of the Northern Amargosa Basin
Early in the morning on Saturday, March 12th, individuals working and living in the Amargosa Basin and Death Valley region met at Calvada Meadows Airport near Pahrump, NV. The morning shown bright and windless: ideal conditions for flying in a single-engine Cessna 210...
2020 Amargosa State of the Basin Report
This 2020 State of the Basin Report (SOBR) was prepared by Partner Engineering and Science, Inc. (Partner) on behalf of the Amargosa Conservancy (AC) as part of a much larger effort that is being conducted between AC, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), U.S. Bureau of Land...
An Amargosa Moment: The Elusive Bend
Join Mason Voehl, our new Executive Director for this exciting new series on our AC blog all the moments and encounters in the Amargosa that leave lasting impressions on us.
AC Volunteers Assist with Screwbean Mesquite Planting Project
Written by Christiana Manville, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service On Saturday January 8, 2022, partners and volunteers came together to plant 63 mesquite trees on The Nature Conservancy’s Beatty Narrows property just south of Beatty. We planted 56 screwbean mesquite...
Partners and Volunteers Band Together to Improve Signage at China Ranch Trailhead
AC Board Member John Hiatt wipes freshly poured concrete off of the posts of the new trailhead sign at China Ranch. On January 15th, AC volunteers and Brian Brown from China Ranch Date Farm joined together to install a brand new trailhead sign at the China Ranch...
Introducing: An Amargosa Moment
Join Mason Voehl, our new Executive Director for this exciting new series on our AC blog all the moments and encounters in the Amargosa that leave lasting impressions on us.
California Botanist Named 2021 E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Award Recipient
AC Director Naomi Fraga Wins Award for Outstanding Science to Save Native Plants
History and Change on the Old Spanish Trail
For several decades after 1829, Los Angeles and Santa Fe were linked by a 700-mile trade route known as the Old Spanish Trail. Mule trains crossed the Amargosa region, between Las Vegas and the Mojave River, via a series of springs a day’s travel apart. A 22-minute...
Amargosa in the News: Wildlife Preservation from Extinction
This week the Los Angeles Times published a beautiful, moving and elegantly illustrated article by Louis Sahagún, covering projects across California with the noble goals of rescuing a variety of biological species from extinction and revitalizing plants and wildlife...
Bill Christian, A Remembrance
It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Bill Christian, co-founder of the Amargosa Conservancy and beloved leader in Amargosa Basin conservation.
Photo Series: Amargosa Seasons – winter
Winter in Amargosa is a season of drama.
Film: Keepers of Bitter Waters
Keepers of the Bitter Waters: A film by Fred Bell.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund
One of the most important public parks programs — the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) — is getting closer to its expiration date on September 30. Join us in demanding a vote on legislation to permanently reauthorize LWCF before the September expiration deadline.
Pining about large scale solar: Why the Yellow Pine Project will leave us with broken hearts
Just over the mountains from Tecopa, in the Lower Pahrump Valley, there is a plan to install a 3000 acre solar array in otherwise untouched, old growth desert – an area featuring desert tortoise and Joshua Trees.
Alerta: defiende el DRECP
La Administración de Trump ha establecido el DRECP como su último objetivo: socavando el proceso público, ocho años de colaboración y compromiso, y amenazando nuestras tierras públicas. El DRECP - Plan de Conservación y Energía Renovable del Desierto - está destinado...
Notice: Defend the DRECP!
The DRECP is a land use plan designed to allow renewable energy development on least conflict public lands, and balance that with conservation and recreation on public land – uses that are critically important to Desert communities and their economies.
Action Alert: Defend the DRECP!
The Trump Administration has set the DRECP (Desert Renewable Energy and Conservation Plan) as its latest target – undermining the public process, eight years of collaboration and compromise, and threatening our public lands.
Vole party + leaving Shoshone
Experiences as an intern: babysitting a colony of voles and leaving Shoshone
This past season as a natural resource steward in Shoshone, California
While the work we did here specifically fits the needs of these landscapes, the sustainable practices we implored and the skills we learned can be carried on with us to our future endeavors, able to be adapted to varying landscape types.
Back on the Tracks
After a few hectic weeks, the Amargosa Conservancy interns are getting back to their normal routine.
The Great Old Broads Visit for a “Broadwork”
The Great Old Broads for Wilderness is a national organization that engages and inspires activism to preserve and protect wilderness and wild lands. Their mission statement says that they bring knowledge, commitment, and humor to the movement to protect our last wild places on earth, and boy- they did not disappoint.
Afton Canyon Conservation Campout
Staff from the Amargosa Conservancy, BLM, Sierra Club, and Leave No Trace completed final preparations for the arrival of the campers. Joining us in this camp were the Junior Rangers, conservationists in training from Barstow, ranging from ages 8-13 and Two family groups representing the Council of Mexican Federations (COFEM)
Vertical Mulching: A story of “Planting Dead Branches” to Restore Desert Habitat
Decompressing the soil, collecting dead parts of live bushes, putting them in a hole, filling the hole with rocks and soil and texturing the surrounding soil to naturalize an area in desperate need of rehab – steps to successful vertical mulching.
Spring Updates – Wildflowers of 2017
As they days lengthen in the Amargosa Basin, some spring flowers are starting their show.
While it’s not the great super-bloom of last year, for those willing to go explore there are plenty of treasures to find out there!
Describing the Kingston – Amargosa Region
an excerpt from the DRECP Record of Decision – Appendix A – regarding the Amargosa
Out and About in Afton Canyon
In partnership with the Hispanic Access Foundation, the Amargosa Conservancy has been leading trips to Afton Canyon to provide information and access to the beautiful lands that belong to all citizens of United States.
Breaking News: 600,000+ Acres of Amargosa Basin Public Lands Protected
On September 14th, Secretary Jewell announced the permanent protection of over 600,000 acres of land in the Amargosa River watershed. These protections will mean that in sum, nearly every acre of the Amargosa River basin is under conservation.
Stewardship On the Desert Conservation Lands Retrospective: Saving the Amargosa Vole
In coming weeks, we expect the Bureau of Land Management to finalize the Desert Renewable Energy and Conservation Plan (DRECP), in which the public lands of the Amargosa Basin are likely to be designated at California Desert Conservation Lands. To celebrate, we are highlighting the decade-long partnership between the Amargosa Conservancy and the BLM to engage in stewardship on these lands
Stewardship on the Desert Conservation Lands Retrospective: Hydrologic Monitoring
In coming weeks, we expect the Bureau of Land Management to finalize the Desert Renewable Energy and Conservation Plan (DRECP), in which the public lands of the Amargosa Basin are likely to be designated at California Desert Conservation Lands. To celebrate, we are highlighting the decade-long partnership between the Amargosa Conservancy and the BLM to engage in stewardship on these lands
Stewardship on the Desert Conservation Lands Retrospective: The Amargosa River Trail
In coming weeks, we expect the Bureau of Land Management to finalize the Desert Renewable Energy and Conservation Plan (DRECP), in which the public lands of the Amargosa Basin are likely to be designated at California Desert Conservation Lands. To celebrate, we are highlighting the decade-long partnership between the Amargosa Conservancy and the BLM to engage in stewardship on these lands
Inyo Register Op-Ed: Opportunities for Conservation in Southern Inyo County
Editorial by Amargosa Conservancy Policy Director Patrick Donnelly that ran in the Inyo Register.
Stewardship on the Desert Conservation Lands Retrospective: Tamarisk Removal
In coming weeks, we expect the Bureau of Land Management to finalize the Desert Renewable Energy and Conservation Plan (DRECP), in which the public lands of the Amargosa Basin are likely to be designated at California Desert Conservation Lands. To celebrate, we are highlighting the decade-long partnership between the Amargosa Conservancy and the BLM to engage in stewardship on these lands
Motor Vehicle Musings
The Conservancy has been strategizing with the BLM to restore the damaged areas off-route and provide post and cable barriers to prevent future incursions, as well as place interpretative signs and maps so recreators know where they are and how they can play a part in making sure the next generation has access to the same opportunities we have now.
Rodent Restoration Ramblings
“What is a vole?”
Small River, Big Waves
Two of our major areas of work were featured in a series on climate change produced by the Desert Sun and distributed via USA Today!
Bulrush in Blossom: Spring in the Amargosa Valley
Growing Native Bulrush in human care. We hope that supplementing the already existing bulrush in the marsh will help to facilitate even more successful growth rates. Soon enough, all of this happily growing bulrush will be more than ready to house it’s furry friend, the Amargosa vole.
Destination: Kingston Range
Located in northeastern San Bernadino county in Eastern California, the Kingston Range and Wilderness partially drain into the Amargosa Basin. The 7000+ ft peaks rise in the distance to the southeast of Shoshone and Tecopa.
Happy Faces in Muddy Places
As an AmeriCorps intern through the Student Conservation Association (SCA), my role at the Amargosa Conservancy is to be a steward of the surrounding lands and waters. Recently, my efforts have been focused on removing tamarisk from the Shoshone wetlands.
California Desert National Monuments Celebration in Washington
It felt a bit like the country mouse visiting his city cousins this week, as our Executive Director Patrick Donnelly ventured across the continent to Washington, D.C., to attend a celebratory reception at the Department of Interior for the new California Desert National Monuments.
Superbloom Continues, Grows
The Death Valley Superbloom continues!
President to designate California Desert national monuments
Press Release: Amargosa Conservancy applauds President Obama’s plan to designate California Desert National Monuments
Notes from the Field: Into the Muck
I’m lucky enough to learn from the experts and will soon take on the endeavor of helping with weekly pond maintenance.
Wildflower Update 2
Sadly, last weekend we had to cancel our planned wildflower walk. However, all the rain increases the likelihood that we will see a grand flower display all spring!
Amargosa Conservancy in the News
The early spring bloom in Death Valley and the Amargosa Basin brought a lot of attention to the Amargosa Conservancy. Several large media outlets picked up the story.
2016 Desert Wildflower Update 1
It may be a few months early, but wildflower season has begun!
Southern Inyo County Supports California Desert National Monuments
Press Release: Southern Inyo County community members travel to Whitewater Preserve in support of national monuments
Timbisha Shoshone
Who is the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe?
Visit the Amargosa Basin – Crown Jewel in the Mojave Desert
The Amargosa River is over 175 miles long occasionally resurfacing to create lush oases surrounded by a harsh dry desert environment. Theses oases are isolated from one another, and, as a result, each one provides unique habitats for species that are found nowhere else in the world except along this desert river.
Inyo County Has an Historic Opportunity to Plan for Small-scale Solar, Keep Landscapes Intact
On Wednesday, the Inyo County Planning Commission voted 5-0 in favor of a recommendation on the Renewable Energy General Plan Amendment (REGPA) which would drastically reduce the footprint of utility-scale solar energy.
The Silurian Valley Spared – But will it be Conserved?
Spanish energy giant Iberdrola proposed a massive solar facility in the Valley. The Bureau of Land Management Barstow Field Office denied Iberdrola’s application, stating that the potential impacts of the project to wildlife, historical resources, and recreational and scenic values, “likely could not be mitigated,” and ultimately deciding that, “the project would not be in the public interest.”
Signup for our Newsletter
