DOCSLIB.ORG

Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area Land Management Plan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area Land Management Plan Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area Land Management Plan PREPARED BY SUSTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL INC FOR THE California Department of Fish and Game North Central Region December 2009 SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE rptfic'iii Printed on sustainable paper products COVER: Appleton Utopia Forest Stewardship Council certified by Smartwood (a Rainforest Alliance program), ISO 14001 Registered Environmental Management System, EPA SmartWay Transport Partner Interior pages: Navigator Hybrid 85%-100% recycled post consumer waste blended with virgin fiber, Forest Stewarship Council certified chain of custody, ISO 14001 Registered Environmental Management System, 80% energy from renewable resources Divider pages (main body): Domtar Colors Sustainable Forest Initiative fiber sourcing certified, 30% post consumer waste Divider pages (appendices): Hammermill Fore MP 30% post consumer waste PDF VERSION DESIGNED FOR DUPLEX PRINTING State of California The Resources Agency DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area Land Management Plan Sierra and Lassen Counties, California UPDATED: DECEMBER 2009 PREPARED FOR: California Department of Fish and Game North Central Region Headquarters 1701 Nimbus Road, Suite A Rancho Cordova, California 95670 Attention: Terri Weist 530.644.5980 PREPARED BY: Sustain Environmental Inc. 3104 "O" Street #164 Sacramento, California 95816 916.457.1856 APPRnvFn RY- Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area Land Management Plan Table of Contents................................................................................................................................................i List of Figures................................................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables .................................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................................ iv I. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... I-1 II. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION ...............................................................................................II-1 A. Geographical Setting .....................................................................................................................II-2 B. Property Boundaries......................................................................................................................II-4 1. Adjacent Land Use .................................................................................................................... II-7 2. Easements and Rights of Way..................................................................................................... II-7 C. Geomorphology, Climate and Water ..............................................................................................II-9 1. Geology and Soils ..................................................................................................................... II-9 2. Hydrology .............................................................................................................................. II-15 3. Climate ................................................................................................................................. II-17 4. Water Rights .......................................................................................................................... II-18 D. Cultural History ...........................................................................................................................II-21 1. Land Use ............................................................................................................................... II-21 2. Known Cultural Resources........................................................................................................ II-28 3. Existing Structures.................................................................................................................. II-31 III. HABITAT AND SPECIES DESCRIPTIONS ........................................................................ III-1 A. Flora: Vegetation Communities, Habitats and Plant Species ........................................................ III-2 B. Fauna: Animal Species............................................................................................................... III-13 C. Endangered, Threatened and Rare Species................................................................................ III-17 1. Special Status Plant Species .................................................................................................... III-17 2. Special Status Wildlife ............................................................................................................ III-23 IV. MANAGEMENT GOALS .................................................................................................... IV-1 A. Definitions of Terms Used in This Plan.......................................................................................... IV-2 1. Elements ................................................................................................................................ IV-2 2. Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................................ IV-2 3. Tasks and Adaptive Management Strategies ................................................................................ IV-3 B. Biological Elements ...................................................................................................................... IV-4 1. Loyalton-Truckee Deer Herd Element.......................................................................................... IV-6 2. Sagebrush Scrub Habitat Element .............................................................................................. IV-8 3. Juniper Woodland Habitat Element ............................................................................................IV-10 4. Mountain Mahogany Scrub Habitat Element ................................................................................IV-12 5. Jeffery Pine Habitat Element.....................................................................................................IV-14 6. Riparian/Spring Habitat Element ...............................................................................................IV-15 7. Meadow Habitat Element..........................................................................................................IV-18 8. Recent Burns/Early Successional Habitat Element........................................................................IV-20 C. Biological Monitoring Elements................................................................................................... IV-23 1. Baseline Data Collection Element ..............................................................................................IV-24 2. Long-Term Monitoring Element .................................................................................................IV-27 3. Regional Habitat Conservation Planning Element .........................................................................IV-30 D. Public Use Elements ................................................................................................................... IV-33 1. Public Access Information and Education Element........................................................................IV-37 2. Hunting Element .....................................................................................................................IV-40 3. Wildlife Viewing and Nature Observation Element ........................................................................IV-41 4. Scientific Research Element......................................................................................................IV-43 E. Facility Maintenance Elements.................................................................................................... IV-46 1. Health and Safety Element .......................................................................................................IV-47 2. Fire Management Element........................................................................................................IV-48 3. Vegetation Management and Grazing Element ............................................................................IV-52 4. Vector Control Element ............................................................................................................IV-55 5. Water Management Element.....................................................................................................IV-56 6. Access Roads, Parking and Trails Element ..................................................................................IV-58 7. Signage, Fencing and Gates Element .........................................................................................IV-58 8. Structures Element .................................................................................................................IV-60 9. Equipment Element .................................................................................................................IV-60 F. Cultural Resource Elements.......................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Checklist of the Internal and External Parasites of Deer
    UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE INDEX-CATALOGUE OF MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ZOOLOGY SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 1 CHECKLIST OF THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARASITES OF DEER, ODOCOILEUS HEMION4JS AND 0. VIRGINIANUS, IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE INDEX-CATALOGUE OF MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ZOOLOGY SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 1 CHECKLIST OF THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARASITES OF DEER, ODOCOILEUS HEMIONOS AND O. VIRGIN I ANUS, IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA By MARTHA L. WALKER, Zoologist and WILLARD W. BECKLUND, Zoologist National Animal Parasite Laboratory VETERINARY SCIENCES RESEARCH DIVISION AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE Issued September 1970 U. S. Government Printing Office Washington : 1970 The protozoan, helminth, and arthropod parasites of deer, Odocoileus hemionus and O. virginianus, of the continental United States and Canada are named in a checklist with information categorized by scientific name, deer host, geographic distribution by State or Province, and authority for each record. Sources of information are the files of the Index-Catalogue of Medical and Veterinary Zoology, the National Parasite Collection, and pub- lished papers. Three hundred and fifty-two references are cited. Seventy- nine genera of parasites have been reported from North American deer, of which 73 have been assigned one or more specific names representing 137 species (10 protozoans, 6 trematodes, 11 cestodes, 51 nematodes, and 59 arthropods). Sixty-one of these species are also known to occur as parasites of domestic sheep and 54 as parasites of cattle. The 71 parasites that the authors have examined from deer are marked with an asterisk. This paper is designed as a working tool for wildlife and animal disease workers to quickly find references pertinent to a particular parasite species, its deer hosts, and its geographic distribution.
    [Show full text]
  • Watershed Ed
    Spring 2019 WATERSHED ED Promoting watershed education and stewardship in Nevada STEM Education in Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak’s top priority is education, and the State’s STEM Advisory Council’s vision is that “every student in Nevada will have access and opportunities to experience a high-quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, with the ultimate objective that students are prepared to thrive in the New Nevada economy…” All schools are encouraged to adopt practices that engage and expose students to real-world problem solving, creative design, innovation, critical thinking, and career opportunities through STEM-focused formal and informal education. Schools in Nevada that meet the highest standards of STEM instruction are identified and recognized as STEM schools, as outlined in the Governor’s Designated STEM School Action Guide. Look Inside The Governor and his wife recently visited and 1 Stem Education in Nevada participated in Bordewich Bray Elementary School’s Family Science Night presented by Sierra Nevada 2 2019 Golden Pinecone Awards Journeys in Carson City. He spoke about how important education is to Nevada and how he was 3 Featured Watershed committed to supporting teachers, educators, students and families around the State. 4 NDOW Aquatic Fauna—Beaver It’s not just the schools that must recognize and 6 Science Career Highlight participate in the STEM experience. Families, businesses, industry and the community at large are 8 Opportunities/Events also encouraged to help drive STEM curriculum and experiences. 9 Resources/Contact (Continued on page 5) FEATURED Science Career Learn what it’s like to be a water quality scientist (see page 6).
    [Show full text]
  • Anaplasma Phagocytophilum—A Widespread Multi-Host Pathogen with Highly Adaptive Strategies
    REVIEW ARTICLE published: 22 July 2013 CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00031 Anaplasma phagocytophilum—a widespread multi-host pathogen with highly adaptive strategies Snorre Stuen 1*, Erik G. Granquist 2 and Cornelia Silaghi 3 1 Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Sandnes, Norway 2 Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway 3 Department of Veterinärwissenschaftliches, Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany Edited by: The bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum has for decades been known to cause Agustín Estrada-Peña, University of the disease tick-borne fever (TBF) in domestic ruminants in Ixodes ricinus-infested Zaragoza, Spain areas in northern Europe. In recent years, the bacterium has been found associated Reviewed by: with Ixodes-tick species more or less worldwide on the northern hemisphere. Lee-Ann H. Allen, University of Iowa, USA A. phagocytophilum has a broad host range and may cause severe disease in several Jason A. Carlyon, Virginia mammalian species, including humans. However, the clinical symptoms vary from Commonwealth University School of subclinical to fatal conditions, and considerable underreporting of clinical incidents is Medicine, USA suspected in both human and veterinary medicine. Several variants of A. phagocytophilum *Correspondence: have been genetically characterized. Identification and stratification into phylogenetic Snorre Stuen, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, subfamilies has been based on cell culturing, experimental infections, PCR, and Norwegian School of Veterinary sequencing techniques. However, few genome sequences have been completed so Science, Kyrkjeveien 332/334, far, thus observations on biological, ecological, and pathological differences between N-4325 Sandnes, Norway genotypes of the bacterium, have yet to be elucidated by molecular and experimental e-mail: [email protected] infection studies.
    [Show full text]
  • December 2012 Number 1
    Calochortiana December 2012 Number 1 December 2012 Number 1 CONTENTS Proceedings of the Fifth South- western Rare and Endangered Plant Conference Calochortiana, a new publication of the Utah Native Plant Society . 3 The Fifth Southwestern Rare and En- dangered Plant Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 2009 . 3 Abstracts of presentations and posters not submitted for the proceedings . 4 Southwestern cienegas: Rare habitats for endangered wetland plants. Robert Sivinski . 17 A new look at ranking plant rarity for conservation purposes, with an em- phasis on the flora of the American Southwest. John R. Spence . 25 The contribution of Cedar Breaks Na- tional Monument to the conservation of vascular plant diversity in Utah. Walter Fertig and Douglas N. Rey- nolds . 35 Studying the seed bank dynamics of rare plants. Susan Meyer . 46 East meets west: Rare desert Alliums in Arizona. John L. Anderson . 56 Calochortus nuttallii (Sego lily), Spatial patterns of endemic plant spe- state flower of Utah. By Kaye cies of the Colorado Plateau. Crystal Thorne. Krause . 63 Continued on page 2 Copyright 2012 Utah Native Plant Society. All Rights Reserved. Utah Native Plant Society Utah Native Plant Society, PO Box 520041, Salt Lake Copyright 2012 Utah Native Plant Society. All Rights City, Utah, 84152-0041. www.unps.org Reserved. Calochortiana is a publication of the Utah Native Plant Society, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organi- Editor: Walter Fertig ([email protected]), zation dedicated to conserving and promoting steward- Editorial Committee: Walter Fertig, Mindy Wheeler, ship of our native plants. Leila Shultz, and Susan Meyer CONTENTS, continued Biogeography of rare plants of the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada.
    [Show full text]
  • Toxins-67579-Rd 1 Proofed-Supplementary
    Supplementary Information Table S1. Reviewed entries of transcriptome data based on salivary and venom gland samples available for venomous arthropod species. Public database of NCBI (SRA archive, TSA archive, dbEST and GenBank) were screened for venom gland derived EST or NGS data transcripts. Operated search-terms were “salivary gland”, “venom gland”, “poison gland”, “venom”, “poison sack”. Database Study Sample Total Species name Systematic status Experiment Title Study Title Instrument Submitter source Accession Accession Size, Mb Crustacea The First Venomous Crustacean Revealed by Transcriptomics and Functional Xibalbanus (former Remipedia, 454 GS FLX SRX282054 454 Venom gland Transcriptome Speleonectes Morphology: Remipede Venom Glands Express a Unique Toxin Cocktail vReumont, NHM London SRP026153 SRR857228 639 Speleonectes ) tulumensis Speleonectidae Titanium Dominated by Enzymes and a Neurotoxin, MBE 2014, 31 (1) Hexapoda Diptera Total RNA isolated from Aedes aegypti salivary gland Normalized cDNA Instituto de Quimica - Aedes aegypti Culicidae dbEST Verjovski-Almeida,S., Eiglmeier,K., El-Dorry,H. etal, unpublished , 2005 Sanger dideoxy dbEST: 21107 Sequences library Universidade de Sao Paulo Centro de Investigacion Anopheles albimanus Culicidae dbEST Adult female Anopheles albimanus salivary gland cDNA library EST survey of the Anopheles albimanus transcriptome, 2007, unpublished Sanger dideoxy Sobre Enfermedades dbEST: 801 Sequences Infeccionsas, Mexico The salivary gland transcriptome of the neotropical malaria vector National Institute of Allergy Anopheles darlingii Culicidae dbEST Anopheles darlingi reveals accelerated evolution o genes relevant to BMC Genomics 10 (1): 57 2009 Sanger dideoxy dbEST: 2576 Sequences and Infectious Diseases hematophagyf An insight into the sialomes of Psorophora albipes, Anopheles dirus and An. Illumina HiSeq Anopheles dirus Culicidae SRX309996 Adult female Anopheles dirus salivary glands NIAID SRP026153 SRS448457 9453.44 freeborni 2000 An insight into the sialomes of Psorophora albipes, Anopheles dirus and An.
    [Show full text]
  • Sierra Nevada Framework FEIS Chapter 3
    table of contrents Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment – Part 4.6 4.6. Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Fungi4.6. Fungi Introduction Part 3.1 of this chapter describes landscape-scale vegetation patterns. Part 3.2 describes the vegetative structure, function, and composition of old forest ecosystems, while Part 3.3 describes hardwood ecosystems and Part 3.4 describes aquatic, riparian, and meadow ecosystems. This part focuses on botanical diversity in the Sierra Nevada, beginning with an overview of botanical resources and then presenting a more detailed analysis of the rarest elements of the flora, the threatened, endangered, and sensitive (TES) plants. The bryophytes (mosses and liverworts), lichens, and fungi of the Sierra have been little studied in comparison to the vascular flora. In the Pacific Northwest, studies of these groups have received increased attention due to the President’s Northwest Forest Plan. New and valuable scientific data is being revealed, some of which may apply to species in the Sierra Nevada. This section presents an overview of the vascular plant flora, followed by summaries of what is generally known about bryophytes, lichens, and fungi in the Sierra Nevada. Environmental Consequences of the alternatives are only analyzed for the Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive plants, which include vascular plants, several bryophytes, and one species of lichen. 4.6.1. Vascular plants4.6.1. plants The diversity of topography, geology, and elevation in the Sierra Nevada combine to create a remarkably diverse flora (see Section 3.1 for an overview of landscape patterns and vegetation dynamics in the Sierra Nevada). More than half of the approximately 5,000 native vascular plant species in California occur in the Sierra Nevada, despite the fact that the range contains less than 20 percent of the state’s land base (Shevock 1996).
    [Show full text]
  • Truckee River 2007
    NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE STATEWIDE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT FEDERAL AID JOB PROGRESS REPORT F-20-54 2018 TRUCKEE RIVER WESTERN REGION NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES DIVISION ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT Table of Contents SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................. 1 OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................. 3 PROCEDURES ............................................................................................................... 3 FINDINGS ................................................................................................................... 5 MANAGEMENT REVIEW ............................................................................................. 17 RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................. 18 NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES DIVISION ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT State: Nevada Project Title: Statewide Fisheries Program Job Title: Truckee River Period Covered: January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 SUMMARY On April 1, 2018, the designated end of the snow-measuring season, the snowpack in the Truckee River Basin stood at 75% of the median for that date and the amount of precipitation for the year stood at 90% of average. While the 2017/18 winter was slightly
    [Show full text]
  • Conservation Plan
    CONSERVATION PLAN ACKNOWLEDGMENTS City Council Robert Cashell, Mayor Pierre Hascheff, At-Large Dan Gustin, Ward One Sharon Zadra, Ward Two Jessica Sferrazza, Ward Three Dwight Dortch, Ward Four David Aiazzi, Ward Five Office of the City Manager Charles McNeely, City Manager Mary Hill, Assistant City Manager Susan Schlerf, Assistant City Manager Donna Dreska, Chief of Staff Planning Commission Jim Newberg, Chair Kevin Weiske, Vice Chair Doug Coffman Lisa Foster Dennis Romeo Jason Woosley Community Development Department John B. Hester, AICP, Community Development Director John Toth, P.E., Assistant Community Development Director Claudia Hanson, AICP, Deputy Community Development Director - Planning Nathan Gilbert, Associate Planner Amended by City Council October 22, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Plan Organization ............................................................................................1 Boundary .........................................................................................................1 Time Frame .....................................................................................................1 Relationship to Other Plans .............................................................................1 Need for Conservation Plan.............................................................................1 Truckee River...................................................................................................2 Development Constraints............................................................................4
    [Show full text]
  • Board of Fire Commissioners, Truckee Meadows Fire
    BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS TRUCKEE MEADOWS FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT TUESDAY 9:00 A.M. NOVEMBER 10, 2020 PRESENT: Bob Lucey, Chair Marsha Berkbigler, Vice Chair* Kitty Jung, Commissioner (via telephone) Vaughn Hartung, Commissioner Jeanne Herman, Commissioner Janis Galassini, County Clerk Charles Moore, Fire Chief David Watts-Vial, Deputy District Attorney (via Zoom) The Board convened at 9:00 a.m. in regular session in the Commission Chambers of the Washoe County Administration Complex, 1001 East Ninth Street, Reno, Nevada. Following the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our Country, the Clerk called the roll and the Board conducted the following business: 20-153F AGENDA ITEM 3 Public Comment. There was no response to the call for public comment. 20-154F AGENDA ITEM 4 Announcements/Reports. Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Chief Charles Moore said green waste pile burning was slated to begin in December and would continue through January or February 2021. An announcement would soon be released regarding whether owners with large properties would be allowed to burn green waste on their land. Commissioner Hartung expressed appreciation for a letter of support for an advanced signal warning system to be installed near the intersection of Pyramid Highway and Calle de la Plata. An update was expected from the Nevada Department of Transportation regarding the possibility of installing systems along the entire Pyramid Highway corridor, as well as in the Mount Rose Highway area. Commissioner Hartung expressed a desire to work proactively on any potential safety issues. Commissioner Jung wondered whether a permit would be required for the open burning mentioned by Chief Moore and what the minimum acreage required for property owners to burn green waste on-site would need to be.
    [Show full text]
  • Draft Programmatic EIS for Fuels Reduction and Rangeland
    NATIONAL SYSTEM OF PUBLIC LANDS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. Department of the Interior March 2020 BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Draft Programmatic EIS for Fuels Reduction and Rangeland Restoration in the Great Basin Volume 3: Appendices B through N Estimated Lead Agency Total Costs Associated with Developing and Producing this EIS $2,000,000 The Bureau of Land Management’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands. Appendix B. Acronyms, Literature Cited, Glossary B.1 ACRONYMS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Full Phrase ACHP Advisory Council on Historic Preservation AML appropriate management level ARMPA Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment BCR bird conservation region BLM Bureau of Land Management BSU biologically significant unit CEQ Council on Environmental Quality EIS environmental impact statement EPA US Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act ESR emergency stabilization and rehabilitation FIAT Fire and Invasives Assessment Tool FLPMA Federal Land Policy and Management Act FY fiscal year GHMA general habitat management area HMA herd management area IBA important bird area IHMA important habitat management area MBTA Migratory Bird Treaty Act MOU memorandum of understanding MtCO2e metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NIFC National Interagency Fire Center NRCS National Resources Conservation Service NRHP National Register of Historic Places NWCG National Wildfire Coordination Group OHMA other habitat management area OHV off-highway vehicle Programmatic EIS for Fuels Reduction and Rangeland Restoration in the Great Basin B-1 B.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Resources Overview of the Heinz Ranch, South Parcel (Approximately 1378 Acres) for the Stone Gate Master Planned Community, Washoe County, Nevada
    Cultural Resources Overview of the Heinz Ranch, South Parcel (approximately 1378 acres) for the Stone Gate Master Planned Community, Washoe County, Nevada Project Number: 2016-110-1 Submitted to: Heinz Ranch Company, LLCt 2999 Oak Road, Suite 400 Walnut Creek, CA 94597 Prepared by: Michael Drews Dayna Giambastiani, MA, RPA Great Basin Consulting Group, LLC. 200 Winters Drive Carson City, Nevada 89703 July7, 2016 G-1 Summary Heinz Ranch was established in 1855 by Frank Heinz, an emigrant from Germany, who together with his wife Wilhelmina, turned it into a profitable cow and calf operation (Nevada Department of Agriculture 2016). In 2004, Heinz Ranch received the Nevada Centennial Ranch and Farm award from the Nevada Department of Agriculture for being an active ranch for over 100 years. A Class II archaeological investigation of the property was conducted in May and June 2016. Several prehistoric archaeological sites have been recorded on the property. Habitation sites hold the potential for additional research and have previously been determined eligible to the National Register of Historic Places. Historic sites relating to mining and transportation along with the ranching landscape are also prominent. Architectural resources on the property consist of several barns, outbuildings and residences. The barns are notable for their method of construction. Many are constructed of hand hewn posts and beams, and assembled with pegged mortise and tenon joinery. They date to the earliest use of the ranch. Residences generally date to the 1930s. Historic sites and resources located on Heinz Ranch provide an opportunity for more scholarly research into the prehistory and history of Cold Springs Valley (also Laughton’s Valley) and the region in general.
    [Show full text]
  • HISTORY of WASHOE COUNTY Introduction
    HISTORY OF WASHOE COUNTY Introduction Lying in the northwest portion of the State of Nevada, named for a tribe of American Indians and containing a land area in excess of 6,000 square miles, Washoe County today consists of two of the nine original counties -- Washoe and Lake (later renamed Roop) Counties -- into which the Territory of Nevada was divided by the first territorial legislature in 1861. The country, "a land of contrasts, extremes, and apparent contradictions, of mingled barrenness and fertility, beauty and desolation, aridity and storm,"1 was claimed by the Spanish Empire until 1822 when it became a part of Mexican territory resulting from Mexico's successful war of independence from Spain. Mexico ceded the area to the United States in 1848 following the Mexican War, and the ceded lands remained part of the "unorganized territory" of the United States until 1850. Spanish and Mexican constructive possession probably had little effect on the life styles of the Northern Paiutes and the Washos -- the two American Indian tribes which inhabited the area. The Northern Paiutes ranged over most of Washoe County2 save the series of valleys lying along the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada. These valleys were the domain of the Washos, a small, nomadic tribe whose members spoke an alien tongue and from which the name of the county is derived3. The 1840's During the 1840's Washoe County was traversed by a number of trappers and explorers, as well as several well-defined emigrant trails leading to California and Oregon. In 1843 mountain man "Old Bill" Williams4 led his trappers from the Klamath Lake region of California to Pyramid Lake and the Truckee River.
    [Show full text]