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The California Desert Conservation Area

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The California Desert Conservation Area United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT SEPTEMBER 19 8 BLM LIBRARY 88065097 Final Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Plan Sbc APPENDIX •Volume C APPENDIX IV: AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL \\ CONCERN APPENDIX V: RECREATION ^ m APPENDIX VI: MOTORIZED VEHICLE ACCESS r-j *^ CALIFORNIA DESERT CONSERVATION AREA »>«S3A, Bunding 00 PES APPENDIX IV AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN APPENDIX V RECREATION APPENDIX VI MOTORIZED VEHICLE ACCESS BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LIBRARY, D • 245A BLDG. 50, DENVER FEDERAL CENTEt DENVER, CO 80225 • Table of Contents VOLUME C Book Title Page IV Areas of Critical Environmental Concern 1 V Recreation 79 VI Motorized Vehicle Access 335 APPENDIX IV AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN . Table of Contents APPENDIX IV AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN Part Title Page la Special Interim Management Prescriptions for Proposed ACECs 1 1. White Mountain City 1 2. Deep Springs Valley Black Toad Habitat 1 3. Eureka Valley Dunes 2 4. Saline Valley 3 5. Cerro Gordo 3 6. Darwin Falls/Canyon 4 7. Rose Spring Area 5 8. Surprise Canyon 6 9. Greenwater Canyon 7 10. Fossil Falls 8 1 1 Sand Canyon 8 12. Great Falls Basin Area 9 13. Amargosa River/Grimshaw Lake 10 14. Kingston Range 11 15. Mesquite Lake 12 16. Trona Pinnacles 13 17. Denning Spring 13 18. Salt Creek (Dumont) 14 19. Clark Mountain 15 20. Jawbone-Butterbread Area 16 21. Last Chance Canyon 17 22. Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area 17 23. Christmas Canyon 18 24. Bedrock Spring 19 25. Steam Well 19 26. Squaw Spring 20 27. Goldstone 20 28. Camp Irwin Boundary 21 29. Halloran Wash 22 30. Mountain Pass/Dinosaur Trackway 22 Table of Contents (Continued) APPENDIX IV Part Title Page 2 (Continued) 31. New York Mountains 23 32. Camp Rock Spring 24 33. Fort Piute 24 34. Dead Mountains 26 35. Black Mountain 26 36. North Harper Dry Lake 27 37. Harper Dry Lake 28 38. Kramer Hills 28 39. Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon 29 40. Calico Early Man Site 30 41. Fort Soda/Mohave Chub 31 42. Mesquite Hills/Crucer 32 43. Afton Canyon 32 44. Silver Mountain Vicinity 33 45. Juniper Flats 34 46. Upper Johnson Valley Yucca Rings 35 47. Soggy Dry Lake Creosote Rings 35 48. Marble Mountains Fossil Bed 36 49. Whitewater Canyon 37 50. Big Morongo Canyon 38 51. Dale Lake 39 52. Patton's Iron Mountain Divisional Camp 39 53. Whipple Mountains 40 54. Sidewinder Well 41 55. Palen Dry Lake 41 56. Corn Spring 42 57. Chuckwalla Valley Dune Thicket 43 58. Mule Mountains 44 59. Chuckwalla Bench 44 60. Salt Creek Pupfish/Rail Habitat 45 61. San Sebastian Marsh/San Felipe Creek 46 62. Coyote Mountains Fossil Site 47 63. Coyote Mountains 48 64. Yuha Basin 48 65. Lake Cahuilla No. 2 49 66. Lake Cahuilla No. 3 50 67. Golden Basin-Rand Intaglios 50 68. Indian Pass 51 69. Lake Cahuilla No. 5 51 70. East Mesa 52 XI Table of Contents (Continued) APPENDIX IV Part Title Page la (Continued) 71. Lake Cahuilla No. 6 52 72. Plank Road 53 73. Pilot Knob 54 lb Areas Nominated but Not Recommended for ACEC Designation 55 2 Existing 'Special Area' Designations 70 3 Descriptions of Special Area Designations 72 in APPENDIX IV AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN Part la Special Interim Management Prescriptions for Proposed ACECs 1. WHITE MOUNTAIN CITY NOMINATING DISCIPLINE Cultural Resources (as White Mountain City) VALUES AND LOCATION This area was nominated in order to protect the historic and prehistoric cultural resource values located in the foothills of the White Mountains, at the northeast end of Deep Springs Valley, in northern Inyo County. The area contains a prehistoric village site with petroglyphs, plus a rock shelter with pictographs, as well as remnants of a 19th Century mining town. The area is recommended for ACEC designation with the following management prescriptions: MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS 1) Increase BLM patrol. 2) Fence sensitive sites and areas as necessary. 3) If other management techniques are ineffective, salvage the sites. 2. DEEP SPRINGS VALLEY BLACK TOAD HABITAT NOMINATING DISCIPLINE Wildlife VALUES AND LOCATION This nomination was proposed to protect habitat for the rare black toad. Deep Springs Valley is located east of the White Mountains in northeastern Inyo County. The valley contains a number of riparian areas which provide habitat for the black toad (Bufo exsul) , listed as "rare" by the State of -1- California. Protection of black toad habitat was considered a priority because of its status and limited distribution. It is therefore proposed for ACEC designation with the following special management prescriptions: MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS 1) Develop cooperative agreement for black toad habitat protection and development among Deep Springs Valley College, California Department of Fish and Game, and BLM. 2) Develop Allotment Management Plan (AMP) with black toad habitat protection and improvement as primary objective. 3) Plant riparian vegetation where needed. 4) Develop additional pond habitat if possible. 3. EUREKA VALLEY DUNES NOMINATING DISCIPLINES Wildlife (as Eureka Valley Dunes) Recreation (as Eureka Dunes) Vegetation (as Eureka Dunes) VALUES AND LOCATION This nomination was proposed to protect flora, fauna, and scenic values of the Eureka Dunes. Located in northeastern Inyo County between the White Mountains and the Last Chance Range, the Eureka Dunes are the tallest dune system in California and a prominent regional feature. They host a primrose listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Oenothera avita eurekensis , and an endemic dune grass ( Swallenia alexandrae) listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as populations of unique beetles. The area has received protective management since the early 1970s and will continue to receive special protective attention through its recommendation as a designated ACEC. The following special management prescriptions will be applied to the area: MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS 1) Continue and post vehicular closure. 2) Erect interpretive display at road end near dunes. 3) Continue regular patrol and visitor contacts. -2- . 4. SALINE VALLEY NOMINATING DISCIPLINES Wildlife (as Salt Lake Mesquite/Marsh) Cultural Resources (as Hunter Canyon/Saline Dunes) VALUES AND LOCATION This nomination was proposed to protect wildlife habitat in part of the Saline Valley. The Saline Valley dunes, mesquite, and marsh are located in Inyo County between the Inyo Mountains and the Saline Range. The area provides a variety of wildlife habitats (aquatic, arboreal, and aeolian) within a small area, and its protection from burro and visitor damage is essential to resident and transient wildlife. The area also contains a salt grass meadow, vegetation not commonly found in the desert. Located in the area are both prehistoric and historic cultural resources, including a village site with rock art and a turn-of-the-century borax operation. The area is recommended for ACEC designation to protect resource values using the following management prescriptions: MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS 1) Develop cooperative management, agreement, and plan with California Department Fish and Game. 2) Acquire non-BLM lands through exchange or purchase. 3) Reduce burro populations; fence marsh and mesquite thicket adjacent to marsh. 4) Limit vehicles to approved routes: Eureka Saline road and road to Lower Warm Springs, and to identified camping areas. 5) Designate camping areas. 6) Prohibit vegetation collection and/or use. 7) Develop interpretive display explaining resources and their management 8) Close Saline Dunes to vehicle entry. 5. CERRO GORDO NOMINATING DISCIPLINES Cultural Resources (as Cerro Gordo) Vegetation (as Cerro Gordo Peak) -3- . VALUES AND LOCATION The purpose of this nomination was to provide protection to extensive prehistoric and historic values, and to an unique plant assemblage. This area is located around Cerro Gordo Peak in the southern Inyo Mountains. Considerable evidence of aboriginal occupation exists, but it is the mining history and its remnants that are of major cultural interest. Silver mining in the area in the 1800s was a factor in the early development of Los Angeles. The area contains the following unusual plant species: (1) Caulostrominea jaegeri, a candidate species for listing as "threatened" by FWS, and (2) Phacelia amabilis , Perityle invoensis , Eriogonum eremicola , and Eriogonum microthecum var. panamintensis , all listed as species of concern by FWS. Two activities are impacting the plant species at present. One is mining — especially for limestone -- and the other is the feral burros. The limestone resource also provides a restricted and uncommon habitat for the vegetation. Multiple-Use Class M is identified for this area; but, owing to the special values present, Multiple-Use Class M does not provide adequate resource protection. The area is recommended for ACEC designation with the following management prescriptions: MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS 1) Regulate mining in areas of rare, threatened and endangered plant species 2) Reduce burros within ACEC. 3) Restrict vehicle access to approved routes. 4) Place signing along the boundary road, noting management designations and allowed uses. 5) Protect archaeological and historical sites. 6) Develop an agreement with residents and owners of patented lands, to help protect cultural, historical, and biological resources. 6. DARWIN FALLS/CANYON NOMINATING DISCIPLINES Wildlife (as Darwin Falls) Recreation (as Darwin Falls/Canyon) VALUES AND LOCATION This area was combined with Darwin Falls/Canyon for protection
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