Proposed Additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System

93d Congress, 2d Session House Document No. 93-403

PROPOSED ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM

COMMUNICATION FROM THE PRESIDENT OE THE UNITED STATES TRANSMITTING

PROPOSALS FOR THIRTY-SEVEN ADDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WILDERNESS PRESERVATION SYSTEM AND DEFERRAL OF ACTION ON FIVE AREAS SUITABLE FOR INCLUSION IN THE SYSTEM, AND RECOMMENDATIONS AGAINST THE INCLUSION OF FOUR OTHER AREAS STUDIED, PURSUANT TO SECTION 3 OF THE WILDER- NESS ACT OF 1964 [16 USC 1132]

PART 29

ANAHO ISLAND WILDERNESS NEVADA

DECEMBER 4, 1974. - Referred to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and ordered to be printed with illustrations.

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1974 42-797 O THE WHITE HOUSE

WAS HINGTON

December 4, 1974

Dear Mr. Speaker: Pursuant to the Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964, I am pleased to transmit herewith proposals for thirty-seven additions to the National Wilderness Preservation System. As described in the Wilderness Message that I am con- currently sending to the Congress today, the proposed new wilderness areas cover a total of over nine million primeval acres. In addition, the Secretary of the Interior has recommended that Congressional action on five other areas which include surface lands suitable for wilderness be deferred for the reasons set forth below: A. Three areas which are open to mining might be needed in the future to provide vital minerals for the Nation, but these areas have not been adequately surveyed for mineral deposits. The areas are the Kofa Game Range, Arizona; Charles Sheldon Antelope Range, Nevada and Oregon; and, Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Range, Montana. B. One area is subject to withdrawals for power purposes and additional study is needed of the West's potential energy needs before a wilderness decision can be made. This is Lake Mead National Recreation Area, located in Arizona and Nevada. C. Certain parts of one area are subject to selection by the village of Mekoryuk under the terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and a wilderness recommendation should be made only after the completion of the Native selection process. The area in question is the Nunivak National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Four other possibilities considered by the Secretary of the Interior in his review of roadless areas of 5,000 acres or more were found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the Wilderness System: Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon and Idaho; Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland; Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky; and, Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. I concur in this finding and in the other recommendations of the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture, all of which are transmitted herewith. Wilderness designation of both of these new wilderness areas and those already submitted that are pending before the Congress would dramatically demonstrate our commitment to preserve America's irreplaceable heritage, and I urge the Congress to act promptly in this regard. Sincerely,

The Honorable Carl Albert Speaker of the House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 United States Department of the Interior

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, B.C. 20240

SEP 6 Dear Mr. President:

It is with pleasure that I recommend the establishment of areas totaling approximately 7^7*73 acres in Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

The recommendation stems from this Department's responsibility under the Wilderness Act (78 Stat. 890) to recommend to the President areas within its jurisdiction suitable for designation as wilderness. Having reviewed potential areas in Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge, we conclude that all of the refuge should be designated wilderness.

Established by Executive Order in 1913 as a "preserve and breeding grounds for native birds", the Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge is located in the southeastern portion of Pyramid Lake in Washoe County, Nevada. The waters of Pyramid Lake are part of the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation. The island serves as sanctuary for a multitude of nesting birds, including the largest nesting colony of White pelicans on the North American continent.

Partially because of upstream diversion of the Truckee River for the Newlands irrigation project and partially because of natural factors, the level of Pyramid Lake has been dropping steadily over the past 100 years, to the point where there is substantial danger that a land bridge from the island to the mainland will be formed. Such a bridge would afford ingress onto the island to predators and thus poses a distinct threat to the island's nesting birds. During- the past few years this Department has been attempting to secure the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indians in the full use and enjoyment of their water rights to the lake. In this regard, we have been engaged in a multi-faceted effort to arrest the drying of the lake. If successful, this effort will also serve to preserve the environment of Anaho . Island. It should be noted that the Solicitor's Office of this Department has determined that title to the relicted lands abutting the island and exposed by the dropping of the lake level lies with the United States as part of the refuge, at least to the extent that such lands are within the boundaries of the original refuge. It should also "be pointed out that the tribe has expressed opposition to the proposal. Essentially, the tribe would prefer to manage the island rather than for the Federal Government to do so. We have given careful consideration to the tribe's views and believe, on balance, that our recommendation is sound. This Department has managed the island since 1913 and will continue to do so after it becomes wilderness. In managing this wilderness area, we shall make every effort to work closely with the tribe. Ho mineral survey of the area has been conducted by the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines. Recent volcanism known to be in the area would indicate that this region has potential for geothermal energy.

In accordance with the requirements of the Wilderness Act, a public hearing was held on the recommendation at Reno, Nevada, on February 10, 1973. Analyses of the hearing records and written expressions received, together with the letters received from other Federal agencies, are contained in the enclosed synopsis.

Enclosed is a draft bill which, if enacted, would incorporate the recommended area of Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge into the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Sincerely yours,

p\^M^JU.-I. t~ Acting Assistant Secretary of the Interior

The President The White House Washington, D. C. 20500

Enclosure A B I.L.L.

To designate all of the Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge, Washoe County, Nevada, as wilderness.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in accordance with section 3(c) of the Wilderness Act of September 3, I96k (78 Stat.

890, 892; 16 U.S.C. 1132(c)), all lands in the Anaho Island National

Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, which comprise approximately 7^7«73 acres and which are depicted on a map entitled "Anaho Island Wilderness

Proposal", dated February, 1973, are hereby designated as wilderness.

The map shall be on file and available for public inspection in the office of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Department of the Interior.

SEC. 2. As soon as practical after this Act takes effect, a map of the wilderness area and a description of its boundary shall be filed with the Interior and Insular Affairs Committees of the United States

Senate and the House of Representatives and such map and description shall have the same force and effect as if included in this Act: Provided, however, That correction of clerical and typographical errors in such map and description may be made. SEC. 3. The wilderness area designated by this Act shall be known as the "Anaho Island Wilderness" and shall be administered by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the provisions of

the Wilderness Act governing areas designated by that Act as wilderness

areas, and where appropriate any reference in that Act to the

Secretary of Agriculture shall be deemed to be a reference to the

Secretary of the Interior.

SEC. U. Subject to all valid rights existing on the date

of enactment of this Act, lands designated as wilderness by this

Act are hereby withdrawn from all forms of appropriation under the mining laws and from disposition under all laws pertaining to mineral

leasing and all amendments thereto. SYNOPSIS ANAHO ISLAND WILDERNESS PROPOSAL

A. Introduction This wilderness proposal is perhaps unique among Bureau proposals since Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge lies entirely within the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation. Both political entities were created by executive action—the reservation in 1874 by Proclamation and the refuge in 1913 by Executive Order. The slow, natural decline in Pyramid Lake levels has been greatly accelerated the past 80 years by increasing and competing demands for water. The size of Anaho Island has increased accordingly. The ownership of areas thus exposed as well as submerged lands is yet unclear. A solicitor's opinion suggests that if the lake is legally classed as navigable, the Submerged Lands Act would likely apply and title would then rest with the State of Nevada. If the lake is non- navigable, ownership of relicted lands would likely be retained by the Indians along the lake shore and by the public on that portion accruing to the island above the 3,762-foot contour—the lowest elevation on -the submerged land ridge between the island and the lake shore. Indian spokesmen claim ownership of the island; however, a Regional Solicitor's opinion states that the last issued Executive Order takes precedence over any issued earlier on the same area and that the admin- istration of the island as public lands by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife is, therefore, valid.

Another complication results from the lowering lake level and from the original boundary of the refuge as described in Executive Order 1819. At that time, the island was estimated at about 250 acres and a dotted meander line was drawn around the island one-quarter mile offshore, presumably as a buffer zone. Projecting the present island mass on the original Executive order plat indicates the island may now exceed the original meander line in a few places. It is assumed that the intent of the dotted line around the island was to include the island 1n its entirety as a bird refuge and to provide a buffer zone free from outside disturbances. Pending a determination of the ownership of recently exposed lands, the Anaho Island Wilderness Proposal encompasses only those lands indicated in the establishing Executive order. The proposal further recognizes that any additional lands on the Island that properly accrue to the refuge are also recommended for wilderness status. The Indians indicate a genuine desire to protect the integrity of the island and presently advocate development of the lake with emphasis on retention of natural values. There seems to be no conflict then in the concept of wilderness for Anaho Island, but there are conflicts

42-797 O - 75 - pt. 29 - 2 with respect to its ownership and management. Understandably, the Indians don't want a Congressional mandate such as Wilderness imposed on an area within their reservation so long as there can Jbe any question raised with regard to ownership of the land involved.

B. Description The rugged bulk of Anaho Island rises about 600 feet above the surface of Pyramid Lake. Vegetation is predominantly greasewood and shadscale, but other woody plants, grasses and herbaceous plants are present. The island is now almost a mile wide and over a mile long. It lies one-quarter mile off the eastern lakeshore. The island's basic structure resulted from complex faulting. On the surface volcanic rocks are overlain with "Tufa", a calcareous mantle deposited at previously higher lake levels. The climate is typical of high desert areas—hot in summer and cold in winter. Anaho Island teems with bird life. It supports the largest nesting colony of white pelicans in North America. Other colonial nesting birds abound, and if left undisturbed, coexist without undue competition. The welfare of this abundant bird life is clearly dependent upon Anaho re- maining an island, isolated from mainland predators and intrusions by man. No minerals that could be mined are known to occur on Anaho.

C. Management Refuge management involves protection and study of the island's biota, periodic inventories and analysis of wildlife population trends. Management is especially directed toward protecting nesting birds from human intrusion, predators and other disturbances such as motorboats and-low-flying 'aircraft. Indian understanding and cooperation are essential to achieve these-management objectives. Wilderness designation would aid management by the added assurance that the natural values of the island will be preserved.

D. The Wilderness Hearing Record A public hearing announcement was published in the Federal Register December 12, 1972, and amended February 28, 1973. Written notification of the hearing and information about the proposal were sent to Governor Donal O'Callaghan of Nevada and 25 members of the State Legislature, U.S. Senators Alan Bible and Howard Cannon, U.S. Representative David Towel!, the respective Chairmen of the Senate and House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, 10 Nevada State agencies, 15 other Federal agencies, numerous citizen groups and approximately 2,000 individuals. Each was sent a public hearing announcement and brochure summarizing. the wilderness study report. 1. Public Hearing Analysis The hearing was held in the Washoe County Library in Reno, Nevada, February 10, 1973. Mr. Ernest J. Skroch, Assistant Regional Solicitor, Sacramento Region, U.S. Department of the Interior, was the Hearing Officer. There were 66 persons In attendance (not including Bureau personnel). Thirty statements were presented at the hearing by persons other than the Hearing Officer and Bureau representatives. The Hearing Officer read a statement from Governor O'Callaghan declining comment on the proposal pending court decisions regarding water allocation for Pyramid Lake. No other statements were received from elected State officials during the public hearing. a. Communications from Pyramid Lake Indians A letter was read from the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Council's Special Project Officer Mr. Frank Archambault, which indicated general agreement with the proposal but qualified it by stating "... in reviewing the past history of Pyramid Lake and the studies and proposals made, it occurred that what the Tribe was really seeking was a program designed to protect and preserve the lake under Tribal management" and " . . . it would appear that the Anaho Island Wilderness Proposal is consistent with v/hat the Tribe desires except for meth- odology and operation". He also opined the Bureau •should subordinate their efforts to those of the . . . Tribe" and any proposals to Congress "give due recognition to the larger project proposed by the Tribe." Hr. Robert Stitser, a local attorney representing the Tribe as their legal counsel, next presented a statement which included five exhibits in the transcript of the hearing record marked A through E. The main thrust of his presentation was: (1.) the Tribe has proven by their past actions to be the best custodian of the natural resources (including Anaho Island), (2) the Tribe thinks the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife is incompetent to manage the area because of conflicting interest regarding eventual allocations of Pyramid Lafce water and (3) the island belongs to the Indians and is, therefore, not public lands that can be administered as wilderness by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. Mr. Frank Archambault, speaking as an employee of the Bureau of Indian Affairs working for the Tribe, presented a statement including six exhibits marked F through K. He indicated (1) the Tribe's desire for self determination /in the development of "Pyramid Lake Recreation and Wilderness Preserve", (2) the projected employment demands for Indians under this conceptual development plan, and (3) the opposition of the Tribal Council to the Bureau's wilderness proposal if it is separate from the plans currently under consideration by the Tribe. Mr. Mervin Wright, Tribal Council Chairman, re- affirmed the statements of Messrs. Stitser and Archambault and entered a letter from the Secretary of Interior's office as Exhibit L in the hearing record. b. Communications from Federal Officials, Departments and Agencies' Jose A. Zuni, Superintendent of the Nevada Indian Agency, represented the Bureau of Indian Affairs. No position was made either for or against the proposal. c. Communications from Elected Public Officials Other than State and Federal A letter was read from the Churchill County Board of County Commissioners which agreed in principle with the need to preserve wildlife values on Anaho Island but indicated that this should not take precedence over the allocation of Truckee River water for multi- purpose use for farming, recreation and fishing on waters diverted to the Carson River drainage. d. Communications from Other Organizations and Individuals Robert Sullivan, spokesman for the Carson River Basin Council opposed the proposal if it would jeopardize other activities including other wildlife areas dependent upon Pyramid Lake water. Eleven groups favored the proposal. They were the Maintain Eastern Oregon Wilderness group, Sierra Club (Toiyabe Chapter), Endangered Species Committee, Lahontan Audubon Society, National Audubon Society, Nevada Outdoor Recreation Association, Inc., Friends of the Earth (Nevada Chapter), Friends of the Earth (National), the Wilderness Society, the National Parks and Conservation Association, and Foresta Institute for Ocean and Mountain Studies. One group, the Nevada Archaeology Association, apparently did not oppose wilderness for Anaho, but they withdrew their name from a list published by the Wilderness Society favoring the proposal stating "We feel that the proposal should have come originally from the Indians involved, from the people who own the. land, and we would not like to have our name put there at this time." In addition, eight individuals spoke favoring the proposal and two others spoke but were non-committal. c. Summary of the Public Hearing Thirty statements were presented representing all categories from elected offices, agencies, organizations and Individuals. Of these, 21 favored the proposal, 5 were opposed and 4 assumed a neutral position. The opposition came from statements of the Pyramid Lake Indian spokesmen (3) and Counties receiving water diverted from the Truckee River (2). Except for the Indian Legal Council, the other four opposed statements were not against the concept of wilderness for Anaho, but rather they were concerned with who would manage the island and how wilderness would affect future water diversion of the Truckee River. Many of the statements emphasized the need for closer liaison with the Indian people to integrate the Bureau plans with those of the Tribe and several asked more positive action in curtailing low altitude fly-Overs by military and civilian aircraft.

2. Mail Response Analysis A total of 321 responses were received for inclusion in the record. Five opposed the proposal and 316 were either favorable or non-committal. a. Agencies Eight State and Federal agencies.responded. None were opposed. Six took no position, although one questioned the open-ended proposal with respect to ownership of accrued lands and two agencies, Bureau of Outdoor Recreation and Nevada Fish and Game Department, strongly supported the proposal. This State Agency anticipates the possible need for control of the island's gull population. They were assured that this kind of management would be permissible under constraints of wilderness. b. Organization Thirty-three'organizations responded with 29 favoring proposal and 4 opposing it. The Society of American Foresters (Inter-mountain Section) was opposed because the island is and would continue to be closed to public recreational .use. The Wyoming-Utah-Nevada Chapter of Outdoors Unlimited, Inc., gave no reason for their opposition. The AM-ARCS of Nevada based their opposition on apparent mis- understandings. "We cannot support the change in status of Anaho Island. We do not want it to fall under jurisdiction of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife"; however, they said that present management "as a National Wildlife Refuge" is necessary and adequate. They objected la using the island for scientific study and inclusion of. relicted lands as part of the wilderness. The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe mailed opposition to the proposal through their legal counsel, Mr. Robert Stitser, reiterating the same points presented at the public hearing. •jy..T^jjaddition, they pointed out an omission in the draft SHrjccnmental Impact Statement concerning geothermal f^sswce potential which had been previously corrected on Page 9, paragraph 2 and further identified on Page 17, paragraph 4 of the final Environmental Impact Statement after review by the USGS (Letter dated February 5, 1973). Finally, they directed attention to a possible alternative "... that the . . . Tribe be vested with the possession of Anaho Island and-its bird sanctuary and the Tribe, with the help of Federal assistance and funding be entrusted with the preservation and protection of the birds there." This is not believed to be a valid alternative to the proposed action since the status of Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge as part of the National Refuge System is not part of the proposed action with respect to its suitability as wilderness. c. Individual Letters Received Of• 280 letters received representing individuals, 279 favored the proposal and 1 was opposed. Included was: 1 petition with 18 signatures favoring the proposal; one letter with a list of 136 names attached, also favorable; 20 letters with two or more signatures, all favorable; and. 258 letters signed either singly or as a family, all favorable but one.

&E2liters received from organizations and individuals expressed ch the same concerns as di'scussed in the summary of the public • Overwhelming support was indicated for making provisions Inclusion as wilderness any lands that might properly accrue to At least 17 letters expressed the need to restrict public use of Pyramid Lake and 22 advocated stabilization of the lake at the present or higher level. Restriction of motorboats and airplanes was a popular theme. The idea to include in the proposal a buffer zone of water around the island was suggested by about 10% of the respondents. Five of the letters mentioned Indian rights and/or the desirability of Indian management of the wilderness. WILDERHGSS PROPOSAL flflRHO 1/LflnD nflTIOnflL UJILDLIFE REFUGE PYRflmiD LflKE, nEVflDfl

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF SPORT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE

42-797 O - 75 - p>. 29 - 3 ------1 r CALIFORNIA I NEVADA I 1 PYRflmiDLflKe CANAHO ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE)

San Francisco

This brochure was prepared pursuant to the Wilderness Act, Public Law 88-577. Publication of the findings and recommendations herein should not be construed as representing either the approval or disapproval of the Secretary of the Interior. Its purpose is to provide information in sufficient detail to enable the reader to form a valid opinion regarding the future wilderness status of the Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge. Preface

It has become increasingly apparent that man's welfare is directly related to his use and management of the land. Wilderness is one kind of land-use- planning which gives wildlife, in the case of the National Wildlife Refuge System, a special emphasis as it relates to man.

Often man and wildlife can occupy the same area without undue conflict — even with mutual benefit — but occasionally this "mutuality" must be remote and tendered softly in order for both to coexist. Such is the case of Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge in Pyramid Lake, Nevada — an island pri- marily "for the birds."

This brochure explains a wilderness proposal resulting from a study of the Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife as directed by the Secretary of the Interior under authority of the Wilderness Act.

The Wilderness Act of September 3, 1964, (Public Law 88-577) requires that the Secretary of the Interior review every roadless area of 5,000 contiguous acres or more and every roadless island, regardless of size, within the National Wildlife Refuge System within ten years after the effective date of the Act, and report to the President of the United States his recommednations as to the suitability or nonsuitability of each such area or island for preservation as wilderness. A recommendation of the President for designation as wifderness does not become effective unless provided by an Act of Congress.

In defining wilderness, the Act also included areas of less than 5,000 acres that are of sufficient size to make preservation and use in an unimpaired condition practicable.

Sections 4(a) and (b) of the Wilderness Act provided that: (1) the Act is to be within and supplemental to the purposes for which National Wildlife Refuges are established; and (2) wilderness areas shall be administered so as to preserve their wilderness character and shall be devoted to the public purposes of recreational, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation and historical use insofar as primary refuge objectives permit. Wilderness designation does not remove or alter an area's status as a National Wildlife Refuge. '7, J&*

Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge Introduction

Anaho Island, a bird rookery, rises some 600 feet above the clear waters of Pyramid Lake in the western Nevada desert. It lies entirely within the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation.

The lake, a remnant of the ancient Lake Lahontan, has declined at an increasing rate over the past century and the island, established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1913, has increased in size from 250 acres to about 750 acres. Should this trend continue Anaho will join with the shores of Pyramid Lake, losing its identity as an island as well as many of the unique wildlife benefits associated with it.

The Truckee River, the only continuous water source to Pyramid Lake, is partially diverted to the Carson River drainage. Although water demands of the Truckee-Carson basins are increasing, recent above normal precipitation coupled .with a better water allocation plan in these watersheds has succeeded in slowing the rate of decline. Hopefully, Pyramid Lake can be stabilized before the island becomes a peninsula.

Its present management as a bird sanctuary would remain strengthened, but otherwise unchanged as a result of wilderness.

The island teems with bird life during the spring and summer. It supports the largest nesting colony of white pelicans on the continent. Other wildlife values are also important and refuge objectives are designed to enhance the natural values with emphasis on wildlife. As wilderness, Anaho Island would continue to serve refuge objectives which include the preservation of habitat for nesting colonies of native birds and the furtherance of man's understanding and appreciation of wildlife and wildlands. Hf/tory

Anaho Island remains today as natural and seemingly undisturbed as it must have been when the prehistoric Lake Lahontan receded, forming Pyramid Lake and exposing Anaho's rugged hulk.

Man's occupancy of the region dates back at least 11,000 years, although the present inhabitants — the Northern Paiutes — probably did not enter the scene until about 1400 A.D.

The Paiute people used the island sparingly for gathering eggs and feathers, since taboos associated with the island curtailed all but the most essential activities. According to legend, "Anaho", an Indian maiden, was banished to the island for violating the strict moral code of the tribe. Although the sentence was believed terminal because of "little people" and sea monsters, the unfortunate girl probably died of starvation, snake bite.or despair

In 1844 while exploring the Great Basin, John C. Fremont described and named Pyramid Lake. Soon after, the native people began struggling to maintain their life style in the face of advancing civilization. First, in uneasy coexistence, then as enemies in pitched battle, the two cultures collided. This confrontation inevitably led to loss of much of the native culture—despite the outstanding leadership of Chief Winnemucca who personified the honesty and integrity displayed by the Northern Paiutes. The Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation was established by Executive Proclamation in 1874. Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive Order in 1913.

In the early 1900's water diverted from the Truckee River for irrigation accelerated the rate of the gradually receding Pyramid Lake. It also spelled the eventual doom of the spawning runs of world-renowned Lahontan Cutthroat Trout and the Cui-ui Sucker, both of which are now in danger of extinction. It further exposed Anaho Island, narrowing the gap between the island and adjacent lake shore. During World War II, the lake was used for torpedo bombing practice and 13 ships were afloat on its waters. Fremont's Pyramid Following an Interior Department study of water-oriented projects in 1964, an Operating Criteria and Procedures Committee was formed to better manage the use of the Truckee-Carson water and thereby increase flows to Pyramid Lake. The program which was implemented in 1967 has been effective and is ongoing at the present time.

In 1969 the Pyramid Lake Task Force was created to recommend possible solutions to the recession of Pyramid Lake. A report of the Task Force findings was accepted by the Secretary of the Interior in 1972. •

"Tufa" caps the summits. Phy/kQJ De/crlptlon

Located about 30 miles from Reno, Nevada, at the mouth of the Truckee River, Pyramid Lake is almost 25 miles long, from 4 to 10 miles wide and over 300 feet deep. It has been described as the most beautiful desert lake in North America, and is a proper setting for Anaho Island lying separated from its southeastern shore by a scant quarter-mile of water.

The island, about a mile wide and one and a half miles long, totals nearly 750 acres. Its summit, 600 feet above the lake , is 4,377 feet above sea level. Structurally it is related to the complex faulting which formed the trough of Pyramid Lake but the rocks are volcanic in origin overlain with calcareous deposits known as tufa, which formed when the island was under the waters of the ancient Lake Lahontan. The tufa was deposited in grotesque shapes creating a landscape that is moon-like, despite the presence of shrubs, grasses and a host of other living forms.

The climate is typical of the high desert — hot in the summer, cold in winter with meager precipitation. Hot summer winds occur frequently and the evaporation rate of the lake is high. Replacement of this water is largely dependent on the flow of the Truckee River. High winds associated with towering cumulus clouds can whip the placid lake to a seething froth almost without warning. Re/ources

During spring, summer and fall, Anaho Island teems with bird life. It supports the largest, and one of the few, nesting colonies of white pelicans in North America. About 8,000 nest here annually. Great blue heron, double-crested cormorant, California gulls and Caspian tern nesting colonies are also prominent. Including the pelicans, the total waterbird population is about 15,000. Fifty-five different species of birds use the island sanctuary, including at least two endangered species—the southern bald eagle and the peregrine falcon.

The welfare of this abundant bird life is clearly dependent upon Anaho re- maining an island. As an island, it provides not only a freedom from the influence of mainland predators, but also the kind of environment colonial nesting species seem to instinctively prefer — and the one in which they can realize the full potential of their reproductive capacity„

Other island fauna, though less conspicuous than the bird life, is also important. Several varieties of reptiles, small rodents and insects provide obscure but often necessary links in the island's chain of life. For example, the Great Basin rattlesnake is qui te abundant — a well known fact that helps keep human disturbance on the island to a minimum. The many lizards may be an important factor in keeping parasitic insects in check on the nesting rookeries.

Fish are important to the fishermen and as a food source for many of the colonial nesting birds. The endangered Lahontan cutthroat trout and the Cui-ui lake sucker, both indigenous to the lake, are making a comeback.

Vegetation is similar to that found on the nearby shores except that big sage- brush, common on the mainland, is rare on Anaho. Over 45 species of plants have been identified including 9 woody species, 8 grasses and 28 herbaceous flowering plants. Lichen, mosses and fungi are also present. No significant mineral deposits are known to occur on Anaho,

There are no other resources of consequence on the island, and it's a case where the cliche "it's for the birds" aptly applies. PYRAMID LAKE INDIAN RESERVATION ANAHO ISLAND

A AREA 1880

B PRESENT SHORE LINE I

C 3762' CONTOUR (UNDER WATER) 1/2 SCALE IN MILES

PRELIMINARY-SUBJECT TO CHANGE i

Cormorant colony — undisturbed.

» Will Anaho become a peninsula? Public Use The island is closed to all public visitation, and only special scientific and necessary administrative landings are permitted. This is vitally essential to minimize disturbances to colonies of nesting birds and to protect the other natural values of the island itself.

Aside from its scientific values, the greatest and most important use made of Anaho Island has been the indirect use by the viewing public - people attracted to the island as a result of illustrated articles in newspapers and magazines or people using the recreational opportunities of Pyramid Lake who experience the island as a bonus to their other activities. The lake is becoming a popular water-oriented sports area. Present use is estimated at over 140,000 use days. The Bureau of Outdoor Recreation estimates annual visitations in the general area will reach 1.5 million by I960 and 4.5 million by year 2000 with recreational development. The possibilities are startling, especially when equated with the needs of wildlife on Anaho Island — it raises a specter for management in meeting these needs, and maintaining other fragile and important natural values.

Along with an ever-expanding demand for recreation is the accelerated decline of Pyramid Lake. This decline, if unchecked, and the increasing public use, if uncontrolled, will combine to assure the eventual loss of wildlife and their associated benefits. The island will, in fact, cease to exist if the lake level cannot be stabilized. management €7 Development

Anaho Island is managed as a sanctuary for wildlife, with emphasis on preservation of those natural qualities inherent to wildlife. The island is totally natural and no development is planned unless the surface of Pyramid Lake continues'to recede to the point that it ceases to remain an island. Prior to this event, some development may be necessary to maintain the island's separation from the mainland.

The Nevada Fish and Game Department, the Pyramid Lake Indians and the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife combined to reintroduce the Lahontan cutthroat to its native waters. There are plans to complete construction of a fishway and the Marble Bluff Dam Project on the Truckee River, circum- venting the barrier delta at the mouth of the river, to reestablish the once famous spawning runs that produced trout in the 20 to 40 Ib. class.

Management involves periodic patrol, informational and regulatory signing, routine biological inventories, and a public information program. Visits to the island are timed to avoid conflicts with nesting birds. Landings during the breeding season are made only when long-range scientific or management benefits outweigh immediate harm.

Despite these restrictions, disturbances either in nearby waters or overhead (by low-flying aircraft) can be very harmful. Pelicans often leave their nests with the slightest provocation, exposing their eggs and young to the hot and deadly desert sun and to the depredations of hungry gulls. Without Suman interference, gulls and other nesting birds live in harmony, but the gull is an ever-hungry opportunist and seldom hesitates if given a chance for an easy meal. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the future of Anaho's birds is dependent not only on the sanctuary status of the island itself, but on restrictions of public use of the immediately adjacent waters as well. Predaceous gulls and young pelicans co-exist when undisturbed. /ociol & Economic Con/ide ration

Anaho Island is historically limited with the culture of the Northern Paiute. It is an important part of the wildlife heritage of all peoples of our Nation. Today the descendants of both cultures have a stake in the future of Anaho.

Development of Pyramid Lake is inevitable and desirable as a means of economic support to the local economy. Anaho Island with its abundance and variety of bird life is one of the area's important attractions. The protection of its natural values is, therefore, important from an economic standpoint as well as from its continued presence as a public resource of national significance that somehow nvjst be preserved for future generations. An Anaho Island wilderness can help achieve these objectives. It's "for the birds' Conclusions

The physical character and lack of present or planned future development make Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge suitable for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System. The entire refuge and lands that may properly accrue to the refuge in the future should be included in the Anaho Island Wilderness.

No development is planned but that which may become necessary to maintain Anaho as an island must be recognized — not as a conflict, but rather as a means to maintain the island wilderness.

Although onsite recreation is not permitted, there are important biological, ecological, historical, educational, economic and scenic values of local and national interest that can be enhanced by wilderness designation.

Alternatives to this proposed action have been explored, and an Environmental Impact Statement prepared for review by concerned agencies and the Council of Environmental Quality as required by the Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Public Law 90-190). CHANGES AS A RESULT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING As a result of the public hearing and additional evaluation of the proposals it was determined that title to the relicted lands exposed by the dropping of Pyramid Lake lies with the United States to the extent that such lands are within the boundaries of the Executive Order which established the refuge. Since all lands of the island possess wilderness character, the entire refuge, approximately 747.73 acres is recommended for wilderness status. List of Document Parts — House Document 93-403

PART

1. Mount Rainier Wilderness, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington 2. Kenai Wilderness, Kenai National Moose Range, Alaska 3. Cloud Peak Wilderness, Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming 4. Agassiz Wilderness, Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota 5. Sheldon Wilderness, Sheldon National Antelope Refuge, Nevada (and proposed deferral of action on portions of the Charles Sheldon Antelope Range, Nevada and Oregon) 6. Monarch Wilderness, Sequoia and Sierra National Forests, California 7. Santee Wilderness, Santee National Wildlife Refuge, South Carolina 8. Everglades Wilderness, Everglades National Park, Florida 9. Salmon River and Idaho Wildernesses, Boise, Challis, Payette, Salmon, Bitterroot, and Nezperce National Forests, Idaho 10. Parker River Wilderness, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Massa- chusetts 11. Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii 12. Big Lake Wilderness, Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas 13. Aleutian Islands Wilderness, Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska 14. Beartooth Wilderness, Custer and Gallatin National Forests, Montana 15. Dinosaur Wilderness, Dinosaur National Monument, Utah and Colorado 16. Lacassine Wilderness, Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana 17. Popo Agie Wilderness, Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming 18. Mattamuskeet Wilderness, Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, N. Car.; Swanquarter Wilderness, Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge, N.Carolina; Cedar IslandWilderness, Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge, N. Carolina; Pea Island Wilderness, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina 19. Organ Pipe Cactus Wilderness, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona 20. J. N. "Ding" Darling Wilderness, J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida 21. Trinity Alps Wilderness, Klamath, Shasta-Trinity, and Six Rivers National Forests, California 22. Assateague Island Wilderness, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland and Virginia 23. Death Valley Wilderness, Death Valley National Monument, California and Nevada 24. Fort Niobrara Wilderness, Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, Nebraska 25. Medicine Lake Wilderness, Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Montana 26. Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee 27. Big Blue, Courthouse Mountain, Dolores Peak, and Sneffels and Mount Wilson Wildernesses, San Juan and Uncompaghre National Forests, Colorado 28. Lake Woodruff Wilderness, Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge, Florida 29. Anaho Island Wilderness, Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada 30. Noxubee Wilderness, Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, Mississippi 31. UL Bend Wilderness, UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge, Montana 32. Bombay Hook Wilderness, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Delaware 33. Back Bay Wilderness, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia 34. Gila Wilderness, New Mexico (addition) 35. Proposed areas for which deferral of action is recommended: Kofa Game Range, Arizona Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Range, Montana Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada and Arizona Nunivak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska 36. Areas found unsuitable for inclusion in the System: Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon and Idaho Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois