NPS Muddy Mountains Final WildernessWilderness Management Plan and Environmental Assessment U.S. Department of the Interior N T OF M E TH T E R A IN P T E E D R . I O S R . Bureau of Land Management National Park Service U Nevada State Office Pacific West Region M 9 AR 8 4 C H 3, 1 Las Vegas Field Office Lake Mead National Recreation Area April 24, 2007 Photo on cover: Bowl of Fire BLM/LV/ES07/06+1793 Table of Contents Part 1 – Wilderness Management Plan Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 2 Scope of the Wilderness Management Plan ..................................................................... 2 Wilderness Overview ....................................................................................................... 3 Wilderness Characteristics ............................................................................................... 4 Wilderness Management Goals ................................................................................................... 5 Wilderness Specific Issues ........................................................................................................... 6 Wilderness Management Objectives ............................................................................................ 8 Current Situation and Assumptions ............................................................................................. 9 Management Strategy ................................................................................................................ 11 Wilderness Management Actions .............................................................................................. 14 Monitoring ................................................................................................................................. 28 Plan Evaluation .......................................................................................................................... 28 Plan Implementation Sequence .................................................................................................. 31 Maps Location Map ................................................................................................... 1 Management Strategy Zones Map ................................................................. 13 Desired Future Conditions Map ..................................................................... 27 Part 2 – Environmental Assessment Purpose and Need ...................................................................................................................... 33 Location ..................................................................................................................................... 33 Conformance with Land Use Plan ............................................................................................. 33 Relationships to Statues, Regulations, or Other Plans ............................................................... 33 Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives ..................................................................... 34 Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) ................................................................................... 34 Alternative 2 (Human activity least evident) ................................................................. 36 Alternative 3 (Human activity most evident) ................................................................. 40 Alternative 4 (No Action) .............................................................................................. 44 Mitigation Measures ...................................................................................................... 49 Affected Environment ................................................................................................................ 50 Environmental Impacts .............................................................................................................. 60 Cumulative Impacts .................................................................................................................... 77 List of Preparers ......................................................................................................................... 78 Maps Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) .................................................................... 35 Alternative 2 (Human activity least evident) ................................................. 39 Alternative 3 (Human activity most evident) ................................................. 43 Alternative 4 (No Action) .............................................................................. 48 Part 3 – Appendices Impact Definitions (Appendix A) ............................................................................................... 79 Commercial Services Needs Assessment (Appendix B) ............................................................ 81 Fire Suppression Guidelines (Appendix C) ................................................................................ 83 Bibliography (Appendix D) ........................................................................................................ 85 Part 4 – Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) Bureau of Land Management ........................................................................................ addendum National Park Service ................................................................................................... addendum 1 Introduction preservation of their wilderness character, and for the gathering and dissemination of The United States Congress established the information regarding their use and National Wilderness Preservation System to enjoyment as wilderness. assure that an increasing population, Wilderness character is summarized as: accompanied by expanding settlement and x untrammeled (unhindered and free growing mechanization, does not occupy from modern human control or and modify all areas within the United manipulation) States. Wilderness designation is intended x where outstanding opportunities for to preserve and protect certain lands in their solitude or a primitive and natural state. Only Congress, with unconfined type of recreation exist Presidential approval, may designate areas x undeveloped as Wilderness. The Wilderness Act of 1964 x natural (retaining a primeval defines wilderness characteristics, the uses character and influence and affected of wilderness, and the activities prohibited primarily by the forces of nature) within wilderness. Scope of the Wilderness Management Plan This plan provides the primary management guidance for the Muddy Mountains Wilderness. The plan also addresses some actions outside the wilderness area, including wilderness access and information provided to the public. This plan is jointly prepared by the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service. Each agency has jurisdictional authority for separate portions of the wilderness. The plan is anticipated to address management over the next 10 years. The plan 1) identifies the conditions and opportunities which will be managed within the wilderness; 2) creates specific guidance for managing the resources and activities existing in the wilderness; and, Anniversary Narrows 3) preserves the area’s wilderness characteristics cumulatively identified as Wilderness areas provide a contrast to lands untrammeled quality, outstanding where human activities dominate the opportunities for solitude or a primitive form landscape. Wilderness areas are managed of recreation, undeveloped character, and for the use and enjoyment of the American naturalness and primeval character. The people in a manner that will leave them first part of the Wilderness Plan is a unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as comprehensive description of the wilderness wilderness, for their protection, for the situation and proposed management. The 2 second part is an Environmental Assessment of the Muddy Mountains Wilderness are (EA) which fully describes and analyzes the superseded by this plan. proposed management plan and three other alternative management options. The plan is consistent with the following laws, regulation, and policy: x Clark County Conservation of Public Lands and Natural Resources Act of 2002 x Wilderness Act of 1964 x Grazing Guidelines (House Report No. 101-405, Appendix B) Bowl of Fire x Wildlife Management Guidelines (House Report No. 101-405, Appendix B). Wilderness Overview x Code of Federal Regulations 43 Part 6300 The Muddy Mountains Wilderness was added to the National Wilderness x BLM Manual 8560 (Management of Designated Wilderness Areas) Preservation System by the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural x BLM Manual 8561 (Wilderness Resources Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-282 Management Plans) Nov. 6, 2002) and has approximately 48,019 NPS Director's Order #41 x acres. The Muddy Mountains Wilderness is (Wilderness Preservation and managed in part by the Bureau of Land Management) Management, Las Vegas Field Office, and x BLM Las Vegas Resource National Park Service, Lake Mead National Management Plan (USDOI 1998) Recreation Area. There are no private x Lake Mead National Recreation Area inholdings in the wilderness. General Management Plan (USDOI 1986) The Muddy Mountains Wilderness is x Memorandum of Understanding located approximately 20 miles northeast of Between the Bureau of Land Las Vegas and approximately 30 miles south Management and the Nevada of