Nellis AFB, Nevada 89191 NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE PLAN 126 -4 FINAL INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN February 2010 FINAL INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE / CREECH AIR FORCE BASE/ NEVADA TEST AND TRAINING RANGE Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada 99th Civil Engineering Squadron Environmental Management Flight In accordance with Public Law 105-85, the Sikes Act Improvement Act of 1997 This Plan was prepared in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Nevada Division of Wildlife February 2010 THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Final INRMP ii Nellis Air Force Base, February 2010 THIS PAGE IS LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................ X LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................ XI LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................... XII LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................... XIII 1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................................................... 7 1.1 THE MILITARY MISSION ...................................................................................................................... 7 1.1.1 Military Operations and Training ................................................................................................... 8 1.1.2 Public Safety .................................................................................................................................. 10 1.1.3 Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 10 1.2 THE INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN (INRMP) ........................................... 11 1.2.1 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 11 1.2.2 Goals .............................................................................................................................................. 12 1.2.3 Objectives ...................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2.4 Monitoring and Evaluating Attainment of Goals and Objectives .................................................. 13 1.2.5 Management Guidelines ................................................................................................................ 14 1.2.6 Authority ........................................................................................................................................ 15 1.2.7 Management Philosophy ................................................................................................................ 18 1.2.8 Conditions for Implementation and Revision ................................................................................. 20 1.2.9 Addressing Natural Resource Concerns During Planning ............................................................ 21 1.2.10 Approvals and Revisions ........................................................................................................... 22 1.2.11 Responsibilities ......................................................................................................................... 22 1.2.11.1 Responsibilities of BLM ...................................................................................................................... 23 1.2.11.2 Responsibilities of the USFWS ............................................................................................................ 24 1.2.11.3 Responsibilities of NDOW .................................................................................................................. 24 1.2.12 Environmental Documentation ................................................................................................. 29 1.2.13 Exempted Resources ................................................................................................................. 29 1.2.14 References ................................................................................................................................. 29 2.0 INSTALLATION OVERVIEW................................................................................................................ 31 2.1 LOCATION AND AREA ....................................................................................................................... 31 2.1.1 NAFB ............................................................................................................................................. 32 2.1.2 NTTR/CAFB ................................................................................................................................... 33 2.2 INSTALLATION HISTORY .................................................................................................................. 34 2.2.1 NAFB ............................................................................................................................................. 34 2.2.2 NTTR .............................................................................................................................................. 35 2.3 LAND CLASSIFICATION WITHIN NTTR, CAFB AND NAFB ......................................................... 36 2.4 MILITARY MISSION ............................................................................................................................ 38 2.4.1 Natural Resources Required to Support the Military Mission ....................................................... 40 2.4.2 Effects of the Military Mission on Natural Resources ................................................................... 41 2.4.2.1 Noise ......................................................................................................................................................... 41 2.4.2.2 Fire ............................................................................................................................................................ 41 2.4.2.3 Hazardous and Toxic Materials ................................................................................................................. 41 2.4.2.4 Geology and Soils ..................................................................................................................................... 41 2.4.2.5 Water Resources........................................................................................................................................ 42 Final INRMP iii Nellis Air Force Base, February 2010 2.4.2.6 Vegetation ................................................................................................................................................. 42 2.4.2.7 Wildlife ..................................................................................................................................................... 42 2.4.3 Potential Impacts of the Military Mission on Natural Resources in the Future ............................ 44 2.4.3.1 Installation Restoration Program (IRP) Sites ............................................................................................ 44 2.4.3.2 Ordnance ................................................................................................................................................... 45 2.4.3.3 Noise ......................................................................................................................................................... 45 2.4.3.4 Hazardous Wastes ..................................................................................................................................... 46 2.4.3.5 Infrastructure ............................................................................................................................................. 46 2.4.4 Natural Resources Constraints to the Mission and Mission Planning .......................................... 47 2.5 SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ....................................................................................................... 47 2.6 LOCAL PROMINENT NATURAL AREAS .......................................................................................... 48 2.7 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................ 49 3.0 NATURAL RESOURCES DATABASE .................................................................................................. 53 3.1 CURRENT STATUS OF GIS ................................................................................................................. 53 3.1.1 NAFB ............................................................................................................................................. 53 3.1.2 NTTR 98th Range Wing ................................................................................................................. 55 3.2 NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GIS ....................................................... 55 3.2.1 Infrastructure ................................................................................................................................