BLM June 2011 BLM 2011 3.14 Special Designations and Lands with Wilderness Characteristics 3.14.1 Affected Environment 3.14.1.1 Overview Special designation areas are units of land that federal or state agencies manage QUICK REFERENCE for the protection and enhancement of specific resource values. This land ACEC – Area of Critical includes wilderness, wilderness study areas (WSAs), Areas of Critical Environmental Concern Environmental Concern (ACECs), and other special management areas (e.g., ACM – Applicant Committed national wildlife refuges [NWRs] and ranges). Protection Measures GIS – Geographic Information Wilderness is established by Congress in accordance with the Wilderness Act System of 1964. Wilderness Areas are managed to preserve wilderness characteristics. ISA – Instant Study Area WSAs contain wilderness characteristics and are managed to preserve those LWC – Lands with Wilderness values until Congress either designates them as wilderness or releases them for Characteristics other uses. Instant Study Areas (ISAs) are a type of WSA that contains NDOW – Nevada Department of Wildlife primitive and natural qualities but are not recommended for wilderness. ACECs RFFA – Reasonably are BLM-designated areas where special management attention is required to Foreseeable Future Actions protect and prevent irreparable damage to important historic, cultural, or scenic RMP – Resource Management values, fish and wildlife resources, and other natural systems or processes. Plan Many of the special designations are managed to maintain wilderness ROW – Right-of-way characteristics and cultural resources. In some instances, special designation USFS – U.S. Forest Service areas promote the recovery of a specific species, such as the desert tortoise USFWS – U.S. Fish and (BLM 2008, 1998; USFWS 2009). Wildlife Service WSA – Wilderness Study Area To identify special designations within the region of study, data were collected from the BLM, the USFS, and the National Atlas. The region of study includes all land within 5 miles of the ROWs and ancillary facilities, groundwater development areas, and the associated hydrologic basins. As noted in Table 3.14-1, the majority of special designations are either wilderness areas or ACECs The special designations that are within the region of study are shown in Figures 3.14-1 and 3.14-2 and Figures F3.14-1 and F3.14-2 (Appendix F) and are listed in Table 3.14-2. There are no designated Wild and Scenic River segments in the region of study. However, there are two river segments on USFS lands in the northern part of the region of study identified as eligible for study under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act: Muncy Creek (wild) and Smith Creek (recreation, scenic, and wild). Table 3.14-1 Types and Occurrence of Special Designations Within the Region of Study Types of Special Designations1 Number of Special Designations Wilderness 29 ACECs 27 WSA/ISA 12 NWR/State Wildlife Management Areas 8 National Park/National Recreation Area 2 1 Does not include the Desert Biosphere Reserve and Experimental Range. Chapter 3, Section 3.14, Special Designations and Lands with Wilderness Characteristics Chapter 3, Page 3.14-1 Affected Environment 228 ALT 93 93 Elko County White Pine County 278 Tooele County 2 Callao 489 Juab County Lander County Blue Mass Scenic Area 893 Gandy Mountain Caves Juab County 892 93 Millard County Eureka McGill Gandy Salt Marsh Delta 50 486 Swamp Cedar Honeymoon Ely Opt. 1 Rose Guano Bat Cave Eureka Hill / City County of Rocks Eskdale 6 White Pine County 487 159 Shoshone Ponds Baker Nye County Baker Fossil Mountain Garrison Archaeological Site Opt. 2 894 Snake Creek Wah Indian 318 Wah Mountains 15 Burial Cave Sevier Millard County County 6 Beaver County 21 White River Valley Baking Powder Flat 93 Opt. 3 Beaver County Iron County Highland Range Nye County Lincoln County Pioche 375 Lower Meadow Valley Wash Condor Canyon Garfield Mount Irish Panaca Schlesser Pincushion County 56 Pahroc Rock Art Iron County 318 120 Hiko Caliente Washington County Opt. 4 Upper Beaver Dam Wash 317 93 Alamo Kane County Shooting 89 Kane Springs Lower Meadow Valley Wash Gallery 15 Mormon Mesa - Ely Lower Meadow Valley Wash Nevada Utah Arizona Beatty 389 Lincoln County Mesquite Beaver Dam Slope Mormon Mesa Clark County 15 168 Virgin River ACEC Mormon Mesa/Arrow Canyon Virgin Mountains ACEC Indian Springs Coyote Gold Butte, Part A 95 Springs Arrow Canyon Rainbow Gardens Mohave Project Components Hidden County Pahrump Las Vegas Valley Gold Butte, Part B Proposed Power Line Centerline Proposed Pipeline Centerline 515 Boulder Groundwater Development Area 215 City 93 Coconino CountyAlternate Electrical Substation Site Califor Inyo County 15 Alignment Option ni Proposed Clark, Lincoln, and Natural Resources State Boundary OR ID White Pine Counties Groundwater Region of Study NV UT County Boundary Development Project Water Resources Region of Study Area of Critical Environmental Concern Figure 3.14-1 Interstate Highway US Highway Areas of Critical Environmental Concern CA Major Road 0210 04060 Miles Kilometers 0315 060 AZ 1 inch equals 40 miles No Warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate use with other data. Chapter 3, Page 3.14-2 Chapter 3, Section 3.14, Sepcial Designations and Lands with Wilderness Characteristics Affected Environment 228 ALT 93 93 Elko County White Pine County Goshute Canyon 278 Tooele County 2 Callao 489 Becky Peak Juab County Lander Fish Springs County National Wildlife Refuge 893 High Schells Wilderness Opt. 1 Juab County 892 93 Millard County Eureka Government Peak Bristlecone McGill Mount Delta Moriah 50 Shellback 486 White Wilderness Mount Moriah Pine Range Ely Wilderness Eureka Wilderness County Bald Mountain Wilderness Eskdale 6 White Pine County 487 159 Red Mountain Baker Garrison Nye County Wilderness Opt. 2 Currant 894 Highland Mountain Mount Ridge Wilderness 318 Grafton 15 South Egan Range Sevier Millard County County 6 Fortification Beaver County 21 Far South Egans Range Grant Range Wilderness 93 Parsnip White Quinn Canyon Wilderness Opt. 3 Peak Rock Beaver County Range Iron County Nye County Weepah Lincoln County Spring Pioche 375 Worthington Mountains Panaca Garfield County Big Rocks 56 Caliente Iron County 318 120 Hiko Washington County Mount Irish Tunnel Spring South Pahroc Range Opt. 4 317 Clover Pahranagat National 93 Alamo Mountains Wildlife Kane Refuge County 89 Delamar Mountains 15 Meadow Nevada Valley Mormon Utah Range Mountains Arizona Beatty 389 Lincoln County Desert NationalMeadow Valley Range Wildlife Range Mesquite Clark County 15 168 Indian Moapa National Springs Arrow Canyon Wildlife 95 Refuge Mount Charleston Lime Canyon Wilderness Muddy Mountains Mohave Project Components LaMadre County Mountain Las Pahrump Jumbo Spring Wilderness Wilderness Vegas Proposed Power Line Centerline Proposed Pipeline Centerline 515 Boulder Groundwater Development Area 215 City 93 Coconino CountyAlternate Electrical Substation Site Califor Inyo County 15 Alignment Option ni Natural Resources NPS Wilderness Proposed Clark, Lincoln, and ID OR Region of Study BLM Wilderness White Pine Counties Groundwater NV UT Water Resources USFS Research Natural Area Development Project Region of Study USFS Wilderness Interstate Highway BLM Wilderness Study Areas Figure 3.14-2 US Highway BLM Instant Study Area Major Road Desert Biosphere Reserve Wilderness, WSAs, NWRs, and State Boundary and Experimental Range other Special Management Areas CA County Boundary National Wildlife Refuge/Range 010 204060 Rivers eligible for Study Miles Great Basin National Park Kilometers under the provisions of the 0420 080 AZ Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 1 inch equals 40 miles No Warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate use with other data. Chapter 3, Section 3.14, Special Designations and Lands with Wilderness Characteristics Chapter 3, Page 3.14-3 Affected Environment June 2011 BLM Table 3.14-2 Special Designations that Occur within the Region of Study Crossed by Within ROWs or Groundwater Responsible Total Acres Ancillary Development Agency Name Protected Resource of Area Facilities Areas BLM Arden ACEC /Desert Tortoise Historic railroad construction 1,480 No No Conservation Center and mining; desert tortoise BLM Arrow Canyon Wilderness Wilderness characteristics 27,530 No No BLM Baker Archaeological Site ACEC Cultural resources 80 No Yes BLM Baking Powder Flat ACEC Protected butterfly 13,640 No Yes BLM Becky Peak Wilderness Wilderness characteristics 18,199 No No BLM Big Rocks Wilderness Wilderness characteristics 12,997 No No BLM Bristlecone Wilderness Wilderness characteristics 14,095 No No BLM Clover Mountains Wilderness Wilderness characteristics 85,784 No No BLM Condor Canyon ACEC Riparian habitat and scenic 4,500 No No canyon BLM Conger Mountain WSA Wilderness characteristics 20,400 No No BLM Coyote Springs ACEC Desert tortoise 51,549 Yes No BLM Delamar Mountains Wilderness Wilderness characteristics 111,328 No No BLM Deep Creek Mountains WSA Wilderness characteristics 68,910 No No BLM Far South Egans Wilderness Wilderness characteristics 36,384 No No BLM Fish Springs WSA Wilderness characteristics 52,500 No No BLM Fortification Range Wilderness Wilderness characteristics 30,656 No No BLM Fossil Mountain ACEC Prehistoric life form 1,920 No No BLM Gandy Mountain Caves ACEC Geologic feature 1,120 No No BLM Gandy Salt