Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Desert Spring Restoration

The Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in June of 1984. The project aimed to restore the restore spring sources and outflow channels and associated riparian habitats that were previously degraded by agriculture, road-building, and water diversions, and now were dominated by invasive species. Led by USFWS, restoration activities included reestablishing natural spring flows and drainage networks, removing hydrologic alterations, and eradicating invasive species. Restoration has been completed on Kings Spring and Jackrabbit Spring. Native fish composition in Kings Spring has grown from 23% to 91%, and speckled dace have been observed moving downstream through the reconstructed channel in the Jackrabbit Springs drainage.