Working to stabilize and enhance the valuable

environmental resources of the Las Vegas Wash

The Las Vegas Wash: A multi-agency stakeholder process to

protect and enhance a key ecological and hydrologic resource

SER-SouthwestNovember 10, 2016

Jason R Eckberg

Water Flowing into Lake Mead0.81%

0.26%

2.16%

96.77%

Virgin River

Muddy River

Las Vegas Wash

Colorado River

Las Vegas Wash

Primary drainage channel for ~1600 sq. mile Las Vegas Valley watershed: Discharges urban flows and storm run-off to Lake

Mead (~200 MGD) Return-flow conveyance

Once ephemeral; perennial since the1950s Increasing flows created wetlands, but then

incised the channel and eroded them away Increased sediment flow and nutrient discharge

caused water quality concerns in Lake Mead

Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee (LVWCC)

~30-member stakeholder group formed in 1998 to stabilize and enhance the Las Vegas Wash; SNWA is lead agency

Developed the Comprehensive Adaptive Management Plan (CAMP), with 44 action items, to achieve goals

• Basic Management, Inc.• Bureau of Reclamation• Citizen Members• City of Henderson• City of Las Vegas• City of North Las Vegas• CC Department of Air Quality &

Environmental Management• CC Parks and Recreation• CC Regional Flood Control District• CC Water Reclamation District• Colorado River Commission• Conservation District of Southern

Nevada • Desert Wetlands Conservancy• Lake Las Vegas Resort

• Las Vegas Boat Harbor• National Park Service• Natural Resources Conservation

Service• NV Department of Wildlife• NV Division of Environmental

Protection• NV State Health Division• Southern Nevada Health District• Southern Nevada Water Authority• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers• U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service• U.S. Geological Survey• University of Nevada, Las Vegas

LVWCC Community Partnership

The Comprehensive Adaptive Management Plan (CAMP) 44 Action items across 9 categories

Biological Monitoring Local Oversight Water Quality Monitoring Grade Control Structures Bank Protection Administration Environmental Compliance Outreach and Education Revegetation

Key 1st step - Channel Stabilization

Impede channel down-cutting

Reduce stream bank erosion

Balance sediment transport

Help restore ecosystem functions

Pabco

Historic LateralExpansion

Bostick

DemonstrationWeir

RainbowGardens

Upper Diversion Fire Station

Completed 1999-2016

Las Vegas WashClark County AWT to Lake Las Vegas

VisitorCenter

Monson Powerline

DU #1 Calico

DU #2

Three Kids

Duck CreekConfluence

Lower Narrows

Homestead

Archery

Silverbowl

Upper Narrows

Tropicana

Future Design and Construction

Sunrise

19* of 21 erosion control structures (weirs) completed* Historic Lateral Expansion enhances a previously completed weir

Channel Bed Stabilization

Stabilization Achievements

19 of 21 weirs complete

>12 miles of Wash banks stabilized 21st century recycling

Rock riprap from imploded casinos Showboat, El Rancho,

Stardust and more

Revegetation Mitigation required post erosion control

construction Opportunities for habitat improvement

Restore/create wetlands and riparian zones Reduce bank erosion

Grant Opportunities SNPLMA, NDSP, NDEP

Revegetated >450 acres with native plants

Changing Hydrology & Habitat Calico Weir Impoundment site, 2000, 2005 & 2009

Pre-erosion control

Stabilized, newly planted

Mature habitat

Invasive Plant Management Tamarisk (Tamarix sp.)

1999 – ~1500 acres 2016 - ~70 acres

Tall whitetop treatment (Lepidium latifolium) ~680 gross-infested

acres Giant reed (Arundo

donax) ~40 stands removed

Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima)

Wildlife Surveys

16+ years of surveys >320 species of

vertebrate wildlife >470 species of

invertebrates

Mexican amberwing (Perithemis intensa)

Wildlife Surveys: Threatened & Endangered Birds

SW willow flycatcher (1998-) Migrant WIFL nearly every year Some resident SWFL since 2007

Yuma Ridgway’s rail (2000-) 2 detections since 2006 Least bittern, Virginia rail, sora

Yellow-billed cuckoo (2002-2004, 2013-) Possible breeder - 2013 Three migrants - 2014

© Rod Bailey

Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

Water Quality Monitoring Mainstream Wash monitoring

Quarterly monitoring at 10 sites Detected ~60% decrease in TSS by 2005 Removed from 303(d) list of impaired waters

Tributary monitoring Quarterly monitoring at 6 sites

Real-time monitoring (lvwash.org) Sites on the Wash and Duck Creek 24 hours/day; records every 20 minutes

Outreach Wash Green-Ups

29 events to date Responsible for ½ of the

acres revegetated >9,500 volunteers

lvwash.org, Facebook Student outreach Tours & presentations Special events Community events

Visit: Wetlands Park Nature Preserve & Nature Center

LVWCC Year-End Report

Provides: An overview of progress

on CAMP action items For nine programs (e.g.,

stabilization, water quality, wildlife): Major accomplishments

from the year Operational objectives for

the next year

In Closing… Event calendar and reports

available at www.lvwash.org Visit the Wash and Wetlands

Park! Questions?

Jason R Eckberg jason.eckberg@snwa.com

Working to stabilize and enhance the valuable

environmental resources of the Las Vegas Wash