A variety of waterfowl and shorebird species enjoy a diversity of marsh habitats.  Shallow waters attract a variety of wading birds and numerous dabblling ducks while deeper waters are used by diving ducks, geese, and swans.  Natural fluctuations in water levels caused by seasonal differences in snowpack, rainfall, and evaporation provide a wide variety of habitat conditions from which the birds may choose.  The northern portion of the Refuge also contains a spring-fed ditch, several dikes, and water control structures which can be used by managers to manipulate water in a few specific areas, or units.  Water may be gradually drawn-down in a unit during summer to expose mudflats attractive to wading birds and to allow vegetation to sprout and produce nutritious seeds.  During the fall waterfowl migration, the unit can be re-flooded to provide excellent foraging for thousands of ducks and geese.

Fire is a natural process that can benefit wildlife by improving habitat quality by removing dead, matted vegetation and recycling nutrients.  Prescribed fires are used to stimulate a vigorous regrowth of healthy, nutritious plants that provide better food and cover for wildlife. Uncontrolled wildfires, however, can cause significant natural resource damage.  Sagebrush stands are critically important to many of our wildlife species and these stands are particularly vulnerable to fire because sagebrush does not re-sprout after being burned.  Invasion of non-native plants such as cheatgrass and the resulting build-up of highly flammable vegetation make sagebrush communities even more vulnerable to fire.  Refuge staff aggressively controls wildfires in the area with the assistance of the Ruby Valley Volunteer Fire Department and other government agencies.  Prescribed, or planned, fire is applied to dense marsh and grassland habitats after nesting season if monitoring indicates that habitat quality has significantly declined.  Grazing, rather than fire, is periodically applied to sagebrush stands to protect these valuable habitats.

Livestock grazing is another tool used to enhance wildlife habitat.  Grazing is used to rejuvenate areas of stagnant vegetation and stimulate plant regrowth in areas where fire is inappropriate, such as sagebrush stands and adjacent areas.  Grazing is prescribed so that a specified amount of vegetation, or forage, is removed from a given area during a specific time period.  A few areas are grazed almost every year to provide low-cropped vegetation adjacent to freshwater marsh, a habitat favored by Long-billed Curlews, Sandhill Cranes, and Canada Geese.

A few select areas have been used for the production of hay as livestock forage.  Haying is used as another tool to enhance or create wildlife habitat.  It produces low-cropped vegetation which attracts grassland birds, Mule Deer, and hunting raptors such as the American Kestrel.  During drought years the hayfields are left idle to benefit the vegetation and because hay quality is low.

The value of the Refuge to wildlife and the effects of management actions are measured by monitoring the health of wildlife populations and vegetation.  Migratory birds, particularly ducks, geese, and swans, are counted in all four seasons to evaluate their use of specific areas and reproductive output.  Greater Sage-Grouse numbers are monitored in spring while the males are displaying on “leks” to attract females.  Refuge staff participates in the nationwide Breeding Bird Survey in summer and the Christmas Bird Count in winter to monitor populations of all bird species in the area.  Vegetation surveys are conducted in summer to evaluate habitat quality following prescribed burns and grazing, and to determine which areas may require management action.  Monitoring provides feedback in an adaptive management approach to improving habitat quality and the benefits provided to wildlife.

Fencing is used to manage prescribed livestock grazing on the Refuge and to prevent unwanted intrusion of feral livestock and wild horses.  Gravel roads on the Refuge, primarily situated on top of dikes, are maintained by mowing shoulders and grading when necessary.  Most of these roads are open to the public to allow enjoyment of the Refuge through wildlife viewing and fishing, while other roads lead to specified areas for boat access.

Non-native, invasive weeds are a problem worldwide and cost billions of dollars in control efforts each year.  Invasive weeds are those plant species that spread rapidly and degrade wildlife habitat, reduce quality grazing forage, or cause problems for humans in the garden, home landscape, or agricultural fields.  Cheatgrass is an invasive weed that greatly increases the intensity and frequency of wildfire in sagebrush ecosystems.  Tamarisk (aka Saltcedar), Perennial Pepperweed, Phragmites, and Russian Olive are examples of other invasive plant species occurring in Ruby Valley.  The Refuge uses an Integrated Pest Management program to control invasive weeds that includes a combination of mechanical methods, such as mowing or discing, prescribed fire, and chemical herbicides.

In some situations, standard resource management actions are not enough to accomplish goals.  Intensive efforts are sometimes needed to protect imperiled species or cultural resources.  The Relict Dace Project is an example of an intensive effort to protect a rare fish species by restoring and expanding suitable habitat and increasing fish numbers.  The Relict Dace is the only fish species native to the Refuge and naturally occurs in small, isolated populations in five valleys of northeastern Nevada.  Natural populations occur in Ruby, Steptoe, Goshute, and Butte Valley while an introduced population persists in Spring Valley. The Fort Ruby Project involves the restoration of historical structures and the development of an interpretive trail at the former site of a U.S. Army Depot.  Fort Ruby was established to protect the nearby Pony Express station and travelers moving westward on the Overland Trail.  Fort Ruby had the reputation of being one of the most desolate and unforgiving posts in the west.

Learn more about the Relict Dace Project 

Learn more about Fort Ruby Project