Welcome to Bitter Lake NWR
Located
where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the Southern Plains, Bitter Lake National
Wildlife Refuge is one of the more biologically significant wetland areas
of the Pecos River watershed system. Established in 1937 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds, the Refuge plays
a crucial role in the conservation of wetlands in the desert Southwest.
Straddling the Pecos River, Bitter Lake NWR is truly a jewel, a wetland
oasis inhabitated by a diverse abundance of wildlife species. The Refuge protects and provides habitat for some of New Mexico's
most rare and unusual creatures such as the least shrew, Noel's amphipod,
least tern and Roswell spring snail.
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| Marsh Photo by Dave
Goudy |
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Project
Pecos River Restoration: Saltcedar Control
Draft Environmental Assessment for Salt Cedar Control (PDF, 659K)
Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) is planning to control approximately 2,100 acres of saltcedar along the Pecos River within the Refuge. Funding for the project was provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Approximately 2,100 acres are currently infested by saltcedar on the North Tract of the Refuge including 1,200 acres in the Salt Creek Wilderness area. This infestation represents one of the only areas of dense concentrations of salt cedar remaining on the refuge and within surrounding areas.
Bitter Lake NWR will contract all labor, equipment, and materials to perform control by various methods, which could include mechanical removal, prescribed burning, hand cutting, and herbicide treatment. Lands within the wilderness area will be primarily managed by hand cutting and herbicide treatment.
The primary purpose of this project is for restoring and improving wetland-riparian, river, and upland habitat. By removing salt cedar, growth of native habitat and restoration of natural riparian processes will be promoted. Additionally, biodiversity in the area will be supported by eliminating dense stands of salt cedar.
New Mexico Fire District Draft Fire Management Plan and Environmental Assessment
The Department of the Interior, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) requires that every area with burnable vegetation have an approved Fire Management Plan (FMP) that describes actions to prepare for and respond to a wildfire (fire suppression), to plan and conduct prescribed fires, and to complete other fire management business. The FWS has begun the planning process to prepare a Fire Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (FMP/EA) that will analyze various treatment methods (such as prescribed fire, mechanical, and chemical) to achieve fire management objectives at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
This Scoping Document describes the purpose and need for the proposed fire management actions and presents four preliminary alternatives for implementing the New Mexico District FMP. You are encouraged to submit comments about the information contained in this Scoping Document. Please be as specific as possible when commenting because specific details about what concerns you are most useful to the planning and environmental analysis process.
There are two ways to submit comments after your review of this Scoping Document.
Email
r2fireplanning@fws.gov
U.S. Postal Service
New Mexico Fire District FM/EA
c/o San Andres NWR
5686 Santa Gertrudis Drive
Las Cruces, NM 88012
The scoping period begins on December 15, 2011, and will end on January 20, 2012 (37 days), so please submit your comments by January 20.
FWS New Mexico Fire District Scoping Document (PDF, 296K)
Pecos River at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge to be Restored with Grant from State of New Mexico
“Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge sits at an ideal location for river restoration,” said Paul Tashjian, hydrologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. “Quality habitat can be both created and enhanced within a perennially flowing portion of the river that is continuous with quality habitat to the north of the refuge.” more...
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| Photo by John Magera |
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