OPEN SPACE RESOURCES

According to the Nevada Revised Statutes, open space land is defined as land that is an undeveloped natural landscape. There are several major components of open space land in Churchill County that are discussed below.

Agriculture

Agriculture is an important part of life and the economy of Churchill County, and an important aspect of open space. Today, the majority of cropland produces alfalfa and grain, with some pasture. Producers have diversified to produce cantaloupes, other fruits and vegetables, and wine grapes. Cattle and dairies remain a major economic factor.

View of the mountains from agricultural land

As the number of irrigated acres declines, as shown in Table 10-1, there is an effect on farm-related businesses and employment in the community.

Table 10-1

Agricultural Trend Data Year # of

Farms Land in

Farms (ac) Avg.

Farm Size Cropland Acreage 1978 464 338,252 729 Not available

1982 497 356,330 717 64,023

1987 542 366,213 767 63,386

1992 529 268,043 507 56,921

1997 511 129,058 253 53,933

2007 529 131,448 248 Not available Source: Nevada Agricultural Statistics, Univ. of NV, and NV Dept of Ag

Water

Water is the most limited resource in the state and water quantity and quality are foremost in priority in any countywide plan. Water supply is dependent upon the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Range. Water stored in the Lahontan Reservoir comes from the Carson and Truckee Rivers and is released and diverted as needed. Churchill County only receives about four to six inches of precipitation annually.

2020 10. OPEN SPACE

Page 10-5

Water is utilized not only by agricultural irrigators, but it recharges the aquifer for most of the area’s domestic, municipal, and industrial wells; generates hydropower; and supports wildlife and wetland habitats and recreational opportunities.

The water supply in the Valley has been decreasing over the years for many reasons. There are competing users of the water along with pressure from federal agencies to improve irrigation project efficiencies. Statistics based on available and forecasted water resource are shown in Table 10-2. Water supply forecasts provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service are based upon thirty-year-old data regarding use. A “100% year” that should supply irrigators with their total water allocation may not supply as much water as needed due to increasing pressures from competing interests and upstream uses. The cumulative effect of all the competing interests has a net result of less water in the Lahontan Valley.

Table 10-2

Available Resources

Resource 2002 2009 Forecast

Irrigated acreage 59,000± 59,110±

Amount of water delivered by TCID

to farmers 192,311

acre-feet 183,560 Lands of statewide importance 69,000± 69,000±

Prime farmland 39,000± 39,000±

Number of parcels in County (incl.

City) 11,781 13,433

Surface water rights owned by

County 405

acre-feet 956 acre-feet

*This number will steadily decrease with OCAP, WQ Settlement Agreement, and upstream pressures on Truckee River.

Wildlife Habitat

There is great diversity in wildlife species and habitats in Churchill County. Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, and Fallon National Wildlife Refuge support a variety of habitats, including marshes, riverine riparian areas, alkali playas, salt desert shrublands, and sand dunes, which attract nearly 400 species of wildlife, including more than 260 bird species. Waterfowl, shorebirds, and other water birds are abundant during the spring and fall migrations. For many years, up to 70 percent of Nevada’s migrating waterfowl rely on the Lahontan Valley wetlands.

Mule deer are found in the mountain ranges and in the agricultural areas along the Carson River.

Pronghorn are scattered throughout the mountain ranges with the highest densities found along the southern and western slopes of the Stillwater Range. The Nevada Division of Wildlife has re-established bighorn sheep into many of the historical ranges in Churchill County. The 2001 population estimate for bighorn sheep in Churchill County was approximately 490 animals. Sage grouse, chukar partridges, quail, and wild turkeys are all found in Churchill County.

2020 10. OPEN SPACE

There are also many non-game species in the County. Many of them are associated with the Carson River and the related drains and ditches of the irrigation project. There are also species that use the agricultural fields immediately after irrigation (for example, white-faced ibis).

Examples of other species found in the Valley are beavers, muskrats, badgers, coyotes, owls, eagles, hawks, waterfowl, and many species of birds, reptiles, bats, insects, and fish.

The importance of agriculture to wildlife is immeasurable. The variety of animals living in and around agricultural lands is extensive. Wildlife species thrive in large, undisturbed parcels. The riparian zone along the Carson River is critical.

Liberty Fishpond

Recreational Areas

Churchill County has an abundance of recreational opportunities. The Department of Parks and Recreation manages many programs and recreational areas, including the Regional Park and Fairgrounds, Liberty Pond, Soda Lakes Conservation and Resource Area, and Trails Across Churchill County (TRACC). There are many parks within the city limits of Fallon with plans for expansion and improvement.

The Carson River and reservoirs (Lahontan, S-Line, Harmon, Indian Lakes, etc.) provide boating, canoeing, camping, wildlife viewing, and fishing opportunities. Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge

2020 10. OPEN SPACE

Page 10-7

designated areas are highly suitable for recreation and contribute to Open Space. The Sand Mountain Recreation Area, Grimes Point, and the Cold Springs Stations Complex provide large areas that the public can access.

Mountain ranges surrounding the Valley are ideal places for hiking, hunting, camping, firewood, pine nut and Christmas tree gathering, and off-road vehicle use. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has designated broad recreation areas for which off-road vehicles have preferential use.

Rangeland Resources

The Lahontan Valley is surrounded by mountain ranges and valleys that provide vast areas of open space, the majority of which are managed by the BLM.

The Dead Camel Mountains, Stillwater Range, Clan Alpine Mountains, and Desatoya Mountains provide grazing resources, wildlife habitats, hunting and fishing, hiking and camping, and other recreational opportunities. They also provide a beautiful viewshed and a feeling of “wide open spaces.”

Historic Sites

There are many sites in Churchill County listed on the National Register of Historic Places, from schoolhouses to petroglyph sites and caves. Most are buildings, but some are associated with large open spaces. The Newlands Project is over 100 years old, and its components are also historical (see Chapter 5 Historic Preservation for a list of important historical sites). NRS 376.010 includes the preservation of natural resources and sites that are designated as historic by the office of historic preservation as an open space use.