Moapa Valley refuge closing until the fall

Today will be the last time for the public to visit Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge until it is reopened on Saturdays in the fall.

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman said the decision to close the refuge was driven by lack of staff to keep it open through the summer.

Agency spokesman Dan Balduini said the service has relied on volunteers to staff the refuge, a sanctuary for a federally protected, endangered fish, the Moapa dace.

He said volunteers are not as available during hot summer months when visitor numbers also drop sharply.

The 117-acre refuge, 60 miles northeast of Las Vegas, was established in 1979 to protect Moapa dace. It wasn't open to the public until March 7 after three years of habitat restoration and visitor facility construction. During that time efforts were made to restore springs and channels where dace live as well as White River springfish and other native species. In addition, non-native species were removed and native plants were replaced.

Today's final opening of the season includes a bird walk from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. led by local resident Bruce Lund, who also leads the annual Muddy River bird count.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a biologist from the Red Rock Interpretive Association will answer questions about Mojave Desert plants and animals, and show specimens.

The refuge is part of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex consisting of refuges at Ash Meadows, Pahranagat, Moapa Valley, and the desert national wildlife range.

Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.