Amargosa Desert
Ash Meadows
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, located about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, protects more than 22,000 acres of spring-fed wetlands and alkaline desert uplands in the Mojave Desert. Although the surrounding region is extremely dry, Ash Meadows is sustained by a vast underground aquifer system that stretches more than 100 miles to the northeast. Water from this system, often called "fossil water," entered the ground thousands of years ago and slowly moved underground before reaching the refuge.
A geologic fault in the area acts like an underground dam, blocking the water's path and forcing it to the surface. As a result, more than 30 seeps and springs emerge across the refuge, releasing over 10,000 gallons of water per minute year-round. Most of this flow comes from seven major springs: Fairbanks, Rogers, Longstreet, Crystal, Point of Rocks, Jackrabbit, and Big Springs. This steady supply of water creates an unusually rich and varied desert habitat.
The refuge contains a remarkable mix of landscapes. Wetlands, springs, and springbrook channels are scattered throughout the area, while sandy dunes rise as much as 50 feet above the surrounding terrain in the central refuge. Near the wetlands and stream channels, mesquite and ash groves thrive. In the drier ground bordering the wetlands, saltbush is the dominant plant. Even drier elevated areas along the east and southeast support creosote shrub habitat. Eight species of cactus are also found throughout the refuge.
Together, these water sources and plant communities make Ash Meadows an exceptional desert ecosystem and an important refuge for wildlife specially adapted to survive there.
