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Article: Restoring a desert oasis.(Ash Meadows, Nevada)
- Article from:
- Endangered Species Update
- Article date:
- November 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Just east of Death Valley, where a mere 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) of rain falls annually, lies the oasis of Ash Meadows, Nevada, an unusual system of wetlands, springs, and seeps. Plentiful sources of water in this part of the vast Mojave Desert are rare, and Ash Meadows has drawn humans since prehistoric times. A rich variety of aquatic and terrestrial species also depend on this fragile, isolated ecosystem.
The perennial surface waters of the region are supplied by an extensive ground water system that discharges about 17,000 acre-feet (2,100 hectare-meters) each year in Ash Meadows. This distinct desert ecosystem supports hundreds of plant and animal species ...