West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area (25,695 acres): The CDCA Plan of 1980designated lands north of California City in Kern County as an ACEC and a Research NaturalArea. A management plan for the ACEC, prepared under authority of the Sikes Act, wasapproved in 1988. The ACEC is jointly managed by the BLM, CDFG and the Desert TortoisePreserve Committee, a non–profit group established to acquire and manage lands for protectionof the desert tortoise.Fossil Falls (1,667 acres): The Fossil Falls ACEC was established in 1980 to protectprehistoric values. A management plan was approved in 1986.Great Falls Basin (9,726 acres): The Great Falls Basin ACEC management plan wasprepared in 1987 in cooperation with the CDFG under the Sikes Act. It adjoins the Indian JoeCanyon Ecological Reserve and the northern portion is within the Argus Range Wilderness. Thesouthern portion is within a BLM wilderness study area. The western boundary is contiguouswith the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station.The ACEC protects unique and valuable wildlife and scenic resources. Foremost amongthese are the dozens of seeps and springs that serve as habitat for the threatened Inyo Californiatowhee. Designated critical habitat for the towhee is present within the ACEC. In addition,large populations of quail and chuckar are present, as is a remnant population of bighorn sheep.Raptors nesting within the ACEC include golden eagle, prairie falcon, and long-eared owl.Potential habitat exists for the Panamint alligator lizard.• Harper Dry Lake (475 acres): The ACEC was established to protect the remnantmarshes at the southwestern edge of Harper Dry Lake. The marsh and alkali wetlandcommunity bordering Harper Dry Lake hold potential for discovery of several rare andrestricted-range plant species.The playa bordering the marshes supported nesting Western snowy plovers in the past,and surveys conducted in 2001 found these birds to be present and probably nesting. HarperDry Lake is an area important for the conservation of Western snowy plover nesting habitat.Harper Dry Lake is recognized as a Key Raptor Area by the BLM, which has designated223 such areas nationwide. Key Raptor Areas are places known to be significant habitats forselected species of birds of prey, and Harper Dry Lake is one of seven Key Raptor Areas in theMojave Desert. The species known to utilize the habitat at Harper Dry Lake are northern harrier,short-eared owl, ferruginous hawk and long-eared owl.Harper Dry Lake has been improved as a Watchable Wildlife site, a program to provideaccess and facilities to visitors for birdwatching, photography and passive recreation.Arrangements are now being made to supply surface water to the remnant marsh, andinterpretative kiosks, restrooms, and trails have been installed.Jawbone/Butterbredt (187,486 acres): The 1982 Sikes Act Plan for JawboneButterbredt ACEC addressed the Sierra/Mojave/Tehachapi Ecotone Wildlife HabitatManagement Area, a designated “special area” in the CDCA Plan. The ACEC plan incorporatedChapter 3 3-5