COMMISSION

New Culvert
The Clay Pit SVRA General Plan, approved by the OHMVR Commission in June 2012,
established three management areas: the Developed Use Area, the Open OHV Recreation
Area, and the Drainage Management Area. Each management area has specific goals and
guidelines on appropriate visitor use and
resource conservation. For example, the
Drainage Management Area consists of a
central drainage canal that transects the
SVRA from the northwest to the southeast.
The primary management intent for this
area is to prevent water quality degradation
and soil loss while allowing OHV recreation
connectivity to other areas in accordance
with water quality requirements. The
General Plan recommended the installation
New culvert installation at Clay Pit SVRA
of drainage crossings, consisting of culverts, bridges, or other features to guide circulation
through the area. Driving in drainage areas would also be discouraged (California State
Parks 2012, 4-5). The SVRA implemented this General Plan guideline for the Drainage
Management Area in 2015 with the installation of a new culvert and crossing.
Eastern Kern County, Onyx Ranch SVRA
Eastern Kern County, Onyx Ranch SVRA (Onyx Ranch SVRA) is the second largest of
nine SVRAs and is the most recent acquisition. It is adjacent to Red Rock Canyon State
Park, where the Mojave Desert abuts the southern-most extent of the Sierra Nevada, and
includes the Jawbone Canyon, Kelso Valley, and
Dove Springs areas. The SVRA is laid out in a
checkerboard fashion of mostly one-mile square
parcels of BLM land interspersed with state
property. The SVRA offers approximately 25,000
acres of scenic and challenging terrain for OHV
recreation.
Elevations range from 2,200 feet to over 6,400
feet. Occasional snowfalls occur in the winter
months. Summers are mostly hot and dry. The
most pleasant times of the year for OHV recreation occurs between October and April when
temperatures are cool and occasional rains reduce dust and improve traction. Nighttime
temperatures frequently drop below freezing in the winter, spring, and fall.
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California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission