Swan Lake Restoration Plan 2012

Swan Lake/Stonefield Restoration Plan 2012

Stonefield LLC property, April 2012. Photo: Gail Arnn

Prepared for: Ecological Restoration (FOR 445)Oregon State University E-campusGail ArnnJune 2012

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Table of Contents

Abstract 3

Location and Content 3

Ecological Information 4

History of Restoration Site 6

Primary Goals 7

Stakeholder and Local Involvement 8

Restoration Goals and Objectives 10

Alternative Options 14

Policies and Regulations 16

Reference Ecosystem 19

Baseline Data 20

Preferred Option 21

Table of Timeframe and Costs 23

Expected Outcomes 25

Native Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat 25

Monitoring and Evaluation Success 26

Educational Opportunities 27

Appendix A – Figures for Restoration Site 28

Appendix B – Figures for Reference Ecosystem 32

References Cited 36

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Abstract

This is an ecological restoration plan for 42.24 acres of undeveloped property adjacent to

Swan Lake Nature Study Area. The restoration site is in North Valleys Reno, Washoe County,

Nevada. Restoration activities and objectives for the site have the potential to increase the

abundance of Great Basin wild rye grass, reduce the amount of invasive tall whitetop, stabilize

the banks of the sewage treatment run-off ditch and increase wildlife habitat and open spaces. In

addition it will provide educational opportunities for local schools and the University of Nevada,

Reno by providing “living classrooms” for data collection and analysis in wetland restoration

and wildlife habitat projects. The monitoring plan focuses on the goals of increased abundance of

native vegetation, soil health and reduced fragmentation of wildlife habitat in the area

surrounding the Swan Lake Nature Study Area.

Location

Reno, Nevada is located east of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range between Lake Tahoe,

Nevada and Pyramid Lake, Nevada. Reno is northeast of Lake Tahoe and southwest of Pyramid

Lake. It is close to the eastern edge of the Tahoe National Forest.

The restoration site is located in an area called North Valleys Reno. This is the northern

edge of Reno’s city limit. The restoration site property is owned by a private development

company called Stonefield Industrial, LLC. This company dissolved in January 2012, but the

land is still owned by the developer. The restoration site’s entire area covers 42.24 acres of

undeveloped land. The Washoe County Assessor’s parcel number for this site is 56810009.

(Figure 1, Appendix A).

This land is adjacent to the Swan Lake Nature Study Area. This is an important birding

area for the Pacific Flyway and is listed as such with the Audubon Society. The Swan Lake

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Nature Study Area is home to more than 150 species of birds (personal communication with Bob

Goodman, Lahontan Audubon Society, 2012).

(Figures 2 and 3, Appendix A).

Ecological Information

Geographic coordinates: 39. 659517° N, 119. 844439° W

Temperature for Reno, Nevada: Reno's coldest month is December when the average

temperature overnight is 20.7°F. In July, the warmest month, the average day time temperature

rises to 91.2°F (rssWeather.com).

Precipitation for Reno, Nevada: The driest month in Reno is July with 0.24 inches of

precipitation, and with 1.06 inches January is the wettest month. Snowfall typically starts in late

September and ends in mid-June. Reno also receives lightning storms during the summer months

of July through September (rssWeather.com).

8-digit watershed: 18080003 – Honey-Eagle Lakes

Elevation: Within the borders for the restoration site the upper terrestrial area is at 4940 ft and

lowers to 4920 ft toward the wetland area of Swan Lake Nature Study Area. (Figure 4, Appendix

A).

Hydrology: This area is the terrestrial area south of Swan Lake Nature Study Area in Reno,

Nevada. On the very west border of this restoration area is a sewage treatment plant run-off ditch

leading to the wetland area of Swan Lake Nature Study Area. This area is in a 1% FEMA Flood

Hazard zone.

Vegetation consists of: Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), rabbitbrush

(Chrysothamnus nauseosus), bulrush (Schoenoplectus americanus), and an abundance of an

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invasive weed called tall whitetop (Lepidium latifolium) which has replaced the native Great

Basin wild rye grass (Leymus cinereus).

Soils: Soils consist of greenbrae sandy loam, clayey substratum, cradlebaugh loam, orr variant

gravelly sandy loam with 0 to 2 percent slopes (Figure 5 and Table 1, Appendix A). Metals

found in the soil include copper. Potential geothermal energy in this area is in the mid-range

values. Reno, Nevada has a geothermal power plant and natural hot springs (Web Soil Survey,

2012 and McGraw, 2002).

Ecoregion IV: 13aa – Sierra Nevada-Influenced Semiarid Hills and Basins

13x – Sierra Nevada-Influenced Ranges

(Figure 6, Appendix A)

Wildlife: Wildlife species in the area include migrant birds such as bald eagle (Haliaeetus

leucocephalus), Sandhill crane (Grus canadensis), tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus), American

avocet (Recurvirostra Americana), rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus), yellow-headed

blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus), red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), lesser

goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria), and many other bird species that use Swan Lake Nature Study

Area as a resting spot on their Pacific Flyway migration route. Resident species include northern

harrier (Circus cyaneus), American kestrel (Falco sparverius), red-tailed hawk (Buteo

jamaicensis), barn owl (Tyto alba), burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), cliff and barn swallows

(Petrochelidon pyrrhonota and Hirundo rustica), Canada goose (Branta Canadensis), mallard

duck (Anas platyrhynchos), rock pigeon (Columba livia), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura),

various sparrows and various finches. Other native wildlife includes various amphibians (frogs),

Townsend’s ground squirrel (Spermophilus townsendii, (Bachman, 1839), Palmer’s chipmunk

(Tamias palmeri), black-tailed jackrabbit (lepus californicus), cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus

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audubonii ), and coyote (Canis latrans). I am sure there are native snakes such as the Great

Basin rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus lotus), but I have not observed them. I have personally seen

large gopher snakes in the area. Another native reptile is the Western fence lizard (Sceloporous

occidentalis), and six other lizard species. There are also many insects due to the proximity to

the sewage treatment run-off ditch and the wetland of the Swan Lake Nature Study Area.

Threatened and Endangered Species: There are no T&E species in this restoration area.

History of Restoration Site

In late 1997 this site was open land managed by the BLM as open space. Stonefield

Industrial, LLC acquired the land included in the restoration site in 2007 to encourage growth of

commercial and industrial buildings to support jobs for a growing population moving in from the

Bay Area of California. The City of Reno estimated that in the year 2000 approximately 1,800

new homes were being built nearby with more development expected.

The land adjacent to the restoration site was purchased by a private company to build

new homes. The land owned by the private company was stripped, leveled and gravel roads were

installed in 2007. When the housing market slowed in 2008 the land was left undeveloped and is

now barren.

Tall whitetop seeds were accidently brought in on tires of construction trucks and

equipment when they dug out the sewage treatment run-off ditch. After the first year of growing,

blooming and seed production of tall whitetop in 2007 this invasive plant displaced the native

Great Basin wild rye grass and is now competing with the native bulrush, big sagebrush and

rabbitbrush. This invasive tall whitetop is removing nutrients from the soil and degrading

conditions for competing native vegetation. Also it is destroying wildlife habitat because ground

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nesting birds cannot use these degraded conditions and they will not eat the tall whitetop seeds.

Tall whitetop also does not provide forage for grass eating birds such as Canada Goose.

The restoration site has been used as an illegal dumping ground for household garbage,

old furniture, tires, and other debris and this is still going on in the sewage treatment holding

ponds to the east of the restoration site. There also has been a lot of indiscriminate use by dirt

bikes and four x four trucks; which has disturbed the wildlife and degraded the soils and plant

life. This activity is still occurring.

At the head of the sewage treatment run-off ditch on the very southwest corner of this

restoration site there is a large sign board notifying the public of the health hazards of contact

with the effluent water running along in the ditch. This sign is also posted inside the Swan Lake

Nature Study Area.

Primary Goals

The primary goals for this ecological restoration site are:

Reduce the amount of invasive tall whitetop.

Repair the ecological functions by increasing the amount of native Great Basin wild rye grass and bulrush.

Stabilize the banks of the sewage treatment run-off ditch to reduce soil erosion.

Halt the land degradation being caused by anthropocentric activities such as illegal dumping and off-road vehicle use.

Increase use of the Swan Lake Nature Study Area for migratory birds using the Pacific Flyway.

Increase the habitat area for local native animal species due to its proximity to the Swan Lake Nature Study Area.

Monitor and maintain restoration site for scenic, educational and recreational resources.

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Stakeholders and Local Involvement

The ecological restoration of the 42.24 acres of this site would involve not only the

property owner, Stonefield Industrial LLC, but all the local entities involved in the adjacent

Swan Lake Nature Study Area, since the restoration of this site will benefit the Swan Lake

wetland area. Those stakeholders include the Bureau of Land Management, the Nevada Army

National Guard, Nevada Department of Wildlife, the Nevada Land Conservancy, Washoe

County (NV) Parks and Recreation, the Washoe County School District, the City of Reno, and

the Lahontan Audubon Society (Reno Chapter of the National Audubon Society).

Other stakeholders in this restoration are the residents of North Valleys, Reno, Nevada.

This restoration will result in more open, scenic spaces for the community of North Valleys and

more wildlife habitat for the Swan Lake Nature Study Area. Long-term benefits to the

community will be better ecological processes providing flood relief, filtration of water

pollutants, and wildlife habitat to the adjacent wetland area of Swan Lake and less soil erosion in

the sewage treatment run-off ditch which drains into the Swan Lake wetland. The restoration will

also benefit the community by providing more wildlife viewing habitat and outdoor “learning

centers” for the public schools. The adjacent Swan Lake Nature Study Area is already used as a

site for biology, and bird-viewing fieldtrips by the local schools and the Lahontan Audubon

Society. Many local residents also come to this area to just relax or walk their dog.

In addition the restoration can potentially impact the city by focusing on land use issues

regarding illegal dumping in open spaces and nature areas and increasing awareness of water

protection laws and policies. This restoration can also highlight the need for restrictions to urban

sprawl and commercial development in a wetland ecosystem area.

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Since the current land owner, Stonefield Industrial, LLC, is now a dissolved company

(since January 2012), there are no current development plans for this site. This will aid in the

success of an ecological restoration of this site due to lack of commercial or residential

development in the area. This will involve the stakeholders of the Swan Lake Nature Study Area

meeting with the current property owners Stonefield Industrial, LLC to either have them donate

this unused property for tax purposes or sell this land to the Swan Lake Nature Study Area

stakeholders. BLM has shown an interest in acquiring the surrounding lands near Swan Lake

Nature Study Area to be included in open spaces planning (Swan Lake Master Plan, 2012).

It would be important to involve the local residents of North Valleys Reno and the

entities involved with the Swan Lake Nature Study Area in the decision-making process

regarding restoration. The groups responsible for the designation of the Swan Lake Nature Study

Area will be very important in this process since they have already conducted assessments of the

ecological processes on the adjacent wetland in relation to this site. They also have been

monitoring the adjacent Swan Lake Nature Study Area since 1999 when it was first dedicated as

a nature study area. Most important it will be beneficial to involve the Nevada Army National

Guard since they were the lead organization in planning and creating the conservation area and

preformed the preliminary ecological studies for the Swan Lake Nature Study Area. Federal,

state and local government agencies involved in land use and water management and planning

will also need to participate in the restoration process.

Through local media (press, radio, internet and creating a website for this restoration

project) releases, sharing of project assessments and data, sharing of site analysis data, providing

town and city meetings and offering information to concerned parties will also be beneficial to

this restoration project. Involving the local communities in this project will also encourage

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support for environmental issues that pertain to urban sprawl and degradation of natural areas.

Involving local schools, boys and girls clubs (such as scouting, 4-H and Future Farmers of

America), the local university, and other groups interested in the environment or in nature studies

will help in the initial stages by providing volunteer opportunities for clean-up and direct

involvement in ecological restoration and will help ensure long-term success of this project and

provide them with a sense of stewardship of their local natural resources.

Goals and Objectives

The following goals and objectives will need to be collaboratively designed and

implemented by the major stakeholders that will be doing the decision-making and funding for

this restoration project. The primary goals and objectives target restoration of native vegetation

for wildlife habitat and stabilizing the banks of the sewage treatment run-off ditch to reduce soil

erosion and also halting land degradation caused by illegal dumping and off-road vehicle use.

The goals and objectives outlined below are for the moderate restoration option.

Objective A: Reduce the amount of invasive tall whitetop which is removing nutrients from the

soil required by native vegetation. This can be done with first mowing areas of tall whitetop

which prevents seed formation and depletes food production in the plant, then herbicide

treatment with a water-soluable chlorsulfuron formulation such as Telar® XP as to not injure

native grasses. Mowing can be done in the spring and herbicide treatment needs to done after

bird breeding and nesting season is over, at end of summer or early fall.

Objective B: Repair ecological functions of capturing soil nutrients and moisture by applying

soil amendments such as mulching which would help in the growth of native Great Basin wild

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Goal 1 : Reduce the amount of invasive vegetation and repair ecological functions

in non-aquatic area.

rye grass. This can be done by applying native Great Basin wild rye grass seeds by drill seeding

in the following spring after herbicide treatment of tall whitetop at the end of the prior summer

or prior fall. Alkali bulrush will recover on its own once tall whitetop is removed (UNCE, 2012).

Objective C: Halt the land degradation being caused by anthropocentric activities such as illegal

dumping and off-road vehicle use. This can be accomplished by first removing existing trash and

illegally dumped construction and household items from the site. To halt future land degradation

fencing around the site will be required. Using metal posts and smooth wire will be most

effective in keeping out trucks and other off-road vehicles. The use of smooth wire will be

required to avoid injury to native wildlife.

Objective A: Stabilize banks of run-off ditch to reduce soil erosion and soil transport into the

wetland system. This can be done by taking cottonwood cuttings from the Swan Lake Nature

Study Area and planting them in gravelly areas along the sewage treatment run-off ditch. These

cottonwoods cuttings should be taken from the new growth on the upper part of the tree rather

than the older growth of the bottom branches. The cuttings from new growth have a better

chance of rooting in a shorter amount of time than cuttings from older growth.

Objective B: Improvement of water filtration in the sewage treatment run-off ditch can be

accomplished by using transplants of sedges taken from the Swan Lake Nature Study Area.

These sedges will be able to take up excess nutrients in the sewage treatment run-off water.

These same sedges will also prevent soil transport along the water level of the run-off ditch.

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Goal 2: Stabilization of banks and improving water filtration in sewage treatment run-off ditch.

Reducing soil transport is important to the ecological health of the wetland area that is located

further downstream.

Objective A: Increasing native trees, sedges, grasses and shrubs that are present on the adjacent

land at the Swan Lake Nature Study Area will provide more forage, breeding and nesting sites

for migratory and resident bird species and other native wildlife such as coyotes, rabbits, reptiles,

amphibians and beneficial insects. The Swan Lake Nature Study Area is an Important Birding

Area listed with the National Audubon Society and is along the Pacific Flyway. Increasing

wildlife habitat will be accomplished when cottonwood cuttings and sedge transplants start

growing in the run-off ditch, and native Great Basin wild rye grass and alkali bulrush start to

dominate the upper terrestrial area in the restoration site. Sagebrush and rabbitbrush are already

abundant in this restoration site. Increasing wildlife habitat will also provide natural areas that

will buffer residential and commercial activities around the wetland area.

Objective B: Incorporation of education opportunities by these restoration activities, and

recreation provided by wildlife viewing will benefit the local communities and provide more

natural, scenic areas to North Valleys Reno and the City of Reno. These restoration activities of

increasing natural areas will also reduce the expansion of residential and commercial building

next to the Swan Lake Nature Study Area. Incorporating local public schools, the local

university, and other environmental groups in the restoration process will provide a “living

classroom” where the public can learn how ecological processes work in a wetland system and

how they are important for filtering fresh water of pollutants and providing flood relief in their

neighborhood.

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Goal 3: Increase wildlife habitat and incorporate education and recreation.

Objective A: Design and implement a monitoring system to evaluate the effects of the

restoration processes and treatments, evaluate wildlife habitat conditions and water quality, and

record numbers of bird species over time. The monitoring system must take into consideration

the dynamics of reducing the spread of tall whitetop since this invasive species reproduces by

rhizomes and mass production of seeds. All new tall whitetop vegetation must be treated with

herbicide to further reduce its reproduction. Re-seeding of native Great Basin wild rye grass may

be needed depending on the ability of plants already present to compete with the invasive tall

whitetop. Alkali bulrushes should be monitored to evaluate self-regeneration where it is present.

Objective B: Monitor fencing to make sure it is intact and repair where needed. Also check for

any new illegal dumping and off-road vehicle use in the restoration site and use adaptive

methods to halt these activities. Implementing signage of restoration site may be required to

deter these activities since this method seems to work well in the Swan Lake Nature Study Area.

Objective C: Monitoring growth of new cottonwoods and sedges will be necessary and young

cottonwood saplings may require protection from rabbits. Monitoring water quality will provide

information on soil erosion and transport in the sewage treatment run-off ditch. If there are any

gaps in vegetation there should be actions to plant cottonwood cuttings or sedges in these gaps to

reduce soil transport.

Objective D: Public schools, the university, and other volunteer government and non-

government environmental organizations should be included in the design of the monitoring

program so the public can learn research skills and learn how ecological processes work in the

field over time. “Living classrooms” are a great source of educational material for not only

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Goal 4: Monitor ecological functions of restoration over time.

school children, but college students as well, for the study of biology and botany. Sharing

knowledge and data collected from monitoring efforts will be needed to assess restoration

activities and incorporate adaptive management.

Alternative Options

There are alternative options to the restoration of this site. These options are ranked from

least desirable to most desirable.

1. Passive restoration (no action)

2. Limited restoration

3. Moderate restoration – under “Goals and Objectives”

4. Full restoration

Passive Restoration (no action)

The option for passive restoration would require the current land owner, Stonefield

Industrial, LLC, to hold onto this piece of property and leave it undeveloped until some point in

the future when the economy gets better. Fencing off the restoration site would be implemented

to halt illegal dumping and off-road vehicle use. Aside from this action, no other actions would

be taken. This is the least desirable of all four of these options. It is likely that the invasive tall

whitetop would not be treated with herbicides and would continue to spread into the Swan Lake

Nature Study Area. This passive restoration would leave any pre-existing soil and plant

conditions untreated and soil erosion in the sewage treatment run-off ditch would not be

addressed. The current degradation of soil conditions due to tall whitetop would continue and

soil transport would still continue in the run-off ditch. This option reduces the amount of wildlife

habitat that would be available if other more aggressive options were taken.

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Limited Restoration

The limited restoration option would still allow the current owner, Stonefield Industrial,

LLC to keep the property and work with other volunteer groups including federal, state and local

environmental agencies in the restoration process. They would all work together to implement

mowing of tall whitetop and herbicide treatment but no reseeding of native wild rye grass would

occur. This option would also allow removal of current illegally dumped trash from the site.

Cottonwood cuttings and sedges would be planted in the run-off ditch. This option would not

fence off the land and would still be open to future land degradation by illegal dumping and use

of off-road vehicles. This option would not address soil amendments to encourage growth of

native grasses. This option also reduces the amount of wildlife habitat that would be available if

preferred options were taken such as moderate or full restoration.

Moderate Restoration

The moderate restoration option is described under the section titled “Goals and

Objectives”. While this is not the preferred option because it does not include the Swan Lake

Nature Study Area stakeholders purchasing the land from Stonefield Industrial, LLC, it is one of

least cost options in which the current property owner keeps rights to the land and works with the

federal, state and local agencies involved with the Swan Lake Nature Study Area to increase

natural, scenic, open land space in the city of Reno and incorporate recreation, education and

improved wildlife habitat.

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Full Restoration

In the full restoration option, the property would be bought by the combined efforts of the

stakeholders of the Swan Lake Nature Study Area (federal, state and local entities listed in the

section titled “Stakeholders and Local Involvement”) and become part of the Swan Lake Nature

Study Area. All stakeholders would contribute to the actions, goals, and objectives listed in the

moderate restoration plan and incorporate more land enhancements such as installing perching

towers for resident birds of prey. Monitoring would be done on a yearly basis to evaluate growth

of native grasses and bulrush in the upper terrestrial area. Monitoring would also take place to

evaluate the growth of cottonwoods and sedges in the run-off ditch and water samples would be

taken to evaluate the amount of soil transport into the wetland over time. Yearly clean-up events

and fence repair by federal, state and local volunteer organizations would take place and schools

would be encouraged to use the area for “living classrooms” for research studies in biology and

botany. Progress reports would be publicized to record the restored ecological processes over

time and adaptive management would be applied through the monitoring process. This would be

the best option since it would include adding these 42.24 acres to the 900 acres already in the

Swan Lake Nature Study Area and would reduce wildlife habitat fragmentation from

anthropocentric activities such as residential/commercial development and off-road vehicle use.

Policies and Regulations

The various policies and regulations for this restoration project will involve federal, state,

county and city agencies for the state of Nevada, county of Washoe, city of Reno. Agencies and

policies are listed below from federal (U.S.) to state (NV) to county (Washoe) to city (Reno) and

relate to natural resource restoration, stream bank stabilization and water quality issues.

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FEDERAL: The U.S. EPA will be involved on the federal level to cover policies concerning the

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which covers Environmental Assessments (EA)

and/or Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) if needed. For this restoration project it is

unlikely an EIS will be required since this project is returning an undeveloped commercially

zoned area back to a natural area adjacent to wetland area. NEPA policies will need to be

followed in this restoration project. According to NEPA policy restoration projects should:

Encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between people and their environment

Promote efforts that will prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and biosphere and stimulate the health and welfare of society

Enrich the understanding of the ecological systems and natural resources important to the Nation

Along with the EPA/NEPA policies will be the Federal Land Policy and Management Act

(FLPMA) and the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act which specifies policies covering

land use plans, surveys of the resources, soil erosion control issues and federal and state air,

water and other pollution standards as outlined in the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Clean Air

Act (CAA) and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) due to the

sewage treatment run-off ditch being included in the restoration site.

Also involved on the federal level is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) which

is one of the primary stakeholders in the Swan Lake Nature Study Area adjacent wetland. They

will handle the general permitting process for surveys and restoration implementation. They will

be helpful in avoiding unnecessary regulatory control by other federal, state, and local agencies

involved in this restoration project. A Letter of Permission (LOP) may apply in this situation

since this project should not encounter any appreciable opposition by all the stakeholders

involved.

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Other federal agencies involved are the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) concerning policy and regulations regarding ecosystem

services. Other federal agencies are the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource and

Conservation (NRCS) applying to conservation of natural resources and land use.

STATE: A multitude of state agencies will be involved such as the Nevada Department of

Conservation and Natural Resources (Nevada DCNR)-State Environmental Commission

concerning environmental issues of ecological restoration. The Nevada Department of Wildlife

(NDOW) will be handling issues concerning migrant and resident species of birds and other

wildlife in the area. The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) which will

handle policies and regulations concerning Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) and the Nevada

Administrative Code (NAC) with oversight by the EPA. These policies and regulations apply to

preserving and enhancing the environment of the state in order to protect public health, sustain

healthy ecosystems, and contribute to a vibrant economy. Another state agency to be involved

will be the Nevada State Water Engineer in regards to restoration work in ditches covered in

NRS 536, and NRS 278 (planning and zoning).

WASHOE COUNTY AND CITY OF RENO: To manage the multiple agency permits and

interlocal government, an agreement between the parties of the Reno City Regulatory Committee

and the Truckee Meadows Watershed Committee (TMWC), the Truckee Meadows Storm Water

Permit Coordinating Committee (SWPCC) has been formed and covers policies and permits

pertaining to the zoning and herbicide spraying of the restoration project. The USACE will be

beneficial in the state and local permitting, zoning, and conservation easement issues to avoid

unnecessary regulatory control by other federal, state, and local agencies involved in this

restoration project.

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Reference Ecosystem

The reference ecosystem selected for the proposed restoration site adjacent to Swan Lake

Nature Study Area is the upper terrestrial area of the Swan Lake wetland. It was chosen for the

reference ecosystem because it has retained a good deal of ecological integrity due to the efforts

to preserve and restore the Swan Lake Nature Study Area in 1999. This reference system is

located on the western side of the Swan Lake Nature Study Area and is adjacent to the

restoration site. (Figure 7, Appendix B). The soil conditions of this site contain playa, alkali mud

flats, marsh wetlands and a flooding area variation from 50 to 100 acres in drought years to 1000

acres after snowmelt from heavy snowfall in heavy precipitation years (Nevada Wildlife Action

Plan, 2007). The current conditions of the reference ecosystem uplands show good abundance of

native Great Basin wild rye grass, three species of bulrush, and some dense areas of sagebrush

and rabbitbrush. The marsh and wetland areas have emergent vegetation of cattails (Typha

latifolia) and three species of bulrush, also willows (Salix spp.) and cottonwoods (Populus

fremontii) are found along the sewage treatment run-off ditch where it merges with the lake and

are located at the beginning of the dock that allows visitors access to the lake area. Tall whitetop

has invaded some of the area which was mowed in October 2011 along with native Great Basin

wild rye grass. Swan Lake Nature Study Area is comprised of various water and marsh habitats

for both diving and wading birds. As mentioned earlier in this restoration plan, over 150 species

of birds have been observed at Swan Lake. Migratory Tundra Swan uses this area for a rest stop

from November through February, which is why it is named Swan Lake (personal

communication with Bob Goodman, Lahontan Audubon Society, 2012). The lake also provides

habitat for aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles and various other animals. This seems

to be a mid-seral stage of succession due to disturbance events of mowing, lightning fires and

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prescribed burns, and periodic flooding events over time (McGraw, 2002). This reference

ecosystem seems to show one of the succession paths the Swan Lake/Stonefield restoration site

could have taken if it had not been degraded for future commercial use that did not take place

after the initial sewage treatment run-off ditch was constructed. (Figures 8 and 9, Appendix B).

Baseline Data

The quality and extent of the Swan Lake wetlands in Nevada has been greatly altered and

reduced by upstream water diversions through the Truckee Meadows Water Authority.

Snowmelt draining off of Peavine Mountain and surrounding hillsides collects in Swan Lake

wetlands. Heavy metal contamination of wetland soils has historically occurred from the

leaching of crop soils naturally containing elements such as selenium, boron, and molybdenum.

Historic gold mining activities discharged massive quantities of mercury into Nevada’s

watersheds such as the Honey-Eagle Lakes Watershed that includes the Swan Lake Nature Study

Area. These mercury-laden sediments shift during flood events and when exposed, intermittently

pose threats to successful reproduction of birds on Swan Lake wetlands. Washoe County and the

City of Reno water rights have been successfully secured to maintain Swan Lake’s wetland high

habitat quality and a variety of wetland management objectives are being met on a yearly basis

with natural regional climatic cycles to reduce mercury exposure. Abandonment or reversion of

lands historically converted for agriculture and then later commercial development has allowed

restoration of former wetland and marsh habitats, such as the Swan Lake area (Nevada Wildlife

Action Plan, 2007; Lemmon Valley Association, 2012).

This reference site was surveyed in 2000 and has environmental and ecological data

collected for the Nevada Army National Guard, who is one of the Swan Lake Nature Study Area

stakeholders. This is the data that supports the information in the report written by David

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McGraw and Alan McKay in 2002 to provide environmental conditions of the preservation and

conservation project of Swan Lake Nature Study Area. A fire hazard assessment was done by

Washoe County and found this reference ecosystem to be a moderate fire hazard due to

abundance of the native Great Basin wild rye grass. This wild rye grass has since been mowed

(personal observation in October of 2011) to lower this fire hazard (Washoe County Fire Hazard

Map, 2012). (Figure 10, Appendix B).

Preferred Option

As previously described in this restoration plan’s alternative options, a plan for full

restoration would call for the Swan Lake/Stonefield restoration site to be purchased by the

combined stakeholders of the Swan Lake Nature Study Area and become part of the Swan Lake

Nature Study Area. This option would reduce fragmentation of wildlife habitat, increase wildlife

resources for resident and migratory birds and other native animals, reduce degradation of the

restoration site after initial treatments have been applied to remove invasive tall whitetop,

remove off-road vehicle use, increase monitoring activities by involved stakeholders of Swan

Lake Nature Study Area, increase resources available for “living classrooms” and other

education activities and increase the amount of scenic open spaces for the City of Reno, Nevada

(Figure 11, Appendix B).

To implement this action the restoration site would have to be sold to the many Swan

Lake Nature Study Area stakeholders as one collective group, as was done in the establishment

of Swan Lake Nature Study Area. Illegally dumped debris would have to be removed. This

would require volunteers with trucks and trailers to haul off debris and take it to the local

landfill, this could be done on a yearly basis as Swan Lake Nature Study Area incorporates a

yearly volunteer clean up event in the spring. Fencing off the area from off-road vehicle use

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would need to be implemented and completed to reduce further degradation of soil and

vegetation.

Mowing and herbicide treatment of tall whitetop would be conducted in April with

backpack sprayers. In the following September drill seeding Great Basin wild rye grass and

mulching by mechanical means would prepare wild rye seeds for sprouting the next spring to

increase the abundance of this native species. Snowfall in September/October will cover the

mulch which will increase soil moisture retention over winter.

Native bulrush seed can be collected in August through October to be used the following

April or May along the sewage treatment run-off ditch, or young sedges can also be transplanted

at the high water level along the lower banks of the sewage treatment run-off ditch in April or

May. Cottonwood cuttings can also be transplanted in the run-off ditch in April. Cottonwood

cuttings inserted into the gravel bars with moisture underneath will increase the growth of

saplings (See “Table of Timeframe and Costs”, page 23 - 25).

The progress of the restored site would be monitored by various groups of volunteers in

the North Valleys Reno community and also the volunteers with the Nature Conservancy, the

Nevada Land Conservancy, the Carson City BLM, and the Lahontan Audubon Society.

Compiled data would be made available to the appropriate agencies and the public via internet

and/or a website set up for this restoration project, possibly through the University of Nevada

Reno Cooperative Extension Agriculture Department. Yearly public meetings can be conducted

by the City of Reno and would foster stewardship of this restoration site.

This plan would operate on a yearly basis. The first two years will involve cleanup,

fencing, chemical spraying, mulching, drill seeding, and transplanting. The third year will

include installing bird perches for birds of prey such as northern harrier and hawks. The

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following years will involve monitoring growth of invasive tall whitetop and treating new

growth with herbicide applications to kill it. It will also involve monitoring the new growth of

Great Basin wild rye grass, the regrowth of bulrush, and the new growth of sedges and

cottonwoods in the sewage treatment run-off ditch. Monitoring and repairing fencing on a yearly

basis will also be required to keep out off-road vehicles, as will monitoring any new illegal

dumping activities. This project will have an adaptive management monitoring plan to adjust for

any unexpected events or conditions.

This restoration project seeks to restore a wetland/terrestrial ecosystem and provide

wildlife habitat and open spaces in the City of Reno. It also seeks to promote community

involvement and stewardship responsibilities along with educational and recreational

opportunities. It is important that this project be viewed as an addition to the larger conservation

and restoration project of the Swan Lake Nature Study Area to restore the greater perimeter area

of Swan Lake wetland wildlife habitat and provide more scenic open spaces for the local

communities to enjoy.

Table of Timeframe and Costs

Timeframe Actions taken Equipment Costs

Year 1April through July

Establish working partnership with Swan Lake Nature Study Area stakeholders and federal, state and local environmental groups.

Clean-up illegally dumped debris.

Use brush cutters to mow tall whitetop.

Apply herbicide to tall whitetop.

Fence perimeter of restoration site.

Volunteer trucks with flat trailers

Handheld gas brush cutters and volunteers from BLM.

Backpack herbicidesprayers and volunteers from BLMTelar XP herbicide

Steel postsSmooth wire

Landfill fees (nominal)

$728.60 for 10 units

$433.40 for10 units

$1,251.57 for 42.24 acres

$1,834.50 for 50 posts$129.50 for 10 (336 ft.) rolls

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Year 1September and October

Drill seed basin wild rye

Mulch over wild rye seeds

Seed collection of sedges by volunteers from reference ecosystem.

Rental fees for tractor and driver

Basin wild rye seeds

Rental fees for tractor and driver

Mulch

Volunteers from University of Reno Agriculture Department, seed collection tools and bags.

Rental Rates are listed in the Rental Agreement for each drill and are specific to that drill. The amount charged is determined by the acreage meter on the drill. (Range from $150 per day to $450 per week.)

$369.60 for 148 pounds.

(see rental rates above).

Mulch is free from Free Green Exchange Reno/Tahoe, charges are only for gas to deliver mulch to site.

Year 2April and May

Plant sedge seeds or sedge transplants along with cottonwood cuttings in sewage treatment run-off ditch.

Monitor for new growth of tall whitetop and apply herbicide as needed.

Monitor new growth of Great Basin wild rye grass and apply more seed if necessary.

Check fencing for repairs on LAS volunteer clean-up event.Check for illegal dumping on LAS volunteer yearly clean-up event.

Wheelbarrows, garden gloves, small gardening tools and rubber boots.

Backpack sprayers and volunteers from BLM.

Volunteer groups and garden gloves. (Seed can be applied by hand.)

Clean up and fence repair can be done by volunteer groups during yearly clean-up event.

Can be provided by volunteer groups.

Costs will depend on amount of new tall whitetop growth.

Year 3 Monitor for new growth of tall whitetop and treat as necessary.Monitor for new growth of Great Basin wild rye and apply seed if necessary.Monitor for growth of sedges and cottonwoods in sewage run-off ditch.

Monitoring can be done by volunteer groups and school field projects.Herbicide treatment of whitetop implemented with backpack sprayers and BLM volunteers.

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Year 3 Check fencing for repairs during yearly clean-up event with LAS volunteers.

Check for illegal dumping in restoration site during yearly clean-up event with LAS volunteers

Install perching posts for birds of prey.

Repair as needed. Can be done by LAS volunteers with fencing equipment.

Volunteer trucks and trailers of LAS yearly clean-up event.

Built by volunteers with donated supplies of scrap lumber.

Years 4 through 10 Continue monitoring and data collection of growth of invasive tall whitetop and its competition with native Great Basin wild rye grass, bulrushes, sagebrush and rabbitbrush. Also monitor and document data collection of growth of sedges and cottonwoods in sewage treatment run-off ditch.

Continue fence repairs when needed and annual LAS volunteer clean-up events.

Monitoring can be done by volunteer groups and school field projects.

Fence repairs and clean-up can be done by LAS volunteers.

Expected Outcomes

Native vegetation and wildlife habitat

The expected outcomes of this restoration project will be the reduction in the amount of

the invasive tall whitetop and increased amounts of the native vegetation of Great Basin wild rye

grass, bulrush, sagebrush and rabbitbrush in the terrestrial area and reduced soil erosion by the

growth of cottonwoods and sedges in the sewage treatment run-off ditch over this 10 year

timeframe. The restoration site will closely resemble the reference site in soil composition and

native vegetation, but will have smaller cottonwood trees and no willow trees. Although it is

unlikely that all invasive tall whitetop will be removed from this proposed site it will be greatly

reduced and native vegetation should be substantially increased. The decreased wildlife

fragmentation and the increased availability of wildlife habitat around the Swan Lake wetland

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area should increase the populations of resident and migratory birds and also other native

wildlife that depend on these natural resources in this area.

Monitoring and Evaluation Success

With the goals of increased native vegetation productivity and soil health in the

surrounding area of the Swan Lake Nature Study Area it is important to continue monitoring and

evaluating the environmental conditions over the duration of the restoration. Yearly monitoring,

budgeting and community responses will be important to the success of this restoration project.

Achieving goals in accordance with the established timetable will be one of the primary methods

for evaluating success during the first 3 years. Because community involvement is essential to

this restoration project the levels of involvement and the responses from community meetings

will also be used in evaluating the restoration project’s effectiveness.

Yearly data collection of plant and animal abundance and soil testing would be conducted

in both the restoration site and the reference ecosystem. The data collected would be performed

by volunteers supervised by trained team leaders. Team leaders would preferably be comprised

of senior level University of Nevada Reno students majoring in environmental science, natural

resources, wildlife conservation, biology and agricultural studies, and also volunteers from the

Bureau of Land Management, Carson City. Compilation of data collected and production of

reports would be accomplished by team leaders. All data collection and report findings would be

published in a comprehensive report with this information made available to all Swan Lake

Nature Study Area stakeholders and the public. Project success will be measured by the progress

of increased ecosystem services and the sustainability of the restored site.

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Educational Opportunities

One of the primary goals of this restoration project is to provide education opportunities

for students of all ages by providing “living classrooms” of native vegetation and wildlife for

different age groups and different fields of scientific study. Students will be able to collect data

and analyze them in school projects. These “living classrooms” can also provide educational

material for studying ecosystem services found in a high desert wetland habitat. Using the

sewage treatment run-off ditch for educational opportunities will have to be restricted to higher

level education and providing information on the potential health risks of contact with effluent

water and its use in a wetland ecosystem.

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Appendix A

Figure 1. Orthoimagery map of area around restoration site (center of image in red). Commercial buildings are to the left, bare ground in center bottom (light gray area). Swan Lake Nature Study Area is located in center top to top right. All others are residential homes, commercial buildings and streets.

http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.htm

Figure 2. On-site photo of restoration site conditions. This is dormant tall whitetop competing with big sagebrush. Photo taken by Gail Arnn, April 2012.

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Reno/Stead Airport – Military Operations

Swan Lake Nature Study Area, Reno, NV

http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.htm

Image 3.On-site photo of restoration site conditions. This is the soil erosion along the sewage treatment run-off ditch. Photo taken by Gail Arnn, April 2012.

Figure 4. Topographic map of restoration area.

http://www.mytopo.com/maps/index.cfm?search_string=reno%2C+nevada

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Figure 5. Soil map of restoration area . West border of restoration area (blue line): sewage drainage ditch to Swan Lake Nature Study (dark line in North-South direction).

Washoe County, Nevada, South Part (NV 628)

Map Unit Symbol Map Unit Name

130 Greenbrae sandy loam, clayey substratum, 0 to 2 percent slopes.

230 Cradlebaugh loam

1040 Orr variant gravelly sandy loam

Table 1. Soils of restoration site. (http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm)

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Figure 6. Ecoregion IV map of restoration area. Ecoregion IV: 13aa – Sierra Nevada-Influenced Semiarid Hills and Basins, 13x – Sierra Nevada-Influenced Ranges

http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/level_iii_iv.htm#Level%20IV

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APPENDIX B

Figure 7. Reference Ecosystem located at Swan Lake Nature Study Area in Reno, Nevada and its adjacent location to restoration site.

(Google Earth, image from USGS).

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Figure 8. Reference ecosystem at Swan Lake Nature Study Area.

Photo taken by Gail Arnn, May 2012

Figure 9. Reference ecosystem sewage treatment run-off ditch.

Photo taken by Gail Arnn, May 2012.

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Figure 10. Washoe County Fire Hazard Map

(http://wcgisweb.washoecounty.us:8888/FireHazard/)

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Figure 11. City of Reno Planning Map of North Valleys Open Space Areas

(Reference: Reno’s Master Plan, 2012.)

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Swan Lake Restoration Plan 2012

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