Humboldt River Field Office has finalized the Water Canyon Recreation Area Environmental Assessment
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WINNEMUCCA, Nev.— The Humboldt River Field Office of the BLM has finalized the Water Canyon Recreation Area Environmental Assessment and has signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and Decision Record (DR) for the project. The Water Canyon Nature Trail has been closed since the recreation area bridges were removed in 2016 and 2020.
“This local trail is popular with our public lands visitors and provides access to the Winnemucca Overlook point,” said Kathleen Rehberg, Humboldt River Field Office Manager. “The public has been requesting the replacement of the bridges for several years and we are happy to announce the new upgrades.”
The Humboldt River Field Office will construct two pedestrian bridges to improve access to the nature trail. The nature trail will be rerouted on both sides of Whites Creek to accommodate the location of the downstream bridge. To reduce safety hazards associated with stream erosion, rock material and permanent stream protection will be placed to ensure the longevity of the bridges.
To improve visitor experience, an outdoor classroom will be added to the day use area along the trail (on the north side of the stream) and interpretive panels will be placed along the nature trail. The classroom will be open to the public on a first come, first-serve basis and reservable to organized groups through the special recreation permit process.
The final Environmental Assessment, FONSI, and DR can be viewed on the BLM ePlanning website at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2020434/510.
Water Canyon Recreation Area is located 5.2 miles southeast of Winnemucca, Nevada. For additional recreation area information go to https://www.blm.gov/visit/water-canyon-recreation-area. For more project information, please call Susan Grande at 775-623-1500.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.