Fish Slough Area of Critical Environmental Concern

The Fish Slough Area of Critical Environmental Concern is a protected slough in Inyo County, eastern California.[1] It is located on the western side of the Chalfant Valley, 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Bishop in the northern Owens Valley area.[2]

Its 36,000 acres (15,000 ha) were designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) in 1982, and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.[1] The Fish Slough Area is an oasis in the middle of the otherwise arid volcanic tableland. In 1975, Fish Slough was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.[3]

Plants and biomes

The Fish Slough ACEC is located in the transition zone (ecotone) between the Mojave Desert and Great Basin biomes.[1] Plant communities including wetlands, alkali meadows, and uplands.[1]

One plant, Fish Slough milk vetch (Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis), is endemic to the area.[4][5] The Alkali Mariposa lily (Calochortus striatus) is also a rare plant found in the ACEC, and is a vulnerable species on the California Native Plant Society Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Fish Slough Area of Critical Environmental Concern". National Landscape Conservation System, Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original on 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  2. ^ "Fish Slough Area of Critical Environmental Concern". Recreation.gov.
  3. ^ "National Natural Landmarks - National Natural Landmarks (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2019-04-14. Year designated: 1975
  4. ^ CalFlora Database: Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis (Fish slough milk vetch).
  5. ^ NRCS. "Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
  6. ^ CNPS−California Native Plant Society Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants: Calochortus striatus (alkali mariposa lily) . accessed 1.1.2016.

37°28′09″N 118°24′03″W / 37.46908°N 118.40086°W / 37.46908; -118.40086


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