Big Game Water Developments Ready for Summer in Southern Nevada

With summer weather on the horizon, the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has announced that all 135 big game water developments that are located in the state’s four southern counties are all operational and will be providing wildlife with water during the upcoming months.

Craig Stevenson, NDOW biologist, said he and volunteers from the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn recently visited 53 of the more remote water development sites in 16 mountain ranges of Clark, Lincoln and southern Nye counties. They used a helicopter to access the sites, inspect the water tanks and make any needed repairs.

Ground inspections were held during the past year at the more easily accessible sites in the three counties as well as at locations in Esmeralda County.

Water developments, commonly called guzzlers, consist of water tanks that collect and store rain water that can be utilized by bighorn sheep, antelope, elk, deer and other wildlife. Troughs are located next to the tanks where animals can obtain the water.

Besides inspecting and making repairs, NDOW and the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn recently rebuilt a water development that was originally constructed in the Highland Mountain Range south of Boulder City in 1973. The development consists of two tanks that combine to hold 3,600 gallons of water.

On April 23, NDOW and the Fraternity installed a development consisting of three tanks that hold 5,400 gallons in the Monte Cristo Mountain Range of Esmeralda County, approximately 35 miles west of Tonopah. The development was dedicated to the memory of Denny and Wauna Selleck, a Las Vegas couple who dedicated countless hours to raising funds for wildlife and doing conservation projects.

Funding for the aerial surveys came in part from the Wildlife Heritage Account. The $35,000 construction cost for Monte Cristo Water Development was paid for by a combination of funds from NDOW and Bighorns Unlimited. It was installed with volunteers from the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn.

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