Maintenance of Razorback Sucker Rearing Ponds at Yuma Cove

The National Park Service is seeking public comment on the proposed maintenance of a backwater pond located at Yuma Cove on Lake Mohave, within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The pond is used to grow endangered razorback suckers prior to releasing them into Lake Mohave and is a critical component of the razorback recovery program. The earthen berm that separates the pond from Lake Mohave has slowly eroded away due to wind and wave action. At the northern end of the berm, the elevation has dropped approximately one foot and the crest width has narrowed to less than one foot. Restoration is necessary to ensure the berm is not compromised and that young razorbacks are not preyed on by other species in Lake Mohave.

Heavy equipment will be transported to the site to move material and repair the erosion. The work is proposed for the fall, when the lake is at its lowest level, to allow the equipment sufficient room to make the repairs. An environmental assessment is being prepared to analyze the effects of alternative methods of completing the project. Comments and recommendations concerning the scope of the environmental assessment, the issues it should cover, the alternatives to consider, and other resource concerns will be accepted through June 24, 2010. They may be submitted by U.S. Mail to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Compliance Office, 601 Nevada Way, Boulder City, NV 89005 or via the internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/.