Editorial: Swimming toward survival

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 | 7:39 a.m.

A lot has been written about the endangered Moapa dace over the past several years, but few people have actually had a chance to see this tiny fish. That will change, under a plan being worked out by local and federal officials.

Dace exist nowhere in the world except within a few miles of the upper Muddy River and within the warm springs of the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, about 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The refuge was created in 1979, specifically to protect the 3-inch fish from becoming extinct.

The warm water necessary to the fish's existence was being threatened by development and invasive, non-native plant species that were clogging life-giving streams.

Creation of the refuge provided immediate protection, but a long-term threat remained - growth in Southern Nevada would deplete the warm waters if something wasn't done.

Today, dace seem destined for a comeback, owing to an agreement among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, two water agencies and a developer. Under the agreement, the Southern Nevada Water Authority will provide habitat funding. Also, the Moapa Valley Water District and a land developer operating in northern Clark County and southern Lincoln County, Coyote Springs Investment, are donating water.

Within two years, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service, a public viewing area should be ready at the refuge. We view the agreement as a positive step toward ensuring the longevity of the dace and other species in the refuge. For that to happen, though, the agreement must be permanently monitored and enforced.