Bowman Reservoir oasis ruined, closed

One of the costs associated with the extraordinary growth in Southern Nevada is increasing pressure on our limited natural resources.

For many of the area’s most popular outdoor destinations, that has meant increased regulation of human activity, usually because some people behave in a manner that has a negative impact on the resource and on the rest of us who would like to enjoy the outdoors.

And sometimes we lose access to the resource altogether. Such is the case with Moapa Valley’s Bowman Reservoir. During the past couple of weeks, people have asked why the popular reservoir was being fenced off and the access road blocked. I was unaware, but I wasn’t surprised.

Bowman Reservoir was built to store water for irrigation of the valley’s farms during the hot summer months. Contrary to popular belief, the reservoir is privately owned and is managed by the Muddy Valley Irrigation Company. Its sandy beaches and shade trees create a restful place where valley residents could take their families for an afternoon swim, an early-morning duck hunt or a day of bass fishing.

The first time I visited Bowman was in the early 1980s. My wife and I joined her family for a day of water skiing and swimming. It was a nice place. Then growth came to the Las Vegas Valley, and the crowds inevitably discovered this restful oasis. It wasn’t long before it wasn’t so restful.

By the late 1990s, the reservoir had become another trouble spot where state game wardens were sure to find more than a few violations of boating, fishing and littering laws. Visitors left behind piles of trash, including feces-filled diapers and glass containers. Many of the latter were broken, making the beach unsafe for barefooted recreationists.

Closing the reservoir to the recreating public “was the last thing we wanted to do,” said Scott Millington, general manager of the Muddy Valley Irrigation Company. “The reservoir has been a community asset for more than 50 years.”

Millington said that trash became a significant issue, and some visitors were even dumping their RV holding tanks in the area. The irrigation company brought in dumpsters so visitors would have somewhere to put their trash, but instead people began using them as a place to dump construction debris and used appliances.

Another problem the MVIC faces is the need for expensive liability insurance. The company’s insurance provider encouraged management to do away with all recreation on the site — private vendors who looked at managing the reservoir can’t afford the insurance.

Initially, folks at the MVIC tried to leave the reservoir open to foot, ATV and horse traffic by leaving an opening next to the gate. That didn’t last long, however, because somebody pulled the gates down and the cemented gate posts out of the ground. After that stunt, the company installed concrete barriers to protect the gates and fencing, giving up on the idea of allowing foot, ATV or horse traffic.

“We can’t even get in there with our own vehicles now,” Millington said.

* SHOOTING PARK — Reports that Nellis Air Force Base opposes the new Clark County Shooting Park under construction at the north end of Decatur Boulevard might not be accurate.

“I’m not sure where the ‘against’ statement comes from,” said Capt. Jessica Martin of the public affairs office. “We are working together to ensure the safety and compatibility of the project for the Air Force and for the county.”

According to reports, base officials are worried about the possibility that their aircraft might come under fire as they fly over the shooting park.

Martin said the Air Force has ”nothing in our files about aircraft taking fire from recreational shooters.”

Doug Nielsen is an award-winning freelance writer and a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His “In the Outdoors” column is published Thursday. He can be reached at doug@takinitoutside.com.