Amargosa Conservancy

Amargosa Conservancy (AC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working toward a sustainable future of the Amargosa River watershed through science, stewardship, and advocacy. Over 20 years, we've united a community of 1,800+ members to advocate for the Amargosa River as a crown jewel of the Mojave Desert.

The Amargosa River, flowing 184 miles through Nevada and California into Death Valley National Park, sustains unique wetland oases crucial for over 70 species found nowhere else on Earth. Endangered species, including the Amargosa niterwort and Devils Hole pupfish, rely on ancient flowing groundwater in one of the hottest and driest places in North America. Local communities, grappling with above average poverty rates, depend on the river for water and ecotourism.

Our program of work is centered around broadening awareness and increasing protections for this unique desert ecosystem in the following ways:

-- Advocating for sustainable groundwater management and land use practices
--Championing scientific research on groundwater trends and habitat health to inform evidence-based initiatives
--Engaging communities and building coalitions through events, seminars, and public forums
--Educating the public and decision makers on priority issues through science-driven communications and media
--Fostering collaborative partnerships to undertake high-impact research and habitat restoration projects
--Maintaining and enhancing access to the Amargosa Wild & Scenic River

Amargosa Conservancy's holistic approach reflects an unwavering commitment to conservation, community empowerment, and sustainable land management. By safeguarding the unique ecosystem of the Amargosa River watershed, we help protect the natural and cultural heritage of this extraordinary piece of the Mojave Desert for the benefit of the public and future generations.

The central strategy guiding Amargosa Conservancy's pursuit of 2030 Sustainable Development goals is to protect the water of the Amargosa River watershed as a means to protecting its wild inhabitants. All the more than 70 endemic species native to the region fundamentally depend on the presence of groundwater to survive in one of the most extreme desert climates on Earth. Additionally, more than 40,000 people live in the watershed, including Tribal communities of the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, and small rural communities with above average poverty levels. These individuals also existentially depend on groundwater for their lives and livelihoods.

By advocating for sustainable management of groundwater, Amargosa Conservancy works to conserve extraordinarily rare plant and wildlife biodiversity while also bolstering the water security for local communities. This work is critical during a time in which climate change is reshaping this portion of the Mojave Desert, driving megadroughts and frequent catastrophic flood events that are forcing wildlife and communities to adapt in real time. For this reason, our organization continues to invest in hydrological research and monitoring to better understand how groundwater moves through this complex system, and how human use and climate change may be impacting the flow of the Amargosa River over time.

Amargosa Conservancy supports the responsible development of renewable energy as an essential means of mitigating climate change impacts. Our organization advocates for a balanced planning and construction approach that whenever possible focuses industrial wind, solar, and geothermal project development on previously disturbed lands as opposed to within intact sensitive ecosystems.

For over 20 years, our organization has utilized a collaborative model of conservation with a focus on attending to challenges and opportunities on a landscape level. Amargosa Conservancy prioritizes partnerships and coalition-efforts that center Tribal and historically marginalized voices, as these communities are often most impacted by public lands and natural resource conflicts. We believe fervently in the use of both Traditional Ecological Knowledge and the best available science to inform our advocacy efforts.

Amargosa Conservancy has been the leading conservation voice in the Amargosa River watershed for over 20 years. Made up of career advocates, scientists, artists, attorneys, and former land managers, our board of directors boasts a diverse array of skills and expertise that inform the pursuit of our mission and strategic goals. These passionate people have a deep and personal connection with this extraordinary reach of the Mojave Desert, and that passion is reflected fully in our organizational values.

Amargosa Conservancy cultivates diverse partnerships with Tribes, local governments, researchers, state and federal land managers, and other non-profit partners working on conservation issues in the Amargosa River watershed. These relationships situate Amargosa Conservancy as a hub in the region, capable of convening and leading coalitions and sharing vital information. Our milestone achievements of spearheading hydrological research, working toward needed land use and status changes such as the designation of the Amargosa Wild & Scenic River, and a history of standing up for the communities and wildlife of the region in the face of threats has earned our organization a position of trust and confidence in the region.

Our organization is robustly supported by over 1,800 individuals, with member donations exceeding 30% of our annual revenue over the last few fiscal years. Our engaged membership is critical to our ability to take and sustain essential actions in the face of imminent threats, or in pursuit of meaningful opportunities.

Visit www.amargosaconservancy.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X to learn more us and the impactful work we are undertaking in the Amargosa River watershed.