Bighorn sheep, wild horses, and more, call Hawthorne Army Depot home

The Hawthorne Army Depot, located in western Nevada, plays a crucial role in the storage, maintenance, and demilitarization of conventional ammunition and related items for the U.S. military.

HWAD, a subordinate of the Joint Munitions Command, also serves as home to an abundance of wildlife.

In the 1980s, in partnership with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, approximately 20 Nelson's bighorn sheep were moved from southern Nevada to Mount Grant.

In 2018, over 220 bighorn sheep were counted at HWAD, and they continue to thrive at the depot.

"The NDOW has increased the number of hunting tags to three for this region and bagging a bighorn sheep is quite an accomplishment," said Charles "Chuck" King, the director of base operations at HWAD. "These sheep are very well camouflaged and are difficult to see when driving by the cliffs, but they are there."

Besides bighorn sheep, another project HWAD and NDOW have teamed up on is the releasing of Lahonton cutthroat trout and Tui chub into creeks on Mount Grant.

Walker Lake and Pyramid Lake, located in Nixon, Nevada, approximately 120 miles north of HWAD, once formed a single body of water known as Lahonton Lake. This lake was the exclusive habitat for the Lahonton cutthroat trout. As the climate shifted and the lakes underwent changes, the Lahonton trout flourished separately in each body of water. Presently, both the Lahonton trout and Tui chub are thriving in the creeks they inhabit.

In the latter part of the 19th century, settlement began in Mason Valley and the Walker Lake basin. With the onset of agricultural activity, river water intended for Walker Lake was diverted, leading to a significant increase in total dissolved solids over the past 150 years. This rise in TDS has rendered the lake unsuitable for sustaining aquatic life. The Bureau of Land Management estimates Walker Lake has lost 80% of its volume over the past century and a half.

Managed by the BLM, a herd of feral (wild) horses have been a part of HWAD for more than 50 years. Approximately 250 horses roam in the Wassuk Herd Management Area.

"HWAD has been a community partner in the Walker Lake Valley for close to 100 years," said Larry Cruz, HWAD's commander's representative. "Our commitment to the people of the region, the environment, and positive enhancement of the natural resources comes together in a way that highlights the Army's commitment to environmental stewardship."

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