Clark County Wetlands Park Nature Preserve - 1

2007-03-18. On our way to Death Valley last year, we stayed overnight in Las Vegas. On Sunday morning, our friend took us to his favourite walking venue - the 150-acre Nature Preserve in Clark County Wetlands Park. The Wetlands Park allows visitors to experience different facets of a dynamic wash environment (the 12-mile long Las Vegas Wash). 

One purpose of the park is to reduce the environmental impact of the waste water and storm runoff leaving the drainage basin area. This is being accomplished by installing a series of water flow control structures ... and creating ponds that together slow down the flow of the water, catching silt and reducing the undercutting of the dirt walls that form the wash. The sides of the wash are being stabilized by installing native plants and large pieces of demolished construction debris. Some of the native plants ... help to purify the water by removing various pollutants as the slow moving water provides these plants with nourishment. This method of purification is also called natural water polishing. [Wikipedia]

It's fascinating to be out in this quiet oasis east of Las Vegas and to be able to see the buildings of The Strip in the distance. We walked on paved and dirt trails passing ponds, streams, dams, marshes and swamps.