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Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Coordinates: 40°12′07″N 115°29′35″W / 40.202°N 115.493°W / 40.202; -115.493
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Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Map showing the location of Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Map showing the location of Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Location of the wildlife refuge
Map showing the location of Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Map showing the location of Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Nevada)
LocationElko County, White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Coordinates40°12′07″N 115°29′35″W / 40.202°N 115.493°W / 40.202; -115.493
Area39,928 acres (161.58 km2)
Established1938
Governing bodyU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WebsiteRuby Lake National Wildlife Refuge

The Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in southwestern Elko County and northwestern White Pine County in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada in the western United States. Established in 1938, as of 2023 it encompasses 39,928 acres (161.58 km2)[1] of wetlands in Ruby Valley, just east of the Ruby Mountains and just south of Harrison Pass. It is 16 miles (26 km) long, up to 3 miles (4.8 km) in width, and lies at an elevation of 6,000 feet (1,800 m). Once the bed of a 200-foot (61 m) deep lake, it is now a network of spring-fed marshes and shallow ponds serving as a habitat for hundreds of species of native and migratory birds and mammals.

The Refuge is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A Visitor's Center (located at 40°12′08″N 115°29′34″W / 40.202167°N 115.492833°W / 40.202167; -115.492833) and auto-tour route allow for discreet viewing of waterfowl.

Ruby Valley, looking north from near Overland Pass. The Ruby Lakes Refuge is the dark geen area in the valley floor at left.

Ruby Marsh

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Ruby Marsh is a wetlands area within the national refuge, which serves as a nesting area for "the greater sandhill crane and trumpeter swan". In 1972, Ruby Marsh, which is located within the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge".
  2. ^ "National Natural Landmarks - National Natural Landmarks (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-24. It is a stopover and nesting area for many migratory birds, including the greater sandhill crane and trumpeter swan.
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Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.