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30-518: It was the first project of the newly organized U.S. Reclamation Service (known today as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation), organized by the Reclamation Act of 1902. As a result of the diversion, Winnemucca Lake lost inflow and dried up, and Pyramid Lake lost more than 80 feet (24 m) in elevation, resulting in the near-extinction of the Lahontan cutthroat trout . The dam is operated by

60-572: A core in Pyramid Lake to establish a window of when the lake level was low enough to allow access to the rocks. Sedimentary cores were collected from nearby Pyramid Lake and subjected to analysis to determine rise and fall of the waterline over time. More precise methods of dating would have required taking scrapings from the grooves of the petroglyphs, which was not allowed by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. However, Benson

90-562: A small brook on Pilot Peak , on the Nevada/Utah border. This population was used to successfully restock Lake Lahontan. This article contains content from United States government sources in the public domain. Winnemucca Lake Winnemucca Lake is a dry lake bed in northwest Nevada that features the oldest known petroglyphs in North America . Located astride the border between Washoe and Pershing counties, it

120-543: Is Star Peak at 9,840 ft (3,000 m). At the 2000 census there were 6,693 people, 1,962 households, and 1,383 families living in the county. The population density was 1 person per square mile (0.39 person/km ). There were 2,389 housing units at an average density of 0.39 units per square mile (0.15/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 77.69% White, 5.35% Black or African American, 3.42% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 9.38% from other races, and 3.30% from two or more races. 19.33% of

150-649: Is an original feature of the Newlands Reclamation Project , named after Nevada Congressman Francis Newlands, who sponsored the Reclamation Act. Not surprisingly, a dam in Newlands, Nevada launched the project. It was the first of five projects authorized and built under the Reclamation Act of 1902 . With passage of the act, the federal government assumed a major role in designing and constructing large-scale irrigation projects throughout

180-478: The Truckee River after it flows from Lake Tahoe . The reduction in flow to Pyramid Lake and the inability of Lahontan cutthroat trout (the "salmon-trout" as described by Frémont) to bypass the dam for spawning eliminated them from Lake Lahontan and its tributaries and caused the near extinction of the species. But in 1979 a remnant population of the original Pyramid Lake cutthroat trout was discovered in

210-666: The Truckee-Carson Irrigation District . It was named after the Derby Southern Pacific Railroad station. The dam was constructed for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation following an authorization for construction issued on March 14, 1903. Construction commenced on October 2, 1903, and was completed on May 20, 1905. The project was authorized on March 14, 1903, by Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock . The dam

240-691: The slough connecting it to Pyramid Lake ) was built, Winnemucca Lake dried out and has remained seasonally dry since the late 1930s. In 1936, Franklin D. Roosevelt invoked the Migratory Bird Conservation Act to create the Winnemucca Migratory Bird Refuge as a "refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife." In 1940, the name was changed to the Winnemucca National Wildlife Refuge. In 1962,

270-816: The Truckee River into the Truckee Canal and then two main project canals, the Southside Main Canal ("V" Line) and the Northside Main Canal ("T" Line). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 as the "Derby Diversion Dam." Water diverted at Derby Dam to farms in Lahontan Valley constitutes as much as three-fourths of the flow of the Truckee River, the largest diversion of water from

300-451: The West. The diversion dam is part of the network of water storage, diversion, and conveyance structures that provides water for irrigating about 73,000 acres (30,000 ha) of farmland in an area that receives less than 4.5 inches (110 mm) of annual precipitation. The dam is not designed for water storage. It is a low 31 feet (9.4 m) high concrete structure that diverts water from

330-408: The age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.9% were non-families, and 26.6% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 41.0 years. The median household income was $ 56,491 and the median family income was $ 61,410. Males had

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360-474: The boulders. Pershing County, Nevada Pershing County is a county in the U.S. state of Nevada . As of the 2020 census , the population was 6,650. Its county seat is Lovelock . The county is listed as Nevada Historical Marker 17. The marker is at the courthouse in Lovelock . The Black Rock Desert , location for the annual Burning Man event, is partially in the county. The county

390-474: The county was $ 16,589. About 10.20% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line , including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 5.60% of those age 65 or over. At the 2010 census , there were 6,753 people, 2,018 households, and 1,375 families living in the county. The population density was 1.1 inhabitants per square mile (0.42/km ). There were 2,464 housing units at an average density of 0.4 per square mile (0.15/km ). The racial makeup of

420-426: The county was 81.9% white, 3.7% black or African American, 3.2% American Indian, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 6.7% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 22.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 19.5% were German , 16.8% were Irish , 13.8% were English , 5.1% were Italian , and 4.4% were American . Of the 2,018 households, 31.6% had children under

450-555: The designs had been carved into a branch form of tufa , a type of limestone. The research showed that the limestone was deposited between 16,200 and 14,800 years ago, but no specific date for the carvings was suggested. In 2013, a team of researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder (including Benson) collected carbonate crust and shallow-water algal formations from the site. They then used radiocarbon dating strontium isotope analysis and total inorganic carbon data from

480-662: The dividing line between Washoe and Pershing counties. The lake bed lies between the Lake Range on the west and the Nightingale Mountains and Selenite Range to the east. Winnemucca Lake is about 45 km (28 mi) long and about 7 km (4.3 mi) wide. The lake bed is at an elevation of 1,150 m (3,770 ft), which is below the water level of adjacent Pyramid Lake. Winnemucca Lake may have been dry when John Frémont came through in 1843–44. Frémont's 1844 map indicates that he traveled to

510-761: The estimated age of the Spirit Cave mummy found nearby. Either date range would make the petroglyphs the oldest found in North America to date. The older date would roughly correspond to the estimated time of the first human migrations into North America and to remains found in Paisley Cave , Oregon . Previously, the oldest carvings in North America were thought to be those estimated to be 7,300 years old found at Long Lake , in Oregon. The rocks include both simple petroglyphs such as straight lines and swirls and more complex petroglyphs that resemble trees, flowers, or

540-662: The oldest known petroglyphs found in North America. The carvings lie within the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation . Note: There is another lake, having the same name of "Winnemucca Lake" in California, near the Carson pass (coordinates: 38°40'10.80"N, 119°59'36.59"W). Winnemucca Lake is a sub-basin within the Lahontan Basin in northwestern Nevada . It lies east of Pyramid Lake and is on

570-535: The petroglyphs may represent meteorological symbols such as clouds and lightning. Benson's team suggests the Winnemucca Lake petroglyphs share several distinctive features in common with the Long Lake petroglyphs that are not found in more recent petroglyphs. How the petroglyphs were created is not known. One possibility is that hard volcanic rock was used to chip away at the softer carbonate formations on

600-410: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,962 households 38.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 7.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 24.30% of households were one person and 8.60% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size

630-492: The refuge designation was removed, making this area the first refuge designation lost because of lack of water. The western end of Winnemucca Lake is home to several boulders carved with petroglyphs that lie within the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation . The site, officially designated 26Wa3329, was first described by Connick and Connick in 1992. The team, Frances and Robert E. Connick , classified it as unusual, and possibly very early. In 1994, geochemist Larry Benson determined

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660-628: The soldiers ran after her but thanks be to the Good Father in the Spirit land my dear sister got away. This almost killed my poor papa." The maximum level of the lake was 26 meters (85 ft) in the 1880s Winnemucca Lake was a shallow tule -filled lake and an important stop for migrating waterfowl . After the Derby Dam was built on the Truckee River in 1903 (the first project of the Reclamation Act ), and State Route 447 (which blocked

690-499: The veins of a leaf. There also is an intricate diamond pattern on one rock. The smallest are approximately 8 inches (20 cm) in width, while the largest are 3 feet (0.91 m). Grooves are approximately .4 to .8 inches (1.0 to 2.0 cm) deep. The carvings are deeper and larger than those typically found in the Southwestern United States. The meaning of the carvings is unknown. The Connick team suggested

720-407: The waterline began to fall about 15,000 years ago, reaching a low approximately 13,300 years ago. At about 13,200 years ago it rose again, and had intermittent low periods thereafter (from 11,300 to 10,500 according to one method, or from 11,500 to 11,100 according to another). The broad consistencies among the various dating methods allowed the research team to conclude the petroglyph rocks were above

750-567: The waterline, and thus available for carving, from 14,800 and 13,200 years ago and between 11,300 and 10,500 years ago. Additionally, the younger date range is consistent with the date of textiles previously found within the Winnemucca sub-basin (dated as old as 10,700 years ago) and the date of various human artifacts previously found within the Lahontan Basin (dated from 11,000 to 10,400 years ago). The younger dates also align with

780-769: The west of Winnemucca Lake and does not map the Winnemucca Lake valley. The Elko Free Press reports that there was a flood in 1862 that filled the lake to 80 feet (24 m), but Russell states that the level was low in 1862. In 1865, Winnemucca Lake (then known as Mud Lake ) was the site of the Battle of Mud Lake where 29 soldiers from the 1st Nevada Volunteer Cavalry Battalion led by Captain Almond B. Wells (and two civilian guides) killed 29 Smoke Creek Indians. At least two of those killed were women, possibly more. Sarah Winnemucca wrote "I had one baby brother killed there. My sister jumped on father's best horse and ran away. As she ran

810-467: Was 3.22. The age distribution was 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 36.00% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 158.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 182.10 males. The median household income was $ 40,670 and the median family income was $ 46,268. Males had a median income of $ 34,417 versus $ 24,301 for females. The per capita income for

840-444: Was a shallow lake until the 1930s, but was dried when a dam and a road were built that combined to restrict and block water flow. It was formerly designated as a National Wildlife Refuge, but its status as a refuge was removed due to the lack of water. Winnemucca Lake is home to several petroglyphs long believed to be very old. In 2013, researchers dated the carvings to between 14,800 and 10,500 years ago. Either date would make them

870-501: Was allowed to use non-invasive techniques to examine the petroglyphs that allowed him to work to the side of the carvings. The research was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science . Dating of the lowest (newest) carbonate crust yielded a date of 10,200 to 9,800 years ago. The algal formation dating suggested the waterline was sufficiently low from 12,600 to 11,400 years ago. The sedimentary core analysis of Pyramid Lake showed

900-567: Was named after army general John J. Pershing (1860–1948). It was formed from Humboldt County in 1919, and is the last county to be established in Nevada. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 6,067 square miles (15,710 km ), of which 6,037 square miles (15,640 km ) is land and 31 square miles (80 km ) (0.5%) is water. The tallest and most topographically prominent mountain in Pershing County

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