
Shrubs and trees along the southeast corner of the reservoir (view north). |
Description
Bowman Reservoir captures some of the water that flows down
the Muddy River. The area is not scenic, but it does provide desert
birders with another place to look for waterfowl and other water
species. The area is heavily used by fishermen and off-road vehicles,
so it might not be peaceful. This is not a destination, but rather a
place to stop for a few minutes while on the way to somewhere else or
while making a birding run along the north side of Lake Mead.
The reservoir has saltcedar, willow, and mesquite thickets, a
few big cottonwood trees, and a few shrubs around the high water mark.
When the water is low, mudflats are exposed. The surrounding area is
sparsely vegetated with creosote bush and saltbush. There are no
marshes in the reservoir, but the canal leading into the reservoir
(adjacent to the access road) is bordered with marsh vegetation. |

View from the east arm towards cottonwood trees on the north edge of the reservoir (view north). |
Location
Bowman Reservoir is located about 1 hour northeast of Las
Vegas. The easiest way to get there from town is to drive north on
Highway I-15 to the Logandale exit (Exit #93). Turn right onto Highway
169 and drive south for 3.6 miles to Bowman Road (Table 1, Site 664]).
Turn left onto Bowman Road and drive east, past a few houses, and up
onto the dam (Site 596). After about 0.25 miles, you will see the
water, and a good spotting-scope place is the bluff just past where you
first see the water. The paved road runs across the dam and up the east
side of the reservoir for a total of about 1.25 miles from Highway 169.
There is some soft sand at the end of the pavement, so be careful and
don't get stuck. |

With some marshy vegetation, the canal leading into the reservoir might have the most interesting birds around (view west)! |
Hours
The reservoir appears to always be open.
Fees
None.
Specialties
In season, look for ducks, geese, and other waterbirds (e.g.,
Mallard, Canada Geese, American Wigeon, and Clark's Grebe, Common
Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, White Pelican, plus Ring-billed and
Herring gulls); hawks, eagles, and similar species (e.g., Northern
Harrier, American Kestrel, Merlin, probably Bald Eagle), resident and
migrant passerines (e.g., Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow, Black
Phoebe, American Pipit), and other species such as Common Roadrunner. |