SNARL Site Facts, Facilities, and Habitats

Administering Campus: UC Santa Barbara

Established: 1973

Location: Mono County, on eastern slope of Sierra Nevada; 13 km (8 mi) east of Mammoth Lakes just off U.S. Highway 395 on Mt. Morrison Road; 290 km (180 mi) south of Reno, NV.

Size: 22 ha (55 acres)

Latitude/Longitude: 37º36'51"N/118º49'47"W

USGS Maps: Mt. Morrison 15', Convict Lake 7.5'

Regional Elevation: 1,250 to 4,012 m (4,100 to 13,163 ft)

Site Elevation: 2,149 to 2169 m (7,052 to 7,116 ft)

Average Precipitation: 25 to 38 cm (10 to 15 in)/yr, most as snow. Snow depth in winter ranges from 1 to 2 m (3 to 6 ft)

Temperature Ranges:

Summer: 0° to 29°C (32° to 84°F)

Winter: -23° to 11°C (-10° to 52°F)

Current Weather at Mammoth Airport

Housing: SNARL has overnight facilities for 40 persons in a dormitory, a three-bedroom house (Q8), a two-bedroom house (Q1), and 2 one-bedroom cottages (Q2 and Q3). Each unit has bunks, a kitchen with pots, pans, and dishes, and restroom facilities. There is no food or custodial service. Users are expected to furnish their own food, bedding, towels, vehicles, and equipment. Housing is assigned at the discretion of the Director. See the site map and building photos for more detail.

Lab/Office Facilities: SNARL has over 6,000 sq. ft. of lab and office space. There are wet labs, dry labs, a radioisotope lab, controlled-environment chambers, and shared laboratory equipment. Please see the laboratory orientation section for more detail. Office space is available with or without Internet and LAN access. There is a shared computing facility with computers; slide and flatbed scanners; color and b&w printers. There is modest library, conference rooms, and a classroom/lecture hall. Dedicated email/Internet kiosks are provided. Long term storage space, tools, and shop space are also available.

Special Features: Located at the base of Mt. Morrison, the perennial mountain stream Convict Creek flows through the Reserve. It is divided into channels for manipulative studies. In addition, a diversion supplies water to a set of nine artificial streams, each 1m x 50m long. SNARL provides excellent access to the high Sierra Nevada, Mono Lake, Long Valley, Owens Valley, Yosemite National Park, and the Great Basin.

Habitats: The Reserve protects examples of Great Basin sagebrush, riparian woodland, and riparian meadow communities. Protected from entry and grazing for many years, these communities are in excellent condition. Non-aquatic research is permitted and encouraged.

Databases: Long-term flow/temp records for Convict Creek; climate data; maps; bibliography of on-site research; synoptic collections; complete flora; selected species lists; aerial photos; regional geographic information system (GIS).

Personnel: On-site staff reserve director, stewards, staff scientists, research assistants, part-time database manager, environmental monitoring specialist, education coordinator, and computer specialist.

NRS Publications Reserve brochure (revised 2000); VESR Flora, 2nd ed. published 2000 available via website .