Acronyms:

AWHC = American Wild Horse Campaign

BLM = Bureau of Land Management 

NDOT = Nevada Department of Transportation

WHC = Wild Horse Connection

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The draft fencing plan is conceptual and will require coordination between NDOT, Washoe County, and the City of Reno as well as the private property owners where the fence is placed. In order to have a functioning fencing plan and wildlife crossing, the fencing must be continuous. This effort is anticipated to take multiple years.

As growth occurs along the Virginia Range, development requests are analyzed by City of Reno staff and associated public agencies and presented in public hearings for final decisions. Water sources and the movement of horses is considered in these requests.

The primary water source has been Steamboat Creek. As development occurs, we are considering two options:

  • to develop a manufactured water source (tank)
  • or working with developers, NDA, and TMWA to keep certain sections of Steamboat Creek open to wildlife
Since data collection on the speed radar signs captures date and time stamps, the Reno Police Department is able to patrol the areas more heavily at times that are elevated.
The City of Reno is currently working with Storey County commissioner Clay Mitchell, as well as coordinating with Washoe County, the State of Nevada (NDOT) and horse advocacy groups such as Wild Horse Connection and American Wild Horse Campaign.

As new development encroaches into the Virginia Range, the City of Reno is proactively working to reduce the impacts to the Virginia Range horses population. Through zoning standards and regulations, all new development that abuts or has access to the Virginia Range is required to incorporate the following:

  • Provide a contiguous horse fencing plan.
  • Provide cattle guards with welded "hoof stops" and self-closing gates that open outward and are installed at all locations where roadways cross the perimeter fencing.
  • Provide six-foot wide, self-closing pedestrian gates that open out and are installed at all locations where sidewalk/pedestrian pathways cross the perimeter fencing.
  • Provide pedestrian gates near cattle guards to help double as emergency exits for horses that may become stuck inside the gate. 
  • Fencing plans are required to be approved by City staff prior to the issuance of any building permit and all required fencing, cattle guards, and/or pedestrian gates shall be installed prior to any construction, including grading, commencing.
  • Maintenance and monitoring perimeter fencing shall be maintained by the developer during construction and maintenance responsibility shall be transferred to a homeowner’s association, landscape maintenance association, or other similar entity upon formation. 
  • The party responsible for maintaining the fence shall maintain a contract for on-call fence repair to expedite response (within 48 hours of notice) of the repairs as needed.
  • During construction, the developer is required to provide a gate monitor for roadway crossings with an emphasis on monitoring areas on the property with potential ingress/egress of the existing improved areas.
  • Turf is prohibited within 200 feet of any proposed cattle guard/roadway crossing.
  • Where open channel drainage facilities cross the perimeter fencing on a subject property, large rip-rap is required to be installed in the drainage channel abutting the perimeter fencing.
A wildlife corridor has been formally proposed. All of the land on which the corridor will cross is privately owned land. Completing the corridor will require land donations, acquisitions, and easements. This requires coordination between the City of Reno, Washoe County, NDOT, and land owners.
Yes. The cattleguards are outfitted with rebar hoof stops to prevent injury. 
Washoe County will determine the location of the Toll Road and Ravazza cattle guards once there is a finalized fencing plan.
The speed radars will provide data on average speed limits in the area. Once the City of Reno has the data, Reno Police Department (RPD) surveillance can be adjusted, as needed.
This is a Washoe County road. This question has been reported to Washoe County for awareness.
Yes.
Per the Nevada Department of Agriculture website: Report illegal feeding by calling the Animal Industry division at 775-353-3608 with specific details – date, time, address or location, license plate numbers and any other identifying information.
Unfortunately, people repeatedly knock down this gate. It is in the process of being rebuilt now. Cameras will also be installed to provide evidence for prosecution.
These were temporary signs that have been removed. The City of Reno installed permanent flashing signs that flash 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
If this option moves forward, the project will be a multi-year effort requiring coordination between not only multiple public agencies, but also private property owners.
Horse warning signs may be installed at the discretion of the governmental entity maintaining that section of road. If you have suggested locations, please submit them to that entity.
The traffic study performed on Veterans Parkway had very few “big rigs” (semi trucks with trailers) using the route as a pass through. There are trucks using the route for local deliveries or local construction. The City of Reno will review options for setting varying speed limits with the Federal Highway Administration to include day and night speed limits and separate speed limits for trucks.
Wild Horse Connection requests twisted smooth wire fencing when working with new development. NDOT uses a mix of barbed and smooth wire in their fencing.
Yes, Virginia Range horses eat cheatgrass in the spring when it is young and tender, other vegetation as it dries in late summer, as well as other fuel vegetations, certainly contributing to the reduction in fast-burning fire fuels.
The fencing project along US 50 east, through Dayton, has been completed, and enhanced lighting has been installed at fencing limits where horses can cross.
Water sources for all wildlife are being considered. There are laws governing how this is done. The easiest water source to maintain is a natural one.
No. Protection and preservation of this historically and culturally significant herd on a shrinking landscape is, and has always been, the goal with fertility control.

NDOT is in the planning stages of evaluating a wildlife crossing solution for Geiger Grade that could potentially be incorporated in the future. Wildlife overpasses are also something WHC and AWHC are asking for in the case of any future major roadways that would bisect the Virginia Range.

These are good for all wildlife including deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, horses, etc. There are wildlife underpasses on USA Parkway and Highway 50 (in Stagecoach) with good sight lines (important for equine use) that horses currently use.

Nevada is a 'fence out' state. This means private property owners are responsible for fencing out horses. However, Washoe County recently installed a cattle guard at the south end of Hidden Valley. Additionally, Wild Horse Connection volunteers recently installed fencing for a private property owner in Hidden Valley.

The City and County are working to enhance education regarding not feeding the Virginia Range Horses, analyzing speed limits on local roads, and analyzing the possibility of a joint fencing program on the south end of Reno and the County to prevent horses from entering Veterans Pkwy, Geiger Grade and Toll Road. As projects firm up we will continue consulting with the public.

Nevada is a 'fence out' state. This means private property owners are responsible for fencing out horses. However, Washoe County recently installed a cattle guard at the south end of Hidden Valley. Additionally, Wild Horse Connection volunteers recently installed fencing for a private property owner in Hidden Valley.

The City and County are working to enhance education regarding not feeding the Virginia Range Horses, analyzing speed limits on local roads, and analyzing the possibility of a joint fencing program on the south end of Reno and the County to prevent horses from entering Veterans Pkwy, Geiger Grade and Toll Road. As projects firm up we will continue consulting with the public.
When the City of Reno approves a development, fencing is required in certain areas of the city. If fencing is required, and the developer does not adhere to the requirements, the City has numerous options for enforcement. These options include refusal to approve subsequent steps in the development process, issue stop work orders, not issue certificates of occupancy, and not approve additional permits until the issue is resolved. Once the responsibility of fencing is turned over to an HOA, the HOA is responsible for ensuring the fencing remains intact.
NDOT, Washoe County, and the City of Reno are working in conjunction to identify locations where conflicts occur between horses and vehicles. Ultimately, we envision using fencing to help mitigate future crashes, but a firm location for the fencing has not been identified at this point. We are looking for feedback from the public to best meet the needs of all interested parties. Additionally, Nevada is a 'fence out' state, meaning if a landowner does not want livestock or horses on their property, the land owner is required to fence them out.
Washoe Lake State Park is owned and operated by Nevada State Parks. For concerns regarding Washoe Lake State Park, please contact:

Washoe Lake State Park
775-687-4319
wlsp@parks.nv.gov
If you would like to voice your support, you may do so by calling 775-334-4636 or using the online feedback form.
Vandalism can be prosecuted. Using cameras may help identify those destroying fences. The City of Reno is evaluating installing cameras at frequently damaged locations.
Depending on the road and surrounding areas, cattle guards can be accidentally and easily filled in by storm runoff and traffic debris, making them less effective than a gate. For example, the cattle guard at the north end of Rio Wrangler routinely fills up with dirt, making it ineffective. This occurs because the cattle guard sits between pavement on one side and an upslope dirt road on the other. It is best practice to use both gates and horse guards to keep horses out of certain areas.

There are eight conditions related to fencing (timing, maintenance, etc.) that have been adopted in the City of Reno's Title 18 update (see page 255, Feral Horse Management) in January 2021. The conditions are also included below. These are standard conditions for projects in this area.

Reno Municipal Code (RMC) 18.04.108 Wildlife Habitat Management 

(a) Feral Horse Management
(1) Applicability Properties that abut or have access to the Virginia Range shall incorporate the following standards into any new development:
a. Fencing Plan. A fencing plan shall be provided that demonstrates the following:
1. Contiguous horse fencing with no gaps through which horses may enter the property in accordance with NRS 569.431 .
2. Cattle guards with welded "hoof stops" and self-closing gates that open outward installed at all locations where roadways cross the perimeter fencing.
3. Six-foot wide, self-closing pedestrian gates that open out installed at all locations where sidewalk/pedestrian pathways cross the perimeter fencing. Pedestrian gates installed near cattle guards may double as emergency exits for horses that may become stuck inside the gate.
Said fencing plan shall be approved prior to the issuance of any building permit and all required fencing, cattle guards, and/or pedestrian gates shall be installed prior to any construction, including grading, commencing.
b. Maintenance and Monitoring
1. Perimeter fencing shall be maintained by the developer during construction and maintenance responsibility shall be transferred to a homeowner's association, landscape maintenance association, or other similar entity upon formation.
2. The party responsible for maintaining the fence shall maintain a contract for on-call fence repair to expedite response (within 48 hours of notice) to repairs as needed.
3. During construction, the developer will require its contractor to provide a gate monitor for roadway crossings with an emphasis on monitoring areas on the property with potential ingress/egress to existing improved areas.
c. Additional Improvement Requirements
1. Turf shall be prohibited within 200 feet of any proposed cattle guard/roadway crossing.
2. Where open channel drainage facilities cross the perimeter fencing on a subject property, large rip-rap shall be installed in the drainage channel abutting the perimeter fencing.

Citizens can fence horses out from private yards, if allowed within individual HOA guidelines. However, it is illegal to harass horses per NRS 540.490, included below:

NRS 504.490
1. Any person, not authorized to do so, who:
(a)Removes or attempts to remove a wild horse from the public lands;
(b)Converts a wild horse to private use;
(c)Harasses a wild horse or, except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, kills a wild horse;
(d)Uses an aircraft or a motor vehicle to hunt any wild horse;
(e)Pollutes or causes the pollution of a watering hole on public land to trap, wound, kill or maim a wild horse;
(f)Makes or causes the remains of a wild horse to be made into any commercial product; or
(g)Sells a wild horse which strays onto private property,
is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
2. A person who willfully and maliciously kills a wild horse is guilty of a category C felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.
Virginia Range land is private land, and developers have the right to develop on private land, so long as they are in compliance with City and County zoning codes, criteria and permits.
None.
The Virginia Range horses occupy approximately 283,769 acres, which allows for more than 600 horses. That said, the American Wild Horse Campaign has an ongoing fertility control program to reduce horse populations on the range. This program is already showing success.
The Nevada Department of Agriculture is the only state department that is monitoring the horses. The Nevada Department of Agriculture contracts with the American Wild Horse Campaign for fertility control and Wild Horse Connection for horse management. As part of these programs, both organizations keep detailed records on each horse they encounter.
Yes.
Most equine veterinarians do not recommend sterilizing mares. It is extremely difficult to do on wild horses who cannot receive follow-up care. Further, removing hormone producing organs (i.e., testicles in males or ovaries in females) changes behaviors and instincts that drive wild behaviors. However, the American Wild Horse Campaign uses the PZP fertility control program to reduce the number of horses born on the Virginia Range.
The American Wild Horse Campaign is already conducting fertility control in the Virginia Range. The population growth has halted. Additional population decrease is expected over the next few years.
PZP fertility control is backed by 30-plus years of science and research and has been proven safe and effective. Controlling population growth is vital to ensuring herd management.
Local governments have no authority over the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Here is a link to the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program. The Virginia Range horses fall under the Nevada Department of Agriculture, not the BLM.
NRS 504.490
1. Any person, not authorized to do so, who:
(a)Removes or attempts to remove a wild horse from the public lands;
(b)Converts a wild horse to private use;
(c)Harasses a wild horse or, except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, kills a wild horse;
(d)Uses an aircraft or a motor vehicle to hunt any wild horse;
(e)Pollutes or causes the pollution of a watering hole on public land to trap, wound, kill or maim a wild horse;
(f)Makes or causes the remains of a wild horse to be made into any commercial product; or
(g)Sells a wild horse which strays onto private property,
is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
2. A person who willfully and maliciously kills a wild horse is guilty of a category C felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) has taken a regional approach to improving traffic safety and habitat connectivity along roadways in its jurisdiction, which
includes Geiger Grade. NDOT has conducted research to prioritize additional safety enhancements at the most concentrated and critical areas of vehicle-animal collisions statewide.

NDOT will work with partners in the identification of a potential future wildlife crossing. Wildlife crossings can cost anywhere from $2 million to $10 million each, depending on a variety of factors; one of which is making sure that the animals have a movement corridor to access the crossing.

Additionally, the American Wild Horse Campaign is looking at solutions on a broader scale. There are already underpasses in place in several areas.

NDOT along with the City of Reno, Washoe County, and all other partners are working together with a common goal of safety for the traveling public. The planning, design and construction of any transportation project is a complex process that takes time to ensure it is meeting its true need while also being sustainable.

The Master Plan requires new developments to consider threatened and endangered species, as well as fire mitigation in their site evaluation. However, specific studies are not required by the City of Reno's Title 18 which is the primary ordinance regulating development. The state's Natural Heritage Program does often comment on development proposals regarding threatened or endangered species, and species of special concern, however those opinions are considered advisory and not binding.

A new law adopted by the Nevada Legislature during the 2021 session requires the Nevada Department of Wildlife to review all development applications in the city that are proposed near the urban/wildland interface.

Reno Municipal Code 18.04.103 - Wetlands and Stream Environment Protection, establishes standards for the review of development proposals within wetlands, stream environments, and areas of significant hydrologic resources. This section of the zoning code is specific to development that impacts these sensitive areas. Additional studies are required for review in these areas and specifically address water quality, flood storage and protection of rare and endangered plant and animal species.

The City of Reno and stakeholders have initiated a full year of public service announcements to address public outreach and information throughout 2022. Social media campaigns will also be included. Additionally, new signs will be posted warning people not to feed the horses. Signage on private property and gates is the responsibility of the owner.
Contact Washoe County by calling 311 (775-328-2003) or emailing the request to washoe311@washoecounty.gov. The Washoe County traffic safety committee will review the location and issues to determine the best approach using the traffic control manual, input from the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, and input from the Washoe County Road maintenance crews. The number-one commitment is safety of the traveling public and if it is safe to do so, Washoe County will schedule the installation.
The purpose is to determine whether the existing speed limit on South Veterans Parkway is appropriate, and if not, what an appropriate speed would be. The results of the Speed Study will be presented during the next Virginia Range Horses Informational Session on May 16, 2022. In the meantime, the City of Reno plans to install radar speed flashers on Veterans Parkway. 
It depends on the road in question. At this time, much of the South Meadows area is governed by dark skies ordinances, which may prohibit such lighting in certain areas.
A Speed Study is currently underway to determine whether the existing speed limit on South Veterans Parkway is appropriate.
The Landscape Maintenance Association could be engaged to remove grass in medians and by gates. It is possible that the proposed south Reno and County fencing plan will reduce the need for additional interventions such as grass removal.
Natural water sources like springs, lakes, and streams are available for wildlife. The Virginia Range area is quite dry with few springs and water occurring in intermittent streams after snow or rainfall. Wildlife on the west side of the Virginia Range have generally relied on Steamboat Creek for water.
The first course of action to address illegal feeding is education via public service announcements and improved signage. A penalty phase will be the secondary course of action. At this time, the Nevada Department of Agriculture is the main place to report and respond to illegal feeding at 775-353-3608. After an education period, the City of Reno may move forward with enforcing state law.
In the fall and winter months, diversionary feeding is used to direct horses away from populous areas to avoid public safety issues.
Wild Horse Connection holds the cooperative agreement with the NDA for management of the Virginia Range horses with a focus on public safety. They also take on the responsibility of rescues, care of injured or removed horses, public education, NDA approved diversionary feeding for public safety, some fencing projects, and more.

Wild Horse Connection
350 Sierra Manor Dr. Reno, Nevada 89511
775-352-3944