| Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve | |
| Iucn Category: | V |
| Iucn Ref: | [1] |
| Nearest City: | Rancho Mirage, California |
| Coordinates: | 33.7247°N -116.4364°W |
| Established: | 1975 |
| Governing Body: | California Department of Fish and Wildlife |
Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve is a California Department of Fish and Wildlife–protected area of the inland desert region of California, United States. The canyon, one of the natural attractions of the greater Palm Springs area of the Coachella Valley,[2] is known for its "colorful layered rock walls and palm tree oases."[3] The reserve was established in 1975,[4] in part because the spring is an important water source for desert bighorn sheep.[5]
Magnesia Spring Canyon is part of the Santa Rosa Mountains National Scenic Area along with the Santa Rosa Mountains Wildlife Area and Carrizo Canyon Ecological Reserve.[6]
The reserve is drained in part by West Magnesia Spring Canyon Creek, a tributary of the Whitewater River.[7] Magnesia Spring lies within the Southern Mojave–Salton Sea water resource subregion, specifically the Indio subbasin. The spring itself is perennial. According to a U.S. government geologist, Magnesia Spring is a "small amount of water that effervesces with carbon dioxide and is also locally believed to contain a notable amount of magnesium. As the spring is about 2 miles from the main road along the west side of the desert and is reached only by a dim trail, it has not been often visited."[8]
The area is dominated by creosote, cacti, and Encelia farinosa (California brittlebrush). The Bureau of Land Management deems the canyon "vital" habitat for bighorn sheep. The canyon also supports several raptor species and their small mammalian prey.
The canyon is archaeologically significant and bedrock mortars, potsherds, and olla caves have all been found in the area.[9] A 1920 book devoted to marketing the Palm Springs area to newcomers described the canyon as a worthwhile day trip:[10]
Visitors to Magnesia Springs canyon in 1928 found "a little stream emerging from a rock amphitheater, where it had tumbled over a 50-foot water fall. High on the wall above was a single palm growing out of the solid rock."[11] D-Day, a sickly bighorn lamb rescued on June 6, 1982, was rehabilitated, fathered four lambs of his own while in captivity, and was released into the wild at Magnesia Spring in 1985.[12]