While mostly under private ownership, parts are owned by The Nature Conservancy and Bureau of Land Management; the Franklin Lake Wildlife Management Area is owned by the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

The area's habitat, 15,400 acres (6,200 ha) in size, consists of wetlands, an ephemeral lake, marshes, riparian woodland, alkali playa, shrub steppe, and grassland.

When the area is wet, hundreds of thousands of waterfowl visit Franklin Lake.

Avifauna include the American Avocet, Greater Sandhill Crane, Forster's Ter, Caspian Tern, Black Tern, Greater Sage-Grouse, Franklin's Gulls, American White Pelican, Brewer's Sparrow and Sage Sparrow.

This Elko County, Nevada state location article is a stub.