OHIO RIVER ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANNUAL NARRATIVE CALENDA^Rea^998 REVIEW and APPROVALS
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) OHIO RIVER ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANNUAL NARRATIVE CALENDA^rEA^998 REVIEW AND APPROVALS OHIO RIVER ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Parkersburg, West Virginia ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1998 Refcfuge Manager Date Refuge Supervisor Review Date REVIEW AND APPROVALS OHIO RIVER ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Parkersburg, West Virginia ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1998 L: Rdfuge Manager Date Refuge Supervisorirvisor R€Review Date Regional Office Approval Date OHIO RIVER ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Parkersburg, West Virginia ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1998 U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 A. HIGHLIGHTS 2 B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 3 C. LAND ACQUISITION 1. Fee Title 4 2. Easements 6 3. Other 6 D. PLANNING 1. Master Plan 6 2. Management Plan 9 3. Public Participation Nothing to Report 4. Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resources Mandates 9 5. Research and Investigations Nothing to Report 6. Other Nothing to Report E. ADMINISTRATION 1. Personnel 9 2. Youth Programs Nothing to Report 3. Other Manpower Programs Nothing to Report 4. Volunteer Program 14 5. Funding 18 6. Safety 19 7. Technical Assistance 19 8. Other 22 F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT 1. General 22 2. Wetlands 23 3. Forests 24 4. Croplands Nothing to Report 5. Grasslands Nothing to Report 6. Other Habitats Nothing to Report 7. Grazing Nothing to Report 8. Haying 26 9. Fire Management Nothing to Report 10. Pest Control 26 11. Water Rights Nothing to Report 12. Wilderness and Special Area Nothing to Report 13. WPA Easement Monitoring Nothing to Report i G. WILDLIFE 1. Wildlife Diversity 29 2. Endangered or Threatened Species 32 3. Waterfowl Nothing to Report 4. Marsh and Water Birds 32 5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns, and Allied Species Nothing to Report 6. Raptors 3 3 7. Other Migratory Birds 34 8. Game Mammals Nothing to Report 9. Marine Mammals Nothing to Report 10. Other Resident Wildlife 36 11. Fisheries Resources Nothing to Report 12. Wildlife Propagation and Stocking..Nothing to Report 13. Surplus Animal Disposal Nothing to Report 14. Scientific Collections Nothing to Report 15. Animal Control Nothing to Report 16. Marking and Banding 44 17. Disease Prevention and Control ....Nothing to Report H. PUBLIC USE 1. General 44 2. Outdoor Classrooms - Students 47 3. Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers 49 4. Interpretive Foot Trails Nothing to Report 5. Interpretive Tour Routes Nothing to Report 6. Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations 50 7. Other Interpretive Programs 53 8. Hunting 57 9. Fishing 57 10. Trapping Nothing to Report 11. Wildlife Observation Nothing to Report 12. Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation Nothing to Report 13. Camping Nothing to Report 14. Picnicking 58 15. Off-Road Vehicles Nothing to Report 16. Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation 58 17. Law Enforcement 60 18. Cooperating Associations Nothing to Report 19. Concessions Nothing to Report I. EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 1. New Construction Nothing to Report 2. Rehabilitation Nothing to Report 3. Major Maintenance 61 4. Equipment Utilization and Replacement 61 5. Communications System 62 6. Computer System 62 ii 7. Energy Conservation Nothing to Report 8. Other Nothing to Report J. OTHER ITEMS 1. Cooperative Programs Nothing to Report 2. Other Economic Uses Nothing to Report 3. Items of Interest 62 4. Credits 62 iii 1 INTRODUCTION Established in 1990, the Ohio River Islands NWR became the first national wildlife refuge in West Virginia. There are now refuges in all 50 states. The refuge currently consists of all or parts of 20 islands in the Ohio River and two mainland tracts. As acquisition progresses, the refuge may include up to 35 Ohio River islands. The acquisition boundary stretches nearly 400 river miles from Shippingport, Pennsylvania to Manchester, Ohio and includes four states (PA, OH, WV, KY). The geologic origin of this unique chain of islands has given them a relatively stable gravel base that has resisted natural erosion forces since the Wisconsin glacier receded 12,000 years ago. The natural character of some islands has been exploited by recent human activity but many are still relatively undisturbed. The Ohio River islands and their back channels have long been recognized for high quality fish and wildlife, recreation, scientific, and natural heritage values. These areas provide some of the region's highest quality riverine, wetland, and bottomland habitats, and are used by waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, warmwater fish, and freshwater mussels. The refuge has potential to protect 2,000 acres of bottomland and wetland habitats and 1,500 acres of riverine habitat associated with the islands. Refuge management concentrates on increasing the diversity and productivity of the fish and wildlife populations characteristic of the Ohio River Valley. Although some early successional vegetation stages are present, natural succession and active reforestation are being encouraged to benefit wildlife species adapted to the mature forest floodplain and associated wetland and riverine habitats. Many types of public uses occur on and around the Ohio River islands. The relatively undisturbed nature of many of the islands make them popular spots for nature study, fishing, hunting, picnicking, and pleasure boating. As land acquisition and planning has progressed, the refuge has developed a public use program which includes such activities as educational workshops, interpretive programs, wildlife exhibits, hunting and fishing programs, and day-use recreational opportunities. These and other wildlife-dependent recreational and educational opportunities benefit school groups of all ages as well as local residents and visitors. 2 A. HIGHLIGHTS Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt visits refuge. (Section J-3) Refuge began Comprehensive Conservation Planning with the holding of 18 public scoping meetings in the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and West Virginia. (Section D-l) Refuge Manager travels to Washington, DC to brief House and Senate members on Comprehensive Conservation Planning. (Section D-l) Buckley Island purchased from Jerry Buckley. (Section C-l) Refuge Manager and Refuge Office Assistant upgraded. (Section E-l) Refuge expends $1,672,470 to complete flood damage repairs. (Section F-l) Refuge receives $1.2 million Land and Water Conservation Funds for FY 98. (Section C-l) Refuge purchases new Boston Whaler boat. (Section I- 4) ORP Butler serves as leader for the outreach committee of the Ohio River Valley Ecosystem. Refuge Operations Specialist Tom Cox served as subgroup leader for the wetland and riparian subgroup of the Ohio River Valley Ecosystem. Biologist Morrison serves as the Chair/Leader of the Ohio River Valley Ecosystem Mollusk Sub-Group, a cooperative association of partners throughout the nine-state ecosystem area committed to working together to reverse the decline of native mollusks. The National Tree Trusts contributes 2600 trees to the refuge for habitat restoration on Middle Island. Thirty-two acres were reforested on Middle Island with the help of volunteers. (Section F-3) The Sierra Club sponsors a week-long service trip to the refuge for the second consecutive year. Ten volunteers came from around the country to participate in work projects on Middle, Grape, and Muskingum islands. (Section E-4) 3 ORP Butler travels to Imperial National Wildlife Refuge near Yuma, AZ for a week-long work detail assisting the refuge with exhibit design for their visitor center. A Pleasants County Middle School teacher is awarded a Toyota Tapestry Grant for a trail project to be implemented on the refuge and on the Internet. (Section H-l) The refuge completes its fourth year of zebra mussel monitoring, at 6 sites along the Ohio River. (Section G-10) Refuge Operations Specialist Cox receives L.E. commission, refuge now has collateral duty officer. B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS The year 1998 was another wet year for the Ohio River Valley, with precipitation for February and June at record levels. The late June storm event brought 13.22 inches of rain, and tornado-like wind damage. Temperatures were above normal from January through May, and there were 28 days where the air temperature exceeded 900F. Water temperatures reached 840F. There was minimal snowfall (<1.5") for the year, and 45.31 inches of rain. 4 Table 1 - 1998 Weather Data for the Ohio River Valley, Taken at Parkersburg, WV. ll Precipitation Temp (0F) (inches) Min. Max. Mean Rain Snow January 3.63 0.5 17 69 39.6 February 4.71 20 69 41.2 March 3.55 16 84 44.3 April 4.91 31 85 53.8 May 3.85 50 90 66.8 June 13.22 49 93 68.5 July 2.56 55 93 74.8 August 0.67 51 93 75.5 September 2.31 42 98 71.0 October 2.02 31 85 56.1 November 1.65 23 68 45.6 December 2.23 1.0 11 75 39.8 TOTAL 45.31 1.5 11 98 Annual Extremes C. LAND ACQUISITION 1. Fee Title Support from U. S. Senator Robert C. Byrd's office resulted in $1,250,000 Land and Water Conservation Funds appropriated in October to purchase additional islands and high priority mainland areas in FY 99. Total available Land and Water Conservation Funds at this station is $2,218,000. Currently the Services owns 20 islands with partial ownership of three islands and two mainland tracts, for a total of 2,745.30 acres. This includes the purchase of Buckley Island and mainland property (235.7 acres) on June 16 by The Nature Conservancy and transferred to the Service on June 18. Figure 1. Jerry and Kathy Buckley help raise the new refuge boundary sign on Buckley Island. Current negations by The Nature Conservancy are in the final stages for purchase of Captina Island and two parcels of mainland property totaling 216.19 acres (including underwater acreage). Offers were made on a 106 acre mainland tract and 94.1 acre Vienna Island owned by Joe and Diane Neal and 117+ acre Neale Island owned by Buzzie Dils.