Baseline Surveys for the Arroyo Toad (Bufo Californicus) in the Sweetwater River Channel, San
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Baseline Surveys for the Arroyo Toad (Bufo californicus) in the Sweetwater River Channel, San Diego County, California. Draft Final Report 10/05/05 Prepared for: Sweetwater Authority U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WESTERN ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTER Baseline Surveys for the Arroyo Toad (Bufo californicus) in the Sweetwater River Channel, San Diego County, California. By Melanie C. Madden-Smith1, Edward L. Ervin2 and Robert N. Fisher1 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WESTERN ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTER Final Report Prepared for: Sweetwater Authority 1San Diego Field Station USGS Western Ecological Research Center 5745 Kearny Villa Road, Suite M San Diego, CA 92123 2Current address: Merkel & Associates, Inc. 5434 Ruffin Rd. San Diego, CA 92123 Sacramento, California 2005 ii U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE A. NORTON, SECRETARY U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director The use of firm, trade, or brand names in this report is for identification purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey. For additional information, contact: Center Director Western Ecological Research Center U.S. Geological Survey 3020 State University Drive East Modoc Hall, Room 3006 Sacramento, CA 95819 iii Table of Contents ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 2 2. STUDY AREA ........................................................................................................................... 6 3. METHODS ................................................................................................................................. 6 3.1 Initial Site Selection.......................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Site Access........................................................................................................................ 7 3.3 Daytime Habitat Assessment Surveys .............................................................................. 8 3.4 Streamflow Measurements................................................................................................ 8 3.5 Nocturnal Presence Surveys ............................................................................................. 9 3.6 Pre and Post Loveland Dam Release Surveys ................................................................ 10 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION............................................................................................... 10 4.1 Daytime Habitat Assessment Survey.............................................................................. 10 4.2 Streamflow Measurements.............................................................................................. 11 4.3 Nocturnal Presence Surveys ........................................................................................... 11 4.4 Native Non-target Animal Species Detected .................................................................. 13 4.5 Non-native Animal Species Detected ............................................................................. 13 4.6 Other Possible Impacts Observed ................................................................................... 15 4.7 Pre and Post Loveland Dam Release Surveys ................................................................ 15 5. MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS........................................ 15 5.1 Minimize Disturbance & Take Due to Dam Operations ................................................ 15 5.2 Minimize Disturbance and Take from Other Factors ..................................................... 16 5.2.1 Human Recreation ................................................................................................... 16 5.2.2 Roads........................................................................................................................ 17 5.2.3 Collection................................................................................................................. 18 5.3 Additional Surveys.......................................................................................................... 18 5.3.1 Population Dynamics and Population Viability....................................................... 18 5.3.2 Surveys for Egg Masses and/or Larvae ................................................................... 18 5.3.3 Breeding Habitat Assessment .................................................................................. 18 5.3.4 Upland Habitat Requirements.................................................................................. 19 5.3.5 Water Quality Assessment....................................................................................... 19 5.4 Non-native Predatory Species......................................................................................... 19 5.5 Non-native Plant Species ................................................................................................ 20 5.6 Habitat Restoration and Creation.................................................................................... 20 5.7 Genetics........................................................................................................................... 20 5.8 Population Expansion or Reestablishment...................................................................... 20 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.......................................................................................................... 21 iv LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................. 21 TABLES .......................................................................................................................................29 Table 1. Flow data (in cubic-feet-per-second) from the five established water monitoring stations within the Sweetwater River......................................................................................29 Table 2. Arroyo toad habitat characteristics and habitat quality ratings for each reach surveyed in the Sweetwater River...........................................................................................30 Table 3. Dates of nocturnal presence surveys........................................................................32 Table 4. Summary of Sloan Canyon arroyo toad data from Haas (2001)..............................33 Table 5. Species detected during habitat assessment and nocturnal presence surveys for the arroyo toad in the Sweetwater River channel .........................................................................34 FIGURES......................................................................................................................................35 Figure 1. Dam locations in San Diego County. Red dots represent dams on the Sweetwater River........................................................................................................................................35 Figure 2. Photograph of an arroyo toad (Bufo californicus)..................................................36 Figure 3. Habitat requirements of the arroyo toad.................................................................37 Figure 4. Controlled releases from Loveland Dam 1945-1976 and 1977-2002 ....................38 Figure 5. Aerial photograph of study area, approximately 16 miles between Loveland and Sweetwater Reservoirs............................................................................................................39 Figure 6. Sweetwater River and surrounding rivers. .............................................................40 Figure 7. Aerial photograph of study area denoting possible areas containing arroyo toad habitat where access was obtained (yellow) and where access was denied (red)...................41 Figure 8. Examples of the possible habitat quality ratings of arroyo toad habitat.................42 Figure 9. Map of estblished water sampling stations along the Sweetwater River ...............43 Figure 10. Habitat assessment and nocturnal survey map for Sycuan Peak Ecological Reserve site .............................................................................................................................44 Figure 11. Habitat assessment and nocturnal survey map for the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge and Cottonwood Golf Course sites.............................................................................45 Figure 12. Habitat assessment and nocturnal survey map for upper Sweetwater Reservoir site...........................................................................................................................................46 Figure 13. Arroyo toad nocturnal survey detectability curve for the nocturnal survey methods used in this study ......................................................................................................47 APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................... ...48 Appendix 1. Sweetwater Authority Interoffice Memorandum on Historical (1977-2002) Loveland Dam Releases and Projections............................................................................. ...48 Appendix 2. Daytime Habitat Assessment Survey Protocol for the Arroyo Toad (Bufo