Pulsed Flow Effects on the Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog (Rana Boylii): Integration of Empirical, Experimental and Hydrodynamic Modeling
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Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor PULSED FLOW EFFECTS ON THE FOOTHILL YELLOW-LEGGED FROG (RANA BOYLII): INTEGRATION OF EMPIRICAL, EXPERIMENTAL AND HYDRODYNAMIC MODELING REPORT PROJECT Prepared For: California Energy Commission FINAL Public Interest Energy Research Program PIER Prepared By: Center for Watershed Sciences University of California, Davis August 2009 CEC-500-2009-002 ii Prepared By: Insert: University of California, Davis Center for Watershed Sciences Davis, California 95616 Jeff Mount, Principal Investigator. Principal Investigator (UC Davis) Sarah Yarnell (UC Davis) Sarah Kupferberg (Questa Engineering, Point Richmond, California) Amy Lind (USFS, Sierra Nevada Research Center) Commission Contract No. Insert: #500-02-004 Prepared For: Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) California Energy Commission Joseph O’Hagan Contract Manager Linda Spiegel Program Area Lead Energy-Related Environmental Research Ken Koyama Office Manager Energy Generation Research Office Thom Kelly, Ph.D. Deputy Director ENERGY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT DIVISION Melissa Jones Executive Director DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as the result of work sponsored by the California Energy Commission. It does not necessarily represent the views of the Energy Commission, its employees or the State of California. The Energy Commission, the State of California, its employees, contractors and subcontractors make no warrant, express or implied, and assume no legal liability for the information in this report; nor does any party represent that the uses of this information will not infringe upon privately owned rights. This report has not been approved or disapproved by the California Energy Commission nor has the California Energy Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the information in this report. iii iv Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank Wendy Palen, Collin Bode, Mary Power, Betty Sousa, Camille Mac Neally, and Tanya Blacic for their contributions and help with the experimental aspects of this research. Garth Hodgson, Rod Nakamoto, Clara Wheeler, and Bret Harvey provided essential support for the flume experiment completed at the USFS Redwood Sciences Lab. Dennis Cocherel was similarly essential in providing field and laboratory support at UC Davis. We thank Joe Cech for graciously providing laboratory space and use of the Brett Chamber. Luke Fraser assisted in field work at Alameda Ck. Evan Buckland provided assistance with the topographic surveying of each study reach. We would also like to thank Steve Bobzien, Joe Drennan, Maria Ellis, Earl Gonsolin, and Clara Wheeler for their knowledge and help in providing previously published and unpublished data specific to our study sites. We greatly appreciate the assistance from Dan Corcoran, John Gangemi, Sue Orloff, and Alicia Pool in providing copies of the reports and data analyzed in section 2. Critical reviews from Sharon Lawler, N. Leroy Poff, Richard Wassersug, Joe Wheaton and two anonymous reviewers greatly improved this report. This research was supported and funded through the Pulsed Flow Program of the Center of Aquatic Biology and Aquaculture of the University of California, Davis. This research was conducted with the approval of the University of California, Davis Animal Care and Use Committee (Protocol # 06-12357) and the California Department of Fish and Game (Permit #’s SC-8820, SC-001608). Please cite this report as follows: Kupferberg, S., Lind, A., Mount, J., and Yarnell, S. 2009. Pulsed flow effects on the Foothill Yellow- Legged Frog (Rana boylii): Integration of empirical, experimental, and hydrodynamic modeling approaches. California Energy Commission, PIER. CEC-500-2009-002. v vi Preface The California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program supports public interest energy research and development that will help improve the quality of life in California by bringing environmentally safe, affordable, and reliable energy services and products to the marketplace. The PIER Program conducts public interest research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects to benefit California. The PIER Program strives to conduct the most promising public interest energy research by partnering with RD&D entities, including individuals, businesses, utilities, and public or private research institutions. PIER funding efforts are focused on the following RD&D program areas: • Buildings End-Use Energy Efficiency • Energy Innovations Small Grants • Energy-Related Environmental Research • Energy Systems Integration • Environmentally Preferred Advanced Generation • Industrial/Agricultural/Water End-Use Energy Efficiency • Renewable Energy Technologies • Transportation Pulsed flow effects on the Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog (Rana boylii): Integration of empirical, experimental and hydrodynamic modeling approaches is a report for contract number 500-01-044, conducted by the Center for Aquatic Biology at the University of California, Davis and the United States Forest Service. The information from this project contributes to PIER’s Energy- Related Environmental Research Program. For more information about the PIER Program, please visit the Energy Commission’s website at www.energy.ca.gov/research/ or contact the Energy Commission at 916-654-4878. vii viii Table of Contents Acknowledgments.........................................................................................................................v Preface…………………….…………………………………………………………………………vii Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................xx Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................1 1.0 Hydrologic Alteration and Rana boylii Conservation ...................................................6 1.1. R. boylii Life Cycle and Flow Regime Adaptations..................................................7 1.3 . Project Objectives and Report Organization ............................................................8 2.0 Review of Statewide Published Data and FERC Study Reports..................................12 2.1. Introduction and Approach.......................................................................................13 2.2. Qualitative Summary of Pulsed-Flow Studies/Reports...........................................14 2.2.1. Egg Survival Associated with Pulsed Flows .......................................................14 2.2.2. Effects of Pulsed Flows on Larvae........................................................................19 2.2.3. Effects of Pulsed Flows on Post-Metamorphic Life Stages.................................20 2.3. Analysis of Habitat Area and Discharge ..................................................................21 2.3.1. Methods..................................................................................................................22 2.3.2. Results and Discussion..........................................................................................23 Assessment of Habitat Methods and Assumptions.....................................................23 Graphical Analysis of Quantitative Data......................................................................25 2.4. Conclusions and Recommendations from Statewide Report Review....................27 2.4.1. Summary of Results ..............................................................................................27 2.4.2. Application to Experimental and Modeling Components of this Study...........28 Egg Masses......................................................................................................................28 Tadpoles..........................................................................................................................28 Post-Metamorphic Life Stages.......................................................................................28 Quantifying Habitat Area..............................................................................................29 2.4.3. Suggestions for Format and Content of Future FERC Studies and Reports .....29 3.0 Case Studies in Three Watersheds: Pulse Effects on R. boylii Populations in Regulated and Unregulated Rivers..................................................................................................33 3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................33 3.2. Study Areas.................................................................................................................34 3.3. Methods for Analysis of Hydrologic and Frog Population Data............................39 3.3.1 Among river system analyses....................................................................................40 ix 3.3.2 Within river system analyses. ...................................................................................40 3.4. Results - Linking Hydrologic Conditions to Frog Populations ..............................41 3.4.1. Results of among river comparisons. .......................................................................41 3.4.2. Results of within river comparisons. ...................................................................42 3.4.2.1. SF Eel: Quantitative Relationships of Pulse Flows to Egg Mass Survival and Population Dynamics.......................................................................................42 3.4.2.2 NF Feather: