Black Hills Distinct Vertebrate Population Segment of American Dipper (Cinclus Mexicanus Unicolor)
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Black Hills Distinct Vertebrate Population Segment of American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus unicolor) Biodiversity Conservation Alliance ) Petition for a Rule to list the Black PO Box 1512 ) Hills of South Dakota distinct Laramie, WY 82073 ) population segment of American (307) 742-7978 Ph. 303-742-7989 Fax ) dipper (Cinclus mexicanus unicolor), ) as THREATENED or Center for Native Ecosystems ) ENDANGERED under the 1536 Wynkoop St, Ste 303 ) Denver, CO 80202 ) ph (303) 546-0214 fax (303) 454-3366 ) Endangered Species Act 16 USC §) ) 1531 et seq. (1973 as amended) and ) for the designation of Critical Habitat; Native Ecosystems Council ) Petition for an Emergency Listing Black Hills Regional Office ) Rule under the Endangered Species PO Box 2003 ) Act 16 USC §§ 1533(b)(1)(c)(iii) and Rapid City, SD 57709 ) 1533(b)(7) and 50 CFR § 424.20 (406) 285-3611 Home Office - MT ) ) Dated: September 29, 2008 ) Prairie Hills Audubon Society ) of Western South Dakota ) PO Box 792 ) Rapid City, SD 57709 ) (605) 787-6466 ) ) ) ) PETITIONERS ) American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus unicolor) Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus unicolor) Biodiversity Conservation Alliance et al. Petition to List the Black Hills DPS of American Dipper, September 26, 2008 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…………........................................................................................................... 8 I. INTRODUCTION…………………………..………………………….............................................. 12 A. The Black Hills....................................................................................................................... 12 B. The American dipper.............................................................................................................. 14 II. PETITIONERS……….……………………………….....…….............................................................. 17 III. SPECIES INFORMATION................................................................................................................. 18 A. Description.............................................................................................................................. 18 B. Taxonomy………….………………………………………………………………………. 18 C. Adaptations and Behavior……………………..…………………………………………… 19 D. Breeding…..………………………………………………………………………………... 21 E. Post-breeding and Movements……………………….…………………………………….. 23 F. Foraging and Food….……………………………………………………………………… 25 G. Habitat….………………………………………………………………………………….. 26 H. Population Ecology…..…………………………………………………………………….. 28 I. Population Status…………………………………………………………………….…….. 29 i. French Creek………………………………………………………………..….…….......… 30 ii. Rapid Creek….……………………………………………………………………….......… 30 iii. Box Elder Creek…..………………………………………………………………............... 31 iv. Elk Creek…………..………………………………………………………………….......... 31 v. Bear Butte Creek……………………………………………………………………............. 33 vi. Whitewood Creek……..………………………………………………………………......... 36 vii. Spearfish Creek…...……………………………………………………………………........ 38 viii. Other streams………………………………………………………………………….......... 42 IV. CRITERIA FOR CLASSIFYING THE BLACK HILLS POPULATION AS A DISTINCT POPULATION SEGMENT…………………................................…...……………......................... 43 A. Discreteness……..………………………………………………………………….............. 44 Biodiversity Conservation Alliance et al. Petition to List the Black Hills DPS of American Dipper, September 26, 2008 3 i. The Black Hills population of American dipper is physically separated from other populations…..………………………………………………...................……............ 44 ii. The Black Hills population of American dipper is ecologically separated from other populations………………….…………................................................................................. 48 B. Significance………..……………………………………………..…………......................... 48 i. The Black Hills population of American dipper persists in a unique ecological setting……….………….....………………….….….............................................................. 49 ii. The loss of the Black Hills population of American dipper would result in a significant gap in the range of the American dipper………….…………….......................................... 54 C. Status…..……………………………………………...….…………................................... 56 V. CRITERIA FOR LISTING THE BLACK HILLS DPS OF AMERICAN DIPPER AS THREATNED OR ENDANGERED.................................................................................................................................. 57 A. Present and Threatened Destruction, Modification, or Curtailment of Range or Habitat…………………………………………….…………………………………............ 58 i. Pollution………………………………………...................................................................... 60 ii. Livestock grazing……...…………………............................................................................. 62 iii. Silviculture activities….......................................................................................................... 66 iv. Roads…………………………………………………………………..………………........ 75 v. Dams……………...………………………………………………………..………….......... 80 vi. Loss of water flow…..…………………………………………………………….......……. 82 vii. Mining activities…...…………………………………………………………….......……... 83 viii. Recreational activities………………………………………………………………............. 87 B. Overutilization for Commercial, Recreational, Scientific, or Educational Purposes………………………………………………………….………………….………. 87 C. Disease or Predation…..……...…………………………………………….………………. 88 D. Inadequacy of Existing Regulatory Mechanisms……..…………………………………..... 89 i. U.S. Forest Service……………………………............…………………………………..... 89 ii. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks…………….............………………………….............. 95 iii. South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources…........................……... 96 iv. Bureau of Reclamation……...………………………………………………...........………. 99 Biodiversity Conservation Alliance et al. Petition to List the Black Hills DPS of American Dipper, September 26, 2008 4 v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service…...…………………………..............…………….............. 100 E. Other Natural or Manmade Factors Affecting the Continued Existence of the Black Hills Population of American Dipper…..…….………………....................................................... 101 VI. CRITERIA FOR THE DESIGNATION OF CRITICAL HABITAT…............................................. 105 A. The American dipper on the Black Hills Warrants Classification and Consideration as a DPS and Warrants Listing as Threatened or Endangered in Accordance With the ESA…..................................................................................................................................... 105 B. Biological Needs of the Black Hills Population of American Dipper are sufficiently Well Known…………............................................................................................................ 105 C. Habitat Essential to the Conservation of the Black Hills Population of American Dipper is Well Known………………................................................................................................ 106 D. Designation of Critical Habitat is Prudent and Would Not Lead to Increased Threats to the Species…………………………………...........………………................................... 106 E. Designation of Critical Habitat Would Benefit the Black Hills Population of American Dipper……............................................................................................................. 106 VII. DOCUMENTS CITED….………........………………………………............................................... 108 VIII. SUMMARY…..……........................................................................................................................... 108 IX. 90-DAY FINDING……............………...………………………………………................................ 109 SIGNATURE PAGE…...………………………………………………………..………………................ 109 REFERENCES SUPPORTING PETITION……...………………………………..…….………………… 111 Biodiversity Conservation Alliance et al. Petition to List the Black Hills DPS of American Dipper, September 26, 2008 5 TABLE OF TABLES Table 1. “Eastern” Mayfly and Stonefly Species of the Black Hills………………………................ 51 2. Ecological Components of the Big Horn Mountains, Laramie Range, and Black Hills….... 53 3. USFS Grazing Allotments within the Spearfish Creek, Whitewood Creek, Bear Butte Creek, Elk Creek, Box Elder Creek, Rapid Creek, and French Creek Watersheds…..………......... 64 4. USFS Timber Sales that Have Impacted or Will Impact American Dipper Streams on the Black Hills………..…………………………………………………………………............ 74 Biodiversity Conservation Alliance et al. Petition to List the Black Hills DPS of American Dipper, September 26, 2008 6 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1. Location of Black Hills in United States……...…………..................................................... 12 2. Land ownership/management in the Black Hills Ecoregion…...……………………............ 15 3. Factors suspected of having effects on American dipper population size….......................... 29 4. Location of stream that have historically supported and/or presently support American dipper in the Black Hills…..………………………………………………….................................. 32 5. American dipper population on Spearfish Creek, 1993-2001…………….............................. 39 6. USFS grazing allotments on the BHNF and Spearfish Creek, Whitewood Creek, Bear Butte Creek, Elk Creek, Box Elder Creek, Rapid Creek, and French Creek watersheds................. 65 7. Active timber sales in the Spearfish Creek, Whitewood Creek, Bear Butte Creek, Elk Creek,