DOCSLIB.ORG

Conservation Management Strategy Mormon Mesa Desert Wildlife Management Area

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Conservation Management Strategy Mormon Mesa Desert Wildlife Management Area Conservation Management Strategy Mormon Mesa Desert Wildlife Management Area Clark County, Nevada February 2007 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Mojave Desert population of desert tortoises has been declining since the 1970s and was declared threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1990. Impacts of urban growth, agriculture, recreation, and other human activities—coupled with the rise of predators and disease—are thought to be the major causes of tortoise decline. Over the past 16 years, several attempts to define and implement specific Conservation Actions (CAs), strategies, and plans have been proposed to protect the tortoise and other species considered imperiled. Clark County and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) entered into the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP) as a binding commitment to protect 78 species, including the tortoise, by providing a commitment to implement specific CAs. Subsequent to the MSHCP, a site-specific conservation management strategy (CMS) is required for each of four areas in Clark County known as Desert Wildlife Management Areas (DWMAs). The intent of the CMS is to guide management actions and to unite federal, state, and local agencies in coordinated, adaptive management for each DWMA. This document is a CMS for the Mormon Mesa DWMA, composed primarily of southern desert and Mojave shrub communities. Mormon Mesa DWMA has expansive bajadas, considered to be prime tortoise habitat. The riparian biological community associated with its two significant washes represents some of the highest biodiversity in the Mojave Desert. Human use of Mormon Mesa includes roads and trails, utility lines, wells, mining, and privately owned lands. Of pressing environmental concern is the potential for urban growth and its associated impacts within the area. The purpose of this CMS is to consolidate and prioritize CAs and guide their implementation. This document consists of eight chapters: • Chapter 1 reviews the background leading to the present situation, the need for and purpose of the CMS, and the process of its development. It also details steps that will be taken to involve and educate the public in conservation efforts. • Chapter 2 describes the Mormon Mesa planning area. It identifies gaps in the knowledge base needed to complete the CMS, reviews the existing environment and the current status of desert tortoise populations, and presents current land uses and future potential scenarios. • Chapter 3 defines the purpose of the CMS and provides conservation objectives to achieve that purpose in the context of existing federal and state policies and mandates. • Chapter 4 reviews a suite of previously proposed CAs. It assesses funding sources and staffing necessary to implement them, describes their potential effects, and ranks them based on cost–benefit ratios. • Chapter 5 recommends, in order of priority, 12 new CAs that build on the existing base to evaluate the current status of recovery in the DWMA, address gaps in knowledge, and provide a long-term research, monitoring, and management plan. Specific projects, tasks, and performance measures for each action are included. • Chapter 6 describes the implementation plan for the 12 new CAs and provides a timeline for CMS review and assessment. • Chapter 7 lists references. MORMON MESA DESERT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY iii E XECUTIVE S UMMARY • Chapter 8 lists frequently used acronyms in the CMS. The following is a summary of the 12 new CAs described in Chapter 5. Priority CA 1—Identify where, how many, and to what extent CAs previously defined in the Clark County MSHCP have been implemented. Priority CA 2—Determine whether current levels of law enforcement staffing are sufficient to identify and quickly remedy human behaviors that negatively impact conservation. Priority CA 3—Provide managers with specific information on how and where outreach and education programs and materials are being used, whether they are effective, and how they need to be improved. Priority CA 4—Immediately establish monitoring programs for species about which very little is known concerning their distribution and abundance. Priority CA 5—Collect the results of existing research and monitoring efforts and investigate new methods of assessing threats to determine the extent and severity of human activities on sensitive species and habitats. Priority CA 6—Develop a comprehensive, centralized database to track the status of conservation efforts. Priority CA 7—Provide managers with reliable quantitative measures to more effectively evaluate conservation success using methods such as remote sensing and satellite imagery. Priority CA 8—Develop a monitoring program to determine the effectiveness of each CA. Monitoring should consist of hypothesis-based studies that measure tortoise and habitat responses before and after implementation of recovery actions. Priority CA 9—Establish a timeline for review and update of the CMS as the results of research and monitoring become available. Priority CA 10—Pursue a research program to identify tortoise movement patterns. Priority CA 11—Conduct long-term research studies on the biology and ecology of juvenile and hatchling tortoises and relate their survival rates to tortoise population viability and persistence. Priority CA 12—Pursue research aimed at recognizing, diagnosing, and treating tortoise diseases and establishing clear standards to accurately determine the health status of the tortoise population. The implementation plan of this CMS is meant to act as a guide for carrying out the CAs in consecutive steps. Changes to the CAs, to their priority ranking, and to the time frame for their implementation may occur as additional information is collected and analyzed and as funding and resources fluctuate. The adaptive management approach followed by this plan, and required by the MSHCP, links conservation strategies to the findings of research and monitoring activities over time. This CMS recommends continuous periodic review and revision of the CMS to produce the most effective plan over the long term. iv MORMON MESA DESERT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY CONTENTS Executive Summary ...........................................................................................................................iii 1. Introduction...............................................................................................................................1 1.1 Background.....................................................................................................................1 1.2 Purpose ...........................................................................................................................2 1.3 Need................................................................................................................................3 1.4 Public Participation ........................................................................................................4 1.4.1 Website.................................................................................................................4 1.4.2 Stakeholder Mailing List......................................................................................4 1.4.3 Electronic Newsletters .........................................................................................4 1.4.4 Press Releases ......................................................................................................5 1.4.5 Public Scoping Meetings......................................................................................5 1.5 Document Structure........................................................................................................5 2. Background, Inventory, and Assessment..................................................................................7 2.1 Planning Area .................................................................................................................7 2.2 Gaps in Information Needed to Complete Strategy........................................................8 2.3 Existing Environment.....................................................................................................9 2.3.1 Desert Tortoise Listing.........................................................................................9 2.3.2 Relevant Plans and Literature ..............................................................................9 2.3.3 Land Ownership and Resource Management.....................................................11 2.3.4 Human Use and Condition.................................................................................17 2.3.5 Biotic and Abiotic Factors .................................................................................23 2.3.6 Habitat Condition...............................................................................................27 2.3.7 Tortoise Population Estimates............................................................................28 2.3.8 Landscape Context.............................................................................................33 2.3.9 Biotic and Abiotic Factors .................................................................................34 2.3.10 Current and Future Threats ................................................................................35 2.4 Human Issues and Opportunities..................................................................................48 2.4.1 Economic ...........................................................................................................48
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Chuckwalla Habitat in Nevada
    Final Report 7 March 2003 Submitted to: Division of Wildlife, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State of Nevada STATUS OF DISTRIBUTION, POPULATIONS, AND HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS OF THE COMMON CHUCKWALLA, Sauromalus obesus, IN NEVADA Principal Investigator, Edmund D. Brodie, Jr., Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5305 (435)797-2485 Co-Principal Investigator, Thomas C. Edwards, Jr., Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5210 (435)797-2509 Research Associate, Paul C. Ustach, Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5305 (435)797-2450 1 INTRODUCTION As a primary consumer of vegetation in the desert, the common chuckwalla, Sauromalus obesus (=ater; Hollingsworth, 1998), is capable of attaining high population density and biomass (Fitch et al., 1982). The 21 November 1991 Federal Register (Vol. 56, No. 225, pages 58804-58835) listed the status of chuckwalla populations in Nevada as a Category 2 candidate for protection. Large size, open habitat and tendency to perch in conspicuous places have rendered chuckwallas particularly vulnerable to commercial and non-commercial collecting (Fitch et al., 1982). Past field and laboratory studies of the common chuckwalla have revealed an animal with a life history shaped by the fluctuating but predictable desert climate (Johnson, 1965; Nagy, 1973; Berry, 1974; Case, 1976; Prieto and Ryan, 1978; Smits, 1985a; Abts, 1987; Tracy, 1999; and Kwiatkowski and Sullivan, 2002a, b). Life history traits such as annual reproductive frequency, adult survivorships, and population density have all varied, particular to the population of chuckwallas studied. Past studies are mostly from populations well within the interior of chuckwalla range in the Sonoran Desert.
    [Show full text]
  • Endangered Species
    FEATURE: ENDANGERED SPECIES Conservation Status of Imperiled North American Freshwater and Diadromous Fishes ABSTRACT: This is the third compilation of imperiled (i.e., endangered, threatened, vulnerable) plus extinct freshwater and diadromous fishes of North America prepared by the American Fisheries Society’s Endangered Species Committee. Since the last revision in 1989, imperilment of inland fishes has increased substantially. This list includes 700 extant taxa representing 133 genera and 36 families, a 92% increase over the 364 listed in 1989. The increase reflects the addition of distinct populations, previously non-imperiled fishes, and recently described or discovered taxa. Approximately 39% of described fish species of the continent are imperiled. There are 230 vulnerable, 190 threatened, and 280 endangered extant taxa, and 61 taxa presumed extinct or extirpated from nature. Of those that were imperiled in 1989, most (89%) are the same or worse in conservation status; only 6% have improved in status, and 5% were delisted for various reasons. Habitat degradation and nonindigenous species are the main threats to at-risk fishes, many of which are restricted to small ranges. Documenting the diversity and status of rare fishes is a critical step in identifying and implementing appropriate actions necessary for their protection and management. Howard L. Jelks, Frank McCormick, Stephen J. Walsh, Joseph S. Nelson, Noel M. Burkhead, Steven P. Platania, Salvador Contreras-Balderas, Brady A. Porter, Edmundo Díaz-Pardo, Claude B. Renaud, Dean A. Hendrickson, Juan Jacobo Schmitter-Soto, John Lyons, Eric B. Taylor, and Nicholas E. Mandrak, Melvin L. Warren, Jr. Jelks, Walsh, and Burkhead are research McCormick is a biologist with the biologists with the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • ECOLOGY of NORTH AMERICAN FRESHWATER FISHES
    ECOLOGY of NORTH AMERICAN FRESHWATER FISHES Tables STEPHEN T. ROSS University of California Press Berkeley Los Angeles London © 2013 by The Regents of the University of California ISBN 978-0-520-24945-5 uucp-ross-book-color.indbcp-ross-book-color.indb 1 44/5/13/5/13 88:34:34 AAMM uucp-ross-book-color.indbcp-ross-book-color.indb 2 44/5/13/5/13 88:34:34 AAMM TABLE 1.1 Families Composing 95% of North American Freshwater Fish Species Ranked by the Number of Native Species Number Cumulative Family of species percent Cyprinidae 297 28 Percidae 186 45 Catostomidae 71 51 Poeciliidae 69 58 Ictaluridae 46 62 Goodeidae 45 66 Atherinopsidae 39 70 Salmonidae 38 74 Cyprinodontidae 35 77 Fundulidae 34 80 Centrarchidae 31 83 Cottidae 30 86 Petromyzontidae 21 88 Cichlidae 16 89 Clupeidae 10 90 Eleotridae 10 91 Acipenseridae 8 92 Osmeridae 6 92 Elassomatidae 6 93 Gobiidae 6 93 Amblyopsidae 6 94 Pimelodidae 6 94 Gasterosteidae 5 95 source: Compiled primarily from Mayden (1992), Nelson et al. (2004), and Miller and Norris (2005). uucp-ross-book-color.indbcp-ross-book-color.indb 3 44/5/13/5/13 88:34:34 AAMM TABLE 3.1 Biogeographic Relationships of Species from a Sample of Fishes from the Ouachita River, Arkansas, at the Confl uence with the Little Missouri River (Ross, pers. observ.) Origin/ Pre- Pleistocene Taxa distribution Source Highland Stoneroller, Campostoma spadiceum 2 Mayden 1987a; Blum et al. 2008; Cashner et al. 2010 Blacktail Shiner, Cyprinella venusta 3 Mayden 1987a Steelcolor Shiner, Cyprinella whipplei 1 Mayden 1987a Redfi n Shiner, Lythrurus umbratilis 4 Mayden 1987a Bigeye Shiner, Notropis boops 1 Wiley and Mayden 1985; Mayden 1987a Bullhead Minnow, Pimephales vigilax 4 Mayden 1987a Mountain Madtom, Noturus eleutherus 2a Mayden 1985, 1987a Creole Darter, Etheostoma collettei 2a Mayden 1985 Orangebelly Darter, Etheostoma radiosum 2a Page 1983; Mayden 1985, 1987a Speckled Darter, Etheostoma stigmaeum 3 Page 1983; Simon 1997 Redspot Darter, Etheostoma artesiae 3 Mayden 1985; Piller et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Mineral Resources of the Mormon Mountains Wilderness Study Area
    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Mineral resources of the Mormon Mountains Wilderness Study Area and Addition, Lincoln and Clark Counties, Nevada by Daniel R. Shawe1 , H. Richard Blank, Jr. 1 , Brian P. Wernicke2 , Gary J. Axen3 , Harlan N. Barton1 , Gordon W. Day1 , and David C. Scott4 (Supplement to U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1729-B, Mineral resources of the Mormon Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Lincoln County, Nevada, by Shawe, D.R., Blank, H.R., Jr., Wernicke, B.P., Axen, G.J., Barton, H.N., Day, G.W., and Rains, R.L.) Open-File Report 90-0249 1990 This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards nor with the North American stratigraphic code. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 1U.S. Geological Survey Department of Geology, Box 6030 Denver, CO 80225 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011 Department of Earth and Planetary Science 4U.S. Bureau of Mines Harvard University, Denver, CO 80225 Cambridge, MA 02138 STUDIES RELATED TO WILDERNESS Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Areas The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Public Law 94-979, October 21, 1976) requires the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines to conduct mineral surveys on certain areas to determine the mineral values, if any, that may be present. Results must be made available to the public and be submitted to the President and the Congress. This report presents the results of a mineral survey of the Mormon Mountains Wilderness Study Area and Addition (NV-050-161), Lincoln and Clark Counties, Nevada.
    [Show full text]
  • Mineral Resources of the Mormon Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Lincoln County, Nevada
    Mineral Resources of the Mormon Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Lincoln County, Nevada U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1729-B or ^JSSr Chapter B Mineral Resources of the Mormon Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Lincoln County, Nevada By DANIEL R. SHAWE, H. RICHARD BLANK, JR., BRIAN P. WERNICKE, GARY J. AXEN, HARLAN N. BARTON, and GORDON W. DAY U.S. Geological Survey RICHARD L RAINS U.S. Bureau of Mines U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1729 MINERAL RESOURCES OF WILDERNESS STUDY AREAS- SOUTHEASTERN NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL MODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1988 For sale by the Books and Open-File Reports Section U.S. Geological Survey Federal Center Box 25425 Denver, CO 80225 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Main entry under title: Mineral resources of the Mormon Mountains Wilderness Study Area, Lincoln County, Nevada. (Mineral resources of wilderness study areas southeastern Nevada ; ch. B) (U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 1729-B) Bibliography: p. Supt. of Docs, no.: I 19.3:1729-8. 1. Mines and mineral resources Nevada Mormon Mountains Wilderness. 2. Mormon Mountains Wilderness (Nev.). I. Shawe, Daniel R., 1925- . II. Series. III. Series: U.S. Geological Survey bulletin ; 1729-B. QE75.B9 no. 1729-B 557.3s 87-600429 [TN24.N3] [553'.09793'14] STUDIES RELATED TO WILDERNESS Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Areas The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Public Law 94-579, October 21, 1976) requires the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines to conduct mineral surveys on certain areas to determine the mineral values, if any, that may be present.
    [Show full text]
  • Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Plan
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Revised RECOVERY PLAN for the Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) Original Plan Approved: November 1993 Prepared by: Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Coordinator U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office Billings, Montana For Mountain-Prairie Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Denver, CO January 2014 DISCLAIMER Recovery plans delineate reasonable actions that are believed necessary to recover and/or protect listed species. Plans are prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, sometimes with the assistance of recovery teams, contractors, State agencies, and others. Plans are reviewed by the public and subject to additional peer review before they are adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Objectives will only be attained and funds expended contingent upon appropriations, priorities, and other budgetary constraints. Recovery plans do not obligate other parties to undertake specific tasks. Recovery plans do not necessarily represent the views nor the official positions or approval of any individuals or agencies involved in the plan formulation, other than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They represent the official position of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only after they have been signed by the Regional Director or Director as approved. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in species’ status, and the completion of recovery tasks. Copies of all documents reviewed in development of the plan are available in the administrative record, located at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Billings, Montana.
    [Show full text]
  • (Gila Elegans) (BONY) Basic Conceptual Ecological Model for the Lower Colorado River
    Bonytail (Gila elegans) (BONY) Basic Conceptual Ecological Model for the Lower Colorado River 2018 Updates 1. Eggs & Early Larvae G1-2 R5-1 S1-2 5. Spawning 2. Fry & Adults Juveniles S5-4 G2-4 G4-4 P4-5 S2-4 S4-4 4. Established Adults G3-4 3. Newly- S3-4 Stocked SHR Adults Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation March 2019 Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Steering Committee Members Federal Participant Group California Participant Group Bureau of Reclamation California Department of Fish and Wildlife U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service City of Needles National Park Service Coachella Valley Water District Bureau of Land Management Colorado River Board of California Bureau of Indian Affairs Bard Water District Western Area Power Administration Imperial Irrigation District Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Palo Verde Irrigation District Arizona Participant Group San Diego County Water Authority Southern California Edison Company Arizona Department of Water Resources Southern California Public Power Authority Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern Arizona Game and Fish Department California Arizona Power Authority Central Arizona Water Conservation District Cibola Valley Irrigation and Drainage District Nevada Participant Group City of Bullhead City City of Lake Havasu City Colorado River Commission of Nevada City of Mesa Nevada Department of Wildlife City of Somerton Southern Nevada Water Authority City of Yuma Colorado River Commission Power Users Electrical District
    [Show full text]
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service Revised
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Revised RECOVERY PLAN for the Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) Original Plan Approved: November 1993 Prepared by: Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Coordinator U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office Billings, Montana For Mountain-Prairie Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Denver, CO January 2014 DISCLAIMER Recovery plans delineate reasonable actions that are believed necessary to recover and/or protect listed species. Plans are prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, sometimes with the assistance of recovery teams, contractors, State agencies, and others. Plans are reviewed by the public and subject to additional peer review before they are adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Objectives will only be attained and funds expended contingent upon appropriations, priorities, and other budgetary constraints. Recovery plans do not obligate other parties to undertake specific tasks. Recovery plans do not necessarily represent the views nor the official positions or approval of any individuals or agencies involved in the plan formulation, other than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They represent the official position of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only after they have been signed by the Regional Director or Director as approved. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in species’ status, and the completion of recovery tasks. Copies of all documents reviewed in development of the plan are available in the administrative record, located at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Billings, Montana.
    [Show full text]
  • Overton Power District No. 5 Power Transmission Expansion Project Environmental Assessment
    DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2009-1020-EA Overton Power District No. 5 Power Transmission Expansion Project Environmental Assessment Clark County, Nevada March 2014 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Las Vegas Field Office 4701 North Torrey Pines Las Vegas, NV 89130 Phone: 702-515-5000 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background .................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action ............................................................... 8 1.3 Relationship to Statutes, Regulations, Plans or Other Environmental Analyses ............ 8 1.3.1 Conformance With Land Use Plan ........................................................................... 8 1.3.2 Local Land Use Plans ..................................................................................................... 8 1.3.3 Authorizing Actions ................................................................................................... 8 1.4 Scoping, Public Involvement, and Issues ....................................................................... 8 2.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES .............................................................. 10 2.1 Alternative I – No Action Alternative ............................................................................. 10 2.2 Alternative II – Proposed Action ..................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Lincoln County Archaeological Initiative (LCAI) Update Updated 2/5/19
    Lincoln County Archaeological Initiative (LCAI) Update Updated 2/5/19 Round 1 Inventory, Evaluation and Management Assessment of Known Rock Art Sites on BLM Managed Lands in Lincoln County, Nevada This project is a three year inventory and assessment project for rock art sites on BLM administered land in Lincoln County. Over the three years, all known rock art sites will be visited and recorded at a baseline level sufficient to allow site stewardship and assessed for condition and management needs. Digital and paper copies of all records will be provided to the BLM and the SHPO archives and an annual report will be produced that details the activities for the year, assesses progress, and identifies problems or issues requiring agency action. After each field season, a public presentation on the results of the work will be given at a regional venue. Complete Oral Histories and Place Making Practices among the Paiute and Shoshone of Lincoln County: A Cultural Landscape of the Mormon Mountains This two phase project is to identify and record oral histories and place making practices of Numic- speaking peoples associated with unique archaeological resources in the Mormon Mountains. This general goal will be met through the ethnographic evaluation of nine petro glyph and pictograph sites through interviews of Paiute and Shoshone cultural representatives with traditional knowledge. The final ethnographic report will provide in-depth ethnographic evaluations of the nine archaeological sites, digital photographs, and maps that situate each petro glyph and pictograph area within the context of cultural landscapes. Results also will be presented at professional meetings.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution, Demise, and Restoration of the Native Fishes of the Lower Colorado River by Brent R
    The evolution, demise, and restoration of the native fishes of the lower Colorado River By Brent R. Campos ABSTRACT Throughout the last century, the Colorado River’s natural flow regime was drastically altered by the infrastructure of water regulation. The once dramatic seasonal and annual variations in water flows, which shaped the life histories and unique morphologies of its native fishes, have been subdued by the many impoundments throughout the river. Bluehead sucker, flannelmouth sucker, speckled dace, bonytail, Colorado pikeminnnow, humpback chub and razorback sucker are fish native to the Colorado River Basin, the latter four being critically endangered endemics. The native fish face two major threats: (1) habitat degradation, caused by cold, sediment-starved, and relatively flat-lined water releases, and (2) nonnative fishes, introduced since the late 1800s. Both of these threats work together in precluding the recruitment of the natives. The cold, clear, hypolimnetic releases degrade the natives’ backwater rearing habitat and cause near-zero growth rates in their young-of-year offspring, while the introduced fishes predate upon the young-of-year and juveniles. The current and proposed management strategies for restoring and/or perpetuating the fish native to the mainstem of the lower Colorado River include experimental flows, mimicking the natural flow regime, tailwater warming, nonnative fish control, and artificially-maintained populations. A holistic, ecosystem-based approach, using a combination of these management options, will likely be needed if the sustainable recovery of the lower Colorado River’s native fishes is ever to be achieved. INTRODUCTION The many dams impeding the natural flow of water on the Colorado River and its tributaries make the Colorado River Basin one of the most altered watersheds in the world (Fradkin 1981).
    [Show full text]
  • A Matter of Faith: a Study of the Muddy Mission
    UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-1997 A matter of faith: A study of the Muddy Mission Monique Elaine Kimball University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Kimball, Monique Elaine, "A matter of faith: A study of the Muddy Mission" (1997). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/e6xy-ki9b This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS The most advanced technology has been used to photo­ graph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any typo ol computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction.
    [Show full text]