Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish] Forest: Salmon-Challis National Forest Forest Reviewer: Bart L
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SPECIES: Scientific [common] Prosopium williamsoni [Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish] Forest: Salmon-Challis National Forest Forest Reviewer: Bart L. Gamett Date of Review: March 16, 2018 Forest concurrence (or Yes recommendation if new) for inclusion of species on list of potential SCC: (Enter Yes or No) FOREST REVIEW RESULTS: 1. The Forest concurs or recommends the species for inclusion on the list of potential SCC: Yes_X_ No___ 2. Rationale for not concurring is based on (check all that apply): Species is not native to the plan area _______ Species is not known to occur in the plan area _______ Species persistence in the plan area is not of substantial concern _______ FOREST REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. Is the Species Native to the Plan Area? Yes_X__ No___ If no, provide explanation and stop assessment. 2. Is the Species Known to Occur within the Planning Area? Yes_X__ No___ If no, stop assessment. Table 1. Selected sampling events where Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish have been detected on the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Number Reach Length Occupied Number Stream, Reach Year >200 mm in (km) Length (km) >200mm/km reach Historical Big Lost River, 2002- 1.5 1.5 500 750 National Forest 2005 1.5 1.5 61.7 92.55 lands between 2007- 1.5 1.5 291.9 437.85 Chilly Diversion to 2009 1.5 1.5 138.2 207.3 North Fork 2012 1.5 1.5 77.8 117 2017 Historical 8.7 8.7 500 4350 Antelope Creek, 2002- 8.7 0 0 0 Forest Boundary to 2005 8.7 0 0 0 Iron Bog Creek 2007- 8.7 0 0 0 2009 8.7 0 0 0 2012 2017 Historical 2002- 25.2 25.2 500 12600 East Fork Big Lost 2005 25.2 20.4 15.4 314.16 River, Forest 2007- 25.2 25.2 13.8 347.76 Boundary to Star 2009 25.2 25.2 24.4 614.88 Hope Creek 2012 25.2 25.2 28.2 710.64 2017 Historical 2002- 4 4 500 2000 East Fork Big Lost 2005 4 0 0 0 River, Star Hope 2007- 4 0 0 0 Creek to Corral 2009 4 0 0 0 Creek 2012 4 0 0 0 2017 Historical 2002- 6.7 6.7 500 3350 North Fork Big Lost 2005 6.7 0 0 0 River, Forest 2007- 6.7 6.7 18.9 126.63 Boundary to 2009 6.7 6.7 12.2 81.74 Summit Creek 2012 6.7 6.7 3.3 22.11 2017 Historical 2002- 22.8 22.8 500 11400 North Fork Big Lost 2005 22.8 0 0 0 River, Summit 2007- 22.8 0 0 0 Creek to Bear Creek 2009 22.8 0 0 0 2012 22.8 0 0 0 2017 Historical 2002- 15.6 15.6 500 7800 Star Hope Creek, 2005 15.6 0 0 0 Mouth to Muldoon 2007- 15.6 15.6 17.7 276.12 Creek 2009 15.6 0 0 0 2012 15.6 0 0 0 2017 Historical 2002- 6.6 6.6 500 3300 Summit Creek, 2005 6.6 0 0 0 Mouth to Phi Kappa 2007- 6.6 0 0 0 Creek 2009 6.6 0 0 0 2012 6.6 0 0 0 2017 Historical 13.6 13.6 500 6800 Wildhorse Creek, 2002- 13.6 0 0 0 Mouth to Wildhorse 2005 13.6 13.6 10.8 146.88 Campground 2007- 13.6 13.6 55.8 758.88 2009 13.6 0 0 0 2012 2017 USFS (United States Forest Service). 2018. Summary of Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish Distribution and Abundance Trends (National Forest Lands Only). USFS Salmon–Challis National Forest. a. Are all Species Occurrences Only Accidental or Transient? Yes___ No_X__ If yes, document source for determination and stop assessment. b. For species with known occurrences on the Forest since 1990, based on the number of observations and/or year of last observation, can the species be presumed to be established or becoming established in the plan area? Yes_X__ No___ If no, provide explanation and stop assessment c. For species with known occurrences on the Forest predating 1990, does the weight of evidence suggest the species still occurs in the plan area? Yes___ No___ Provide explanation for determination N/A—occurrences have been documented since 1990. If determination is no, stop assessment d. Map 1, Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) range in Idaho; Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish only occurs in Big Lost River basin—see Map 2 (IDFG 2018) IDFG (Idaho Department of Fish and Game). 2018. Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni). Internet website: https://idfg.idaho.gov/species/taxa/18744. Accessed on January 2, 2018. e. Map 2, The distribution of Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) on the Salmon-Challis National Forest. 3. Is There Substantial Concern for the Species’ Capability to persist Over the Long-term in the Plan Area Based on Best Available Scientific Information? Table 2. Status summary based on existing conservation assessments Entity Status/Rank (include definition if Other) NatureServe No status Global Rank NatureServe No status State Rank State List IDFG—Game fish Status No SGCN status USDA Forest Region 4 sensitive species Service USDI FWS Not listed Other No other status Table 3. Status summary based on best available scientific information. Species (Scientific and Common Name): Prosopium williamsoni (Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish) Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations 1 A3 Big Lost River mountain whitefish are an isolated population of mountain USFS (United States Department of Distribution on whitefish native to the Big Lost River basin (USFS 2017a). Currently, they Agriculture, Forest Service). 2017a. Salmon-Challis occur in a few areas on the Forest within this drainage (USFS 2017a, An Assessment of Aquatic Species National Forest 2018), which intersects the Lost River Ranger District. These areas include on the Salmon–Challis National the Big Lost River (National Forest lands between Chilly Diversion to Forest in Support of Forest Plan North Fork), East Fork Big Lost River (Forest Boundary to Star Hope Revision. Draft 12-05-2017. Creek), and North Fork Big Lost River (Forest Boundary to Summit Creek). USFS (United States Forest Service). Species (Scientific and Common Name): Prosopium williamsoni (Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish) Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations Because these fish only occur within a few reaches of a single drainage, 2018. Summary of Big Lost River habitat is naturally isolated (Rank A3). Mountain Whitefish Distribution and Abundance Trends (National Forest Lands Only). USFS Salmon– Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low Challis National Forest. 2 B Rangewide, mountain whitefish inhabit rivers and lakes throughout IDFG (Idaho Department of Fish Distribution in mountainous areas of western North America. The native range in the and Game). 2007. Mountain surrounding United States extends from central California and the Lahontan basin in Whitefish Conservation and geographic area Nevada to the northwestern states, including Idaho, Wyoming, and Management Plan for the Big Lost Montana; in Canada mountain whitefish are widespread in British River Drainage, Idaho. May 2007. Columbia and western Alberta (IDFG 2007). USFWS (United States Fish and The Big Lost River mountain whitefish are a unique form of mountain Wildlife Service). 2010a. whitefish that are restricted to the Big Lost River basin at the southern Endangered and Threatened edge of the species range. The Big Lost River originates in the Pioneer, Wildlife and Plants; 12–month Boulder, Lost River, and White Knob mountain ranges and flows down Finding on a Petition to List the the Big Lost River Valley onto the Snake River Plain, where it terminates Mountain Whitefish in the Big Lost at the Big Lost River Sinks (USFWS 2010a, 2010b). The distribution of the River, Idaho, as Endangered or Big Lost River mountain whitefish in the Big Lost River basin off National Threatened. 50 CFR Part 17; FWS- Forest lands is primarily restricted to the main stem Big Lost River. (Rank R1-ES-2009-0043; MO 92210-0- B). 0008 B2. USFWS (United States Fish and Wildlife Service). 2010b. Endangered and Threatened Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low Wildlife and Plants; 12–month Finding on a Petition to List the Mountain Whitefish in the Big Lost River, Idaho, as Endangered or Threatened; Correction. 50 CFR Species (Scientific and Common Name): Prosopium williamsoni (Big Lost River Mountain Whitefish) Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations Part 17; FWS–R1–ES–2009–0043; MO 92210–0–0008 B2. 3 B The Big Lost River basin is a part of a group of isolated stream systems, Campbell, M. R., and C. C. Kozfkay. Dispersal termed the Lost Streams, which originate in the mountains of southern 2006. Native Species Investigations, Capability Idaho and flow in a southerly direction where they sink into the Snake Project 2. Job Performance Report, River Plain; lava flows of the Plain prevent the Lost Streams from Project F-73-R-25. Report Number connecting with other streams in the basins, effectively isolating fish 06-18. Idaho Department of Fish from surrounding areas (Gamett 2009a). Therefore, mountain whitefish and Game, Boise, ID. in the Big Lost River basin are physically isolated from other whitefish populations within the Snake River basin. Gamett, B. 2009a. An Overview of Mountain Whitefish in the Lost Mountain whitefish have been isolated in the Big Lost River basin for an Streams of Idaho. South Zone Fish estimated 165,000–330,000 years, during which they evolved genetic Program. USFS Salmon-Challis distinction (Campbell and Kozfkay 2006; Gamett 2009a; Miller 2006; National Forest. September 8, USFS 2017a). Although the Big Lost River mountain whitefish has not 2009.