WHITTLESEY CREEK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE HABITAT MANAGEMENT PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT June 2006 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building 1 Federal Drive Ft. Snelling, MN 55111 Local Address: Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, 29270 County Hwy. G, Ashland, WI 54806; [email protected]; 715-685-2678. WHITTLESEY CREEK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE HABITAT MANAGEMENT PLAN Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 1 List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. 4 I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 5 A. Scope and rationale ................................................................................................................... 5 B. Legal Mandates ......................................................................................................................... 5 C. Relationship to other plans ........................................................................................................ 6 D. Relationship with private lands in the watershed ...................................................................... 7 II. Background ............................................................................................................................. 8 A. Inventory and description of habitat .......................................................................................... 8 1) Location .............................................................................................................................. 8 2) Physical or geographic setting ............................................................................................ 8 Watershed ........................................................................................................................... 8 Ecoregion .......................................................................................................................... 10 Topography ....................................................................................................................... 10 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 10 Historic Conditions ........................................................................................................... 10 Historic Vegetation ........................................................................................................... 11 Historic Hydrology and Streams Conditions .................................................................... 12 Current Conditions and Changes from Historic Conditions ............................................. 13 III. Resources of Concern ............................................................................................................. 27 A. Resource of Concern – Coldwater Streams ............................................................................ 31 Species of Concern Associated with Coldwater Streams ..................................................... 33 Wood turtle ....................................................................................................................... 34 Water shrew ...................................................................................................................... 34 B. Resource of Concern - Lowland Forest and Shrub ................................................................. 34 Species of Concern Associated with Lowland Forest and Shrub ......................................... 35 Northern waterthrush ........................................................................................................ 35 Northern black currant ...................................................................................................... 35 Marsh Horsetail ................................................................................................................. 35 Veery ................................................................................................................................. 35 C. Resource of Concern - Riparian Forest ................................................................................... 35 Species of Concern within Riparian Forest .......................................................................... 35 Veery ................................................................................................................................. 35 Wood Turtle ...................................................................................................................... 36 E. Resource of Concern – Coastal Wetland ................................................................................. 36 Species of Concern in Coastal Wetland ................................................................................ 36 Black Duck........................................................................................................................ 36 Common Mudpuppy ......................................................................................................... 36 Sora Rail............................................................................................................................ 36 IV. Habitat Goals, Objectives and Strategies ........................................................................ 38 Whittlesey Creek NWR, Habitat Management Plan June 2006, Page 1 A. Habitat Goals........................................................................................................................... 39 Habitat Goal 1 – Stream ........................................................................................................ 39 Brook Trout Population Goal................................................................................................ 39 Habitat Goal 2 - Sediments ................................................................................................... 45 Habitat Goal 3 – Floodplain and Wetland Hydrology .......................................................... 45 Habitat Goal 4 – Floodplain Habitat ..................................................................................... 45 V. Monitoring ............................................................................................................................... 49 A. Stream Hydrology ................................................................................................................... 49 Measurement ......................................................................................................................... 49 Monitoring Strategy .............................................................................................................. 49 B. Stream Habitat ......................................................................................................................... 49 Measurements ....................................................................................................................... 49 Monitoring Strategy .............................................................................................................. 50 C. Fish populations ...................................................................................................................... 50 D. Breeding Birds ........................................................................................................................ 50 Measurement ......................................................................................................................... 50 Monitoring Strategy .............................................................................................................. 50 E. Floodplain and Coastal Habitat ............................................................................................... 51 Measurement ......................................................................................................................... 51 Monitoring Strategy .............................................................................................................. 51 F. Terrestrial Invasive Species ..................................................................................................... 51 Measurement ......................................................................................................................... 51 Monitoring Strategy .............................................................................................................. 51 VI. Required Resources ................................................................................................................ 52 VII. References ............................................................................................................................ 53 VIII. Appendices ........................................................................................................................... 57 Appendix A. Private Lands Programs Available in the Whittlesey Watershed ........................... 57 Appendix B. Whittlesey Creek Oral History Interviews: An Overview ..................................... 60 Appendix C. Scientists who Met with the Service to Provide Expertise ....................................