Draft Bruneau Subbasin Summary May 17, 2002 Prepared for the Northwest Power Planning Council Subbasin Team Leader Carol Perugini, Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Writing Team Members Darin Saul, ecovista Anne Davidson, ecovista Craig Rabe, ecovista Contributors Bureau of Land Management, Elko Resource Area Bureau of Land Management, Jarbidge Resource Area Bureau of Land Management, Bruneau Resource Area Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Idaho Department of Fish and Game Nevada Division of Wildlife Owyhee County Commissioners Shoshone-Paiute Tribes The Nature Conservancy DRAFT: This document has not yet been reviewed or approved by the Northwest Power Planning Council Bruneau Subbasin Summary Table of Contents Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 1 Subbasin Description ......................................................................................................................... 3 General Description ................................................................................................................... 3 Fish and Wildlife Resources............................................................................................................ 30 Fish and Wildlife Status........................................................................................................... 30 Habitat Areas and Quality........................................................................................................ 59 Watershed Assessment............................................................................................................. 67 Artificial Production ................................................................................................................ 74 Present Subbasin Management ........................................................................................................ 78 Existing Management............................................................................................................... 78 Past and Existing Fish and Wildlife Projects........................................................................... 87 Existing Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................. 88 Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Activities .................................................................. 106 Statement of Fish and Wildlife Needs ................................................................................... 108 Bruneau Subbasin Recommendations............................................................................................ 114 Projects and Budgets.............................................................................................................. 114 Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Activities ................................................................... 123 Needed Future Actions........................................................................................................... 125 Actions by Others................................................................................................................... 125 References...................................................................................................................................... 128 Appendix A. ICBEMP Definitions for Fish Status Classifications Appendix B. Wildlife species potentially occurring in the Bruneau Subbasin Appendix C. Noxious weed species documented in Owyhee County (Invaders Database) Bruneau Subbasin Summary ii DRAFT May 17, 2002 List of Figures Figure 1. Major features of the Bruneau subbasin and location in the Middle Snake Province ....... 2 Figure 2. Precipitation and stream flow patterns, Bruneau subbasin ................................................ 4 Figure 3. Topography and elevation in the Bruneau subbasin .......................................................... 7 Figure 4. Geologic features of the Bruneau subbasin........................................................................ 8 Figure 5. Soil erodibility in the Bruneau subbasin .......................................................................... 11 Figure 6. Location of §303(d) listed stream segments, Bruneau subbasin...................................... 13 Figure 7. Current land cover patterns in the Bruneau subbasin....................................................... 18 Figure 8. Land ownership in the Bruneau subbasin......................................................................... 22 Figure 9. Historic and active mines in the Bruneau subbasin.......................................................... 26 Figure 10. Area covered by State of Idaho PLO #6890 (BLM 2001) ............................................ 27 Figure 11. Impoundments within the Bruneau subbasin (Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission data).................................................................................................................... 28 Figure 12. Areas in the Bruneau subbasin with conservation-based management or protection .... 29 Figure 13. Redband trout status and distribution as modeled through the ICBEMP....................... 34 Figure 14. BLM redband survey data for streams in the Bruneau subbasin (1979-1980). Roman numerals II and I represent upstream and downstream (respectively) sample locations. ....... 35 Figure 15. Status and distribution of bull trout in the Bruneau subbasin ........................................ 39 Figure 16. Mountain whitefish distribution in the Bruneau subbasin. ............................................ 40 Figure 17. Brook trout distribution in the Bruneau subbasin .......................................................... 41 Figure 18. Spotted frog survey results, Bruneau subbasin ............................................................. 48 Figure 19. Hen productivity, estimated using IDFG wing barrel data from Owyhee County (1959- 1999)........................................................................................................................................ 51 Figure 20. Sage grouse lek locations, Bruneau subbasin................................................................. 52 Figure 21. Idaho Department of Fish and Game GMUs and Nevada hunt units in the Bruneau subbasin................................................................................................................................... 56 Figure 22. Bighorn sheep population trends, Big and Little Jacks Creeks...................................... 58 Figure 23. Permits issued and pronghorn harvested in Idaho Fish and Game GMUs..................... 59 Figure 24. Known conditions of streams in the Bruneau subbasin (BLM unpublished data). PFC=properly functioning condition; FAR=functioning at risk; NF=not functioning........... 61 Figure 25. Riparian condition of streams in fiscal year 1998 in the JRA (BLM unpublished data)61 Figure 26. Riparian condition of streams in fiscal year 1999 in the JRA (BLM unpublished data)62 Figure 27. Susceptibility to cheatgrass invasion.............................................................................. 75 Figure 28. Idaho Department of Fish and Game rainbow trout stocking in the Bruneau subbasin, 1970-1989................................................................................................................................ 77 Bruneau Subbasin Summary iii DRAFT May 17, 2002 List of Tables Table 1. Land area of counties containing the Bruneau subbasin ..................................................... 3 Table 2. 1998 §303(d) listed stream segments in the Bruneau subbasin (from Lay and IDEQ 2000) ................................................................................................................................................. 12 Table 3. TMDLs to be completed in the Bruneau subbasin (from Lay and IDEQ 2000) ............... 12 Table 4. Proposed delistings in the Bruneau subbasin (from Lay and IDEQ 2000)........................ 14 Table 5. Land cover in the Bruneau subbasin (USGS LULC data)................................................. 16 Table 6. Sensitive plant species in the Bruneau/Jarbidge Subbasin (N= not confirmed, P=Present)(Jim Klott, personal communication 2001; USDI 2000b).................................... 19 Table 7. Noxious weeds in the Jarbidge Resource Area. C=common, U=uncommon, N=no data (Jim Klott Pers. com. 2001; USDI 1999a) ............................................................................. 20 Table 8. Land ownership in Bruneau subbasin................................................................................ 20 Table 9. Impoundments in the Bruneau subbasin (Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission data)......................................................................................................................................... 28 Table 10. Fish species inhabiting the Bruneau subbasin ................................................................. 30 Table 11. Fisheries harvest management history in the Jarbidge River (1945-1988) ..................... 36 Table 12. 1997 BLM brook trout survey data for Flat Creek, Idaho (BLM unpublished data) ...... 38 Table 13. Listed wildlife species of the Bruneau subbasin (DAF 1998; Lay and IDEQ 2000). ..... 42 Table 14. Reptiles and amphibians in Big Jacks and Little Jacks Creek Drainages (Gerber et al 1997).......................................................................................................................................