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At least 1,009 records · Page 56Linked to original sources
USGS2012

Effects of best-management practices in Eagle and Joos Valley Creeks in the Waumandee Creek Priority Watershed, Wisconsin, 1990-2007

In many watersheds, nonpoint-source contamination is a major contributor to water-quality problems. In response to the recognition of the importance of nonpoint sources, the Wisconsin Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Abatement Program (Nonpoint Program) was enacted in 1978. This report summarizes the results of a study to assess the effectiveness of watershed-management practices for controlling nonpoint-source contamination for the Eagle Creek and Joos Valley Creek Watersheds. Streamflow-gaging stations equipped for automated sample collection and continuous recording of stream stage were installed in July 1990 at Eagle and Joos Valley Creeks and were operated through September 2007. In October 1990, three rain gages were installed in each watershed and were operated through September 2007. Best-Management Practices (BMPs) were installed during 1993 to 2000 in Eagle and Joos Valley Creeks and were tracked throughout the study period. By the year 2000, a majority of the BMPs were implemented in the two watersheds and goals set by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the local Land Conservation Department had been achieved for the two study watersheds (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1990). The distributions of the rainstorms that produced surface runoff and storm loads were similar in the pre-BMP (1990-93) and post-BMP implementation (2000-07) periods for both Eagle and Joos Valley Creeks. The highest annual streamflow occurred at both sites in water year 1993, which corresponded to the greatest above normal nonfrozen precipitation measured at two nearby NOAA weather stations. The minimum streamflow occurred in water year 2007 at both sites. Base-flow and stormwater samples were collected and analyzed for suspended solids, total phosphorus, and ammonia nitrogen. For both Eagle and Joos Valley Creeks the median concentrations of suspended solids and total phosphorus in base flow were lower during the post-BMP period compared to the pre-BMP period and were statistically significant at the 0.05 significance level. The decrease in median concentrations of ammonia nitrogen at both sites was not statistically significant at the 0.05 significance level. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to remove the effects of climatologic conditions and seasonality from computed storm loads. For both Eagle and Joos Valley Creeks, the median storm loads for suspended solids, total phosphorus, and ammonia nitrogen were lower during the post-BMP period compared to the pre-BMP period and were statistically significant at the 0.05 significance level. The decreases in storm-load regression residuals from the pre- to the post-BMP periods for both Eagle and Joos Valley Creeks were statistically significant for all three constituents at the 0.05 significance level and indicated an apparent improvement in water-quality in the post-BMP period. Because the rainfall characteristics for individual storms in the pre- and post-BMP periods are likely to be different, separate pre- and post-BMP regressions were used to estimate the theoretical pre- and post-BMP storm loads to allow estimates of precent reductions between the pre- and post-BMP periods. The estimated percent reductions in storm loads for suspended solids, total phosphorus, and ammonia nitrogen were 89, 77, and 66 respectively for Eagle Creek and 84, 67, and 60 respectively for Joos Valley Creek. The apparent improvement in water quality is attributed to the implemented BMPs and to a reduction in the number of cattle in the watersheds.

Wisconsin↗
USGS2020

North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) scenario planning summary report

Scenario planning provides a structured framework that can be used in strategic planning to help manage risk and prioritize actions (Schwartz 1996; Peterson et al. 2003). By providing a mechanism to communicate about complex situations, scenario planning encourages “out-of-the-box” thinking to help groups assess the impacts of plausible future scenarios on a target or resource. The outcomes from scenario planning can be used to improve management decisions, highlight data gaps, and/or identify future science priorities (Star et al. 2015; Borggaard et al. 2019). The application of scenario planning by resource management organizations (e.g., Borggaard et al. 2019; Runyon et al. 2020; Star et al. 2015) and the urgency surrounding the recovery of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis), led to a 2018 NOAA Fisheries scenario planning initiative for the species. In addition to complementing the many management and conservation efforts already underway, this initiative was designed to address the uncertainties around future anthropogenic and environmental changes and how these uncertainties may impact species recovery. We used a scenario planning framework to explore plausible future conditions for North Atlantic right whales and to develop possible options to address those conditions and improve recovery. Specific objectives were to: 1) better understand the challenges of right whale management in a changing climate; 2) identify potential research activities and recovery needs across the species’ range; 3) increase coordination and collaboration related to recovery efforts; and 4) explore how scenario planning can be used to support decisions. Using projected changes in ocean conditions coupled with anthropogenic stressors, we built four plausible future scenarios for right whales. These scenarios helped identify priority research and management actions that NOAA Fisheries and our partners can undertake to improve right whale recovery. We identified priority actions related to science, management, and partnerships including, but not limited to, 1) research on shifting spatial and temporal distributions of right whales and prey in a changing climate; 2) development of technology to further reduce impacts from human activities; 3) continuation of ongoing management efforts related to vessel traffic and fishing; and 4) continued maintenance of existing and development of new partnerships (e.g., industry engagement in problem solving). This scenario planning exercise helped prioritize North Atlantic right whale management and science needs in light of changing ocean conditions and anthropogenic impacts. It can also serve as a reference for how NOAA Fisheries and its partners can better prepare for multiple plausible futures while complementing other on-going initiatives. Priorities identified here can be considered in conjunction with implementation and monitoring actions such as with the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team (ALWTRT) and/or regional Right Whale U.S. Implementation Teams. The framework can also be repeated and improved upon as additional information becomes available to support future exercises.

Technical Memorandum↗
USGS2024

Perspectives on equitable co-production workshop report

The co-production of knowledge is increasingly recognized as an approach to conducting research intended to achieve a societal impact. In this study, we used a broad definition of co-production, defining it as “a process that brings together diverse groups to iteratively create new knowledge and practices (1).” However, co-production has been defined and conceptualized in a variety of ways (2,3), across multiple domains, including public administration, conservation, health, education, and climate change. Theoretical definitions have been introduced by scholars like Jasanoff (4) and Ostrom (5), but definitions can also be grounded in practice (6). For example, unique definitions of co-production have been advanced for work with Arctic Indigenous Peoples (7), in the context of resource management (8), and for a specific program (9). Other similar processes of engagement, such as community-based participatory research (10), action research (11), civic science (12), community science (13), and post-normal science (14) may have overlap with the concept of co-production and have been used to describe similar processes of collaboration. These distinctions and varying definitions have been discussed extensively elsewhere (see Mach et al. 2020, Wyborn et al. 2019). In the context of co-production, power plays a crucial role in shaping interactions and outcomes. Some scholars and practitioners explicitly consider power dynamics as a central element in their definitions of co-production, recognizing how power imbalances can affect participation, decision-making, and the distribution of benefits. Others, however, might not emphasize power as prominently, focusing more on the collaborative aspects without explicitly addressing the underlying power structures. This leads to divergent objectives and priorities among projects claiming to be co-produced (2,3, 6). Chambers and colleagues (2) discussed how co-production projects in the context of sustainability usually emphasize one or more of six different goals, including: researching solutions, empowering voices, brokering power, reframing power, navigating differences, and reframing agency. Because power dynamics are inherent in co-production (15), equity dimensions should be considered in these definitions and conceptualizations. Yet, in the context of government or academically led climate change research and programs, equity is a relatively new focus, even among programs that have been engaging a co-production approach for decades (9). Alternatively, in some recent work the concept of equity in co-production is explicit, but it has only been considered in a limited context (7). Here, we present a discussion about co-production that is informed by research, practice, and community perspectives across partnerships from a range of regions and topics. We are specifically interested in how different actors in these projects think about equity and work towards more equitable approaches in the context of their co-production work. This understanding is needed, as the federal government has increasingly focused on co-production approaches in the design of their programs and funding calls, and most recently the Biden administration has called on federal agencies to more intentionally center equity for underserved groups of people in their work (16). Furthermore, with the Biden administration’s focus on environmental and climate justice, the opportunity for researchers and their societal partners to engage in co-production is expanding. Numerous programs within federal agencies have embraced a co-production approach, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Adaptation Partnerships (CAP; formerly called the Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments or RISA program) (9,17), Department of the Interior (DOI) Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs)(18), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Climate Hubs. However, the actual implementation of co-production processes varies significantly (1,19), with multiple implications for the design of equitable partnerships. Researchers, their partners, and funders have frequently cited many tensions and challenges in the successful implementation of co-production, including higher resource demands and few systemic structures for support (20). Practically implementing co-production, especially with people who have been underrepresented in or historically excluded from research activities, must consider fairness and the accessibility of co-production processes. While co-production is often cited as important for environmental governance, issues like power and equity are infrequently addressed (15). To explore this topic, we identified and studied three projects that centered on equity in co-production from three federal climate programs (CASC, CAP, USDA Climate Hubs) in three different regions of the U.S. (Alaska, Northeast, Southeast). We aimed to identify consensus or divergence in perspectives related to equitable co-production processes to elevate effective practices and link co-production research and practice. Findings from interviews and a survey (explained further in Akerlof et al., 2023) informed a twoday hybrid workshop involving participants from the three case studies, as well as individuals representing research, governmental, non-governmental, and community organizations across the United States. Participants also included scholars of co-production, program coordinators, and people who participated in co-production projects on behalf of their communities. Several boundary spanners, those practitioners who work at the intersection of the production and use of science (21,22), also attended the workshop. The goals of the workshop were to discuss and build on what was learned from the three case studies, discuss the three distinct perspectives on equitable co-production that emerged from the pre-workshop research, and draft a framework for equitable co-production processes. During the workshop, participants considered the three perspectives on equitable co-production, defining equitable co-production for each and discussing the practical implications of each, including barriers and priorities for overcoming them. We aimed to address the question: How can federal climate programs support equitable co-production processes?

Report↗
USGS2015

Reducing fertilizer-nitrogen losses from rowcrop landscapes: Insights and implications from a spatially explicit watershed model

We present conceptual and quantitative models that predict changes in fertilizer-derived nitrogen delivery from rowcrop landscapes caused by agricultural conservation efforts implemented to reduce nutrient inputs and transport and increase nutrient retention in the landscape. To evaluate the relative importance of changes in the sources, transport, and sinks of fertilizer-derived nitrogen across a region, we use the spatially explicit SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes watershed model to map the distribution, at the small watershed scale within the Upper Mississippi-Ohio River Basin (UMORB), of: (1) fertilizer inputs; (2) nutrient attenuation during delivery of those inputs to the UMORB outlet; and (3) nitrogen export from the UMORB outlet. Comparing these spatial distributions suggests that the amount of fertilizer input and degree of nutrient attenuation are both important in determining the extent of nitrogen export. From a management perspective, this means that agricultural conservation efforts to reduce nitrogen export would benefit by: (1) expanding their focus to include activities that restore and enhance nutrient processing in these highly altered landscapes; and (2) targeting specific types of best management practices to watersheds where they will be most valuable. Doing so successfully may result in a shift in current approaches to conservation planning, outreach, and funding.

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio↗
USGS2015

Landscape structure affects specialists but not generalists in naturally fragmented grasslands

Understanding how biotic communities respond to landscape spatial structure is critically important for conservation management as natural landscapes become increasingly fragmented. However, empirical studies of the effects of spatial structure on plant species richness have found inconsistent results, suggesting that more comprehensive approaches are needed. In this study, we asked how landscape structure affects total plant species richness and the richness of a guild of specialized plants in a multivariate context. We sampled herbaceous plant communities at 56 dolomite glades (insular, fire-adapted grasslands) across the Missouri Ozarks, and used structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the relative importance of landscape structure, soil resource availability, and fire history for plant communities. We found that landscape spatial structure-defined as the area-weighted proximity of glade habitat surrounding study sites (proximity index)-had a significant effect on total plant species richness, but only after we controlled for environmental covariates. Richness of specialist species, but not generalists, was positively related to landscape spatial structure. Our results highlight that local environmental filters must be considered to understand the influence of landscape structure on communities, and that unique species guilds may respond differently to landscape structure than the community as a whole. These findings suggest that both local environment and landscape context should be considered when developing management strategies for species of conservation concern in fragmented habitats.

Ecology↗
USGS2024

An evaluation of tradeoffs in restoring ephemeral vs. perennial habitats to conserve animal populations

Introduction: Habitat loss and degradation pose significant threats to global fish and wildlife populations, prompting substantial investments in habitat creation and restoration efforts. Not all habitats provide equal benefits, leading to challenges in prioritizing restoration actions. For example, juvenile anadromous salmonids require high quality rearing aquatic habitats to achieve the physiological requirements needed to successfully migrate to the ocean. However, there are profound disagreements among anadromous salmon restoration managers whether it is best to focus efforts on restoring in-channel habitats that are available for the entire rearing period or floodplain habitats that, while facilitating greater growth and survival than in-channel habitats, are only available for a few weeks at a time and are typically only activated every two-to-three years. Methods: We used an existing fall-run Chinook salmon decision-support model to evaluate under what conditions floodplain restoration would provide greater benefits than in-channel habitat restoration. The simulations included a wide range of floodplain inundation frequencies and durations and floodplain benefits in the form of increased survival and growth relative to in-channel habitats. Results: The simulations results indicated that in-channel habitat restoration was always the best habitat restoration action when there was no existing in-channel habitat despite simulating a wide range of flood frequency, duration, and growth and survival benefits. Floodplain restoration was generally best when there was sufficient in-channel habitat available to successfully rear most of the juveniles produced by the returning adult salmon. Discussion: We hypothesize that in-channel and floodplain habitats have different roles in salmon population maintenance with in-channel habitats regulating the overall population size and floodplains acting as recurrent resource pulses. Our study provides a quantitative framework to evaluate the benefit of these two habitat types and provides generalizable rulesets that can be used by managers when implementing habitat restoration strategies for species that inhabit both in-channel and floodplain habitats.

California↗
USGS1995

Can we manage for biological diversity in the absence of science?

Conservation of biological diversity is dependent on sound scientific information about underlying ecological processes. Current knowledge of the composition, distribution, abundance and life cycles of most species of plants and animals is incomplete, insufficient, unreliable, or nonexistent. Contemporary managers are also confronted with additional levels of complexity related to varying degrees of knowledge and understanding about interactions of species and ecosystems. Consequently, traditional species-oriented management schemes may have unintended consequences and ecosystem-oriented management initiatives may fail in the face of inadequate or fragmentary information on the structure, function, and dynamics of biotic communities and ecological systems. Nevertheless, resource managers must make decisions and manage based on the best biological information currently available. Adaptive resource management may represent a management paradigm that allows managers to learn something about the species or systems that they are managing while they are managing, but potential pitfalls lurk for such approaches. In addition to lack of control over the primary physical, chemical, and ecological processes, managers also lack control over social, economic, and political parameters affecting resource management options. Moreover, appropriate goals may be difficult to identify and criteria for determining success may be elusive. Some management responsibilities do not lend themselves to adaptive strategies. Finally, the lessons learned from adaptive management are usually obtained from a highly situational context that may limit applicability in a wider range of situations or undermine confidence that problems and solutions were properly diagnosed and addressed. Several scenarios are critically examined where adaptive management approaches may be inappropriate or ineffective and where management for biological diversity may be infeasible or inefficient without a sound scientific basis. Whereas some level of management must exist to meet agency responsibilities, more research is needed to conserve biological diversity.

Wildlife Society Annual Conference↗
USGS2011

Will an "island" population of voles be recolonized if eradicated? Insights from molecular genetic analyses

We performed genetic analyses of Microtus longicaudus populations within the Crook Point Unit of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. A M. longicaudus population at Saddle Rock (located approx. 65 m off‐shore from the Crook Point mainland) is suspected to be partially responsible for declines of a Leach's storm‐petrel colony at this important nesting site. Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism markers and mitochondrial DNA, we illustrate that Saddle Rock and Crook Point function as separate island and mainland populations despite their close proximity. In addition to genetic structure, we also observed reduced genetic diversity at Saddle Rock, suggesting that little individual movement occurs between populations. If local resource managers decide to perform an eradication at Saddle Rock, we conclude that immediate recolonization of the island by M. longicaudus would be unlikely. Because M. longicaudus is native to Oregon, we also consider the degree with which the differentiation of Saddle Rock signifies the presence of a unique entity that warrants conservation rather than eradication

Oregon↗
USGS2015

Sustainable water management under future uncertainty with eco-engineering decision scaling

Managing freshwater resources sustainably under future climatic and hydrological uncertainty poses novel challenges. Rehabilitation of ageing infrastructure and construction of new dams are widely viewed as solutions to diminish climate risk, but attaining the broad goal of freshwater sustainability will require expansion of the prevailing water resources management paradigm beyond narrow economic criteria to include socially valued ecosystem functions and services. We introduce a new decision framework, eco-engineering decision scaling (EEDS), that explicitly and quantitatively explores trade-offs in stakeholder-defined engineering and ecological performance metrics across a range of possible management actions under unknown future hydrological and climate states. We illustrate its potential application through a hypothetical case study of the Iowa River, USA. EEDS holds promise as a powerful framework for operationalizing freshwater sustainability under future hydrological uncertainty by fostering collaboration across historically conflicting perspectives of water resource engineering and river conservation ecology to design and operate water infrastructure for social and environmental benefits.

Nature Climate Change↗
USGS2001

Assessment of microbiological contamination of the Jacks Fork within the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri—phase I

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR), the Nation's first scenic riverway, was created by an Act of Congress (Public Law 88-492) on August 24, 1964, for "the purpose of conserving and interpreting unique scenic and other natural values and objects of historic interest, including preservation of parts of the Current River and the Jacks Fork River in Missouri as free-flowing streams, preservation of springs and caves, management of wildlife, and provisions for use and enjoyment of the outdoor recreation resources thereof by the people of the United States" (National Park Service, 1981). The primary natural resources protected by the park are 134 miles of the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers. About 1.5 million people visit the ONSR annually to take advantage of excellent recreational opportunities, including canoeing, johnboating, swimming, fishing, tubing, camping, hiking, caving, horseback riding, and hunting.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2014

Genetic tools for wildlife management

Granted interim status in November, 2013, The Wildlife Society’s (TWS) Molecular Ecology Working Group aims to promote scientific advancement by applying molecular techniques to wildlife ecology, management, and conservation. The working group—composed of sci - entists from diverse backgrounds—met for the first time in Pittsburgh at the TWS Annual Conference held in October. Our overarching goal is to enhance awareness of molecular ecology and genetic applica - tions to wildlife biology and act as an informational and networking resource. During the group’s interim status, which runs for three years, we intend to focus on a broad scope of molecular ecology that is applicable to wildlife including genetic and ge - nomic methods, conservation genetics, non-invasive genetic population monitoring, landscape genetics, evolutionary genetics, and molecular forensics

The Wildlife Professional↗
USGS2018

Evidence and opportunities for integrating landscape ecology into natural resource planning across multiple-use landscapes

Enhancing natural resource management has been a focus of landscape ecology since its inception, but numerous authors argue that landscape ecology has not yet been effective in achieving the underlying goal of planning and designing sustainable landscapes. We developed nine questions reflecting the application of fundamental research topics in landscape ecology to the landscape planning process and reviewed two recent landscape-scale plans in western North America for evidence of these concepts in plan decisions. Both plans considered multiple resources, uses, and values, including energy development, recreation, conservation, and protection of cultural and historic resources. We found that land use change and multiscale perspectives of resource uses and values were very often apparent in planning decisions. Pattern-process relationships, connectivity and fragmentation, ecosystem services, landscape history, and climate change were reflected less frequently. Landscape sustainability was considered only once in the 295 decisions reviewed, and outputs of landscape models were not referenced. We suggest six actionable opportunities for further integrating landscape ecology concepts into landscape planning efforts: 1) use landscape sustainability as an overarching goal, 2) adopt a broad ecosystem services framework, 3) explore the role of landscape history more comprehensively, 4) regularly consider and accommodate potential effects of climate change, 5) use landscape models to support plan decisions, and 6) promote a greater presence of landscape ecologists within agencies that manage large land bases and encourage active involvement in agency planning efforts. Together these actions may improve the defensibility, durability, and sustainability of landscape plan decisions.

Current Landscape Ecology Reports↗
USGS2022

Rapid SNP genotyping, sex identification, and hybrid-detection in threatened bull trout

We developed new bull trout genetic markers using Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) to improve our ability to address questions important for their conservation and management. Samples from across the species range were sequenced and 5020 high quality single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci were discovered, including hundreds with high heterozygosity ( H > 0.30). We developed 63 high-heterozygosity bull trout polymorphic SNPs and one sex-identification SNP and tested them on range-wide samples. In addition, we tested previously published SNP assays including 11 species-diagnostic SNPs differentiating bull trout from brook trout and 3 brook trout variable SNPs on a broad set of range-wide samples. Genotypes from the sex-identification SNP showed 95% agreement with the field sex identification across 113 samples. The eleven species-diagnostic loci reliably discriminated between known brook trout, bull trout, and F 1 hybrid control samples. These SNP assays will facilitate genotyping of partially degraded museum fin clips, and tissues with low DNA content such as scales and otoliths. Finally, these loci will allow rapid genotyping for improved resolution of bull trout population structure, sex ratios, movement patterns, and introgressive hybridization with non-native brook trout for a wide range of management questions.

British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, ↗
USGS2023

U.S. Geological Survey science vision for native freshwater mussel research in the United States

Executive Summary North America is a global center for native freshwater mussel (order Unionida, hereinafter “mussels”) diversity, with more than 350 species. Mussels are among the most imperiled fauna on the planet. Reasons for both local and widespread declines in mussels are mostly unknown, although the threats may include habitat loss and fragmentation, diseases, environmental contaminants, altered flow regimes, migration barriers to larval hosts, non-native species, and climate change. Over the past three decades, research on mussels has been substantial. Nevertheless, current conservation and management efforts are limited by significant information gaps. For example, the effects of emerging stressors on mussels are largely unknown and identifying when habitats are rehabilitated and suitable for reestablishment of mussels remains challenging. Additionally, historical and current information on the distribution, taxonomy, and life histories are often unreliable or lacking altogether, and more reliable information is needed for many species. We identified focal research themes, goals, and objectives where research on mussels is needed based on information gaps identified through conversations with resource partners across local, regional, and national organizations. Research on biodiversity seeks to enhance the diversity of mussel species and populations to support healthy aquatic ecosystems. Research on emerging stressors seeks to improve the understanding of how mussel species, populations, and communities respond to emerging stressors, including environmental contaminants and climate change. Research on conservation seeks to enhance the recovery of species and populations and to identify data gaps limiting the conservation of mussels and their habitats. Mussels are in urgent need of proactive conservation because they are an integral part of our natural heritage, enhance biodiversity, and provide vital ecological services that support freshwater ecosystems. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been, and continues to be, a leader in mussel research. Although the USGS is well suited to address the broad-scale multidisciplinary research needed to conserve mussels, the USGS has had substantial loss of scientists with mussel expertise over the past 20 years. However, the breadth of the USGS expertise on mussels can be leveraged internally across other USGS mission and program areas and externally across research partners. Given the breadth and scope of the issues facing mussels across the United States, the research themes outlined in this science vision can only be accomplished through extensive collaborations between the USGS and the full spectrum of natural resource partners, including other Federal and State agencies, Tribal organizations, universities, industries, and nongovernmental organizations.

Circular↗
USGS2013

Raptor nesting near oil and gas development: an overview of key findings and implications for management based on four reports by HawkWatch International

The project was undertaken because of a paucity of information about the possible effects of OG operations and resource management on nesting raptors. BLM raptor management has included stipulations that restricted human activity near raptor nests during the raptor nesting season. The BLM and the Department of Energy (DOE), which provided financial support for the study, seek information that will contribute to enhancing OG extraction operations while providing environmental protection, including raptor conservation. This project used historical data from Utah and Wyoming. The Price, Utah study area, as of 2006, contained more than 1,100 wells, in a nearly uniform distribution at a density of one per quarter section (160-acre spacing). Some development occurred closer to existing nests because the nest sites had not been discovered or because the land is administered by the State of Utah, without these stipulations. The Rawlins, Wyoming study area included more than 4,200 OG wells in 2006. Compared to the Price study area, wells at Rawlins were less regularly distributed; reaching densities of one well per quarter section (160-acre spacing) in some areas, but less dense elsewhere. HWI compiled information from federal bureaus, state agencies, and industry, and determined how to evaluate the effectiveness of spatial and temporal buffer restrictions that have been applied within areas of OG extraction. HWI used the historical data to describe patterns of OG development relative to raptor nests, and to document changes in the distribution and breeding status of raptor nests relative to OG activities. HWI evaluated how these historical datasets were useful for quantifying the relationship between OG development and other human activities and nesting raptors. HWI assessed changes in Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) nesting success and productivity, and in use of artificial nest structures (ANSs), which had been erected to reduce the use by raptors of OG structures as nest substrates. Also, HWI studied Accipiter species’ use of pinyon– juniper vegetation communities in the Piceance Basin of Colorado, described basic vegetation and landscape characteristics of nests, and offered recommendations about surveying for accipiter hawks in pinyon–juniper landscapes. Please read the HWI reports for details.

BLM Technical Note↗
USGS2024

Restoring Pacific Lamprey in the Umpqua River Basin of Oregon: A workshop summary

The Umpqua River Basin in southwestern Oregon (Figure 1) is part of the lands inhabited by the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and an area of active co-management authority. This Basin supports a unique fish fauna, including important populations of Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.) and steelhead ( O. mykiss ), and other native fishes that are endemic to the region (Mims et al. 2018). Among these species, the Pacific Lamprey ( Entosphenus tridentatus ) is one of the most unique, representing an ancient lineage of jawless fishes that long predates the evolution of any other species of fish in the basin (Clemens et al. 2017, 2021a). The Pacific Lamprey also represents an important cultural and food resource that features prominently in the indigenous practices of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. This report provides a select summary of topics related to the conservation of Pacific Lamprey in the Umpqua River Basin. Many of the topics addressed herein were discussed in a workshop co-hosted by the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and the U.S. Geological Survey in April of 2022. This workshop was focused on threats to Pacific Lamprey in fresh waters of the basin. The workshop highlighted science conducted over the past 15 years by local managers and researchers to understand and address these threats and provide new information relevant to the conservation and restoration of Pacific Lamprey. Attendees included staff from the Coquille Indian Tribe, Yakama Nation, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Partnership for Umpqua Rivers, Rogue River Watershed Council, Curry Watersheds Council, PacifiCorp, Trout Unlimited, Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service. This report provides an overview of this workshop and recent science and provides an overview of potential future efforts that could inform restoration of Pacific Lamprey. This summary is organized into four sections that relate to the main topics of the workshop: 1) The physical habitat template (stream flow, instream wood, sediment, and water temperature), 2) movement barriers and reservoirs, 3) biological invasions, and 4) climate adaptation. These do not represent an exhaustive list of topics related to conservation of Pacific Lamprey in the Umpqua Basin.

Oregon↗
USGS2018

Grizzly bear depredation on grazing allotments in the Yellowstone ecosystem

Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) conflicts with humans, including livestock depredation on public land grazing allotments, have increased during the last several decades within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) in the western United States as the grizzly bear population has grown in number and occupied range. Minimizing conflicts and improving conservation efficacy requires information on the relationships between livestock depredations, allotment management, grizzly bear habitat conditions, and their interactions. We used generalized linear mixed models to evaluate spatio-temporal relationships between grizzly bear depredation of livestock and the characteristics of 316 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and National Park Service grazing allotments in the GYE during 1992–2014. We evaluated relationships at 2 spatial extents, representing daily and annual grizzly bear activity areas. During the study period, more grazing allotments became occupied by grizzly bears and most livestock depredations were associated with these areas of population expansion. Number of livestock (beta = 1.15 +/- 0.19 [SE]) and grizzly bear density index (beta = 1.13 +/- 0.10) had the greatest effects on the number of livestock depredation events relative to other allotment attributes. Estimated number of depredation events increased by approximately 20% when cow-calf pairs increased by 100 pairs and grizzly bear density index increased by 1 bear/196 km2 (the average annual home-range size of a female grizzly bear in the GYE). Additionally, grazing allotment size was positively related to the number of depredation events (beta = 0.56 +/- 0.16), whereas the presence of bull cattle or horses was associated with an approximately 50% reduction in depredations (beta = -0.71 +/- 0.37). Livestock depredation events were greater for allotments with lower road density (beta = -0.89 +/- 0.28), less rugged terrain (beta = -0.57 +/- 0.25), higher vegetative primary productivity (beta = 0.33 +/- 0.16), and more whitebark pine coverage (beta = 0.30 +/- 0.15). Relationships between depredations and grizzly bear habitat conditions varied across spatial extents. As the grizzly bear population continues to expand, natural resource managers and livestock producers could focus efforts on allotments with a higher density of grizzly bears, fewer roads, and quality grizzly bear habitat, including higher vegetative productivity, when developing cooperative management plans and preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of depredation. The perspectives gained from our analysis provide context for long-term, landscape-level planning to accommodate livestock production on public lands while meeting conservation goals for grizzly bears.

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS1986

Selected hydrologic data for Salt Lake Valley, Utah, October 1968 to October 1985

This report contains hydrologic data collected in Salt Lake Valley from October 1968 to October 1985. The report area is bounded by the Wasatch Range on the east, the Oquirrh Mountains on the west, the Traverse Mountains on the south, and the boundary between Davis and Salt Lake Counties on the north. Hely and others (1971) defined two aquifers of major importance in the valley the principal aquifer and the shallow aquifer. The principal aquifer is a source of water for public supply and industry, whereas the shallow aquifer in many places contains water that is contaminated and is unsuitable for public supply (Seiler and Waddell, 1984). Most of the data in this report were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Granger-Hunter Improvement District, Magna Water Co. and Improvement District, City of Midvale, Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, City of Sandyr City of South Salt Lake, Taylorsville Bennion Improvement District, City of West Jordan, Holladay Water Company, and White City Water Co. Some of the data were published previously by Hely, Mower, and Horr (1967, 1968, and 1969), lorns, Mower, and Horr (1966a and b), Marine and Price (1963), and Seiler and Waddell (1984). The purpose of this report is to provide hydrologic data for use by the general public and by officials who manage water resources and to supplement interpretive reports for the area. Information about wells, water levels in wells, and the chemical and physical properties of ground water is given in tables 1-4, and the well locations are shown on plate 1.

Utah↗