Location

UMass Amherst

Event Website

http://fishpassage.ecs.umass.edu/Conference2012/

Start Date

5-6-2012 3:45 PM

End Date

5-6-2012 4:05 PM

Description

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office is partnering with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Bureau of Fisheries to evaluate aquatic organism passage(AOP) in targeted NY subwatersheds of Lake Ontario. Specifically, FWS surveyed road crossings on streams found to support pearly mussel populations to determine AOP; DEC surveyed those same streams for mussel populations. The objectives of the study are to 1) determine the locations of AOP barriers caused by road crossings, 2) determine the locations of the mussel populations, primarily Species of Greatest Conservation Need, 3) determine if the AOP barriers are impeding the movements of potential host-fishes, thereby limiting the distribution of mussel populations, and 4) prioritize AOP barriers for restoration efforts. Throughout the field seasons of 2010 and 2011, 29 streams were surveyed, which included over 400 road-crossings. Road crossing data was assessed using a slightly modified version of the Vermont Culvert Aquatic Organism Passage Screening Tool, a coarse screen model to determine AOP. This model categorized crossings as completely passable, completely impassable, or reduced AOP; crossings categorized as reduced AOP were further assessed using FishXing Version 3.0 Beta to determine for passability for specific species and streamflow conditions. Several crossings did not have sufficient data for FishXing to analyze; these were visually reviewed to determine passability. The road crossings analysis resulted in 318 passable, 104 impassable, and 6 partially passable crossings. We compared the locations of the impassable road crossings to the locations of live mussels found in the DEC surveys using Arc Map; this allowed us to locate the road crossing barriers that may restrict distributions of pearly mussel populations. Further analysis is currently being completed.

Comments

Marie Schrecengost is a Fish Biologist with the Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). She received her Bachelor's degree in Environmental Biology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and her Master's degree in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University. She has worked for FWS for 6 years; 3 years in northern California, and 3 years in Buffalo, NY. Currently, she works on the Habitat Restoration program coordinating with partner organizations to restore and enhance aquatic habitat.

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Jun 5th, 3:45 PM Jun 5th, 4:05 PM

Session B3 - Road crossings as barriers to pearly mussel distribution in the southwestern Lake Ontario basin

UMass Amherst

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office is partnering with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Bureau of Fisheries to evaluate aquatic organism passage(AOP) in targeted NY subwatersheds of Lake Ontario. Specifically, FWS surveyed road crossings on streams found to support pearly mussel populations to determine AOP; DEC surveyed those same streams for mussel populations. The objectives of the study are to 1) determine the locations of AOP barriers caused by road crossings, 2) determine the locations of the mussel populations, primarily Species of Greatest Conservation Need, 3) determine if the AOP barriers are impeding the movements of potential host-fishes, thereby limiting the distribution of mussel populations, and 4) prioritize AOP barriers for restoration efforts. Throughout the field seasons of 2010 and 2011, 29 streams were surveyed, which included over 400 road-crossings. Road crossing data was assessed using a slightly modified version of the Vermont Culvert Aquatic Organism Passage Screening Tool, a coarse screen model to determine AOP. This model categorized crossings as completely passable, completely impassable, or reduced AOP; crossings categorized as reduced AOP were further assessed using FishXing Version 3.0 Beta to determine for passability for specific species and streamflow conditions. Several crossings did not have sufficient data for FishXing to analyze; these were visually reviewed to determine passability. The road crossings analysis resulted in 318 passable, 104 impassable, and 6 partially passable crossings. We compared the locations of the impassable road crossings to the locations of live mussels found in the DEC surveys using Arc Map; this allowed us to locate the road crossing barriers that may restrict distributions of pearly mussel populations. Further analysis is currently being completed.

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fishpassage_conference/2012/June5/41