endangered species act compliance in the sacramento- san joaquin
TRANSCRIPT
Endangered Species Act Compliance in the
Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta, California: Lessons
Learned for Strategic Planning
Lars Anderson
U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service- Davis, CA
Acknowledgements:
Terri Ely (California Dept. of Boating and Waterways)
Topics:
Section 7 Process for Aquatic Plant Management: Consultations and “Single Target Species” (Sacto/ SJ Delta)
Limitations of Current ESA “Risk” evaluationsa. Surrogate approachb. Rapid Response Actions b. ESA (NOAA& USFWS) AIS training and field experince
Moving toward a fully integrated “programmatic” ESA approacha. Landscape- scale perspectiveb. Matching Politics and Legislation with Ecological Realities
Recommendations
Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)Brazilian waterweed
(Egeria densa)
A Metaphor for Protecting
Endangered Species?
Biological
Opinon
Endangered
species
NGO/Stakeh
older
Pressure
Dazzling Delta Data492,000 acres (wetland, sloughs, farmlands)
Water Supply for > 23 million
$27 billion per year irrigated crops
Supports >500 species fish/wildlife, plants
Home of >20 Endangered species
SF Bay
Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta
California Plumbing (National Geographic April 2010)
70 % Source is north
80 % Demand is south
>>25 million people !
85 % Used for Agriculture
Water in
CaliforniaSacramento-
San Joaquin
Delta
Franks
Tract
Annual management costs for
two invasive plant:
ca. $2.5 million (Operations)
ca. $2 million (NPDES & ESA
Compliance)
3,000 acres of Brazilian
Waterweed in Franks Tract
Sponsored by the California Department of Boating and Waterways (CDBW).
Dr. Susan L. Ustin, Principal Investigator
Center for Spatial Technologies and Remote Sensing (CSTARS), University of California, Davis.
Egeria densa ca. 6 to 8 thousand acres
In The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Franks Tract (ca. 3,000 acres)
Brief History of Waterhyacinth and Brazilian waterweed
Management in the Delta
1979-1981: Severe impacts from WH
1982-2000: Ca. Dept. of Boating and Waterways
given leg. Mandate to control WH
1998: Impacts from Brazilia waterweed >
mandate to include management
2000: Delta Keeper lawsuit (NPDES)
NPDES and ESA Consultations (2001) (USDA-
ARS as Federal Nexus under Section 7)
BO’s issued (5 yr); renewed again, now up for
renewal (2011/ 2012)
Successful Management (>80% reduction in
areal cover and biomass)
DBW Federally Threatened and Endangered Species
Requiring Biological Opinions/Incidental Take Permits
• US Fish and Wildlife Service
– Delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) (T)
– Sacramento splittail (Pogonichtys macrolepidotus) (T)—DELISTED Aug. 2003
– Giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas) (T)
– Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus) (T)
• NOAA Fisheries
– Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (E)
– Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) (T)
– Central Valley steelhead trout (O. mykiss) (T)
NOAA-2011: Listed Species that may be affected by
Aquatic Plant Management project:Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon ESU
endangered (June 28, 2005, 70 FR 37160)
Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon designated critical habitat
(June 16, 1993, 58 FR 33212)
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon ESU
threatened (June 28, 2005, 70 FR 37160)
Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon designated critical habitat
(September 2, 2005, 70 FR 52488)
California Central Valley steelhead DPS (referred to as Central Valley steelhead
throughout this biological opinion)
threatened (January 5, 2006, 71 FR 834)
Central Valley steelhead designated critical habitat
(September 2, 2005, 70 FR 52488)
Southern DPS of North American green sturgeon
Listed as threatened (April 7, 2006, 71 FR 17757)
Southern DPS of North American green sturgeon designated critical habitat
(October 9, 2009, 74 FR 52300)
Submersed Weeds:
Egeria densa (Brazilian waterweed)
Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian watermilfoil
Potamogeton crispus (Curlyleaf pondweed)
Ludwigia spp.
(Primrose willows)
Arundo donax
(Giant Reed)
New Delta Invader: South American Sponge plant –
Limnobium laevigatum
Egeria densa*
Myriophyllum spicatum
Myriophyllum aquaticum
Potamogeton crispus
Cabomba carolinana
Ceratophyllum demersum
Potamogeton nodosus
Potamogeton pussilus
Stuckenia pectinatus
Stuckenia filiformis
Elodea canadensis
Eichhornia crassipes*
Limnobium laevigatum
Ludwigia spp.
Hydrocotyle rannuculoides
Submersed plants: Floating plants:
Emergent plants:Arundo donax
Phragmites (?- hybrid?)
Lythrum salicaria
Lepidium latifolia
Typha latifolia
Schoenoplectus californicus
Spartina alterniflora*
Invasive Aquatic Plants Affect Waterfowl, Fish and
Invertebrate Habitat
Predator/Prey Refuge (shading, camouflage)
Temperature gradients
Dissolved oxygen, other water chemistry
Physical structure (“scaffolding”/egg substrate)
Water flows (velocity and direction)
Sedimentation (turbidity and microbial population)
Access to benthic organisms (FOOD!)
Navigation and water conveyance
Also
Affects
Listed
Species !
Ecosystem
Functions
Invasive
Species
Ecosystem
Demands
Ecosystem or Aquatic Site
Balancing Risk and Benefits
Linkage
Resistance:
Resiliency
Management Action?
Multiple Interacting Adaptive Management Actions
Problem Assessment Risk Assessment Management
Biology and
Ecophysiology of
Target Invasive Plants
Environmental
Conditions
(NPDES)
Management
Efficacy
Listed
Species
Integrative Technologies for E. densa Management in the
Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta
Monitoring/Assessment
:
(Pre-Post Actions)Aerial Hyperspectral Analysis
Hydro acoustic Analysis
Point- Sampling
Herbicide Residues
Regulatory Compliance:NPDES
Endangered Species Act
(Section 7 NOAA/ FWS)
Herbicide Label (FIFRA, CAL
DPR)
Public Notice/ Outreach
Control Technologies:Phenology/life cycle
Herbicide formulation(s)
Herbicide Application(s)
Water Movement Effects
(Rhodamine Dye & Tidal
Influence)
History of Herbicide Applications for Control of E. densa
• 2001 - Operational Treatments Begin
• 2005 - Early Start Dates
• 2006 - Multi-year Control at 14 Mile Slough
• 2007 & 2008 - Franks Tract
• 2009 NE Region (Intakes & Dye Study) – Continued success at 14 Mile
• 2010 NE Region & Partial Franks Tract
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Ac
rea
ge
Year
First April
Applications
Permitted
Change in BO Due to
new studies on
herbicide toxicity to
salmonids
2004
2005
2006
2007
Submersed plant distribution maps from hyperspectral imagery collected in June
500m
Multiple meetings with NOAA staff: Clarify project
Negotiate how to fill ―data gaps‖ (e.g. salmon, Delta smelt)
Field trips by NOAA staffer: Critically Important!
Atmosphere of collaboration, not confrontation
Timely data exchange and review
Negotiated compliance criteria
Timely compliance
Summary
Successful Strategies for Managing Aquatic Plants in the
Delta
High turn-over in reviewer staff (NOAA and USFWS)
Over-loaded Reviewer staff
Inexperienced Reviewers: Aquatic Invasive Species ?
Highly complex ecological interactions with Uncertainties
Lack of available toxicological data on listed species
Inadequate criteria for use of surrogates
Insufficient knowledge basis to balance risk/benefits
No clear policy to deal with Rapid Response action
Summary
Impediments to Timely and Constructive Consultation
Recommendations to Improve Consultation Process
1. Provide NOAA & FWS Reviewers with
adequate training on AIS realities*
2. Encourage “Landscape scale”
Programmatic Consultations and
flexible BO’s (minimize redundancy)
3. Require at least 2 field-site visits as part
of the consultation*
4. NOAA & FWS host on-site AIS seminars
series annually (HDQ and Regional)*
5. Develop accepted surrogate for classes of
active ingredients (e.g. modes of action)
6. Issue “Interim BO’s” to hasten RR