Oregon / Northern California Area Report, November 2017

Authors: Paul Scheerer, Justin Miles, Jimmy Leal, Troy Brandt, Paul Devine, Stewart Reid, Kathryn Boyer

Year: 2017 (xlix)

Abstract

The northwestern extreme of the desert region includes several endorheic drainage subbasins in Oregon, northeastern California, and northwestern Nevada (Fort Rock, Chewaucan, Goose, Warner, Catlow, Alvord, Malheur Lakes, Coyote Lakes, and Quinn) This region supports remnant fish faunas that once inhabited extensive pluvial Pleistocene lakes Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW): 1) trapped the Warner lakes to assess Warner Sucker, Catostomus warnerensis, recruitment and abundance (and that of other native and nonnative fishes), 2) monitored movement of PIT tagged Warner Suckers to assess passage at a newly constructed, sucker-friendly fish ladder, 3) obtained a population estimate and evaluated habitat conditions for Foskett Speckled Dace, Rhinichthys osculus ssp, in Foskett and Dace Springs (in cooperation with BLM), 4) described the distribution and abundance of Pit sculpin in the Cottonwood Creek drainage (Goose Lake Basin), and 5) Redband Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss surveys in Deep and Twelvemile Creeks (condition and size structure; Warner Basin) and in tributaries to the Chewaucan River (assess potential culvert barriers) The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), with help from ODFW (salvage fish), continued ongoing habitat restoration at Foskett Spring for Foskett speckled dace and excavated pools and channels using a mechanical excavator Lake County Watershed Council completed several passage projects including: 1) installing a rock ramp bypass channel at the MC Diversion on Twentymile Creek (Warner Basin) in collaboration with River Design Group, 2) replacing a culvert on Elder Creek (Chewaucan Basin), and 3) installing baffles to an existing fishway/screen at the Paisley Town Weir (Chewaucan Basin) The River Design Group (RDG) completed the following projects: 1) channel realignment on Upper Thomas Creek (restore sinuosity), 2) fish passage project at MC Diversion (worked with watershed council- see above), 3) fish screening at the Flood Ditch on Honey Creek (Warner Basin), 4) prepared a reconnaissance plan for potential fish passage projects in the Goose Lake Basin, 5) restored fish passage at the Simms Diversion on Crooked Creek (Warner Basin), 6) channel reconstruction on Jones Creek (Warner Basin), and 7) stabilized meadow head cuts on Jones Creek (Warner Basin) RDG is also working with stakeholders on the Warner Basin Strategic Action Plan to develop fish passage solutions for Warner Suckers (Warner Basin) The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFS) conducted drought monitoring (stream flow and temperature) in three Redband Trout streams in the Goose Lake basin (Lassen, Cold, and Willow Creeks) that provide habitat for Goose Lake Redband Trout, Goose Lake Sucker, Goose Lake Lamprey, and Pit Sculpin) and six tributaries that provide habitat for Modoc sucker (Turner, Washington, Coffee Mill, Hulbert, Dutch Flat, and Johnson Creeks) Given a better water year, all streams appeared to be in good condition following the extreme drought conditions observed in 2014-2015 CDFW also collected tissue samples for genetic analysis of Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout (ELRT) to evaluate genetic diversity and inbreeding related to the effects of artificial propagation of this native strain and to evaluate genetic uniqueness of extant ‘resident’ upper Pine Creek populations Assessed spawning movements of 119 pit-tagged ELRT in Pine Creek and documented movement of two fish to the headwater spawning area Conducted an assessment of Pine Creek headwaters for Brook Trout distribution and (planning) and ongoing removal efforts Stewart Reid, Western Fishes, 1) worked with the Pit River Tribes to describe the historical and current fish assemblage in the North Fork Pit River in NE California to guide future resource management, 2) noted good Modoc Sucker recruitment in 2017 and continued suppression of largemouth bass, 3) completed a new analysis of historical distribution of Pacific Lamprey suggesting they would have extended into the upper Pit and Klamath Rivers prior to the construction of dams in these systems