Nevada Area Report

Authors: Eric S. Miskow, Cristi R. Baldino, Lee H. Simons, Shawn C. Goodchild, Kevin Guadalupe, Gayton G. Scoppettone

Year: 2013 (xlv)

Abstract

Nevada waters contain 16, endangered and 6 threatened species of fishes as well as numerous undescribed At-risk fish taxa. A summary, overview and status of Nevada’s desert fishes, current research and management projects in the state will be addressed. Information on selected areas includes: Pyramid Lake, in northwestern Nevada has over the past several years, received increased flows that have contributed to the stabilization of the delta increasing the riparian zone as well as lowering the gradient from Marble Bluff Dam to the Truckee River Delta causing a narrower and more stable river. This and other factors have increased spawning success of the Endangered Cui-ui, Chasmistes cujus and other native fishes utilizing the lower Truckee River. Restoration efforts at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge continue on several systems including crayfish eradication at South Scruggs where the Warm Springs Amargosa pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis pectoralis inhabit. Additionally, recent genetic work has added to the already biodiversity rich Ash Meadows system in the form of a springsnail, Pyrgulopsis, as the Refuge’s newest endemic taxon. In the White River region of eastern Nevada, several restoration and habitat augmentation efforts have provided improved habitat for the Endangered Pahranagat roundtail chub, Gila robusta jordani ; the Endangered White River spinedace, Lepidomeda albivallis ; and a population of the Pahranagat speckled dace, Rhinichthys osculus velifer was repatriated to L-Spring in the lower Pahranagat Valley. In addition to these species updates, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed its 5-Year Review on the Independence Valley speckled dace, Rhinichthys osculus lethoporus and found that no change was needed in its status and it remains on the Endangered list. The first range-wide survey in over 30 years for Alvord chub, Siphateles alvordensis was conducted this fall and brief findings will be discussed. Restoration and recovery efforts in central Nevada continues for the Threatened Railroad Valley springfish, Crenichthys nevadae; non-native crayfish and habitat deterioration of refuge populations of the Endangered Pahrump poolfish, Empetrichthys latos latos continue to be of a heightened concern; and finally, ongoing progress by the U.S. Geological Service in the upper reaches of the Truckee River Basin at Independence Lake are reducing non-native brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis , and are increasing spawning success of one of the few remaining, naturally occurring, adfluvial populations of the Threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi.