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USGS2023

Monitoring nesting waterbirds for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project—2022 breeding season

The San Francisco Bay supports thousands of breeding waterbirds annually and hosts large populations of American avocets ( Recurvirostra americana ), black-necked stilts ( Himantopus mexicanus ), and Forster’s terns ( Sterna forsteri ). These three species have relied largely on former commercial salt ponds in South San Francisco Bay, which provide wetland foraging habitat and island nesting habitat. The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project is in the process of restoring 50–90 percent of 15,100 acres of these former salt ponds to tidal marsh and tidal mudflats. Although this restoration is expected to have numerous benefits, including providing habitat for tidal wetland-dependent species, improving water quality, buffering against storm surge, and protecting inland areas from sea level rise, the reduction in former salt pond habitat and nesting islands may negatively affect breeding waterbirds. To address the reduction in former salt pond habitat available to waterbirds, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project also includes enhancements to remaining pond habitat, such as the construction of new islands for nesting. Moreover, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project follows an adaptive management plan in which waterbird response to the changing landscape is monitored over time to ensure that existing breeding waterbird populations are maintained. In this report, we provide results of waterbird nest monitoring in South San Francisco Bay during the 2022 breeding season and present these results in the context of annual nest monitoring in South San Francisco Bay since 2005. Overall, nest abundance in 2022 remained at or near 18-year lows for American avocets (176 nests) and black-necked stilts (97 nests), but Forster’s tern nest abundance (1,727 nests) was at an 18-year high, reversing historically low abundance observed during 2015–2017. In 2022, there were only 6 American avocet, 4 black-necked stilt, and 4 Forster’s tern major colony nesting sites, which is down from annual averages of 12.4, 6.6, and 6.6 observed during 2005–2009. Nest success (30 percent for American avocets, 29 percent for black-necked stilt, and 53 percent for Forster’s terns) was below the 2005–2007 baseline values established for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project. Average egg-hatching success (98 percent, 100 percent, and 90 percent), and clutch sizes (3.68, 3.70, and 2.63 eggs) of American avocets, black-necked stilts, and Forster’s terns, respectively, were similar to values observed during 2005–2010. All three species displayed notable shifts in nest initiation dates in 2022, with American avocets and Forster’s terns nesting 10–11 days earlier and black-necked stilts nesting 10 days later than during 2005–2010. Finally, the enhanced, managed ponds with newly constructed islands (Ponds A16 and SF2) supported 86 percent of all the Forster’s tern nests recorded in South San Francisco Bay in 2022, which is the first time these managed ponds have hosted such a substantial number of tern nests.

California↗

USGS2023

Creating an updated vegetation map for Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge: Final report

Although Big Oaks NWR encompasses much diversity in wildlife species, an up-to-date, detailed, and comprehensive map showing vegetation types was lacking. The creation of an updated vegetation map for Big Oaks NWR was approved in early 2019. Digital aerial imagery was collected on November 1, 2019 at a resolution of 0.15 meter per pixel using four spectral bands: red, green, blue, and near infrared. A mapping classification was developed in collaboration with refuge managers to reflect the vegetation present at Big Oaks NWR.

Indiana↗

USGS2026

Appendix 6: Overview of iPOM 2.0: Updates to wolf abundance estimation in Montana

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) uses the integrated Patch Occupancy Model (iPOM) to estimate statewide and regional wolf abundance. During the early years of recovery, wolf abundance was tracked using minimum counts. As the population increased, limitations of this method became apparent, motivating development of a model-based approach for estimating abundance. iPOM development began in 2006, was operationalized in 2013, and has been used in its current form (iPOM 1.0) since 2021. Since its inception, iPOM has been developed and presented as an adaptive modeling framework intended to evolve as new data and analytical methods become available1. Here, we briefly present ongoing work to produce the next iteration of iPOM, hereafter iPOM 2.0, and summarize major model updates and resulting preliminary wolf abundance estimates. iPOM uses models for occupancy, territory size, and pack size, along with monitoring data collected by MFWP wolf specialists and potential wolf sightings reported by deer and elk hunters during the 5-week general rifle season each Nov-Dec. These monitoring data, wolf sightings, and covariates for habitat and survey effort are used to model occupancy of packs on a statewide grid of 600-km 2 cells. The area used by wolves is then estimated as each cell’s occupancy estimate multiplied by grid cell area. iPOM estimates pack abundance by dividing this area by predicted territory sizes, and in-pack wolf abundance by multiplying pack abundance by estimated group size. This is combined with a lone wolf rate to estimate total wolf abundance (see Sells et al. 1 for a full description of iPOM 1.0). This technical summary provides a high-level overview of the proposed iPOM updates and their implications for wolf abundance estimates. The estimates presented here represent results as of June 2026 and are provided to inform upcoming discussions surrounding harvest management and regulations (e.g., season dates, quotas, methods). Results are preliminary and remain subject to final model refinement and peer review.

Montana↗

USGS2018

Development of the Wildlife Adaptation Menu for Resource Managers

The Climate Change Response Framework is an example of a collaborative, cross-boundary approach to create a set of tools, partnerships, and actions to support climate-informed conservation and land management. Historically, this effort has focused on the needs of forest managers and forestry professionals. In recent years, however, there has been increasing demand for science and tools to address climate change adaptation in wildlife management and conservation. Not only do wildlife and resource managers need the best available science, it must also be presented in a usable format with feasible options within the purview of an individual manager. The research team is first completing a comprehensive review of peer-reviewed studies to summarize what wildlife-related management actions currently exist in climate change adaptation. They will then develop and test a “menu” of climate change adaptation actions that are suitable for wildlife management in terrestrial ecosystems. This Wildlife Adaptation Menu will be modeled off existing adaptation menus for Forestry and Urban Forestry, and it will be designed to be used in conjunction with the Adaptation Workbook . In addition to a menu of adaption strategies and approaches, the scientists will also identify site-level tactics and develop case studies demonstrating the use and implementation of the menu. To ensure that information and tools meet the needs of managers, the team is involving and integrating input from wildlife managers at every step of the process. Managers will be involved in scoping the project, testing the menu, and implementing the menu.

Final Report↗

USGS2007

A brief history of oil and gas exploration in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California:

The Golden State got its nickname from the Sierra Nevada gold that lured so many miners and settlers to the West, but California has earned much more wealth from so-called “black gold” than from metallic gold. The San Joaquin Valley has been the principal source for most of the petroleum produced in the State during the past 145 years. In attempting to assess future additions to petroleum reserves in a mature province such as the San Joaquin Basin, it helps to be mindful of the history of resource development. In this chapter we present a brief overview of the long and colorful history of petroleum exploration and development in the San Joaquin Valley. This chapter relies heavily upon the work of William Rintoul, who wrote extensively on the history of oil and gas exploration in California and especially in the San Joaquin Valley. No report on the history of oil and gas exploration in the San Joaquin Valley would be possible without heavily referencing his publications. We also made use of publications by Susan Hodgson and a U.S. Geological Survey Web site, Natural Oil and Gas Seeps in California (http://seeps.wr.usgs.gov/seeps/index.html), for much of the material describing the use of petroleum by Native Americans in the San Joaquin Valley. Finally, we wish to acknowledge the contribution of Don Arnot, who manages the photograph collection at the West Kern Oil Museum in Taft, California. The collection consists of more than 10,000 photographs that have been scanned and preserved in digital form on CD-ROM. Many of the historical photographs used in this paper are from that collection. Finally, to clarify our terminology, we use the term “San Joaquin Valley” when we refer to the geographical or topographical feature and the term “San Joaquin Basin” when we refer to geological province and the rocks therein.

California↗

USGS2013

Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) Program Summary Report: Data and Analyses 2006 through 2010

The Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program was implemented under the Louisiana Coastal Area Science and Technology (LCA S&T) office as a component of the System Wide Assessment and Monitoring (SWAMP) program. The BICM project was developed by the State of Louisiana (Coastal Protection Restoration Authority [CPRA], formerly Department of Natural Resources [DNR]) to complement other Louisiana coastal monitoring programs such as the Coastwide Reference Monitoring System-Wetlands (CRMS-Wetlands) and was a collaborative research effort by CPRA, University of New Orleans (UNO), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The goal of the BICM program was to provide long-term data on the barrier islands of Louisiana that could be used to plan, design, evaluate, and maintain current and future barrier-island restoration projects. The BICM program used both historical and newly acquired (2006 to 2010) data to assess and monitor changes in the aerial and subaqueous extent of islands, habitat types, sediment texture and geotechnical properties, environmental processes, and vegetation composition. BICM datasets included aerial still and video photography (multiple time series) for shoreline positions, habitat mapping, and land loss; light detection and ranging (lidar) surveys for topographic elevations; single-beam and swath bathymetry; and sediment grab samples. Products produced using BICM data and analyses included (but were not limited to) storm-impact assessments, rate of shoreline and bathymetric change, shoreline-erosion and accretion maps, high-resolution elevation maps, coastal-shoreline and barrier-island habitat-classification maps, and coastal surficial-sediment characterization maps. Discussions in this report summarize the extensive data-collection efforts and present brief interpretive analyses for four coastal Louisiana geographic regions. In addition, several coastal-wide and topical themes were selected that integrate the data and analyses within a broader coastal context: (1) barrier-shoreline evolution driven by rapid relative sea-level rise (RSLR), (2) hurricane impacts to the Chandeleur Islands and likelihood of island recovery, (3) impact of tropical storms on barrier shorelines, (4) Barataria Bay tidal-inlet management, and (5) habitat changes related to RSLR. The final theme addresses potential future goals of the BICM program, including rotational annual to semi-decadal monitoring, proposed new-data collection, how to incorporate technological advances with previous data-collection and monitoring protocols, and standardizing methods and quality-control assessments for continued coastal monitoring and restoration.

Louisiana↗

USGS2010

Background and introduction: Chapter 1

The Salt Cedar and Russian Olive Control Demonstration Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-320; hereafter the Act) directs the Department of the Interior to submit a report to Congress1 that includes an assessment of several issues surrounding these two nonnative trees, now dominant components of the vegetation along many rivers in the Western United States. Specifically, the Act calls for “…an assessment of the extent of salt cedar and Russian olive infestation on public and private land in the western United States,” which shall “A) consider existing research on methods to control salt cedar and Russian olive trees; B) consider the feasibility of reducing water consumption by salt cedar and Russian olive trees; C) consider methods of and challenges associated with the revegetation or restoration of infested land; and D) estimate the costs of destruction of salt cedar and Russian olive trees, related biomass removal, and revegetation or restoration and maintenance of the infested land.” Finally, the Act calls for discussion of “(i) long-term management and funding strategies…that could be implemented by Federal, State, tribal, and private land managers and owners to address the infestation by salt cedar and Russian olive; (ii) any deficiencies in the assessment or areas for additional study; and (iii) any field demonstrations that would be useful in the effort to control salt cedar and Russian olive.” The primary intent of this report is to provide the science assessment called for under the Act. A secondary purpose is to provide a common background for applicants for prospective demonstration projects, should funds be appropriated for this second phase of the Act. In addition to relying on the direction provided under Section C of the Act, the authors of this report also drew upon the detailed list of considerations presented in Section E of the Act to guide development of more expansive discussions of topics relevant to saltcedar and Russian olive control efforts. In addition to the legislative context described above, this chapter describes the geographic and environmental contexts surrounding the Act, including key terminology used in subsequent chapters of this report. Subsequent chapters synthesize the state-of-the-science on the following topics: distribution and abundance (extent) of saltcedar and Russian olive in the Western United States, potential for water savings associated with control of saltcedar and Russian olive and associated restoration, considerations related to wildlife use of saltcedar and Russian olive habitat or restored habitats, methods to control saltcedar and Russian olive, possible utilization of dead biomass following control, and approaches and challenges associated with revegetation or restoration following control. A concluding chapter includes discussion of possible long-term management strategies, areas for additional study, potentially useful field demonstrations, and a planning process for on-the-ground projects involving removal of saltcedar and Russian olive.

Book chapter↗

USGS2018

U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2016 annual report

This is the ninth annual report highlighting U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science and decision-support activities conducted for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI). The activities address specific management needs identified by WLCI partner agencies. In fiscal year (FY) 2016, there were 26 active USGS WLCI science-based projects. Of these 26 projects, one project was new for FY2016, and three were completed by the end of the fiscal year (though final products were still in preparation or review). USGS WLCI projects were grouped under five categories: (1) Baseline Synthesis, (2) Long-Term Monitoring, (3) Effectiveness Monitoring, (4) Mechanistic Studies of Wildlife, and (5) Data and Information Management. Each of these topic areas is designed to address WLCI management needs: identifying key drivers of change, identifying the condition and distribution of key wildlife species and habitats and of species’ habitat requirements, development of an integrated inventory and monitoring strategy, use of emerging technologies and development and testing of innovative methods for maximizing the efficiency and efficacy of monitoring efforts, evaluating the effectiveness of habitat treatment projects, evaluating the responses of wildlife to development, and developing a data clearinghouse and information management framework to support and provide access to results of most USGS WLCI projects. In FY2016, we assisted with updating the WLCI Conservation Action Plan and associated databases as part of the Comprehensive Assessment, and we also assisted with the Bureau of Land Management 2015 WLCI annual report. By the end of FY2016, we completed or had nearly completed assessments of WLCI energy and mineral resources and had submitted a manuscript on modeled effects of oil and gas development on wildlife to a peer-reviewed journal. We also initiated a study on the effects of wind energy on wildlife in the WLCI region. A USGS circular on WLCI long-term monitoring was in review at the end of the fiscal year, and seven projects monitoring water and vegetation (including changes in sagebrush cover and patterns of sagebrush mortality) continued through the year. USGS scientists continued many projects in FY2016 that evaluate the effectiveness of habitat conservation actions (including sagebrush, cheatgrass, and aspen habitat treatments) and provide tools in support of mechanistic studies of wildlife. In FY2016, USGS scientists, along with university and State partners, continued work on five focal wildlife species/communities (pygmy rabbits [ Brachylagus idahoensis ], greater sage grouse , mule deer, sagebrush songbirds, and native fish). In FY2016, the USGS Information Management Team presented information to WLCI scientists on how USGS tools and resources can be used to fulfill the requirements of new USGS policies regarding data release, data management, and data visualization.

Wyoming↗

USGS1980

Final executive summary report; environmental studies, southeastern United States Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf, 1977; geology

Starting in mid 1976 and continuing into 1977 a variety of geological studies were carried out by the U. S. Geological Survey on the southeastern U. S. Atlantic Continental Margin to assess conditions and hazards that might cause or distribute oil spills or other pollutants, or constrain petroleum exploration or development of the area. These detailed investigations were requested and funded by the Bureau of Land Management to carry out its responsibility under the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act of 1969. Because of the energy crisis the decision had been made to lease on the southeastern continental shelf. A variety of studies had to be mounted quickly for input into decisions concerning the environment that would affect or constrain which lease tracks would be offered. The first lease sale, Lease Sale 43, took place in March 1978, and the environmental information on which this lease sale was based came in part from this initial effort and in part from a wide variety of pertinent data assembled from the literature by the Bureau of Land Management's Environmental Assessment Division. The compilation of relevant data for the Environmental Impact Statement for Lease Sale 43 also pointed up deficiencies in environmental knowledge in a number of areas. The Bureau of Land Management's environmental program for the Southeast Atlantic OCS was initiated to fill gaps in the environmental data base and to detect and assess impacts from oil and gas exploration and production.

Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina↗

USGS1977

Population ecology of the mallard: IV. A review of duck hunting regulations, activity, and success, with special reference to the mallard

This, the fourth in a series of reports on the mallard, ( Anas platyrhynchos ), deals at length with the harvest of mallards by waterfowl hunters. Long-term summaries of duck hunting regulations (1948- 1974), Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp sales (1934-1974), Hunter Questionnaire (1952-1974), Duck Wing Collection (1960-1974), and Hunter Performance (1965-1972) Survey data for the United States are presented and discussed. Similar data from Canada are also summarized. Mallard harvest figures for 1961-1974 are presented by Mallard Harvest Area, of which 100 are defined for the United States and 14 for Canada, as well as by State or Province and flyway. During the 23-year period beginning in 1952, an average of 1.6 million adult and 0.2 million junior waterfowl hunters accumulated almost 12.3 million hunter-days of recreation and a harvest of 11.2 million ducks each year. Hunter reports indicate that mallards made up about 43% (5.5 million annually) of the ducks taken before 1960, when mallard regulations were less restrictive; the Duck Wing Survey indicates that mallards have made up 33% of the harvest (3.6 million annually) since 1960. The age and sex compositions and the chronological distribution of the mallard harvest are examined in detail. Among the patterns noted are peak harvests during the first few days of the season in many States, alternately increasing and decreasing annual age ratios, and sex ratios that suggest differential migration of adult drakes and hunter selectivity for males. It is estimated that almost 19% of the ducks shot down are not retrieved. Relationships between duck hunting regulations and hunter behavior are examined briefly. Hunter compliance with mallard bag limits, hunter selectivity of mallards by sex, and, to a lesser extent, the size of the unretrieved kill are all sensitive to the particular bag limit regulations in effect. Survey data are also examined for relationships between harvest and various hunting regulations: starting time and day of the week for opening day, opening date, season length, split seasons, daily shooting hours, and daily bag limits. Tables are presented relating changes in duck and mallard harvests to season length and bag limit, and examples of what effects changes in other regulations have on harvest are also given. The evaluation of bag limit regulations, one of the most important tools used in managing harvest, is carried a step further with the development of a procedure for calculating expected hunter success under a wide variety of bag limit regulations. This method appears promising for evaluating point-limit as well as fixed-limit regulations. In addition, it may provide useful measurements of the degree of hunter selectivity induced by various types of bag limit regulations, an increasingly important aspect of harvest management. Finally, this study clearly demonstrates that the effects of a particular regulation can differ dramatically from area to area, so it is usually necessary to evaluate each proposal on a State-by-State basis.

Resource Publication↗

USGS2005

Research for the development of best management practices for minimizing horse trail impacts on the Hoosier National Forest

This research investigates horse trail impacts to gain an improved understanding of the relationship between various levels of horse use, horse trail management alternatives, and subsequent horse trail degradation. A survey of existing horse trails on the Hoosier National Forest was used to collect data on use-related, environmental and management factors to model horse trail impacts. Results are analyzed to identify which factors are most easily manipulated by managers to effectively avoid and minimize horse trail impacts. A specific focus includes evaluating the relative effect of trail use level, surfacing, grade, and water control on indices of erosion and trafficability such as trail cross sectional area, estimated erosion, muddiness, and incision. Overall, the Hoosier National Forest horse trails could be significantly improved by relocating or closing inherited trails that directly ascend slope or are excessively steep, reducing the distance between water control structures, and by applying gravel to harden trail surfaces and reduce soil erosion. A set of Best Management Practices for trails are included as a product of this work, with recommendations based on this research.

U.S. Forest Service, Final Research Report↗

USGS2024

Current and future potential ecosystem services of the Nisqually River Delta: An assessment approach for Puget Sound estuaries and USFWS coastal refuges

The Nisqually River Delta, located in South Puget Sound, contains a rich mosaic of different coastal habitat types. The goal of this project was to quantify ecosystem services — benefits that wildlife or ecosystems provide to people — that are priorities for the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, the Nisqually Indian Tribe, and the surrounding communities. We modeled how change in these habitats from sea level rise (SLR) or management activities like restoration could affect ecosystem services in the future. We focused on changes to three main ecosystem services: soil carbon accumulation, birdwatching visitation, and juvenile Chinook salmon growth rates, which served as a proxy for fishery production. A habitat and carbon model projected that after 100 years, most high salt marsh would remain with < 1m SLR, but a substantial area would convert to low salt marsh and mudflat with ≥ 1m SLR. Total carbon accumulation would plateau or decline with ≥ 1m SLR, yet economic value of carbon accumulation would continue to rise over time, suggesting that the value of this ecosystem service is resilient to SLR. Birdwatching visitation was greatest in winter months and was positively related to area of forested wetland, emergent wetland, aquatic vegetation bed (e.g., eelgrass) and mudflat and open access (areas freely accessible to the public). Increases in forested wetland may lead to greater increases in visitation compared to other habitat types. All three ecosystem services increased with increases in forested wetland and emergent wetland, and tradeoffs among services occurred with increases in aquatic vegetation bed and mudflat. While both prey-rich salt marshes and eelgrass meadows facilitate salmon growth, loss of salt marsh led to declines in juvenile salmon weight. In conversation with USFWS managers, we identified practical ways to incorporate ecosystem services into adaptive management frameworks that support climate adaptation decision making. Our study illustrated how accounting for ecosystem services helps managers make decisions that greatly benefit wildlife and people, communicate the societal value of decisions, and increase local engagement and participation.

Washington↗

USGS2026

Future of the Colorado River phase 2: Integrated operation of the Powell/Grand Canyon/Mead segment for water supply, hydropower, and river ecosystems

State and federal agencies are negotiating water-supply agreements that may govern water supply and storage in the Colorado River Basin through 2046. Current operating policies in the Colorado River primarily focus on water supply implications with less focus on the potential effects to other resources. Models that forecast the response of multiple resources over the short- and long-term term to water supply decisions could lead to greater consideration of these resources in future water supply decision making. In this project, we developed a dynamic programming tool to identify potential release decisions that help maximize different management objectives under different scenarios for storing water in Lake Mead and Lake Powell in attempt to inform efforts to consider multiple resources. We ask, “ How can decisions under different reservoir storage scenarios affect river resource management objectives, what are the trade-offs among these objectives, and how can we consider more resources when making water supply decisions? ”.

Colorado River↗

USGS2017

Guidance documents: Continued support to improve operations of fish hatcheries and field sites to reduce the impact or prevent establishment of New Zealand Mudsnails and other invasive mollusks

This project tested and revised a risk assessment/management tool authored by Moffitt and Stockton designed to provide hatchery biologists and others a structure to measure risk and provide tools to control, prevent or eliminate invasive New Zealand mudsnails (NZMS) and other invasive mollusks in fish hatcheries and hatchery operations. The document has two parts: the risk assessment tool, and an appendix that summarizes options for control or management. The framework of the guidance document for risk assessment/hatchery tool combines approaches used by the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) process with those developed by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, in the Tri-National Risk Assessment Guidelines for Aquatic Alien Invasive Species. The framework approach for this attached first document assesses risk potential with two activities: probability of infestation and consequences of infestation. Each activity is treated equally to determine the risk potential. These two activities are divided into seven basic elements that utilize scientific, technical, and other relevant information in the process of the risk assessment. To determine the probability of infestation four steps are used that have scores reported or determined and averaged. This assessment follows a familiar HACCP process to assess pathways of entry, entry potential, colonization potential, spread potential. The economic, environmental and social consequences are considered as economic impact, environmental impact, and social and cultural influences. To test this document, the Principal Investigator worked to identify interested hatchery managers through contacts at regional aquaculture meetings, fish health meetings, and through the network of invasive species managers and scientists participating in the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species and the 100th Meridian Initiative's Columbia River Basin Team, and the Western New Zealand Mudsnail Conference in Seattle. Targeted hatchery workshops were conducted with staff at Dworshak National Fish Hatchery Complex (ID), Similkameen Pond, Oroville WA, and Ringold Springs State Hatchery (WA). As a result of communications with hatchery staff, invasive species managers, and on site assessments of hatchery facilities, the document was modified and enhanced. Additional resources were added to keep it up to date. The result is a more simplified tool that can lead hatchery or management personnel through the process of risk assessment and provide an introduction to the risk management and communication process. In addition to the typical HACCP processes, this tool adds steps to rate and consider uncertainty and the weight of evidence regarding options and monitoring results . Uncertainty of outcome exists in most tools that can be used to control or prevent NZMS or other invasive mollusks from infesting an area. In additional this document emphasizes that specific control tools and plans must be tailored to each specific setting to consider the economic, environmental and social influences. From the testing and evaluation process, there was a strong recognition that a number of control and prevention tools previously suggested and reported in the literature from laboratory and small scale trials may not be compatible with regional and national regulations, economic constraints, social or cultural constraints, engineering or water chemistry characteristics of each facility. The options for control are summarized in the second document, Review of Control Measures for Hatcheries Infested with NZMS (Appendix A) that provides sources for additional resources and specific tools, and guidance regarding the feasibility and success of each approach. This tool also emphasizes that management plans need to be adaptive and incorporate oversight from professionals familiar with measuring risks of fish diseases, and treatments (e.g. the fish health practitioners and water quality and effluent management teams). Finally, with such a team, the adaptive management approach must be ongoing, and become a regular component of hatchery operations. Although it was the intent that this two part document would be included as part of the revised National Management and Control Plan for the NZMS proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and others, it is provided as a stand-alone document.

Cooperator Science Series↗

USGS1997

U.S. Geological Survey Middle Rio Grande Basin Study; Proceedings of the first annual workshop, Denver, Colorado, November 12-14, 1996

Approximately 40 percent (about 600,000 people) of the total population of New Mexico lives within the Middle Rio Grande Basin, which includes the City of Albuquerque. Ongoing analyses of the central portion of the Middle Rio Grande Basin by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Albuquerque and other cooperators have shown that ground water in the basin is not as readily accessible as earlier studies indicated. A more complete characterization of the ground-water resources of the entire Middle Rio Grande Basin is hampered by a scarcity of data in the northern and southern areas of the basin. The USGS Middle Rio Grande Basin Study is a 5-year effort by the USGS and other agencies to improve the understanding of the hydrology, geology, and land-surface characteristics of the Middle Rio Grande Basin. The primary objective of this study is to improve the understanding of the water resources of the basin. Of particular interest is to determine the extent of hydrologic connection between the Rio Grande and the Santa Fe Group aquifer. Additionally, ground-water quality affects the availability of water supplies in the basin. Improving the existing USGS- constructed ground-water flow model of the Middle Rio Grande Basin will integrate all the various tasks that improve our knowledge of the various components of the Middle Rio Grande water budget. Part of this improvement will be accompanied by extended knowledge of the aquifer system beyond the Albuquerque area into the northern and southern reaches of the basin. Other improvements will be based on understanding gained through process-oriented research and improved geologic characterization of the deposits. The USGS will study the hydrology, geology, and land-surface characteristics of the basin to provide the scientific information needed for water- resources management and for managers to plan for water supplies needed for a growing population. To facilitate exchange of information among the many USGS scientists working in the Middle Rio Grande Basin, yearly technical meetings are planned for the anticipated 5-year study. These meetings provide an opportunity to present research results and plan new field efforts. This report documents the results of research presented at the first technical workshop held in Denver, Colorado, in November 1996. The report is organized into this introduction, five chapters that focus on USGS investigations in progress in the Middle Rio Grande Basin, and three appendixes with supplemental information. The first chapter provides an overview of the USGS program in the basin. The second chapter describes geographic data and analysis efforts in the basin. The third chapter details work being done on the hydrogeologic framework of the basin. The fourth chapter describes studies on ground-water availability in the basin and is divided into three areas of research: ground-water/surface-water interaction, ground-water flow and aquifer properties, and recharge. The fifth chapter is devoted to an overview of New Mexico District Cooperative Program studies in the basin. Finally, the appendixes list publications and presentations made during the first year of the study and 1996 workshop attendees. The report concludes with a list of selected references relevant to the study. The information in this report presents preliminary results of an evolving study. As the study progresses and individual projects publish their results in more detail, the USGS hopes to expand the scientific basis needed for management decisions regarding the Middle Rio Grande Basin.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2017

Building capacity in biodiversity monitoring at the global scale

Human-driven global change is causing ongoing declines in biodiversity worldwide. In order to address these declines, decision-makers need accurate assessments of the status of and pressures on biodiversity. However, these are heavily constrained by incomplete and uneven spatial, temporal and taxonomic coverage. For instance, data from regions such as Europe and North America are currently used overwhelmingly for large-scale biodiversity assessments due to lesser availability of suitable data from other, more biodiversity-rich, regions. These data-poor regions are often those experiencing the strongest threats to biodiversity, however. There is therefore an urgent need to fill the existing gaps in global biodiversity monitoring. Here, we review current knowledge on best practice in capacity building for biodiversity monitoring and provide an overview of existing means to improve biodiversity data collection considering the different types of biodiversity monitoring data. Our review comprises insights from work in Africa, South America, Polar Regions and Europe; in government-funded, volunteer and citizen-based monitoring in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. The key steps to effectively building capacity in biodiversity monitoring are: identifying monitoring questions and aims; identifying the key components, functions, and processes to monitor; identifying the most suitable monitoring methods for these elements, carrying out monitoring activities; managing the resultant data; and interpreting monitoring data. Additionally, biodiversity monitoring should use multiple approaches including extensive and intensive monitoring through volunteers and professional scientists but also harnessing new technologies. Finally, we call on the scientific community to share biodiversity monitoring data, knowledge and tools to ensure the accessibility, interoperability, and reporting of biodiversity data at a global scale.

Biodiversity and Conservation↗

USGS1997

Investigation into avian mortality in the Playa Lakes region of southeastern New Mexico: Final Report - June 1997

This Final Report is a review of work on a cooperative study undertaken by the USGS Biological Resources Division's National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) and National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC; formerly the Southern Science Center) from 1994 through 1997. The study was initiated at the request of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), through a request to the former National Biological Service. The Southeastern New Mexico Playa Lakes Coordinating Committee (SENMPLCC) played an important role in outlining the research needs. The initial Study Plan document, which outlines the background, objectives and methods for the first two years is available as Appendix 1. A letter indicating modifications to the Study Plan was sent to the SENMPLCC chair on April 25,1995, and is Appendix 2. An Interim Report, covering this work was completed and submitted in September 1995. The Literature Review section of the study was completed and presented to SENMPLCC in August, 1995. Following SENMPLCC review, NWHC was asked to develop a series of questions that could be posed from information gained in the initial phase (Appendix 3). The NWHC and NWRC were then directed to begin work to answer the top three questions, within the available fiscal resources. NWRC could continue with work outlined under the original Study Plan (Appendix 1), however an additional Study Plan for experiments performed by NWHC and collaborators and is available as Appendix 4.

New Mexico↗

USGS1997

USGS Wildland Fire Workshop, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, SD, July 9-10, 1997

Report on the first workshop on USGS wildland fire expertise and capabilities. The workshop brought together operational and research representatives ofthe Federal fire management agencies to initiate a more comprehensive assessment ofthe USGS's capabilities and the appropriate role(s) for USGS interaction and involvement with the fire community. The report discusses how the USGS can play a significant role in wildland fire research and offer the fire community several unique capabilities. Foremost capability is the role as data producer; fire detection, assessment, ecological modeling, and rehabilitation and restoration relying on digital elevation models, digital line-graphs, national technical means, and image data are also discussed. The bureau offers technical expertise using geographic information systems (GIS), image processing and analysis, data base management and clearinghouse experience, and access to national technical means data. The bureau must exploit the USGS's expertise and prominence in wildland fire research. The USGS is an experienced player in fire ecology, fire assessment, and fuels loading research. Finally, the USGS also offers strong interdisciplinary experience in watershed and geologic landslide modeling, which is key for assessing postfire effects.

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