edwards aquifer habitat conservation plan · produced framework & ground rules for the...
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Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation PlanCreating a Habitat Conservation Plan Edwards Aquifer Recovery and Implementation Process (EARIP): 2006-2012
Collaborative stakeholder process, balancing endangered species & humanaquifer water needs
Produced framework & ground rules for the establishment of the Edwards AquiferHabitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP)
EAHCP approved in 2012
Incidental Take Permit ITP covering 7 endangered, 1 threatened, and 3 petitioned March 2013 - 2028.
5 entities on permit
San Antonio Water System, City of San Marcos, City of New Braunfels, Texas State University, and Edwards Aquifer Authority
EAHCP COVERED SPECIES
Fountain Darter Comal Springs Riffle Beetle San Marcos Gambusia*
Comal Springs DryopidBeetle
Peck’s Cave Amphipod
Texas Wild-rice*
*All photos except Gambusia and Wild-rice credit of Abbott Nature Photography.
EAHCP COVERED SPECIES
Texas Blind Salamander
San Marcos Salamander Edwards Aquifer Diving Beetle
Comal Springs Salamander
TX Troglobitic Water Slater
All photos except Gambusia and Wild-rice credit of Abbott Nature Photography.
EAHCP REFUGIA PROGRAM
The HCP defines a refugium as:
A population of a Covered Species, housed at a
series of aquatic facilities, for the purpose of
reintroduction of the Covered Species into the
Comal or San Marcos systems, in the event the
Covered Species go extinct in their native habitat.
Edwards Aquifer HCP Refugia In 2017, the EAA entered into a contract with USFWS to provide refugia services through the ITP.
The contract includes budget for collections, husbandry, propagation, infrastructure improvements, and research for two off-site refugia.
USFWS SMARC• ~2,500 ft2 main house
and 1,000 ft2
quarantine bldg.
• Construction should be complete late Summer/ early Fall.
• Building remodels
• Project is on FedConnect
• Anticipated completion 12/2018
USFWS UNFH
REFUGIA WILD STOCK
JanuarySu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31
FebruarySu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28
MarchSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31
AprilSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 1516 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 2930
MaySu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 30 31
JuneSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 1011 12 13 14 15 16 1718 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30
JulySu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 1516 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 2930 31
AugustSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31
SeptemberSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 23 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 30
OctoberSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31
NovemberSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30
DecemberSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 23 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 3031
USFWS FIELD ACTIVITIES 2017
Texas wild rice Traps for Texas blind salamanders
Invert lures
Peck’s handpick
Driftnets in San Marcos: salamanders & invertsFountain darter
Hand collect salamanders
2017 REFUGIA: FOUNTAIN DARTERSCollected with Dipnets and SCUBA diversSan Marcos River: Upper, Middle, and Lower
Comal River: Upper and Lower
Collected by river section Tillers collected by hand & SCUBA diversGPS coordinates are recorded Seeds collected
2017 REFUGIA: TEXAS WILD-RICE
TEXAS BLIND SALAMANDERSTrapped in wells, caves 1 of 3 collected are retained for
refugia
Drift nets at Spring Lake & locations on the Texas State University campus
Measured & swabbed
Fountain darter
Texas wild rice
Texas blind salamander
San Marcos salamander
Comal Springs salamander
Comal Springs riffle beetle
Texas troglobitic water slater
Peck’s cave amphipod
Comal Springs dryopid beetle
Edwards aquifer diving beetle
0: Little knownTo
5: Documented procedures
5 5 5 4 5
5 5 5 4 5
4 5 2 1 0
3 3 2 2 0
5 4 3 3 0
5 4 2 2 0
5 3 2 2 0
3 2 0 2 0
1 1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0
4
REFUGIA RESEARCH Comal Springs Riffle Beetle Life History
Can sex males and females Reproductive Cycle (instars)
Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle Life History Can we differentiate males and females Are larvae aquatic?
o Fecundity, egg incubation, larval growth rates, instars
Peck’s Cave Amphipod Life History Growth rates At what stage can we differentiate from other species? How long do eggs incubate? Fecundity? # molts or size classes before sexually mature?
QUESTIONS?