Technical Report

Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program Habitat Restoration Effectiveness Monitoring: 2010-2012

URL: https://webapps.usgs.gov/mrgescp/documents/SWCA%20Environmental%20Consultants_2014_MRGESCP%20Habitat%20Restoration%20Effectiveness%20Monitoring%202010-2012.pdf

Date: 2014/12/01

Author(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

Publication: Prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Prepared by SWCA Environmental Consultants, 242 p.

Abstract:

The Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program’s (Program’s) goal is to protect and improve the status of the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus; silvery minnow) and southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus; flycatcher) along the Middle Rio Grande of New Mexico, while at the same time protecting regional water uses from the Rio Grande. A primary objective of the Program is to restore habitats for the two species, including the construction of hydrologic features, such as high-flow side channels. The Program also is mandated to monitor the status of the species’ populations along with habitat restoration efforts. SWCA Environmental Consultants was tasked with analyzing habitat restoration monitoring data that were collected by the Program in 2010, 2011, and 2012 from a series of randomly selected habitat restoration sites throughout the Middle Rio Grande. At this time, the Program has not yet developed a habitat restoration effectiveness monitoring plan or specific habitat restoration objectives and effectiveness monitoring evaluation criteria. Under these circumstances, clear objectives to guide the analysis of habitat restoration monitoring data or evaluation criteria have yet to be developed to determine if restoration has been successful. For this project existing data provided by the Program was electronically compiled and summarized to assess how these data may help to define and improve a future monitoring program. In addition, recommendations are provided to assist in providing a conceptual framework for a long term habitat restoration monitoring program based on adaptive management principles.

Fisheries monitoring included sampling randomly selected habitat restoration sites with fyke nets and beach seines to determine if silvery minnow were present on constructed habitat restoration features. Fyke nets were the primary gear type used in 2010, while beach seines were the primary gear type used in 2011. More fish were collected from habitat restoration sites in 2010 than in 2011. For the data sets summarized in this report, silvery minnow was the most commonly collected species with fyke net in 2010, while red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis) was the most commonly collected species with beach seines in 2011. Spring runoff in 2010 was of sufficient magnitude to inundate various habitat restoration sites resulting in a greater diversity of off-channel low-velocity habitat areas. In 2011, spring runoff was below average and the majority of areas sampled with beach seines were main channel areas. Silvery minnow collections differed among habitat restoration sites sampled in 2010 with the greatest relative abundance occurring at the Los Lunas and I-40-1ch habitat restoration sites. It is recommended that habitat restoration sites be sampled relative to intended restoration prescription so that future restoration projects can refine construction methods to increase suitable floodplain habitat for silvery minnow.