OHIO RIVER VALLEY ECOSYSTEM (ORVE) TEAM

FY2000 ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT

• Ecosystem Focus Areas: Team sub-groups are working to identify high priority geographic areas within the ORVE that are important in meeting the sub-group goals and objectives. These "Focus Areas" were presented at the June Team meeting and further refined at the September meeting. It is expected that identification of these Focus Areas will help set future team priorities.

Freshwater Molluscs (Resource Priority #1)

• Cooperative Zebra Mussel Monitoring Network: Since 1995, the Service has been working side by side with the states of West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, along with the US EPA, Corps of Engineers, and volunteers, tracking the status of zebra mussels and their effects on our native mussel fauna. Ten federally listed species occur in the mainstem Ohio River, and the monitoring network has documented serious declines in native mussels in the middle and lower river. In FY 2000, the sixth annual cooperative zebra mussel monitoring was conducted.

• Ohio River Mussel Poster: Along with the states of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and West Virginia, the TVA, the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society, and private Mussel Mitigation Trust, the Service helped draft and produce a full color poster highlighting the conservation needs of the Ohio River's native mussel fauna. Fifteen thousand copies of the poster were distributed throughout the ORVE.


• Endangered Species Rescue: Recovery efforts for endangered species along the 981-mile-long Ohio River is a daunting task. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), along with the States of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, and other partners are developing a strategy for relocating endangered mussels at risk in the mainstem Ohio River to safe havens in selected mainstem areas or in tributaries with minimal zebra mussel infestation. Project funded in FY2000 toward that goal include:

- A Grant Agreement with Dr. Jim Sickel to facilitate the protection of endangered unionids from zebra mussels and other habitat perturbations and re-establish breeding populations in the Ohio River basin by relocating endangered and non-endangered unionid species from the Ohio River into a refuge in the Kentucky Dam tailwater. Funding ($21,500) for this study was provided through Region 5 flex funds. The grant agreement was finalized in September 2000.

- A cooperative agreement with Dr. Tim King at the U. S. Geological Survey - Biological Resources Division (USGS-BRD) Leetown facility to develop microsatellite DNA markers for Lampsilis abrupta. Phase I (marker development) was funded through Region 4 flex funding ($15,000). The cooperative agreement was finalized in August. Phase II (population survey and broodstock screening) requires an additional $15,000 and has not yet been funded. This project is a partnership between USGS, USFWS, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The salaries of the three Principal Investigators and the state-of-the-art equipment available in the BRD components genetic laboratory are considered matching funds.

• Propagation of juvenile mussels: As part of its focus on the propagation of freshwater mussels, the ORVE Team funded, through its kitty, a study of optimum feeding conditions for maintaining captive unionids: a study of an anodontine, an amblemine, and a lampsiline unionid. This research was possible through the cooperative efforts of the FWS, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), the Patrick Center for Environmental Research at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, and Virginia Tech. Thus far, Dr. Kreeger at the Academy of Natural Sciences was awarded $20,000 from the AZA to pay for labor and supplies. The study is underway.
 
• Wild Turkey Spill: A recent fire at the Wild Turkey distillery resulted in a spill of more than 200,000 gallons of whiskey into the Kentucky River. This spill resulted in a 5 to 7 mile-long slug of anoxic water that traveled slowly down the river from Frankfort, Kentucky to the river's confluence with the Ohio River. The ORVE has a dive team from Ohio River Islands NWR that will work with the State of Kentucky to survey the extent of impacts to freshwater mussels in the Kentucky River.

Migratory Birds (Resource Priority #2)

• Migratory Bird Resource Priority GAP Metaproject: The ORVE Migratory Bird Subgroup, which includes a variety of federal and state agency and conservation group partners, initiated the ORVE Migratory Bird Resource Priority GAP Metaproject to identify areas of importance to species of migratory birds. The target bird species are mainly songbirds that winter in South America or Latin America and breed or inhabit the Ohio River Watershed during the spring and summer. The GAP metaproject will identify areas in the ORVE that are of particular importance to these species of birds and present the information in an ArcView GIS database.
 
• Reclaimed strip mine grasslands: The second year of a grassland/savanna bird productivity monitoring in strip mines, approximately 500 nests of 28 species were monitored. Good sample sizes were attained for red-winged blackbirds, eastern meadowlarks, field sparrows, grasshopper sparrows, Henslow's sparrows, mourning doves, and brown thrashers. Twenty Henslow's sparrow nests were found, and a thermal imager was used to enhance nest location for ground nesters (e.g., Henslow's sparrows and grasshopper sparrows. There was very little cowbird parasitism for the grassland species monitored. Most nest losses were due to predation and weather. Overall, nest success was comparable to that found in other studies of grassland and savanna birds in the Midwest, and the investigators tentatively concluded that strip mine-using grassland birds are doing at least as well as grassland birds in any non-mine grassland habitat. Data are in the process of being analyzed, and a final report will be prepared.

• Other grassland bird studies: Several other grassland bird studies were coordinated/reviewed by ORVE team members. Two separate Henslow's sparrow studies were initiated in Kentucky, and monitoring work continued at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) (the former Jefferson Proving Ground). The study at Big Oaks NWR has monitored 77 Henslow's sparrow nests during the last 3 years. This study has indicated that Henslow's sparrows can successfully nest in grasslands treated with prescribed fire during the treatment year, and nesting densities are highest the season following the prescribed fire treatment. Also, some data at Big Oaks NWR indicate that mowing could decrease nest densities and be a less desirable treatment for nesting Henslow's sparrows.

Trust Fish (Resource Priority #3)

• Paddlefish Tagging Equipment: The ORVE team funded purchase of paddlefish tagging equipment to expand the ability of Kentucky state fishery biologists to increase tagging efforts in sampling gaps identified in the MICRA Mississippi River Basin Paddlefish Stock Assessment. The project was funded by the ORVE Kitty.
 
• List of Endemic and/or Imperiled Fish Species: Lists were prepared of fish species that are endemic, endangered, imperiled, and/or species of concern. These lists are currently under review by the subgroup.
 
• Crystal Darter Genetics Study: A population genetics study of crystal darter in the Elk River of West Virginia was completed in FY 2000. This study supports the conclusion that this population is unique and warrants protection under Endangered Species Act. As a result, the listing process on this species will be initiated.

• Olmstead Lock and Dam Monitoring Plan: Potential stakeholders have been identified in the effort to develop a baseline fisheries monitoring plan to measure the effects of Olmstead Lock and Dam on the lower Ohio River. A meeting is planned for late fall with the Corps of Engineers.
 

Cave/Karst Habitat (Resource Priority #4)

• Cave/Karst GIS Data Layer: Data from all of the states regarding the presence of limestone have been submitted to the team's GIS person, Kurt Snider. From this data, Kurt has developed a cave/karst GIS data layer for the ORVE. A map can be readily generated from this data layer. Presently the information is most important in identifying focus areas for the ecosystem.

• Web Page Development: The subgroup has provided the information necessary to develop a Cave/Karst page on the ORVE web site.


• Gate Construction at Waterfall Cave: At the recommendation of the Cave/Karst Subgroup, the ORVE Team funded Mr. Roy Powers to design and direct construction of an angle iron gate on Waterfall Cave located on the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rockcastle County, Kentucky. Waterfall Cave is a Priority II hibernaculum for the endangered Indiana bat, where the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) population had recently fallen from 1,200 to 600. The reason for the decline in the population was human disturbance. Partners in the project included the U.S. Forest Service, the American Cave Conservation Association, the Kentucky Department of Natural Resources, and the Service=s Canaan Valley NWR and the Asheville, NC Field Office.

• Gate Construction at Three Caves with Virginia Big-eared Bats: Although not located in or directly funded by the ORVE, numerous personnel from the ORVE were involved in the construction of angle iron gates at the entrances of Schoolhouse, Hoffman School, and Minor Rexrode Caves in Pendleton County, West Virginia. This project was lead by the USFWS West Virginia Field Office, in partnership the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources' Non-Game Wildlife and Natural Heritage Program. The gates will permanently protect three large summer and winter colonies of the endangered Virginia big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus and one significant hibernaculum of the endangered Indiana bat, from human disturbance. Human disturbance has been identified a major cause of decline in these species. The gates will protect 20 percent of the world=s Virginia big-eared bat=s summer (maternity) population. Other personnel who were key in the completion of these projects came from the Canaan Valley NWR, Patuxent NWR, Ohio River Islands NWR, Pennslyvania Field Office, American Cave Conservation Association, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Forest Service, and National Speleological Society Chapters (Grottos) from Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.


• Environmental Assessment of the Green River Drainage: A proposal was submitted for funding on March 18, 1996, to the Cave/Karst Subgroup of the ORVE for an environmental assessment of the cave/karst habitat in the Green River drainage. The study objectives were to identify cave resources and contaminant impacts to those resources, to integrate the data into GIS coverages, and to determine priority areas of concern. The results of this study will provide important information for the development of cave habitat protection/restoration plans to be implemented through partnerships with resource management agencies and groups within the ecosystem. The ORVET provided $5,200 for the study in 1997. Dr. Chris Groves and graduate students at Western Kentucky University conducted the study. A final report and electronic copy of the GIS data have been completed, but have not been submitted to the Service as yet.


• Twin/Donaldson cave project: The Twin/Donaldson cave project (water quality and watershed project for the protection of existing cavefish population), was funded by the ORVE in FY99 with $5,000. This money was added to an existing and ongoing project known as: Potential Nonpoint-source Contamination of the Spring Mill Lake Drainage Basin sponsored by Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The technical reviews of the final report on the water quality of Donaldson/Bronson/Twin Cave System have been completed. After the suggested modifications have been addressed, the report needs to be reviewed by the Indiana Geological Survey editor and director before it can be released. The report will be released in the near future.

• Presentation at Cave Management Symposium: Robert Currie, Asheville Field Office, gave a presentation on the protection needs of federally listed cave dependant species at the 1999 Cave Management Symposium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The National Cave Management Symposia are held every two years and are sponsored and coordinated by the Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, the National Speleological Society, the American Cave Conservation Society, Bat Conservation International, and others. These meetings were initiated in the mid-70's. They provide an opportunity for Federal, State and private cave managers and owners to share ideas and information on the protection of cave and karst resources. The published proceedings of the Symposia are an excellent source of information on the subject.


• Presentation for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Robert Currie, Asheville Field Office, gave a presentation on the Endangered Species Act and the protection of cave dependent species at a meeting of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and their contractors and consultants. The meeting was held in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Partners in the session on the protection of cave species and the habitats that support them included the Cave Research Foundation, Kentucky Geological Survey, National Speleological Society, American Cave Conservation Association, and the University of Louisville. In addition to endangered species, topics discussed at the meeting included the hydrology, geology, paleontology and archeology of cave and karst systems. Information provided to the participants will enable them to more effectively address and protect cave and karst habitats during the design and construction of highway projects in Kentucky.
 

Wetland, Riparian and Riverine Subgroup (Resource Priority #5)

• Water Quality along Middle Island Creek: The National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has agreed to focus $300,000 of EQUIP funding towards improving the water quality along Middle Island Creek in Pleasant and Tyler Counties. The NRCS will work with local livestock producers on waste and nutrient management and the USFWS will provide technical support and install livestock exclusion fences and restore any wetlands along the project site. In FY 2000, one waste management system was installed by the NRCS and SWCD and approximately 5,000 feet of fence was installed through the Partners for Wildlife Program. Two more projects are being scheduled for FY 2001.


• Water Quality along Killbuck Creek: Also in FY2000, the ORVE Team funded, in part, the placement of a water line and water tanks to keep cattle out of the creek for a livestock producer adjacent to Killbuck Creek in Coshocton County, Ohio. In addition, a feeding pad was constructed to reduce the entry of waste material into Killbuck Creek, the home of the endangered purple cat's paw pearly mussel (Epioblasma obliquata obliquata). The site will be monitored by the Reynoldsburg, OH Field Office to determine water quality benefits and if exclusionary fencing is still warranted.
 

Other Endangered Species (Resource Priority #6)

• GIS Layers of Endangered-Species Distributions: Progress was made in FY 2000 in developing GIS-layer distribution lists by state and county for all Federal and State listed endangered, threatened, and candidate species located within the Ohio River drainage. The project will be completed in FY 2001, at which time the information will be made available on the ORVE website.
 
• Endemic Crayfish of the ORVE: A list of the endemic crayfish species of the ORVE and their conservation status was developed. The Endangered Species Subgroup is considering making this group a priority in future work.

 

• West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel Research: The ORVET provided $4,000 to the USGS, BRD laboratory in Leetown, WV in FY 1999 to conduct genetic studies on the endangered West Virginia northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus fuscus. To date, numerous hair follicle samples have been submitted to the research to develop a suite of species-specific microsatellite DNA markers. The objectives of the research are to identify population structure, metapopulation extent and evolutionarily significant lineages for the squirrel. At the turn of the century much of the squirrel=s habitat was destroyed by logging and fire. The research will to determine if some populations have been reproductively isolated and evolutionarily divergent from other populations. To manage for the future of the squirrel and achieve recovery, it is important to determine what populations have been reproductively isolated. The research is ongoing and is scheduled for completion this winter.

• The ORVET provided $4,000 in FY 1999 to conduct research on the biology of the endangered running buffalo clover, Trifolium stoloniferum on the Fernow Experimental Forest in WV. This is a multi year study and is ongoing. Preliminary results are showing the disturbance may stimulate growth or at least not prohibit growth and destroy the plant. In partnership with the WVDNR and the USFS, running buffalo clover was being studied to determine its response to disturbance by different silvicultural practices and road construction. Running buffalo clover is thought to be a disturbance species and disturbance from logging may be essential in its management. Other biological needs of the plant will be determined by the research, such as light, moisture, and soil requirements, and pollinators.
 

Law Enforcement Standing Committee

• Contaminant Work: Committee members conducted some fly overs and inspections of crude oil and oil waste pits in FY 2000; however, progress on this task has been limited by the personnel deficit.