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MetaData for 2006 Borax Lake Chub Investigations Progress Reports 2006
2006 Borax Lake Chub Investigations Progress Reports 2006
Identification Information
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Citation
- Originator: Scheerer, P. and S. Jacobs
- Publish Date: 2007
- Online Link:
None
- BPA Project #:
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Contact Information
- Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Name: Cedric Cooney
- Job Position: Natural Resources Data and Systems Manager
- Telephone: 503-947-6094
- E-Mail Address: cedric.x.cooney@odfw.oregon.gov
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Description
- Abstract: Borax Lake chub (Gila boraxobius) is represented by a single population that
inhabits a 4.1 hectare geothermally-heated alkaline lake in Harney County, Oregon. The
Borax Lake chub is a small minnow endemic to Borax Lake and adjacent wetlands in
Oregon’s Alvord Basin (Williams and Bond 1980). Borax Lake is a natural lake, perched
10 meters above the desert floor on sinter deposits, which is fed almost exclusively by
thermal groundwater. The Borax Lake chub was listed as endangered under the federal
Endangered Species Act in 1982 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1982).
Population abundance estimates obtained in 1991-1996 indicated a fluctuating
population ranging from a low of 8,144 fish to a high of 34,634 fish (Salzer 1997). The
basis for the Borax Lake chub’s listed status was not population size, but the security of
a very limited, unique, isolated, and vulnerable habitat. Because Borax Lake is situated
above salt deposits on the desert floor, alteration of the salt crust shoreline could reduce
lake levels and the habitat quantity and quality available to Borax Lake chub. At the time
of the listing, Borax Lake was threatened by habitat alteration caused by geothermal
energy development and alteration of the lake shore crust to provide irrigation to
surrounding pasture lands. The Borax Lake chub federal recovery plan, completed in
1987, advocated protection of the lake ecosystem through the acquisition of key private
lands, protection of groundwater and surface waters, controls on access, and the
removal of livestock grazing (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1987).
Numerous recovery measures implemented since listing have improved the
conservation status of Borax Lake chub and protection of its habitat (Williams and
Macdonald 2003). When the species was listed, critical habitat was designated on 259
hectares of land surrounding the lake, including 129 hectares of public lands and two 65-
hectare parcels of private land. In 1983, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management
designated the public land as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The Nature
Conservancy began leasing the private lands in 1983 and purchased them in 1993,
bringing the entire critical habitat into public or conservation ownership. The Nature
Conservancy ended water diversion from the lake for irrigation and livestock grazing
within the critical habitat. Passage of the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management
and Protection Act of 2000 removed the public BLM lands from mineral and geothermal
development within a majority of the basin. These actions, combined with detailed
studies of the chub and their habitat have added substantially to our knowledge of the
Borax Lake ecosystem (Scoppettone et al. 1995, Salzer 1992, Perkins et al. 1996).
However, three primary threats remain. These include the threat to the fragile lake
shoreline, wetlands, and soils from a recent increase in recreational use around the lake
(particularly off-road vehicle usage), the threat of introduction of nonnative species, and
potential negative impacts to the aquifer from geothermal groundwater withdrawal if
groundwater pumping were to occur on private lands outside the protected areas
(Williams and Macdonald 2003).
Although an increase in abundance is not a goal in the successful recovery of
this species, monitoring trends in abundance over time is an important management tool
to assess species status. From 1998-2004, data describing the abundance of the Borax
Lake chub population are not available. Abundance estimates were obtained from 1986-
1997 by The Nature Conservancy (Salzer 1997) (Figure 1). Abundance estimates for
1986-1990 are not comparable with those obtained in 1991-1997. Prior to 1991,
estimates were obtained only from traps set around the perimeter of the lake. In 1991,
estimates were obtained from traps set on a regularly spaced grid throughout the lake.
A study comparing the methods suggests that prior to 1991 abundance was under
estimated, perhaps by as much as 50 percent (Salzer 1992).
A recent review of the conservation status of the Borax Lake chub by Williams
and Macdonald (2003) cited the lack of recent and ongoing population and ecosystem
monitoring as one argument against downlisting or delisting the species at this time.
The chub population has experienced substantial fluctuations in abundance over the
time period (1986-1997) when abundance data are available (Figure 1). At the time of
the review, the most recent abundance estimates that were obtained in 1996 and 1997
were some of the lowest estimates since 1991.
Borax Lake chub population abundance estimates from 1986 to 1997 and
2005 to 2006. Horizontal bars represent 95% confidence limits. In 1986-1990 (solid
symbols), only the perimeter of the lake was trapped. After 1990 (open symbols) the
entire lake was trapped. Estimates are not directly comparable across these time
periods.
There are limited data on population age structure that offer valuable insight into
the productivity of Borax Lake chub. Williams and Bond (1983) examined lengthfrequency
data and concluded that the population consisted primarily of age 1 fish, with
few age 2 and age 3 fish present. Limited opercle bone aging of chub collected in 1992-
1993 also indicated that most Borax Lake were less than one year of age (67-79%), yet
a few individuals were aged at 10+ years (Scoppettone 1995). Because Borax Lake
chub are only found in one location and the population is apparently dominated by a
single year-class of adults, the species has a high inherent risk of extinction.
3
The objectives of this study were to: 1) obtain a mark-recapture population
estimate of Borax Lake chub, and 2) to evaluate ways to reduce handling of Borax Lake
chub when monitoring population abundance both by modifying previous mark-recapture
protocols and by developing snorkeling survey protocols to use as an alternative to
mark-recapture estimates. In addition, we collected data regarding lake temperatures,
chub size (age) structure, and the condition of the fragile lake shoreline and outflows.
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- Purpose:
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- Time Period of Content:
- Geographic Extent: Borax Lake
- Status: Final
- Use Constraints:
- Format: PDF File
Data Quality Information
- Lineage-Source:
Data Information
- No data information was supplied.
Entity and Attribute Information
- Attributes Description:
Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters?
No
Files
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Borax Report 2006.pdf
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