Recovery Plan Action Status

Plan Name: Recovery Plan for Vernal Pool Ecosystems of California and Southern Oregon
Plan Status: Final
Plan Date: 07-Mar-06
Lead Agency: USFWS
Lead Office: Sacramento Fish And Wildlife Office ( (916) 414-6600 )

Species

Action Priority #

Action #

Action Description

Action Status

Est. Initiation Date

Est. Completion Date

Responsible Parties

Work Type

Labor Type

Action Comments

Implementation Activities

Butte County meadowfoam (Limnanthes floccosa ssp. californica), Colusa grass (Neostapfia colusana), Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), Contra Costa goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens), Delta green ground beetle (Elaphrus viridis), Few-flowered navarretia (Navarretia leucocephala ssp. pauciflora (=N. pauciflora)), Fleshy owl's-clover (Castilleja campestris ssp. succulenta), Greene's tuctoria (Tuctoria greenei), Hairy Orcutt grass (Orcuttia pilosa), Hoover's spurge (Chamaesyce hooveri), Lake County stonecrop (Parvisedum leiocarpum), Loch Lomond coyote thistle (Eryngium constancei), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), Many-flowered navarretia (Navarretia leucocephala ssp. plieantha), Sacramento Orcutt grass (Orcuttia viscida), San Joaquin Orcutt grass (Orcuttia inaequalis), Slender Orcutt grass (Orcuttia tenuis), Solano grass (Tuctoria mucronata), Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi)

1.1

Develop standardized vernal pool habitat site assessment guidance.

Not Started

U.S. Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Fish and Game, California Native Plant Society, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Other

Internal Technical Assistance

Activity Number	Description	Status	Est. Initiation Date	Est. Completion Date	Responsible Parties	Work Type	Labor Type	Comments	Species
1.1-1	Documenting and predicting presence of vernal pool plants.	Complete	FY 2008	FY 2012		Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected	Grant was provided by CVPCP to several vp specialists: Bob Holland, Steven Rae, Michael Barbour. 3 methods were compared: whole pool, transect, and community. Community-based sampling was the most accurate.

Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi)

1.3.1

Conduct standardized vernal pool habitat site assessments for Carrizo vernal pool region

Not Started

County governments, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Fish and Game, California Department of Water Resources, California Native Plant Society, Conservation Organizations, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Landowners and Managers

Research: Habitat Status

Internal Field Assistance

Cost estimate for 23,721hectares ( 58,614 acres)

Colusa grass (Neostapfia colusana), Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi)

1.3.10

Conduct standardized vernal pool habitat site assessments for San Joaquin Valley vernal pool region

Not Started

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Contractor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Research: Habitat Status

Contract

Cost estimate for 8,792 hectares(21,725 acres)

Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), Fleshy owl's-clover (Castilleja campestris ssp. succulenta), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi)

1.3.14

Conduct standardized vernal pool habitat site assessments for Southern Sierra Foothills vernal pool region

Partially Complete

FY 2011

To be decided

Research: Habitat Status

Contract

Cost estimate for 190,970 hectares ( 471,886 acres). Project to map and quantify occupied habitat of 3 shrimp and one plant species in core areas in Merced County has been funded by CVPHRP.

Contra Costa goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi)

1.3.5

Conduct standardized vernal pool habitat site assessments for Livermore vernal pool region

Not Started

County governments, California Department of Fish and Game, California Native Plant Society, Conservation Organizations, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Landowners and Managers

Research: Habitat Status

Internal Field Assistance

Cost estimate for 2,599 hectares( 6421 acres)

1.4.2.1

Ensure State and local agencies use their authority to protect species occurrences and their vernal pool habitat in Zone 1 core areas.

Ongoing Current

FY 2005

County governments

Acquisition: Easement

Internal Field Assistance

Activity Number	Description	Status	Est. Initiation Date	Est. Completion Date	Responsible Parties	Work Type	Labor Type	Comments	Species
1.4.2.1-1	Butte County HCP	Ongoing Current	FY 2005	N/A		Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected	To implement section 10 and other obligations. Butte County is currently developing an HCP/NRCCP to cover Butte County meadowfoam and shrimp.

1.4.4.1

Protect remaining species occurrences and habitat, not currently protected on private land in Zone 1 core areas.

Ongoing Not Current

FY 2005

To be decided

Acquisition: General

Contract

Maximum cost based on fee title acquisition for approximately 234,256 hectares (578,838 acres)

Activity Number	Description	Status	Est. Initiation Date	Est. Completion Date	Work Type	Labor Type	Comments
1.4.4.1-1	Protect vernal pool species and their habitat on Highway 41 in Madera Co. in a CalTrans mitigation bank.	Complete	N/A	N/A	Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected	This bank was created only for mitigation of CalTrans projects that affect vernal pools. Opening date of the bank is unknown. Vernal pool habitat was created and restored.
1.4.4.1-2	Porter Ranch Mitigation Bank	Partially Complete	N/A	N/A	Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected
1.4.4.1-3	Meridian Ranch Mitigation Bank	Partially Complete	N/A	N/A	Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected
1.4.4.1-4	SMUD Nature Preserve	Partially Complete	N/A	N/A	Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected
1.4.4.1-5	Noonan Ranch Conservation Bank	Partially Complete	N/A	N/A	Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected
1.4.4.1-6	Sycamore Ranch Conservation Bank	Partially Complete	N/A	N/A	Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected

1.4.4.2

Protect remaining species occurrences and habitat, not currently protected on private land in Zone 2 core areas.

Ongoing Current

FY 2008

To be decided

Work type not yet selected

Labor type not yet selected

Maximum cost based on fee title acquisition for approximately 259,434 hectares (641,052 acres)

Activity Number	Description	Status	Est. Initiation Date	Est. Completion Date	Responsible Parties	Work Type	Labor Type	Comments	Species
1.4.4.2-1	Toad Hill Ranch Mitigation Bank	Partially Complete	N/A	N/A		Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected

2.3.2.2

Ensure State and local agencies develop or improve existing management and monitoring plans.

Partially Complete

FY 2006

California Department of Parks and Recreation, Utilities, California Department of Water Resources, Flood control districts, County governments, California Department of Fish and Game, Irrigation Districts

Management: Planning

Contract

Concurrent with interim management

Activity Number	Description	Status	Est. Initiation Date	Est. Completion Date	Responsible Parties	Work Type	Labor Type	Comments	Species
2.3.2.2-1	Phoenix Field Preserve Management Plan	Complete	FY 2006	FY 2007		Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected	Funded with traditional section 6 grant
2.3.2.2-2	Greater Jepson Prairie Ecosystem Regional Management Plan	Complete	FY 2000 - FY 2004	FY 2007		Work type not yet selected	Labor type not yet selected

Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi)

2.5.2.1

Review existing shrimp cyst collections, as needed, to determine need to collect cysts and the number of cysts necessary.

Not Started

University, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Management: Land Use

Internal Field Assistance

Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna)

2.5.2.2

Conduct Priority 1 cyst collection as identified in Table IV-4, if necessary.

Not Started

University

Management: Land Use

Internal Field Assistance

Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi)

2.5.5.1

Determine appropriate locations for reintroduction/introduction of shrimp.

Not Started

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, To be decided

Research: Habitat Requirements

Internal Field Assistance

Sites identified by recovery team

Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna)

2.5.5.2

Conduct Priority 1 reintroductions and introductions of shrimp as indicated in Table IV- 4.

Not Started

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University

Management: Reintroduction

Contract

Cost will vary depending on no. of sites

Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna)

2.5.5.5

Monitor Priority 1 reintroductions and introductions of shrimp.

Not Started

To be decided

Research: Population Surveys

Contract

Cost will vary depending on no. of sites; may be added to 2.5.4.4

3.1.1

Review existing species survey guidance to determine whether such guidance is adequate

Not Started

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Other

Internal Technical Assistance

Assumes cost of one biologist for 1/4 time

3.1.2

If necessary, revise existing guidance or develop new standardized, scientifically based, and species-specific survey guidance.

Not Started

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Research: Habitat Status

Contract

Assumes cost of one biologist for 1/4 time

3.2.1

Identify and prioritize areas within each vernal pool region, starting with core areas, to conduct standardized status surveys.

Not Started

To be decided

Other

Contract

Assumes cost of one biologist for 0.5 time

3.3.2

Conduct status reviews of listed species by vernal pool region.

Ongoing Current

FY 2006

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Other: Regulations

Contract

Assumes 6 months review based on cost per species

Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi)

4.1.3.3.1

Implement research on dispersal mechanisms of listed fairy shrimp and vernal pool tadpole shrimp.

Not Started

Contractor

Research: Migration

Graduate Student

4.2.4.3

Develop hydrologic models to predict effects of hydrologic modifications in various situations.

Ongoing Current

U.S. Department of Defense, Contractor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Research: Other Information

Graduate Student

Assumes costs for data collection and modeling. FWS is partially funding a grad student to study subsurface water flow in natural and created vernal pools. Project will be complete in approximately 2013.

5.1

Form a single vernal pool recovery implementation team.

Complete

FY 2008

FY 2009

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Management: Planning

Volunteer, Species Expert

Original Team was formed in 2009. Member turnover has occurred and new member have joined. Chair position is generally for 2 years. Assumes staff time cost to organize implementation team meetings

5.3.1

Periodically review progress toward recovery of all listed species and identify those species that require a change in status (downlisting, delisting, uplisting) or emergency actions.

Ongoing Current

FY 2006

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Management: Reintroduction

Contract, Internal Technical Assistance

Cost assumes review every five years until recovery.

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