# State of California

The Resources Agency

Department of Water Resources



# MATRIX OF LIFE HISTORY AND

HABITAT REQUIREMENTS FOR

FEATHER RIVER FISH SPECIES

SP-F3.2 TASK 2

SPLITTAIL

Oroville Facilities Relicensing

FERC Project No. 2100

APRIL 2004

ARNOLD

SCHWARZ E NEGGER

Governor

State of California MIKE CHRISMAN

Secretary for Resources

The Resources Agency LEST ER A. SNOW

Director

Department of Water

Resources

# Matrix Of Life History an d Habitat Requi reme nts for F eather River Fish Spe c ie s - Splittail

Oroville Facili ties P-2100 Relicensi ng



# State of California

The Resources Agency

Department of Water Resources



# MATRIX OF LIFE HISTORY AND

HABITAT REQUIREMENTS FOR

FEATHER RIVER FISH SPECIES

SP-F3.2 TASK 2

SPLITTAIL

Oroville Facilities Relicensing

FERC Project No. 2100

This report w as prepared under the direc t ion of

Terry J. Mills

..................................................... Envir onmental Program Manager I, DWR

by

Paul Bratovich ..................................................Princ ipal/Fisheries Tech nical Lead, SWRI

David Olson

................................ Senior Environmental Scient ist/Project Mana ger, SWRI

Adrian Pitts

............................................ Associ ate Environmental Scientist/Author, SWRI

Meryka Ath e rstone

................................. Associat e Environmental Plan ner/Author, S W RI

Allison Niggemyer

................................ Associat e Environmental Scientist/ Author , SWRI

Amanda O’Conne ll

................................................. Environmen tal Planner/Author, S W RI

Karen Riggs

........................................................... Environmental Planner/Author, S W RI

Brian Ellrott

............................................................ Environmenta l Scientist/Author, SWRI

Preli m i

nary Inf o rmatio n – Sub j ect to Revisi on – F o r Colla bor ative Process Purpos es Only

Oroville Faci liti e s Relic ens ing T eam Ma y 2 8 , 200 4

D:\Dave' s Doc u ments\01 A L L REQUEST S\T ed_ 05-2 8 -0 4 fish matrix \04-28-0 4

_ fish_s pl ittail.d o cMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River SpecificGeneralCommon name (s)English name(usually usedbyfishers and laypeople).Sacramento splittailScientific name (s)Latin name(referenced inscientific publications).The scientificname of Sacramento splittailisPogonichthysmacrolepidotus(Moyle2002).The Sacramento splittail isthe onlymemberof its genus; a second species,P.ciscoides, isnow extinct (USFWS1995b).Taxonomy (family)Common name of the family towhich they belong. Also indicatescientific family name.Sacramentosplittail belong to theCyprinidae(i.e., minnow) family (Moyle2002).DepictionIllustration, drawing orphotograph.RangeBroad geographic distribution,specifying California distribution,as available.Sacramento splittailwere historicallyfound asfar north asRedding, California,but are no longer found in this area(USFWS 1995b).Sacramento splittailhave been collectedfrom the MercedRiver at Livingston andfrom the SanJoaquinRiver at Fort Miller.There arereported catches from thesouthern SanFrancisco Bay and at themouth of Coyote Creek inSanta ClaraCounty, but recent surveysindicate thatIn wet years, Sacramentosplittail maymigrate upthe Sacramento River asfaras the Red Bluff Diversion Dam and intothe lower Feather and Americanrivers(Moyle 2002).Sacramento splittailenter thelowerreaches of the Feather River onoccasion, and records indicate that theyhad been collected asfar upstream asOroville (USFWS 1995b).Preliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam1May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificsplittail are nolonger present in theselocations (USFWS 1995b).On the San Joaquin River,Sacramentosplittail may be found asfar as SaltSlough (Moyle 2002).In most years, Sacramentosplittail arereportedly confined to the Delta, SuisunBay, Suisun March, lowerNapaRiver,and lower Petaluma River (Moyle 2002).Important Sacramentosplittail spawningareas reportedly include Sutter and YoloBypasses onthe Sacramento River andalso the Tuolumne River (Moyle 2002).Except whenspawning, Sacramentosplittail reportedly are largely absent fromthe Sacramento River (USFWS 1995b).Capturesof larval Sacramento splittailindicate that an important spawning areamay be in the SacramentoRiverbetween themouths of theAmericanandFeather rivers (USFWS 1995b).Native or introducedIf introduced, indicate timing,location, andmethods.Sacramentosplittail are endemictoCalifornia (Moyle 2002).ESA listing statusFollowing the categoriesaccording toCalifornia Code ofRegulations and the FederalRegister, indicate whether: SE =State-listed Endangered; ST=State-listedThreatened; FE =Federally listed Endangered; FT =Federally-listed Threatened; SCE= State Candidate (Endangered);SCT = State candidate(Threatened); FPE = Federallyproposed (Endangered); FPT =Federally proposed (Threatened);FPD = Federally proposed(Delisting); the date of listing; or N= not listed.Sacramentosplittail was listed asathreatened species (FT) inFebruary 1999by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service(Moyle 2002).On September 22, 2003, the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Serviceremoved theSacramentosplittail from its list ofthreatened species (USFWS 2003).Preliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam2May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River SpecificSpecies statusIf native, whether:Extinct/extirpated; Threatened orEndangered; Specialconcern;Watch list; Stable or increasing. Ifintroduced, whether: Extirpated(failed introduction); highlylocalized; Localized; Widespreadand stable; Widespread andexpanding.Sacramentosplittail are native toCalifornia and their statusis threatened(Moyle 2002).On September 22, 2003, the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Serviceremoved theSacramentosplittail from its list ofthreatened species (USFWS 2003).Economic or recreationalvalueIndicatewhether target speciessought for food or trophy.Whether desirable by recreationalfishers, commercial fishers, orboth.A small sportfishery reportedly exists forSacramentosplittail (Wang 1986).Anglers fish for Sacramento splittail inorder to use them as bait for striped bass(Moyle 2002).Warmwater orcoldwaterWarmwater ifsuitabletemperaturerange issimilar tobasses; coldwater if suitabletemperaturerange issimilar tosalmonids.Sacramentosplittail is a warmwater fish(Wang 1986).Pelagic orlittoralEnvironment: Pelagic - living farfrom shore; Littoral - living nearthe shore.Sacramento splittailare reportedlyentirelypelagic duringthe day (Sommer et al.2002).Bottomor water columndistributionEnvironment: bottom (benthic) oralong water column.Within the Yolo Bypass, 51% of all splittailobservationswere madeinbenthic areasat night (Sommer et al. 2002).Lentic orloticEnvironment: Lentic - pertainingto stagnant water, or lake-like;Lotic - movingwater, orriver-like.Sacramentosplittail reportedly preferslow-movingsectionsof rivers andsloughs (Young andCech1996).AdultsLife spanApproximatemaximum ageobtained.The reported life span of Sacramentosplittail is 5 to7 years, although largerfishmay live to be8 years old or older (Moyle2002). The reported life span of theSacramentosplittail species isapproximately fiveyears (Caywood 1974).The reported life span of SacramentoPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam3May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificsplittail is 5 to7 years (Caywood1974;Meng and Moyle 1995).Sacramentosplittail commonly live to fiveyears of age (Sommer et al. 1997).Adult lengthIndicate: Length at which theyfirst reproduce; average lengthand maximum length the fish canattain.Adult Sacramento splittailmeasureapproximately 4.3 inches(110millimeters) atthe end of their first year,6.7 inches (170 millimeters) at the end oftheir secondyear, 8.5 inches (215millimeters) atthe end of their third year,and grow about 1.4 inchesper year(35millimeters per year) thereafter.Sacramentosplittail reportedly can reachover 15.7 inches (40 centimeters) inlength (Moyle2002).Males and females are often mature bythe end of their secondwinter, withminimum lengths of 7.1 to 7.9 inches(180-200 mm) (Daniels and Moyle 1983);occasionally males may mature by theend of their first year and females by theend of their third year (USFWS 1995b).Sacramentosplittail can reportedly reachover 11.8 inches (300 millimeters) inlength (USFWS 1995b).Adult weightIndicate: Weight at which theyfirst reproduce; averageweightand maximum weight thefish canattain.Adult splittail were reported to weighanywhere from0.47 pounds(211grams),as observed inSherman Lake, Californiato 1.6 pounds (744 grams),as observedat Clifton Court Forebay, California(Feyrer 1998).Splittail adults collected from SuisunMarsh, California for aseries of labstudiesreportedly weighed0.18 poundsPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam4May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specific(80 grams) to0.44 pounds(200 grams)(Young andCech 1996).Physical morphologyGeneral shape of the fish:elongated, fusiform, laterallycompressed, etc.Sacramento splittailhave anenlargedupper lobe ofthe tail, tiny barbellsat thecorners of theslightly subterminal mouth,a small head,and an elongated body(Moyle 2002).Sacramento splittailhave pharyngealteeth, which are hooked and have narrowgrinding surfaces(USFWS1995b).Adult Sacramento splittail reportedlydevelop a nuchal hump (USFWS 1995b).ColorationIndicatecolor, and color changes,if any, during reproductionphase.Sacramentosplittail aresilvery on theirsides and become duller in color as theygrowlarger, and their back is usuallydusky olive gray (Moyle 2002). Duringthe breedingseason, Sacramento splittailfins are tingedwith red-orange and malesbecome a darkercolor (Moyle 2002).Other physical adultdescriptorsUnique physical features for easyidentification.Sacramentosplittail havea distinctive tail(Moyle 2002).The upper lobe of the caudal fin on aSacramentosplittail is larger than thelower lobe(USFWS 1995b).Adult food baseIndicate primary diet components.Sacramentosplittail reportedly feed onbottom invertebratesin areas of low tomoderate currents, and onearthworms inflooded areas (Moyle 2002).Detrital material reportedlymakes up ahigh percentage of the stomachcontentsof Sacramento splittail (Moyle 2002).In the SuisunMarsh, Sacramento splittailreportedly forage extensively on opossumPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam5May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificshrimp, benthic amphipods, andharpactacoid copepods. In the Delta,Sacramentosplittail reportedly feedopportunistically on clams, crustaceans,insect larvae,and other invertebrates(Moyle 2002).Sacramentosplittail reportedly feedextensively onopossum shrimp anddetrital material, and feedopportunistically on earthworms, clams,insect larvae,and other invertebrates(USFWS 1995b).Adult feedinghabitsIndicatewhether planktoneater,algae eater, bottom feeder,piscivorous, active hunter,ambush predator, filter feeder.Night, day, dusk or dawn feeder.Sacramentosplittail are diurnal feeders,with the mostintense feeding occurring inthe early morning (Moyle 2002).Sacramentosplittail are benthic foragers(Meng and Moyle 1995).Adult in-oceanresidencetimeFor anadromousspecies, agewhenthey migrate to the oceanand durationspent in the oceanbeforereturning to freshwater tospawn.Adult habitatcharacteristics in-oceanFor anadromousspecies,description ofthe ocean habitatutilized: whether along majorcurrentsystems,gyres,pelagic(beyond continental shelves) andneritic (abovecontinentalshelves) zones,etc.Adult upstream migration (immigration)Range of adult upstreammigration timingTime of yearadults migrateupstream. Ifapplicable, indicatefor various runs.Adult Sacramentosplittail reportedly showgradual upstream movement during thewinter and spring months toforage andspawn in flooded areas (Moyle 2002).Studies indicate that Sacramento splittailPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam6May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificmigrate upriver to spawn infreshwaterfrom January through April(Meng andMoyle 1995).Adult Sacramento splittail reportedlyundertake anannual upstream spawningmigration fromthe estuary in late autumnand winter (Sommer et al.1997).Peak adult upstreammigration timingTime of yearmost adultsmigrateupstream. Ifapplicable, indicatefor various runs.In 1998-99, four adult spawningmigrationpulseswere indicated by peaks inupstream movements thatreportedlyoccurredin mid-December,late January,early February, and late February(Garman andBaxter 1999inMoyle et al.2003).Adult upstream migrationwater temperaturetoleranceRange of water temperaturesallowing survival. Indicatestressful or lethal levels.Adult upstream migrationwater temperaturepreferenceRange of suitable, preferred orreported optimal watertemperatures. Indicate whetherliterature, observational, orexperimental.Ripesplittail have been observedinassociationwith cool temperatures(i.e.,<15°C) (MoyleunpublisheddatainMoyleet al. 2003).Adult holding(freshwaterresidence)Water temperaturetolerance for holdingadultsRange of water temperaturesallowing survival. Indicatestressful or lethal levels.Sacramentosplittail are typically found intemperaturesbetween41°F and 75.2°F(5°Cand 24°C). However, fishacclimated tohigher temperatures [84.2°Fto 91.4°F (29°C to 33°C)] reportedly cansurvive rapidchanges in watertemperature for short periods of time(Moyle 2002).In laboratory studiesconducted at theUniversity of California at Davis, meancritical thermal minima (CTmin) andmaxima (CTmax)for age-2 fish was 44.6°Fand 84.2°F (7.0°C and 29.0°C),Preliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam7May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificrespectively (Young and Cech 1996).Female Sacramento splittail held in indoortanks at constant temperaturesof 18°Creportedly didnot mature (Bailey et al.2000inMoyle et al. 2003).Water temperaturepreference for holdingadultsRange of suitable, preferred orreported optimal watertemperatures. Indicate whetherliterature, observational, orexperimental.Sacramentosplittail are typically found inwater temperaturesbetween 41°Fand75.2°F (5°Cand 24°C)(Moyle 2002).In laboratory studiesconducted at theUniversity of California at Davis, the finalwater temperature preference forage-2fish was 66.2°F (19°C) (Young and Cech1996).Water depth range forholdingadultsReportedrange of observed(minimum and maximum)waterdepth utilization.Largersplittailadults in theYolo Bypasstended to aggregate in thedeeper areasof the wetland (Sommer etal. 2002).Water depthpreference forholdingadultsReportedrange of mostfrequently observed waterdepthutilization.Field studies indicate that Sacramentosplittail prefera shallow water habitat ofless than or approximately 22 feet (6.7meters) (Meng and Moyle1995).Substrate preference forholdingadultsIf bottom dwellers, indicatesubstrate: mud, sand, gravel,boulders, aquatic plant beds, etc.If gravel, indicate range oraverage sizeof gravel.Shallow dead-endsloughs of the marshlined with tules and reedsmay providerich feeding grounds and refuge frompredatorsfor Sacramento splittail(Mengand Moyle 1995).Flooded terrestrial habitat can provideabundant foodfor pre-spawningSacramentosplittail adults(Sommer et al.1997).Water velocityrange forholdingadultsReportedrange of observed(minimum and maximum)watervelocity utilization.In laboratory studies, the range ofvelocitiesthat Sacramentosplittail holdingadultswere able to toleratewasreportedas 30.5 to 91.3 cm/sec (Young and Cech1996).Water velocitypreferenceReportedrange of mostPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam8May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificfor holdingadultsfrequently observed watervelocity utilization.Other habitatcharacteristics for holdingadultsGeneral description of habitat(e.g. turbid or clearwaters,lenticor lotic, presence of aquaticplantbeds, debris, cover, etc.).Sacramentosplittail reportedly preferlowsalinity, shallow-water habitats (Meng andMoyle 1995).Sacramentosplittail are primarilyfreshwaterfish, but reportedly are tolerantof moderate salinities and can live inwaterwith salinities of 10 to 18 partsperthousand (USFWS 1995b).Sacramentosplittail tend to be mostabundant where other native fishes areabundant aswell (USFWS1995b).Timing rangefor adultholdingTime of year(earliest-latest) andduration of stay from upstreammigration to spawning.Sacramentosplittail may migrateupstream to spawn (Mengand Moyle1995).Adult Sacramento splittailwithin theSacramento-San Joaquinestuary weresalvaged more often between Januaryand April, thanin later months (Meng andMoyle 1995).Adult Sacramento splittail samplingwasreportedly conducted in Sutter Bypassand the mainchannels of theSacramento,Feather, Cosumnes, andMokelumne rivers duringthe months ofMarch through May (Sommer et al. 1997).Timing peak for adultholdingTime of yearwhen maximumnumber of adults are presentbefore spawning.Sacramentosplittail may migrateupstream to spawn (Mengand Moyle1995).Survey samplestaken at ChippsIsland,California reported that most adultSacramento splittailwere presentduringPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam9May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificthe months ofMay throughJune; adultpeak abundance at the Suisun Marsh,California was reportedly duringDecember throughJanuary(Sommer etal. 1997).SpawningFecundityAverage orrange in the numberof eggs females lay in a spawningseason.Sacramento splittailare reportedtotypically lay between5,000and 100,800eggs (Wang1986).The largest Sacramento splittail femalesreportedly can lay over 100,000 eggs(Moyle 2002).Of 20 sampled Sacramento splittail over6.9 inches (175 millimeters) in length,fecundity ranged from 17,500 to 266,000eggs (Daniels and Moyle 1983).Nest constructionLocation and general descriptionof nest --substrates, aquaticplants, excavations, crevices,habitat types,etc.Sacramentosplittail reportedly constructspawning nests in shallow,weedy areas(Wang 1986).Nest sizeSize and average dimensions ofthe nest.Spawning processIndicatewhether nest builder,broadcast spawner, or other.Fertilized Sacramento splittail eggs stickto submergedvegetation and debris untilhatching (Moyle 2002).Spawning substratesize/characteristicsRange of substratesusedduringspawning (e.g. mud, sand,gravel, boulders, beds of aquaticplants). Indicate presenceofplant/wood debris, crevicesatspawning sites. If gravel, indicaterange of average size.Sacramentosplittail reportedly spawn inflooded riverbeds and in areas withsubmerged vegetation (Wang 1986).It ispossible that Sacramento splittailspawn onvegetation (Daniels andMoyle 1983).Sacramentosplittail reportedly spawn onsubmerged vegetation in flooded areas(USFWS 1995b).Preliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam10May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River SpecificPreferred spawningsubstrateIndicate preferred spawningsubstrate(e.g. mud, sand,gravel,boulders, plant bed, etc).Sacramentosplittail reportedly prefertospawn in areas of flooded vegetation(Moyle 2002).Sacramentosplittail reportedly prefertospawn in areas having aquatic vegetation,in streams orriver beds, and along banks(Caywood1974).Water temperaturetolerance for spawningRange of water temperaturesallowing survival. Indicatestressful or lethal levels.The onset of Sacramentosplittailspawning reportedly is associatedwithincreasingwater temperatures of 57.2°Fto 66.2°F (14°C to 19°C)] (Moyle 2002).Splittail within the Yolo Bypass floodplain,California reportedly spawn at a watertemperaturerange of 51.8°F to 75.2°F(11°C to 24°C) (Sommer et al. 2002).Water temperaturepreference for spawningRange of suitable, preferred orreported optimal watertemperatures. Indicate whetherliterature, observational, orexperimental derivation.Sacramentosplittail reportedly prefertospawn inwater temperatures rangingfrom 48.2°F to 68°F (9°Cto 20°C)(Caywood1974).Water velocityrange forspawningMinimum andmaximum speed ofwatercurrent the spawningfishcan tolerate.Successful reproductionof Sacramentosplittail is reportedly strongly associatedwith high outflows preceding, during, andfollowingspawning(USFWS 1995b).Under certainconditions, Sacramentosplittail used the SuisunMarsh forspawning; highoutflow in April 1995coincided withtheir spawning time (Mengand Matern 2001).Species that spawn outside of the SuisunMarsh reportedly also benefit fromintermediate to high flows (Meng andMatern 2001).Preliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam11May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River SpecificSacramentosplittail catches werereportedly confined withinthe SanFrancisco Estuary mostly to 1995, a yearwhenhigh flows peaked during theirspawning season in Marchand April(Meng and Matern 2001).Water velocitypreferencefor spawningPreferredwater current (flowvelocity) during spawning.Spawning areas are characterized by thepresence of flowing water, with lowwatertemperatureand water clarity (Moyle,unpublished datain(Moyleet al. 2003).Water depth range forspawningReportedrange of observed(minimum and maximum)waterdepth utilization.Observationsof Sacramento splittailspawning by Moyle et al. (2001) havereportedspawningdepthsof less than4.9feet (1.5 meters) in the CosumnesRiverfloodplain;spawning reportedly occurredat depths of less than 6.6 feet (2 meters)in Sutter Bypass (USFWS2003).Sacramentosplittail reportedly spawn onterrestrial vegetation and debrisonfloodplainsthat are inundated by springhigh flows, typically at depths between1.6and 6.6 feet (0.5 and 2 meters) (Moyle2002).Water depthpreference forspawningReportedrange of mostfrequently observed waterdepthutilization.Observationson the Cosumnes floodplainindicate that spawning fishmove intoopen areas <1.5m deep that have densegrowths of annual terrestrial plants (Moyleet al. 2003).Range for spawning timingEarliest and latest time of seasonor year inwhich spawningoccurs.Sacramentosplittail spawning can occuranytime fromlate Februaryto early July(Moyle 2002).Sacramentosplittail spawning reportedlyoccursfrom late April to early May in themarsh (Daniels and Moyle1983).The onset of SacramentosplittailPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam12May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificspawning may be associated withincreasingwater temperature and daylength, and reportedly occurs betweenearly March and May in the upperDelta(USFWS 1995b).In the tidal freshwater andeuryhalinehabitats of the Sacramento-SanJoaquinestuary, Sacramento splittail spawningreportedly occurs by late January andearly February and continues throughJuly(Wang 1986).Peak spawning timingTime of yearmost fishstart tospawn.The most frequent Sacramento splittailspawning reportedly occurs in March andApril (Moyle 2002).Spawning frequency(iteroparous/semelparous)Semelparous - producing alloffspring at one time, suchas inmost salmon.Usually these fishdie after reproduction.Iteroparous-producing offspringin successive, e.g., annual orseasonal batches, as isthe casein mostfishes.The Sacramento splittail reportedly is anopportunisticspawner (Wang 1986).The Sacramento splittail isan annualspawner (Daniels and Moyle 1983).Sacramentosplittail are iteroparous(Moyle 2002).Incubation/earlydevelopmentEgg characteristicsShape, size, color, in clusters orindividuals, stickiness, and otherphysical attributes.Mature Sacramento splittaileggs arespherical, measuring 0.05to 0.06 inches(1.3 - 1.6 millimeter) in length (Wang1986). The eggs are transparent, thick,and smooth, except at the adhering point(Wang 1986).Water temperaturetolerance for incubationRange of water temperaturesallowing survival. Indicatestressful or lethal levels.In the SuisunMarsh temperaturesrangedfrom 47.3°F –82.4°F (8.5°C– 28°C)(Meng and Matern 2001).Water temperaturepreference for incubationRange of suitable, preferred orreported optimal watertemperatures. Indicate whetherliterature, observational, orexperimental derivation.In the SuisunMarsh temperaturesaveraged 54.9°F – 67.1°F (12.7°C –19.5°C) (Meng and Matern2001).The optimumtemperature for age-0wildPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam13May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificsplittail reportedly was 75.2°F (24°C)(Deng et al. 2002).At 18.5°C, eggs reportedly begin to hatchwithin 3-5 days after spawning (Bailey1994inMoyle et al. 2003).TimerequiredforincubationTime duration from fertilization tohatching. Note: Indicate at whichtemperature range.Incubationtime is temperature-dependent.The time required for egg incubation is3to 7 days, depending on the watertemperature (Moyle2002).Under laboratoryconditions, eggsincubated in fresh water at 19°Creportedly start to hatch inabout 96 hours(USFWS 1995a).Size of newlyhatchedlarvaeAveragesize of newly hatchedlarvae.Newly hatchedSacramento splittail larvaeare less than 0.3 inches (6.5 millimeters)in length (Wang 1986).Sacramentosplittail larvaeare 0.3 to 0.31inches (7 to 8 millimeters) inlength at thecompletion ofthe yolk-sacstage (Wang1986).Larvae are 5.5-6.5 mm TLwhentheyhatch, have ayolk sac, a non-functionalmouth and noeye pigment (Wang 1986,1995; Bailey et al. 2000inMoyle et al.2003).Time newly hatchedlarvaeremainin gravelTime of yearof hatching, andduration between hatching andemergence from gravel.Sacramentosplittail larvaereportedlyremainin shallow, weedy areas close tothe spawningsites for 10to 14 days andmove into deeperwater as they matureand swimmingability increases (Wang1986:Sommeret al. 1997inUSFWS2003).Young of theyear Sacramento splittailreportedly appeared in lateMay or earlyPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam14May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River SpecificJuneand ranged from 22-40 mm SL(DanielsandMoyle 1983).Sacramentosplittail feedingbeginsat 5-7days post hatch (Bailey 1994inMoyle etal. 2003), andby the time they reach 13-16 mm TL, they are recognizable asjuveniles (Wang 1995inMoyle et al.2003).Other characteristicsoflarvaeAlevin -- early life history phasejust after hatching (larva)whenyolk-sac still present.The Sacramento splittail yolk sac iselongated; enlargedin thoracicregion,and slender inabdominal region (Wang1986).Timing rangeforemergenceTime of year(earliest-latest)hatchlings (larvae and alevins)leave or emerge from thenesting/hatching (gravel)sites.After hatching, Sacramento splittail larvaereportedly remain in shallow, weedy areasuntil the water recedes, and then theymigrate downstreamwith the river flow(Meng and Moyle 1995).Catchesof Sacramento splittail larvae inSuisun Marshwerereportedlyrelated tothe timing and pattern of freshwateroutflow duringthe spring (Meng andMatern 2001).Timing peak foremergenceTime of yearmost hatchlingsemerge.The largest catches of Sacramentosplittail larvae were in 1995, a wet yearwhenoutflowpeaked duringMarch andApril (Meng and Matern 2001).Size at emergence fromgravelAveragesize of hatchlingsat timeof emergence.The initial body weight and total bodylength of splittail larvae under laboratoryconditionsreportedly were2.6-3.6 mg and8.7- 9.1 mm (0.87- 0.91cm) respectively(Deng et al. 2002).Preliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam15May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River SpecificJuvenile rearingGeneral rearing habitatand strategiesGeneral description of freshwaterenvironment andrearingbehavior.The youngestsplittails (15-20 mm FL)studiedin theYolo Bypassweremostabundant in the shallowestareas of thewetland withemergent vegetation, wereassociatedwith the lowest portion of hewatercolumn, and were largely benthic atnight (Sommer et al. 2002).Sacramentosplittail rely onfloodedvegetation for spawning, a habitat wheretheir larvae and juveniles remain forweeks to months (Meng and Matern2001).Water temperaturetolerance for juvenilerearingRange of water temperaturesallowing survival. Indicatestressful or lethal levels.In a laboratory study on small age 0 toage 2 Sacramento splittail, the minimumwater temperature tolerated was 44.1°F to45.1°F (6.5°Cto 7.3°C), while themaximum water temperature tolerated byjuveniles was 68.9°F to 91.4°F (20.5°C–33.0°C), dependingon theacclimatedwater temperature and age (Young andCech 1996).Water temperaturepreference for juvenilerearingRange of suitable, preferred, orreported optimal watertemperatures. Indicate whetherliterature, observational, orexperimental derivation.Lab studies conducted byYoung andCech (1986), showthe preferred watertemperature for small age0 Sacramentosplittail was71.6°F to 75.2°F (22°C to24°C), depending on acclimated watertemperature.Preferred water temp forlarge age 0 fish was 69.8°Fto 77°F (21°Cto 25°C), dependingon acclimatedwatertemperature.For age 1 juveniles, thepreferred water temperature was 66.2°F(19°C). YOYSacramentosplittailexperiencedoptimal growthat 21°C, andjuveniles andadults had optimal growth at20°C. (Youngand Cech 1996).Water velocityranges forReportedrange of observedIntermediate flows positioned the mixingPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam16May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificrearing juveniles(minimumand maximum)watervelocity utilization.zonein the SuisunBay areaandreportedly produced optimum rearingconditions for juvenile Sacramento splittail(Meng and Matern 2001).In laboratory studiesconducted by Youngand Cech (1996), the range of velocitiesthat juvenile Sacramentosplittail wereable to toleratewere reported as 19.5 to66.3 cm/sec.Water velocities preferredby rearing juvenilesReportedrange of mostfrequently observed watervelocity utilization.Water depth range forjuvenile rearingReportedrange of observed(minimum and maximum)waterdepth utilization.In dry years,native fishesare reportedlyconfined to the Sacramento River andsimilar channels that are deep (> 5 m[16.4 ft]) and steepsided and haveminimal shallow-water habitat orvegetation (Sommer et al.2002).Juvenilesplittail habitat use reportedlyranged from<0.31 m during the day, to0.61+ m at night (Sommer et al. 2002).Water depthpreference forjuvenile rearingReportedrange of mostfrequently observed waterdepthutilization.The datacollected onjuvenile splittaildistribution within the Yolo Bypasssuggests thatfloodplainsand perhapsother shallow-water habitats are alsoimportant for the early life stages ofsplittail (Sommer et al. 2002).Coverpreferencesforrearing juvenilesType of cover for protectionfrompredators usedby rearingjuveniles (e.g. crevices,submerged aquatic vegetation,overhangingvegetation, substratecover, undercover bank, smallwoody debris, large woodydebris).JuvenileSacramento splittail reportedlyprefershallow-water habitat withemergent vegetation (i.e., tules andreeds) duringrearing (Meng and Moyle1995).Young splittail studied in the Yolo Bypassfloodplain reportedlywere mostabundantin the shallowest areas of the wetlandPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam17May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificwith emergentvegetation (Sommer et al.2002).Food base ofjuvenilesIndicate primary diet components.Also indicatethe diet changes, ifany, as growthoccurs.The food base for juvenileSacramentosplittail is algae, pelecypods, andamphipods(Wang 1986).Feedinghabitsof rearingjuvenilesIndicatewhether planktoneater,algae eater, bottom feeder,piscivorous, active hunter,ambush predator, filter feeder.Night, day, dusk or dawn feeder.Also indicatechange of feedinghabits growthoccurs.JuvenileSacramento splittail are benthicforagers (USFWS 1995b).Predation of juvenilesIndicatewhich species preyonjuveniles.Striped bass and other piscivorous fishprey on juvenile Sacramento splittail(Moyle 2002).Largepikeminnow andstriped bassreportedly prey on juvenileSacramentosplittail (Wang 1986).Timing rangefor juvenilerearingRange of time of year (months)during whichrearing occurs.Young Sacramento splittailrear inupstream areas for a few weeks to a yearor more (Sommer et al. 1997).JuvenileSacramento splittail rearingwasreported to occur duringthe months ofMay through August withintheSacramento-San Joaquinestuary (Mengand Moyle 1995).Timing peak for juvenilerearingTime of year(months) duringwhich most rearing occurs.Survey samplestaken at ChippsIsland,California reported that most juvenileSacramento splittailwere presentduringthe months ofMay throughJune; juvenilepeak abundance at the Suisun Marsh,California was reportedly duringJunethrough August (Sommer etal. 1997).Most juveniles were reportedly collectedat the StateWater Projectfacilities duringPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam18May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificthe months ofMay throughJuly (Sommeret al. 1997).Juvenile emigrationTime spent infreshwaterprior to emigratingDuration (in years and/ormonths)from emergence to emigration tothe ocean.It is hypothesized that afterhatching,Sacramentosplittail larvaemovedownstreamas they develop during themonth of May (Caywood 1974).Water temperaturetolerancesduringemigrationRange of water temperaturesallowing survival. Indicatestressful or lethal levels.Water temperaturepreferences duringemigrationRange of suitable, preferred orreported optimal watertemperatures. Indicate whetherliterature, observational, orexperimental derivation.Emigration timing rangeTime of year juveniles commenceemigration and duration ofemigrationDownstreammovement of juvenileSacramentosplittail probably occursbetween Mayand July (Meng and Moyle1995).Young-of-year(YOY) Sacramento splittailare reportedly caught in the South Deltapumpingplants in the greatest numbersfrom April through August,presumablywhen moving downstreaminto theestuary (Moyle2002).Emigration timing peakTime of yearmost juveniles areemigrating.Largenumbers of YOY Sacramentosplittail arereportedly captured inscrewtraps in the Sutter and Yolobypasses inMay, with diminishing numbers in June(DFG, Region2 unpublished datain(Moyle et al. 2003).Size range ofjuvenilesduring emigrationMinimum and maximum sizes(inches or mm) of emigratingjuveniles. Indicate averagesize.On the Cosumnesriver juveniles havebeen observedleaving thefloodplain atasize of 25-40mm TL (Moyle, unpublisheddatainMoyleet al. 2003).Factors associatedwithPulse flows, water temperatureAfter hatching, larval Sacramento splittailPreliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam19May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificemigrationchanges, turbidity levels,photoperiod, etc.within the Sacramento-San Joaquinestuary are reported to remain in shallowweedy areasuntil the water recedes, andthen they move into deeper water andmigrate downstreamwith river flow (Mengand Moyle 1995).Other potential factorsDOLevels of dissolved oxygeninwater expressed in mg/l toleratedby fish.All sizes of Sacramento splittail reportedlycansurvive inwater havingless than1milligram perliter of dissolved oxygen(Moyle 2002).The tolerancelevels of dissolved oxygenfor Sacramento splittail arereportedly 0.6to 1.3 mg/L for all age groups (Young andCech 1996).PHAlkalinity/acidity of water(expressedinpH) that fishcantolerate.Under laboratoryconditions, pH forsplittail larvaeranged from8.0 to 8.2(Deng et al. 2002).TurbidityIndicate turbidity or state of water(e.g., clear water or presenceofsiltation or organic/inorganicmatter in water) that fishcantolerate.Juveniles aremost abundant in shallow,turbid water (Young and Cech 1996inMoyle et al. 2003).Factors contributingtomortalitye.g. fishing/angling mortality,drastichabitat alterations,unfavorable climatic changes, etc.In order of importance, factorscontributing tothe mortality ofSacramentosplittail reportedly are: (1)reduction in valley floor habitats; (2)modificationof spawninghabitat; (3)changed estuarine hydraulics, especiallyreduced outflows; (4)climate variation; (5)toxicsubstances; (6)introducedspecies;and (7) exploitation (Moyle2002).Sacramento splittailhave disappearedfrom much of their native range becausedams, diversions, and agriculturaldevelopment have eliminated orAccess to Sacramentosplittail spawningareas orupstream habitat is now blockedby dams on largerivers such asNimbusDam on the AmericanRiver and OrovilleDam on the FeatherRiver (USFWS1995b).Reportedly, there isa consensus amongSacramentosplittail anglers that thefishery has declined sincethe completionof Folsom and Oroville dams (USFWS1995b).Preliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam20May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingElementElementDescriptorGeneralFeather River Specificdrastically altered much of the lowlandhabitat these fish once occupied (USFWS1995b).ReferencesCaywood, M. L. 1974. Contributions tothe Life History of the SplittailPogonichthys macrolepidotus(Ayres). M.S. thesis,California State University, Sacramento.Daniels, R. A. and P.B. Moyle. 1983. Life History of Splittail (Cyprinidae: Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) in theSacramento-San Joaquin Estuary.Fishery Bulletin 81:647-654.Deng, D. F., S. J. Teh, F. C. Teh,and S. S. O. Hung. 2002.Effect of Diets and WaterTemperatures on GrowthPerformance of Splittail Larvae. North American Journal of Aquaculture 64:242-247.Meng, L. and S. A. Matern. 2001. Native and Introduced Larval Fishes of Suisun Marsh,California: The Effects ofFreshwater Flow. Transactions of theAmerican FisheriesSociety 130:750-765.Meng, L. and P. B. Moyle. 1995. Statusof Splittail in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary. Transaction of the AmericanFisheries Society 124:538-549.Moyle, P. B.2002. Inland Fishesof California. Berkeley: University of California Press.Moyle, P. B., R. D. Baxter, T. Sommer, T. C. Foin, and S. A. Matern. 2003.Biology and PopulationDynamics ofSacramento Splittail in the San Francisco Estuary: AReview. Draft Report. California Bay-Delta Authority.Sommer, T., R. Baxter, and B. Herbold. 1997. Resilience of Splittail in the Sacramento-SanJoaquinEstuary. Transactionof the American Fisheries Society 126:961-976.Sommer, T. R., L. Conrad, G.O'Leary, F. Feyrer, and W. C.Harrell. 2002. Spawning and Rearing of Splittail in a ModelFloodplain Wetland. Transactionsof the American Fisheries Society 131:966-974.Preliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam21May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.docMatrix Of Life History and Habitat Requirements for FeatherRiverFish Species- SplittailOroville Facilities P-2100 RelicensingUSFWS. 1995a. Formal Consultation and Conference on Effects of the Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Projectand State Water Project on the Threatened Delta Smelt, Delta Smelt Critical Habitat, and Proposed ThreatenedSacramento Splittail. 1-52.USFWS. 1995b. Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta NativeFishes Recovery Plan- Sacramento Splittail. Portland, OR: U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service.USFWS. 2003. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants;Notice of Remanded Determination of Status for theSacramento Splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) - Final Rule. Federal Register, 50(17):55140-55166.September 22, 2003.Wang, J. C.S. 1986. Fishes of theSacramento-San Joaquin Estuary and Adjacent Waters, California: A Guide to theEarly Life Histories. IEP Technical Report No. 9. California Department of Water Resources, California Departmentof Fish and Game, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Fish andWildlife Service.Young, P. S. and J. J. Cech Jr. 1996.Environmental Tolerancesand Requirements of Splittail. Transactions of theAmerican Fisheries Society 125:664-678.Preliminary Information– Subject to Revision– For Collaborative ProcessPurposes OnlyOroville Facilities RelicensingTeam22May28, 2004D:\Dave's Documents\01 ALLREQUESTS\Ted_05-28-04 fish matrix\04-28-04_fish_splittail.doc