3/23/2015 Etowah HCP- About the Etowah region 

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background etowah aquatic HCP overview aboutthe etowah aboutthe species about esa 

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# aboutthe etowah region

The Etowah River is a major headwatertributary of the Coosa River system ofthe Mobile River drainage. Lying entirely within Georgia at the foothills ofthe Southern Appalachians, it originates in the Blue Ridge physiographic province but also drains Piedmont and Valley & Ridge provinces. Because the mainstem of the Coosa is impounded by reservoirs along most of its length, manyspecies that were originally more widespread are now found only in the Etowah and other headwatertributaries. In fact, the Etowah itself is split by the 4800-hectare Lake Allatoona, and the imperiled mainstem species are only found above the reservoir. The Etowah Basin lies on the north edge ofthe Atlanta metropolitan area. The suburban counties that comprise the lower portion ofthe system have been among the fastest growing counties in the nation overthe last decade. In 1998, one ofthem (Forsyth County) was ranked as 

### the fastest-growing county nationwide. Over the course ofthe 1990sthe Atlanta metropolitan area added more people than any other region in the U.S. except Los Angeles. Several sensitive small-stream fish species, including the Cherokee darter, appear to be declining. Smallstream habitat in the developed portion ofthe basin is generally poor, due in large part to upland development. Agricultural lands and forests are being converted to subdivisions, industrial parks, shopping malls, and otherdevelopments at a rapid rate. As a result, riparian vegetation necessary forstabilizing stream banks and protecting waterquality is being cleared; runofffrom upland areas has increased and is of poorerquality; and stream geomorphology is being altered by filling, piping, channelization, altered stream flows and other modifications. These changes in land use frequently cause accelerated erosion that covers streambeds with silt and reduces foraging and spawning success ofaquatic species. Additional small-stream habitat has been inundated by water-supply reservoirs built to support the burgeoning human population. While many ofthe mainstem aquatic species (such as the Etowah and amber darters) appear to be fairly stable, their range is limited to acceptable habitat in the Upper Etowah due tothe presence ofAllatoona Dam, a multi-purpose facility that evenly splits the river system. It is likely that unmanaged development along Etowah tributaries will lead to degradation of habitat and waterquality in the mainstem and the further imperilment of these species. 

### Reports Stressorsto Imperiled Fishes in the Etowah Basin: Mechanisms, Sourcesand http://www

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For more information: Eric Prowell, Hydrologist Etowah HCP- About the Etowah region Management underthe Etowah Aquatic HCP, Seth Wenger and Mary Freeman, February 1 2007 (PDF) Etowah River Basin StressorsAnalysis, July 5 2002, Byron Freeman, Seth Wenger, Sarah McClurg and Carrie Straight; prepared for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (PDF, 

### 6.5 MB) Etowah River Basin: A Studyof Environmental Attitudes: Executive Summary, January 2003, A.L. Burruss Institute, Kennesaw State University, prepared for the Etowah Aquatic HCP (PDF, 14KB)

USFWS, Georgia Ecological Services 105 West Park Drive, Suite D. Athens GA 30606 (706) 613-9493 Eric_Prowell@fws.gov

http://www

.etowahhcp.org/background/region

.htm 2123/23/2015 Etowah HCP- Imperiled species ofthe Etowah 

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background etowah aquatic HCP overview aboutthe etowah aboutthe species amberdarter bridled darter Cherokee darter Coosa chub Coosa madtom Etowah darter freckled darter holidaydarters 

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# aboutthe imperiled aquatic species ofthe etowah

Ten imperiled aquatic species (nine fishes, three of which are federally listed as endangered orthreatened, and a caddisfly) are known to inhabit the Etowah basin, and five others (mussels) are believed extirpated. The Etowah Aquatic HCP is proposed toformally cover the three federally listed fish species. The othersix fish species are not proposed to be formally covered by the HCP but will benefit from the avoidance, minimization and mitigation measures in ways very similartothe listed species. The Etowah Aquatic HCP can serve as an appropriate basis for an HCP for these six species Etowah darter (Etheostoma etowahae) should they be listed in the future. The amberdarter (Percina antesella) and the Etowah darter (Etheostoma etowahae) are federally listed as endangered, while the Cherokee darter (Etheostoma scottt) is listed as threatened; both the Etowah and Cherokee darter (Etheostoma scotti) Cherokee darters are endemictothe Etowah. The Coosa madtom (Noturus munitus), freckled darter (Percina lenticula), holiday darter (Etheostoma brevirostrum) and bridled darter (Percina sp. cf. macrocephala) are state-listed in Georgia and likely to be considered candidates for federal listing.

Holiday darter (Etheostoma brevi rostrum) In addition, the holiday darters ofthe Etowah are believed to be two separate species, each endemic to a subwatershed ofthe Etowah. The Coosa madtom of the Upper Coosa is currently being described as a separate species. An undescribed species ofCoosa chub (Macrhybopsis sp. cf. aestivalis) is also believed to be endemic tothe Coosa; some of its best remaining habitat is in the Etowah River. Imperiledfish speciesofthe Etowah basin Scientific Name Percina antesella Etheostoma etowahae Etheostoma scotti Noturus sp.

### cf. munitus Etheostoma sp.

### cf. Common Name amberdarter Etowah darter Cherokee darter Coosa madtom holiday darter Status* Fed. E Fed. E Fed. T GA E/ Likely candidate GAT/ Likely candidate http://www

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For more information: Eric Prowell, Hydrologist Etowah HCP- Imperiled species ofthe Etowah brevirostrum A Etheostoma sp. 

### cf. holiday darter brevirostrum 

### B Percina kusha, formerly bridled darter Percina sp.

### cf. macrocephala Percina lenticula freckled darter Macrhybopsis sp. 

### cf.aestivalis Coosa chub GAT/ Likely candidate
GA Rare/Likely candidate
GA E/ Likely candidate Likely candidate 

## * Fed.=Federally listed, GA=Georgia/state listed, E=Endangered, T=Threatened, Likely candidate=likely to become a candidate for federal listing Federally listed mussel species formerly known from the Etowah and possibly extirpated include the upland combshell (Epioblasma metastriata), southern clubshell (Pieurobema decisum), finelined pocketbook (Lampsilis altilis), triangular kidneyshell (ptychobranchus greent) and Alabama moccasinshell (Medionidus acutissimus). Brachycentrus etowahensis is an endemic species ofcaddisfly that is likely to become a candidate forfederal listing. It is apparently restricted only tothe Piedmont portion ofthe Etowah River mainstem above Canton Georgia and a small reach ofthe Hiwassee River in Polk County, Tennessee. The population reported from the Little Tennessee River is apparently extirpated. The Etowah River harbors the largest population known. Other imperiled aquatic species in the Etowah basin, including mussels believed extirpated Scientific Name Common Name Status* Epiob/asma metastriata upland combshell Fed. E Pleurobema decisum southern clubshell Fed. E Lampsi/is altilis finelined pocketbook Fed. T ptychobranchusgreeni triangular kidneyshell Fed. E Medionidus acutissimus Alabama moccasinshell Fed. T Brachycentrus etowahensis Etowah caddisfly Likely candidate 

## * Fed.=Federally listed, GA=Georgia/state listed, E=Endangered, T=Threatened, Likely candidate=likely to become a candidate for federal listing

USFWS, Georgia Ecological Services 105 West Park Drive, Suite D. Athens GA 30606 (706) 613-9493 Eric_Prowell@fws.gov

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