• Taxon list and priority designation

• Status of population rehabilitation/

 restoration

• A draft motion to AMWG re: SMC

PROGRESS ON AMP GOAL 3:

TAXA OF MANAGEMENT CONCERN

IN THE COLORADO RIVER ECOSYSTEM

Larry Stevens

Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, Inc.
BIODIVERSITY IN THE CRE

• ~ 800 plant taxa

• ~ 10,000 invertebrate taxa

• ~ 350 vertebrate taxa

• Present AMP focus on HBC, KAS, SWFL

• >90 CRE taxa missing, at-risk, or status-unknown

 Update on population rehabilitation/restoration
The IN for Goal 3 is RIN 3.1.1: 

What information (including technical, legal, economic, and policy issues) 

should be considered in determining the feasibility and advisability of restoring 

pikeminnow, bonytail, roundtail chub, river otter, or other extirpated species?

AMP GOAL 3: Restore populations of extirpated species,

 as feasible and advisable.

 AMWG April 2009:

In recognition of GCDAMP goals toward management of the Colorado River

through an ecosystem approach, AMWG directs the TWG to establish the 

Species of Concern Ad Hoc Committee (SMCAHC) and requests the participation

of GCMRC in that ad hoc committee, to produce a draft report to be presented 

to AMWG on or before by May 1, 2011, that contains the following with regard 

to species of management concern in the CRE: A review of information about 

an assessment of the status of habitat needs and availability, and ecosystem 

roles of the species. (NOTE: Extension granted to August 2011 AMWG meeting)

The Goal 3 SMC Report: 

The Goal 3 Species of Management Concern report was presented to and 

unanimously received by AMWG on 24August 2011. No further action has been 

taken since delivery of the report.
LIST OF SMC in the CRE

Plantae various Eumops perotis californicus Onychomys leucogaster

Erigeron utahensis Brechmorhoga pertinax Gila robusta

Parryella filifolia Euderma maculatum Gila elegans

Meleagris gallopavo Anseriformes, aquatic Neoaves Spilogale gracilis

Equus asinus Anaxyrus (Bufo) woodhousii Taxidea taxus

Castor canadensis Myotis occultus Heloderma suspectum cinctum

Metriocnemus stevensi Myotis ciliolabrum Cathartes aura

Ondatra zibethicus Parastrellus hesperus Falco peregrinus anatum

Callipepla gambelii Myotis volans Ursus americanus

Limenitis archippus obsoleta Myotis evotis Puma concolor

Rheithrodontomys m. megalotis Idionycteris phyllotis hualapaiensis Aquila chrysaetos

Ovis canadensis nelsoni Myotis thysanodes Lontra canadensis sonora

Simulium 4 spp. Lithobates (Rana) pipiens Lynx rufus

Pelecanus occidentalis Belostoma nr. flumineum Canis lupus population 1

Charadrius montanus Myotis yumanensis Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Cicindela hirticollis coloradula Insecta riparian various Falco mexicanus

Anaxyrus (Bufo) punctatus Lithobates (Rana) nr. yavapaiensis Celtis laevigata var. reticulata 

Cicindela haemorrhagica arizonae Callisaurus draconoides Populus fremontii

Lasiurus blossevillii Strix occidentalis lucida Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana

Nyctinomops macrotis Bassariscus astutus Salix gooddingii

Leucochloridium cyanocittae Canis latrans Oxyloma haydeni kanabensis

Micracanthia quadrimaculata Mephitis mephitis Xyrauchen texanus

Chrysemys picta bellii Procyon lotor Catostomus discobolus

Actitis macularia, other non-listed Charadriiformes Urocyon cineroargentatus Catostomus latipennis

Taderida braziliensis Megaceryle alcyon Emidonax trailii extimus

Antrozous pallidus Ardea herodias, Ciconiformes Rhinichthys osculus

Corynorhinus townsendii Geococcyx californianus Gila cypha

Peromyscus maniculatus Leptotyphlops humilis, other rare snakes Gymnogyps californianus

Coccyzus americanus Crotalus oreganus abyssus Ptychocheilus lucius

Myotis californicus Pandion haliaetus
Scientific Name

Listing 

Rank

Nature 

Serve 

Rank

Policy 

Rank

Multicriteria 

Rank

Trophic 

Rank

Standardized 

Policy 

Ranks 

Sum

Celtis laevigata var. reticulata 2 3 16 56 4 0.216

Populus fremontii 11 12 18 68 5 0.306

Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana 13 14 19 82 6 0.360

Salix gooddingii 15 34 23 85 7 0.441

Oxyloma haydeni kanabensis 76 80 63 76 16 0.829

Xyrauchen texanus 86 86 86 79 17 0.947

Catostomus discobolus 43 71 73 88 19 0.772

Catostomus latipennis 44 72 74 89 20 0.784

Emidonax trailii extimus 84 84 89 75 53 0.933

Rhinichthys osculus 40 51 72 87 58 0.702

Gila cypha 78 82 84 84 77 0.921

Gymnogyps californianus 82 83 64 47 82 0.775

Ptychocheilus lucius 85 85 85 74 89 0.924

SPECIES CONSIDERED BY THE GOAL 3 AD HOC

THAT WARRANT MANAGEMENT ATTENTION

Note: Several other SMC (e.g., ZTL) scored higher than HBC, but were not 

Uniformly agreed upon by the overall committee as warranting management attention.
Goodding’s Willow (Salix gooddingii)

Once relatively common along wide reaches of the CRE, but now extirpated 

from 7 of 18 post-dam sites. Most remaining plants in poor health, and no 

recruitment; losses due to increased beaver attack and recruitment impacts

due to flow impacts on flood frequency, duration, and grain size. 
Tamarisk Leaf Beetle

(Chrysomelidae: Rhabdophaga spp

Tamarisk defoliation throughout the CRE

Consequences?
Lees Ferry Hidden Slough (-6.5R) Leopard Frog Marsh (-9L)

 Riparian Habitat Rehabilitation in 

 Glen Canyon

Revegetation at 2 sites has involved irrigation

Requires fencing of all planted trees

Possible restoration site for

northern leopard frogs
New host plant:

non-native Watercress

Endangered

Kanab Ambersnail

Vaseys Paradise,

Mile 32R

A SNAIL TAXONOMY PUBLICATION STILL NEEDED

Native Crimson

Monkeyflower
Endangered Humpback Chub

(Cyprinidae: Gila cypha)
Razorback Sucker Colorado Pikeminnow

Bonytail Chub

OTHER FISH SPECIES EXTIRPATED FROM THE CRE 

Bonytail Chub
Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)
Southwestern

Willow

Flycatcher

• An umbrella species for ~ 24

nesting neotropical migrant bird

species in the CRE

•Extirpated from historic range

•BH Cowbird brood parasitism

•Commonly nest in non-native 

tamarisk, a habitat now much

Reduced in area 
 Bald Eagle

• Wintering in CRE mostly upstream from LCR

• Feed on trout

• Feeding aided by fluctuating flows

• Easily disturbed by passing boats

 Peregrine Falcon

• Large breeding population

• 90 % of prey biomass=waterbirds,

 mostly related to post-dam

 clearwater flow

 

 California Condor

• Reintroduced into Grand Canyon region

• Now commonly observed in the CRE
MISSING MAMMALS

Colorado River Otter

Extinct? Role as mammalian 

fish predator

Muskrat: status in CRE – occasional?

Badger
Aquatic vegetation Riparian vegetation Uplands vegetation

Climate, Geomorphology, Solar radiation, Dam, Tributary Effects, Recreation

Aquatic 1

o consumers Riparian 1o consumers Upland 1o consumers

Aquatic 2

o consumers Riparian 2o consumers Upland 2

o consumers

Aquatic 3

o consumers Riparian 3

o consumers Upland 3

o consumers

1

o decomposers

2

o decomposers

3

o decomposers

Glen Canyon Reach

Upper Lake Mead Reach

Lower Canyon Reach

Marble Canyon Reach

Permian Reach

Furnace Flats Reach

Time 2

Time X

SIMPLIFIED CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF THE COLORADO RIVER ECOSYSTEM,

SHOWING THE TROPHIC POSITION OF EXTIRPATED AN LISTED FAUNA

Isles

Lower Granite Gorge

Lower Cyn Reach

Muav Gorge

S+R

RBS

RTC BTC

CPM

SWWF YBCU ZTL

CRO

MskR VBF

Bdgr PRFA CACO

WBS

KAS

NLF RLF

HBC

BAEA PEFA SpS

SNPL

 

 

 KEY: 

Fed. endangered

Fed or AZ threatened

Not listed

Active mgt/mon

Passive mgt

Formerly listed

Up. Gran. Grg.

Isles Reach

Time 1

BobC

GAQU

NGM

DrMs

WHM

Rccn MtnL

GdsW FCtw

MSOW
 Employing an ecosystem approach in the AMP

 requires understanding the status and changing

 distribution of ecologically and administratively

 influential species

• Periodically evaluate extent of knowledge and administrative implications

• Also address information gaps, reintroduction strategies

• Continue to discuss responsibilities, funding and implementation strategies

 PROPOSED TEXT FOR MOTION TO AMWG:

In relation to Goal 3, TWG recommends that AMWG establish a

Species of Management Concern Ad Hoc Committee to integrate

and regularly present Information on native and non-native species

that influence CRE structure, function, and management

decision-making.

(NOTE – THIS MOTION WAS WITHDRAWN AFTER PRESENTATION OF

THIS PRESENTATION, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT TWG 

WILL CONTINUE DISCUSSION OF GOAL 3 ISSUES AND WILL REPORT

THE RESULTS OF THOSE DELIBERATIONS TO AMWG)