Although national forests act as a large sponge, holding water for gradual release, most forest stream water levels are at an all-time low. Some streams have no surface flowing water. Aquatic habitats are showing signs of stress similar to land-based wildlife habitat. Low water in many area streams has concentrated fish in remaining, isolated pools. This concentration poses a number of threats to fish populations including increased predation by raccoons, limited food supplies, and warmer water.
Most ponds used by frogs and salamanders for breeding currently appear unaffected by the drought.
While some are lower than observed over the past several years, they still have water with numerous tadpoles and larvae. As water levels continue to decline, turtles, frogs, and salamanders will bury themselves into the moist streambed beneath the rocks of the soft mud of pond bottoms. Wildland fire continues to be of concern to natural resource managers. The drought index in many areas of the forests are high to extreme. The average number of fires by this date is 15.