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TheSoutheasternAquaticBiodiversityConservationStrategy
AreportforTheNationalFishandWildlifeFoundationpreparedby:
DuncanC.Elkins SarahC.SweatKatieS.Hill BernardR.Kuhajda
SethJ.Wenger AnnaL.GeorgeUniversityofGeorgia
RiverBasinCenter TennesseeAquarium
ConservationInstituteAthens,Georgia Chattanooga,TN
ProjectAdvisoryBoardSusieAdams USForestServicePaulAngermeier VirginiaTechUniversityKatherineBaer RiverNetworkArtBogan NorthCarolinaMuseumofNaturalSciencesBobButler USFish&WildlifeServiceStephanieChance USFish&WildlifeServiceTanyaDarden SouthCarolinaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesJessicaGraham SoutheasternAquaticResourcesPartnershipMikeHarris USFish&WildlifeServiceMichaelLaVoie EasternBandCherokeeIndiansPatO'Neil GeologicalSurveyofAlabamaPeggyShute USFish&WildlifeServiceToddSlack USArmyCorpsofEngineers-EngineerResearch&Development
CenterMattThomas KentuckyDepartmentofFish&WildlifeResources
Citation:Elkins,D.C.,Sweat,S.C.,Hill,K.S.,Kuhajda,B.R.,George,A.L.,Wenger,S.J.TheSoutheasternAquaticBiodiversityConservationStrategy.FinalReport.Athens(GA):UniversityofGeorgiaRiverBasinCenter;2016Dec.237p.
Acknowledgements
TheauthorswouldliketothankthefollowingIndividualswhocontributeddataortaxonomicexpertise:
SusieAdams,RebeccaBearden,TylerBlack,ArtBogan,BobButler,ArnieEversole,JeffGarner,WendellHaag,DonHubbs,BobJones,JessJones,ZachLoughman,StuartMcGregor,GuenterSchuster,Jeff
Simmons,ChrisSkelton,ChrisTaylor,RogerThoma,BronwynWilliams,CarlWilliams,JimWilliams,JasonWisniewski
Wewouldliketothankthefollowingindividualswhocontributedadviceorearlydraftreview:ScotDuncan,LaurieFowler,PaulFreeman
Fundingforthisprojectwasgenerouslyprovidedbygrantnumber0102.15.047037fromtheNationalFishandWildlifeFoundation.TheprojectteamwouldliketoacknowledgeDaveLawrence,Suzanne
Sessine,JayJensen,andJonScottfortheirsupportthroughoutthiseffort.
CoverPhotoCredits:Top:Awavy-rayedlampmussel,Lampsillisfasciola,nestledinthesubstrateusesitsluretobringfishclose.ClinchRiver.JeffreyBasinger,FreshwatersIllustrated.Middle:Awhitetailshiner,Cyprinellagalactura,swimsintheHiwasseeriver.JeffreyBasinger,FreshwatersIllustrated.Bottom:CrayfishintheConasaugaRiver.JeremyMonroe,FreshwatersIllustrated.
CONTENTS
EEXXEECCUUTTIIVVEESSUUMMMMAARRYY 11
IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN 33Lackoffundingforsoutheasternaquaticanimalsandhabitats 3HistoryofAquaticConservationPlanningandProtectionintheSoutheast 4ExistingPlanningEfforts 6
AnIntegratedPlan 8
MMEETTHHOODDSS 99
ProjectAdvisoryCommittee 9Box1.Presentationsduringtheprojectperiod 10
DefiningtheProjectArea 11
DataSourcesandAggregation 13Box2.IssuesinIntegratingStateWildlifeActionPlans 13
Fishes 14Crayfishes 14Mussels 16
PriorityCalculations 17
RREESSUULLTTSS 1177
PriorityAreasforFishes 17
PriorityAreasforCrayfishes 18
PriorityAreasforMussels 20
AllTaxaPriorityAreas 21
AParallelPrioritization:HotspotsforVulnerableSpecies 26
Sub-BasinPrioritybyState 27Alabama 28Florida 29Georgia 29Kentucky 30Mississippi 31NorthCarolina 32SouthCarolina 33Tennessee 34Virginia 35
Sub-BasinPrioritywithinSub-Regions(HUC-4) 36
Extinction,Extirpation,andErrorRates 45
SSOOUUTTHHEEAASSTTEERRNNCCOONNSSEERRVVAATTIIOONNCCAAPPAACCIITTYYAANNAALLYYSSIISS 5511
CapacityConclusions 55
WWHHAATTDDOOEESSCCOONNSSEERRVVAATTIIOONNCCOOSSTT?? 5566
CCOONNCCLLUUSSIIOONNSS 5588
RREEFFEERREENNCCEESS 5599
CitationsfromtheBodyoftheReport 59
ElectronicDataRequests 61
CitationsforVettingofFishData 61
AAPPPPEENNDDIIXXII::FFIISSHH,,CCRRAAYYFFIISSHH,,AANNDDMMUUSSSSEELLMMAAPPSS 6655
AAPPPPEENNDDIIXXIIII..NNAAMMEESSOOFFHHUUCC--88SSUUBB--BBAASSIINNSSIINNTTHHEESSOOUUTTHHEEAASSTT 7755
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EEXXEECCUUTTIIVVEESSUUMMMMAARRYYTheSoutheasternUnitedStatesisaglobalhotspotoffreshwaterbiodiversity,supportingalmosttwo-thirdsofthecountry’sfishspecies,over90%oftheUStotalspeciesofmusselsandnearlyhalfoftheglobaltotalforcrayfishspecies.Morethanaquarterofthisregion’sspeciesarefoundnowhereelseintheworld.Unfortunately,thisregionisalsoahotspotforimperilment.ThenumberofimperiledfreshwaterfishspeciesintheSoutheasthasrisen125%inthepast20years,inpartbecauserecentintensivehumandevelopmentofthisregioniscoupledwithalowpriorityforconservation.Scientificresearchhasextensivelydocumentedthecausesofspeciesimperilment,yeteffortstoreversethesetrendshavebeenhamperedbylimitedfundingandlackofpublicawareness.RelativetootherareasoftheUnitedStates,theSoutheasthaslittlelandinnationalparksorotherformsofprotectedareasandreceivesadisproportionatelysmallpercentageoffederalexpendituresforendangeredspeciesprotection;inthecaseoflistedfishesinbudgetyears2012-2014,Southeasternendemicsreceivedapproximately1%,perspecies,oftheamountspentonfishesfoundelsewhereinthecountry.Thisreportsummarizesanefforttoprioritizewatershedswithinthisregiontosupportfutureconservationinvestments.Wefirstdescribethedatasourcesandmethodsusedtoassembleadatasetofalmost1,050speciesoffishes,mussels,andstream-associatedcrayfishesandthelocationswheretheyarefound,thefirstentirelydata-drivenattempttomapthesethreetaxaonaconsistentfootingacrossthisbroadgeography.Weaggregatedthesecollectionpointsinto290watersheds,thencalculatedspeciesrichness,imperilment,andendemismscoresforeach.Workingwithanadvisoryteamoffourteenrespectedfederal,state,anduniversitybiologists,wecombinedthesescorestoderiveasingleoverallprioritizationforwatershedsintheSoutheast.WhileStateWildlifeActionPlans(SWAPs)thatincorporatedetailedsurveysofpopulationstatusandtrajectorymustcontinuetoguideconservationdecisionswithinindividualstates,ourregionalanalysisindicatesthatthehighestpriorityareasareintheAlabamaRiverbasin,particularlytheCoosasystem,andtheTennesseeRiverbasin,particularlytheMiddle-Tennessee.
Fromthislistofprioritizedareas,weselectedtenforfurtheranalysisofthreatstobiodiversityanddevelopedmanagementrecommendationstoaddresseach.TheseanalysesrelyoninformationdrawnfromSWAPssupplementedbyfinerscalewatershedorspecies-specificplans,whereavailable.Ourgoalwasnottoidentifyadefinitivesetofconservationprioritiesfortheregion.Instead,weproposethesetenasatractablesetoflocationswhereconservation
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investmentsarelikelytohaveagoodreturn.Wehavealsoexcerptedstate-andbasin-levelprioritizations,forpotentialuseinsmallerscaleplanning,andananalysishighlightingareaswithhighnumbersofvulnerablespecieswherepilotconservationprojectsmighteffectrapidrecoveries.Asanadjuncttotheanalysisofbiodiversity,threats,andmanagementactions,weinvestigatedthecapacityoftheconservationcommunityacrosstheSoutheastusingadatabaseofwatershedgroupsassembledbytheEPA.Althoughthisanalysiswasinconclusiveduetolimitationsinthedataset,thegroupsthatdidrespondtoourinquiriesappeartoberobustandactivelyengagedinconservationprojectsacrosstheSoutheast.Finally,weassessedwhatlevelofinvestmentmightberequiredtoachievemeaningfulandlong-termconservationobjectivesatthescaleoftheregionalanalysis.AusefulcomparisontogetacomprehensivesnapshotofisRaccoonCreekintheEtowahRiverbasinofGeorgia.Basedonadecadeofactionsbyseveralgroups,weconductedapreliminaryassessmentofthefundingthatwouldbesufficientforacomprehensivesuiteofsuccessfulconservationactions(withaheavyfocusonacquisition)resultingingoodprobabilityofthelong-termhealthoftheentire35,100-acrewatershed.Thisisanimportantbenchmark,butitalsoimportanttoknowthattargetedprojectsthataddresskeythreatsandopportunitiesmayhavedisproportionatebenefitsforamuchsmallerpricetag.Whilethefundingneedsarehigh,therearenumerouslocationswhereconservationactivitiesonthegroundcanstillmakeameaningfuldifferencetoconserveandenhancethisgloballyimportantresource.
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IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONNFreshwaterecosystemsareinperilacrosstheglobe.Almost6%oftheworld’sdescribedspeciesliveinfreshwater,despitethefactthatthesehabitatsoccupyonly0.8%oftheEarth’ssurfaceandfreshwateritselfisonly0.01%oftheearth’swater(Dudgeonetal.2006).Declinesinbiodiversityarefargreaterinfreshwatersthaninthemostterrestrialecosystemsbecausehumanslivedisproportionatelynearwaterwaysandextensivelymodifyriparianzones.Eveninsparselypopulatedareas,freshwaterecosystemsmaybenegativelyaffectedbytherunoffandrefuseofhumanactivity(Salaetal.2000)orbyalterationsofhydrologyviadamsorwaterdiversions(Lehneretal2011).Almostone-thirdofknowncrayfishspeciesareimperiledworldwide(Richmanetal.2015),alongwithone-thirdoffishspeciesandnearlythree-quartersofmusselspecies(Williamsetal.1989;Williamsetal.1993;WarrenandBurr1994).IntheUnitedStatesapproximately39%freshwaterfishspeciesareatriskofextinction(Jelksetal.2008)andBurkhead(2012)estimatesthattheextinctionrateforU.S.fishesfrom1900-2010wasalmostninehundredtimeshigherthanthebackgroundextinctionrateinprecedingmillennia.However,thesedirefiguresmaybeunderestimates,asasignificantportionoffreshwaterbiodiversityremainsuncataloguedorundescribed—sowemaybelosingspecieswedonotevenknowexist(BurkheadandJelks2000).Fromthecold,clearmountainstreamsoftheAppalachianMountainstothebayousoftheEasternGulfCoastalPlain,andfromthepocosinsofNorthCarolinatothecavecomplexesofKentucky,thelakes,rivers,andstreamsofthesoutheasternUnitedStatesarethemostdiverseontheNorthAmericanContinentandarguablythemostbiologicallyrichinthetemperateworld.Theregionisgeologicallyandtopographicallydiverse,withstreamsthatdraintowardtheAtlantic,theGulfofMexico,andtheMississippiRiver.Thisdiversityofhabitats,whichweresparedthemostrecentglaciation,hasprovidedthelocusforsustainedevolutionarydiversification(BulkheadandJelks,2000).Globalassessmentsofaquaticbiodiversity(Abelletal.2000,Collenetal.2014)haverepeatedlyfoundthatstreamsandriversinthesoutheasternUnitedStatescontainlevelsofdiversityandendemismthatrivalthetropics.Approximatelyhalftheworld’scrayfishspeciesarefoundintheSoutheast(Tayloretal.2007),asarealmost40%oftheworld’sfreshwatermusselspecies(91%ofmusselspeciesintheUSaresoutheastern;GrafandCummings2007,Nevesetal.1997).Thesoutheasternlandscapehasalsobeenextensivelyalteredbyhumanactivities,andthesemodificationshavetakenatollonaquaticspecies(BenzandCollins1997).Therateofimperilmentmaybeincreasing;themostrecentassessmentbyWarrenetal.(2000)assignedanimperiledstatusto28%ofsoutheasternfishesandnotedthatthis“representsa75%increaseinjeopardizedsouthernfishessince1989anda125%increasein20years.”LackoffundingforsoutheasternaquaticanimalsandhabitatsAlthoughthesoutheasternUnitedStateshasthegreatestaquaticbiodiversityonthecontinentandinthetemperateworld,othersareasofthecountryreceivefarmorefundsforfreshwateraquaticconservation.FederalandstateexpendituresonfederallylistedaquaticspeciesintheUnitedStatesoverthreefiscalyears(USFWS2012,2013,2014)showslowerspendingonfreshwateraquaticspeciesfoundsolelywithintheareaofthisproject(290HUC-8sub-basins,seeDefiningtheProjectArea,below)versusthosefoundsolelyoutsideofourarea.For
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example,thevastmajorityoffederallylistedfreshwatermusselsarerestrictedtotheSoutheast(50-60speciesor83.3-85.3%)butonlyreceive61.7-71.5%offundingallocated.SpeciesfoundsolelyoutsideoftheSoutheastreceive2.3-3.4timesmorefundingperspecies.Fewfreshwatercrustaceans(crayfishesincluded)werefederallythreatenedorendangeredin2012-2014,butasignificantpercentarepresentintheSoutheast(19.0-21.1,4species)yetonlyreceive2.1-5.0%offunding;speciesoutsideofthisareareceive4.4-12.5timesthefundingperspecies.Finally,ourstudyareahas35-36listedspeciesoffreshwaterfishes(28.8-29.2%)butonlyreceives0.8-1.1%offunding.SpeciesoutsideoftheSoutheastreceiveanastonishing35.3-52.0timesmorefundingperspecies.Thisdisparitywillcontinuetogrow,asmanyofthe404southeasternaquaticspeciesthathavebeenforlisting(CBD2010,USFWS2011)areultimatelyexpectedtoreceivefederalprotection.HistoryofAquaticConservationPlanningandProtectionintheSoutheastTheneedforaquaticconservationintheSoutheasthasnotgoneunremarked.Intheir“Global200”listofoutstandingandrepresentativeecoregions,OlsonandDinerstein(1998)listedMississippiPiedmontriversandstreamsandSoutheasternriversandstreamsastwoofthe18entriesintheircategoryforsmallriversandstreams.Twelveyearslater,AWorldWildlifeFundreportidentified145sitesasprioritiesforNorthAmericanfreshwaterconservation(includingCanadaandMexico),ofwhichalmostone-third(45)wereintheSoutheast(Abelletal.2000).In2002,TheNatureConservancyproducedanextensiveassessmentofpriorityareasforconservationintheSoutheast(Smithetal.2002).Theanalysisandprioritizationpresentedinthisreportoweasignificantdebttotheseefforts.TheexistingnetworkofconservationlandsisclearlyinsufficienttopreservetheaquaticbiodiversityoftheSoutheast.Onthenationalscale,mostprotectedlandsareintheintermountainWest(Figure1),whilepriorityareasforbiodiversityconservationareintheSoutheast,CaliforniaandTexas(Jenkinsetal.2015).ProtectedareassuchastheNationalParkssystemprovideafoundation,butonlysupport18%ofimperiledfishesnationwide(Lawrenceetal.2011).Oflandsinpublicorprivateconservationwithinourprojectarea,justunder3.5%haspermanentprotectionfreeofextractiveuses,withorwithoutdisturbancemanagement(GAPprogramstatuscodes1and2).ThereiscomparativelylittlefederallandintheSoutheast—alsoabout3.5%ofthestudyarea—althoughtherearescatteredlargetractssuchasGreatSmokyMountainsNationalPark,theOkeefenokeeSwamp,andseveralstateandnationalforestsincoastalFlorida.ManyoftheseconservationlandsbelongtotheNationalParksSystem,butonlyabout43%ofsoutheasternfishspeciesarerepresentedwithinthissystem,andsometimesonlyinsmallnumbers(Longetal.2012).ProtectedlandsalsodonotencompassthefullrangeofhabitatswithinwatershedsintheSoutheast(e.g.,Thiemeetal.2016),astheyaredisproportionatelyathighelevationswithlimitedaquaticbiodiversity(Warrenetal.2000).
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Figure1.ProtectedAreasoftheUS.Source:USGS(http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/)
IfpubliclandsaremorefoundationthansolutionforconservationintheSoutheast,whatotheropportunitiesarepresent?Anumberofavenuesexisttoeffectmeaningfulconservationprojectsonprivatelands,includingthePartnersforFishandWildlifeProgramattheUSFishandWildlifeService,whichprovidesexperttechnicalassistanceandcost-shareincentivesdirectlytoprivatelandownerstorestorefishandwildlifehabitats.Partnersprojectsrequirethatlandownerssignavoluntarycooperativeagreementwithadurationofatleasttenyears.ThisprogramtracesitsauthoritybacktotheFishandWildlifeActof1956andwasformallyestablishedbythePartnersforFishandWildlifeAct,passedin2006,inwhichCongressrecognizedthat“itisimperativetofacilitateprivatelandowner-centeredandresults-orientedeffortsthatpromoteefficientandinnovativewaystoprotectandenhancenaturalresources.”ThePartnersprogramhasexpandedfromprairiewetlandsprotectionafterdroughtsinthe1980stoincludeplantedgrassbuffersaroundthewetlands,uplandhabitatwork,streamrestoration,fishhabitatandendangeredspecieshabitatrestoration.Itisimportanttonotethatprimaryresponsibilityforwildlifemanagementbeforeafederallistingisthepurviewofthe50states.Statefishandwildlifeagencieshavebeenparticularlysuccessfulatprojectsforconservinggamespecies,typicallywithfundsfromhuntingandfishinglicensefeesandfederalexcisetaxes.Theconservationofthefarmorenumerousnon-gamespecieshas,since2000,beenfundedsubstantiallythroughtheStateandTribalWildlifeGrants
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program,commonlycalled“StateWildlifeGrants”or“SWGs,”throughwhichfederaldollarssupportcost-effectiveconservationaimedatpreventingwildlifefrombecomingthreatenedorendangered.Awidevarietyofnon-governmentalorganizationsalsotakesresponsibilityforconservationonprivatelands.Theseorganizationsvaryinscopeandsophistication,fromlarge,science-drivennationalnon-profitssuchasTheNatureConservancytolocal“adopt-a-stream”groupsfocusedonclean-upsandmonitoringofafewmilesofriverinasinglewatershed.Insomeriverbasins,theremaybemanylocalNGOgroupsworkingalongsideoneanother;inotherbasins,theremaybenoneatall.Inalatersectionofthisreport,wereportontheresultsofapreliminary“capacityanalysis”—anattempttoestimatethenumberofNGOsoperatingindifferentbasinswithintheSoutheast.ExistingPlanningEffortsTherehavebeenmanyattemptstodefineareasoridentifypriorityspeciesforconservationacrosstheSoutheast.ThemostcomprehensiveoftheseeffortsistheStateWildlifeActionPlansdevelopedbythestatewildlifeagencies.Other,watershed-ortaxa-specificplanshavebeendevelopedbyfederalagenciesandNGOs.CongressestablishedtheSWGprogramin2001toaddressimportantwildlifeissuesthathavetraditionallybeenunderfunded.Fundsareawardedbasedonaformulathatconsiderseachstate’spopulationandtotalgeographicarea.Underthisprogram,statesarerequiredtodevelopcomprehensiveplanstoguidetheconservationofnongamespecieswiththegoalsofidentifyingspeciesinneedofconservationattentionandpreventingthreatenedandendangeredspecieslistings.ToqualifyfortheSWGprogram,eachstateandterritoryisrequiredtodevelopa“ComprehensiveWildlifeConservationStrategy,”sometimescalledaStateWildlifeActionPlanorSWAP.Ataminimum,SWAPsmustbeupdatedevery10years.IntheSoutheast,moststates’firstSWAPswereapprovedin2005,whichledtoaroundofrevisionsin2015.EachSWAPmustcontain8requiredelements(source:http://teaming.com/swap-overview):
1. Informationonthedistributionandabundanceofwildlifespecies,includinglowanddecliningpopulationsasthestatefishandwildlifeagencydeemsappropriate,thatareindicativeofthediversityandhealthofthestate’swildlife;
2. Descriptionsoflocationsandrelativeconditionofkeyhabitatsandcommunitytypesessentialtoconservationofthespeciesidentifiedin(1);
3. Descriptionsofproblemswhichmayadverselyaffectspeciesidentifiedin(1)ortheirhabitats,andpriorityresearchandsurveyeffortsneededtoidentifyfactorswhichmayassistinrestorationandimprovedconservationofthesespeciesandhabitats;
4. Descriptionsofconservationactionsproposedtoconservetheidentifiedspeciesandhabitatsandprioritiesforimplementingsuchactions;
5. Proposedplansformonitoringspeciesidentifiedin(1)andtheirhabitats,formonitoringtheeffectivenessoftheconservationactionsproposedin(4),andforadaptingtheseconservationactionstorespondappropriatelytonewinformationorchangingconditions;
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6. Descriptionsofprocedurestoreviewthestrategyatintervalsnottoexceedtenyears;7. Plansforcoordinatingthedevelopment,implementation,review,andrevisionofthe
planwithfederal,stateandlocalagenciesandIndiantribesthatmanagesignificantlandandwaterareaswithinthestateoradministerprogramsthatsignificantlyeffecttheconservationofidentifiedspeciesandhabitats;
8. Inclusionofbroadpublicparticipationasanessentialelementofdevelopingandimplementingtheseplans.
Tosatisfyobjective1,allplansidentifythe“speciesofgreatestconservationneed,”includingmanyspecieswhichhaveexperiencedsignificantpopulationdeclines.ThreatstothesespeciesarealsodescribedintheSWAPsandincludesuchfactorsashabitatlossorfragmentation,competitionfromnon-nativespecies,andstressorsrelatedtoclimatechange.TheSWAPsidentifyhabitatsandactionsneededtorestoreormaintainviablepopulationsofthesespecies.Becausetheseplansrepresentcontemporaryeffortswithidenticalgoals,albeitsubstantiallydifferingmethodologies,thathavebeenreviewedbystate,federal,academic,andNGObiologists,theyformthefoundationofouranalysisofwatershedthreatsandrecommendedconservationactions.Onedifficultywithdevelopingaregionalsynthesisfromasetofstatewideplansistheproblemofassessingthestatusofspecieswhoserangesencompassmultiplestates.Ifaspecieswithawidespreaddistributionisfoundinonlyasmallnumbersinaparticularstate,itsapparent“rarity”isoftengroundsforinclusionamongthatstate’sSpeciesofGreatestConservationNeed(SGCN).OtherdifficultiesinreconcilingprioritiesacrossstatebordersariseduetodifferencesinthescaleofanalysisorplanningchosenbythevariousstateSWAPcommittees.Somestatesusetherelativelyfine10-digitHydrologicUnitCode(HUC)or“watershed”level,whileothersuseacoarser8-digitHUCor“sub-basin,”whilestillothersuseamixofarealandlinear(i.e.stream-reach)unitsorsimplymajorhabitat/ecoregiontypes(seeBox2,below).Weultimatelychosetostandardizeouranalysisbyusingpublishedrange-wideimperilmentrankingsforeachspeciesfromthescientificliteratureandtostandardizeontheHUC-8sub-basinasourunitofanalysis,asdescribedinthenextsection.InadditiontotheSWAPs,therearenumerousbasin-level,regional,andsub-regionalplansfortheSoutheast.Someexamplesoftheseinclude:
• The2014ImperiledAquaticSpeciesConservationStrategyfortheUpperTennesseeRiverBasin(UTRB).Thisproject’sgoalwastodevelopacost-effectiveapproachtoguideconservationandmanagementofimperiledfreshwaterfishandmusselspeciesintheUTRB.
• TheDaleHollowNationalFishHatcherydevelopedaplanfortheLowerDuckin2014basedonalocalprioritization.
• TheSoutheastAquaticResourcePartnership(SARP)developedplansin2005forfourpilotwatershedsintheSoutheasternU.S.(theDuckRiver,theAltamahaRiver,theRoanokeinNC&VA,andthePascagoulainMS)totestthedevelopmentoftheSoutheasternAquaticHabitatPlan.
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• TheTennesseeFreshwaterMolluskStrategicPlandevelopedbyTheNatureConservancyin2013
• ApreliminaryprojectplanfortheConasaugaNationalWildlifeRefugedevelopedbytheFishandWildlifeServicein2009
• AGreenRiverConservationBusinessPlandevelopedbyTNCforFY2015-2019• AnUpperTennesseeMusselRestorationStrategypublishedin2010bytheVirginia
DepartmentofGameandInlandFisheries• AnAlabamaRiverandMobileBaywatershedassessmentpreparedfortheEPAin2014,
toidentifyhealthywatershedsandcharacterizerelativewatershedhealthacrossthestateandbasin
• AsetofFloridaSurfaceWaterImprovementandManagement(SWIM)Actplansdatedbetween1997-2011for
o St.JohnsRivero ApalachicolaRiverandBayo ChoctawhatcheeRiverandBayo OchlockoneeRiverandBayo PensacolaBaySystemo St.AndrewBayo St.MarksRivero PerdidoRiverandBay
• ATNCwatershedassessmentfrom2015assessingopportunitiespost-DeepwaterHorizonspillinthePerdido
AnIntegratedPlanThisprojectwasinitiatedbyagrantfromtheNationalFishandWildlifeFoundationtotheUniversityofGeorgiaRiverBasinCenterandtheTennesseeAquariumConservationInstitutetoidentifypotentialfreshwaterconservationprioritiesintheSoutheast,inordertohelpguidepotentialfutureconservationinvestments(byanyinterestedparty).Giventhelargenumberofexistingplans,includingrecentlycompletedSWAPs,weinitiallyproposedtostitchtogetheracoherent,integratedplanbydrawingonthispastwork.Thisapproachwasalsointendedtoavoidexacerbatingtheproblemof“planningfatigue,”particularlyamongovertaxedagencybiologists.However,itsoonbecameapparentthatdifferencesinSWAPmethodologies(seebox)wouldmakethisapproachchallengingandpotentiallyineffective.Atthesametime,wediscoveredthattherewasalargeramountofreadilyavailable,good-qualityspeciesoccurrencedatathatcouldbeusedasthebasisforanempirical,data-drivenapproachtospatialprioritization.Therefore,werevisedtheapproachtoincludethefollowingelements:
1) Aspatialanalysisthatscoredwatersheds(attheHUC8scale)onthebasisofrichness,endemismandimperilmentforavailabletaxonomicgroups.
2) Multiplerankingsofwatershedsbasedonthesescores,includinganoverallcombinedranking,astate-by-stateranking,andawithin-basinranking,tosupportdifferentapplicationsoftheresults.Wealsocreatedauser-friendlydatabasetoallowadditionalanalysesofthewatershed-scaledata.
3) Alimited,preliminarycapacityanalysis.
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4) Abriefanalysisofthecost-benefitofconservationspendingintheregion,basedonacasestudy.
5) Analysisoflikelythreatsandpotentialmanagementactionsfortenofthehighest-scoringwatersheds.ThisextensivedocumentisincludedasAppendixIII.
MMEETTHHOODDSS
ProjectAdvisoryCommitteeAlthoughthecoreprojectteamhasover90yearscombinedexperiencewithaquaticconservationintheSoutheast,ourknowledgeisprimarilywithfishesandconcentratedintheAlabama/MobileandTennessee/Cumberlanddrainages.Toensuresufficienttaxonomicandgeographicbreadth,ourfirststepwastoassembleanadvisorycommitteecomposedofexpertswithdiversespecializationsfromacrosstheprojectareaandincludingbothstateandfederalbiologists,alongwithacademics(Table1).Thiscommitteehadseveralroles:tofacilitatedataacquisition,tohelpdeveloptheoverallanalyticapproach,andtovettheinterimandfinalresults.Wecommunicatedwiththisgroupprimarilythroughwebinarsbutconvenedonein-personworksessioninNovember,2015.Table1AdvisoryBoardMembers
Name Affiliation
SusieAdams USForestService
PaulAngermeier VirginiaTechUniversity
KatherineBaer RiverNetwork
ArtBogan NCMuseumofNaturalSciences
BobButler USFish&WildlifeService
StephanieChance USFish&WildlifeService
TanyaDarden SCDepartmentofNaturalResources
JessicaGraham SoutheasternAquaticResourcesPartnership
MikeHarris USFish&WildlifeService
MichaelLaVoie EasternBandCherokeeIndians
PatO'Neil GeologicalSurveyofAlabama
PeggyShute USFish&WildlifeService
ToddSlack USArmyCorpsofEngineers-EngineerResearchandDevelopmentCenter
MattThomas KYDepartmentofFish&WildlifeResources
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Beyondregularconsultationwithouradvisorycommittee,weconductedseverallevelsofoutreachandreviewthroughoutthisprocess.Wepresentedseveralsetsofinterimresultsatregionalandnationalmeetings(SoutheasternFishesCouncil,AmericanSocietyofIchthyologistsandHerpetologists)andtomeetingsofthe“At-RiskSpeciesCommittee”oftheSoutheastAssociationofFishandWildlifeAgencies(Box1).Onceourprioritizationmethodwasfinalized,wepublishedadraftprioritizationinAugust,2016,onourwebsite,askedouradvisorycommitteeandthoseonthecrayfishandmusselcommitteestoreviewandsolicitthereviewoftheirprofessionalnetworks,andrequestedcommentsfromtheScienceManagersoftheLandscapeConservationCooperativeswithinourprojectboundaries(theSouthAtlantic,Appalachian,GulfCoastPrairieOzark,andPeninsularFloridaLCCS).
Box1.PresentationsduringtheprojectperiodPresenterisshowninboldElkins,D.C.,A.L.George,S.C.Hazzard,B.Kuhajda,andS.J.Wenger.2016.Thesoutheasternaquaticbiodiversityconservationstrategy.CumberlandPlateau,Ridge&Valley,andNorthernPiedmontNationalForestAt-riskSpeciesWorkshop,Asheville,NC.Elkins,D.C.,A.L.George,S.C.Hazzard,B.Kuhajda,andS.J.Wenger.2016.Thesoutheasternaquaticbiodiversityconservationstrategy.Mississippiandnorth-centralAlabamapubliclandsAt-riskSpeciesWorkshop,Jackson,MS.Elkins,D.C.,A.L.George,S.C.Hazzard,B.Kuhajda,andS.J.Wenger.2016.Thesoutheasternaquaticbiodiversityconservationstrategy.TennesseeRareFishesmeeting,Nashville,TN.Elkins,D.C.,A.L.George,S.C.Hazzard,B.Kuhajda,andS.J.Wenger.2016.Thesoutheasternaquaticbiodiversityconservationstrategy.AnnualMolluskandCrayfishMeeting,FortPayne,AL.George,A.L.September2016.Protectinganunderwaterrainforest:AdvancingfreshwaterconservationscienceinthesoutheasternUnitedStates.AssociationofZoosandAquariums,SanDiego,CA.George,A.L.,D.C.Elkins,S.C.Hazzard,B.R.Kuhajda,andS.J.Wenger.August2016.Conservationplanningforsoutheasternaquaticbiodiversity.TennesseeRiverBasinBiodiversityNetworkMeeting,Chattanooga,TN.George,A.L.,D.C.Elkins,S.C.Hazzard,B.R.Kuhajda,andS.J.Wenger.July2016.Conservationplanningforsoutheasternaquaticbiodiversity.JointMeetingofIchthyologistsandHerpetologists,NewOrleans,LA.Elkins,D.C.,A.LGeorge,S.C.Hazzard,B.R.Kuhajda,andS.J.Wenger.July2016.Whofollowsthefish?Patternsinthefishes,mussels,andcrayfishesoftheSoutheast.JointMeetingofIchthyologistsandHerpetologists,NewOrleans,LA.Elkins,D.C.,A.LGeorge,S.C.Hazzard,B.R.Kuhajda,andS.J.Wenger.November2015.TheSoutheasternAquaticBiodiversityConservationStrategy(Poster).AnnualMeetingoftheSoutheasternFishesCouncil,Gainesville,FL.
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DefiningtheProjectAreaWedefinedtheprojectarea(Figure2)usingacombinationofgeographicandbiogeographicboundariesdrawnfromfishdistributions,asfollows:
AtlanticSlopeThenorthernlimitistheRoanokeRiverinVirginia/NorthCarolina.ThisisthelastmajordrainagesouthoftheChesapeakeBaydrainages,andisthemostspecies-richAtlanticSlopedrainageforfishes.ThereisalsoadistributionalbreakbetweentheRoanokeRiverandtheJamesRiverdrainagetothenorth,withninespeciesoffishesreachingtheirnorthernlimitintheRoanokeandsixdifferentspeciesreachingtheirsouthernlimitintheJames.ThesouthernlimitistheSt.JohnsRiverdrainageinFlorida.Thisiswhere20speciesoffishesreachtheirsouthernlimitalongtheAtlanticSlope.
GulfSlopeTwelvefishspeciesreachtheireasternlimitintheSuwanneeRiverdrainageinFlorida/Georgia,butbyextendingourareaslightlysouthtoincludetheCrystal-PithlachascotteandWithlacoocheeHUC-8(i.e.,the8-digithydrologicunitcodewatersheds)sub-basinswewereabletoincludetheentiredistributionofanadditionaleightspecies.ThewesternlimitofourareaalongtheGulfSlopeistheLakePontchartraindrainageinSoutheastLouisianaandsouthMississippi,wheretwelvespeciesreachtheirwesternlimit.
MississippiRiverDrainageAlldirecteasterntributariestotheMississippiRiverdownstreamofthemouthoftheOhioRiverareincluded.Thesesystemscontainnumerousnarrowendemicspeciesofmadtomsanddartersandarethewesternterminusformanymorewide-rangingsoutheasternfishes.
OhioRiverDrainageWithoneexception(seebelow),theeasternlimitforadrainageconnectingtotheOhioRiveristheLickingRiverdrainageinKentucky.ThisdrainageisthestrongholdformanyfishesfoundfurtherupstreamintheOhioRiverbasin,andthelastupstreamstrongholdonthesouthernsideoftheOhioRiverforfivefishspecies.OhioRiverBasintributariesfurtherupstreamareexcludedduetologisticalconstraints,asareHUCsthatstraddlethemainstemoftheOhioRiverinKentuckyandextendintoOhio,Indiana,andIllinois.TheoneexceptionistheKanawhaRiverdrainageinWestVirginia,Virginia,andNorthCarolina,whichisincludedduetoitsreach(theNewRiver)intotheSoutheast(NorthCarolina).ThedownstreamextentforourareaisatKanawhaFalls;eightendemicfishspeciesarefoundabovethesefallsintheNewandGauleyrivers.
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Figure2ProjectArea:“TheSoutheast.”AdditionalmapsofallHUC-8sub-watershedsintheprojectareamapbefoundinAppendixII.
13
DataSourcesandAggregation
Toidentifythewatershedswhich,ifprotectedandrestored,wouldcontainthehighestbiodiversityofnativeaquaticorganismsintheSoutheast,wecompileddatasetsoffieldobservationsfromuniversityresearchers,museums,stateagencies,andonlinedatabasesderivedfromthesesources(seefish,crayfish,andmusselsectionsforfulllistofdatasources).Wefoundthatthenumberanddistributionofobservationswassufficienttobuildmapsforfishes,crayfishes,andmussels,butnotforotherinvertebratessuchasaquaticsnails.Weelectednottoincludeamphibiansinthisanalysisduetologisticalandtimeconstraints,particularlybecauseoftheadditionalanalysisrequiredtoexcludespeciesthatwereonlyminimallydependentonaquatichabitat.Mostoftheobservationsconsistedofpointrecords,reflectingonesurveyataspecifictime,butsomeagenciesprovideduswithpolygoncoverages,reflectingareasinwhichaparticularspecieshasbeencollectedoveralongerperiodoftime.Polygoncoveragesweremoretypicalforimperiledspecies.
Box2.IssuesinIntegratingStateWildlifeActionPlansOnekeytothesuccessofthiseffortwastobuildonthefoundationoftheSWAPs,whichcontainthebestcontemporarysynthesisofpopulationstatus,threats,andconservationopportunitiesforthestatesintheSoutheast.However,weencounteredseveralchallengesinourattemptstointegrateSWAPs.First,thestatecommitteeschosedifferingspatialscalesfortheSWAPanalysesandpriorityareas.ThiswasaproblemevenwhereAlabama’sprioritizationextendedintoGeorgiaandFlorida.Forexample,notalloftheareasinAlabama’sUpperCoosaRiverTributariesStrategicHabitatUnitbasinwererankedhighprioritybyGeorgia’sanalysis.Similarly,Alabama’sConecuhStrategicRiverReachisinneitherofthelistsof12riverbasinsFloridahighlightsasspecialpriorityforconservationorenhancement.Second,primarilybecauseSpeciesofGreatestConservationNeed(SGCN)aredesignatedonthebasisofraritywithinastate’spoliticalboundariesratherthanacrosstheirnativerange,therewereanumberofdiscrepanciesbetweentheSGCNlistsofadjacentstatesthatderivedfromwidespreadspeciesthatwerefoundonlyinwatershedsthatcrossedstatelines.Wecalledthis“S1G5inflation”inreferencetospeciesthatwere,accordingtotheNatureServeconservationstatussystem,globallysecure(G5designation)butlocallycriticallyimperiled(S1designations).Resolvingthiswouldhaverequiredaspecies-by-speciesreviewofeachstate’sSGCNlisttoavoidincorrectlyelevatingaregionallysecurespeciestoimperiledstatus.Third,thestatestookdifferentapproachestodevelopingandcategorizingtheirSCGNlistsanddifferentinterpretationsofthechargeto“keepcommonspeciescommon”topreventfederallistingofspeciesundertheEndangeredSpeciesAct.Insomecases,notablyTennessee,thehighestprioritySCGNtierspecificallyexcludedESA-listedspecies,whileinGeorgiaaquaticspecieswereaddedtotheSCGNiftheyhadbeenpetitionedforlistingundertheESA.This,asabove,wouldhaverequiredanextensivereanalysisofeachstate’sspecieslist.
14
Weaggregatedallpointandpolygoncollectiondataby8-digitHydrologicUnitCode(HUC-8;thisistechnicallyreferredtoasa“sub-basin”butherewealsousethecommon-languageterm“watershed”).Thisresultedinspeciesrangemapscovering290planningunitsfortheSoutheastwithanaveragesizeof3,500squarekilometers(1,351squaremiles)each.Althoughmanagementdecisionsareoftenmadeatfinerscales,wejudgedthistobeanappropriatescaleforaggregationtominimizediscontinuousdistributionsresultingfromunevensampling.Foralltaxonomicgroupsweonlyincludednativespecies.Weincludedundescribedspeciesiftheywererecognizedinliterature(publishedpapers,books,SWAPs)andtherewasinformationavailableontheirdistributionandimperilmentstatus.Wedidnotincludespeciesknowntobeextinctbutretainedrecordsofspeciesthoughttobecurrentlyextirpated,ontheassumptionthatre-introductionfromanotherpopulationcouldbepossible.Wherepossible,weexcludedintroducedranges.Specieswhichhadtheirentirerangewithinthe290HUC-8sub-basinareawereclassifiedassoutheasternendemics.Itshouldbenotedthatbiogeographicpatternsforothertaxamaynotalignexactlywithourrepresentationofasoutheasternfaunaforfishes.Speciescharacterizedas“southeasterncrayfishes,”inparticular,mightreasonablyextendintoportionsofLouisianaandArkansas.Wedidnotanticipatebeingabletodevelopacrayfishlayerfortheentireregionwhenwesettheprojectboundaries,andacknowledgethatthismayimposeadownwardbiasonthecrayfishendemismscoresforsub-basinsinwesternMississippiandwesternTennessee.
Predictably,manyoftheoriginalrecordscontainederrors,eitherspatialortaxonomic.S.Hazzardorganizedandcorrectedrawdatasodraftmapscouldbeproducedforallspecies.Furthercorrectionsweremadebyotherteammembers,advisoryboardmembersandotherexperts,asdescribedinthesubsequentsections.FishesFishdataweredownloadedfromMultistateAquaticResourcesInformationSystem(MARIS),FishNet2,andtheGlobalBiodiversityInformationFacility(GBIF).AggregatedfishdatawerevettedbyspeciesandHUC-8sub-basinsbyB.Kuhajdausingpublished“Fishesof”statebooks,onlineatlases,orprimaryliteratureforrecentlydescribedspecies.(AlistofthereferencesconsultedisprovidedintheReferencessectionunderthesub-heading“Citationsforvettingoffishdata.“)Asagroup,fishesarethebest-studiedfreshwatertaxonintheSoutheast,bothwithregardtotaxonomyanddistribution,withnumerousdistributionalreferencesatthecountry,stateanddrainagelevels.Forthisreason,itwasnotnecessarytoheavilyconsultwithoutsideexpertsaswedidwithmusselsandcrayfishes.WeassignedimperilmentstatusforfishspeciesusingtheranksinJelks,etal.,2008,modifiedinsomecasesfornewtaxonomyorwhereanupdatedassessmentwasavailable.Imperilmentcategorieswere“endangered,“threatened,”and“vulnerable.”ThesecategoriesdonotnecessarilycorrespondtolistingstatusundertheEndangeredSpeciesActorstateprograms.CrayfishesWecontactedsoutheasternastacologistsbeginningwiththosewhohadattendedthe2015symposium“Conservation,Ecology,andTaxonomyofSoutheasternCrayfish”attheannual
15
meetingoftheSouthernDivisionoftheAmericanFisheriesSocietyinSavannah,Georgia,andaskediftheyhadrelevantdatasetsofcrayfishdistributionsthattheywouldbewillingtohaveaggregatedforthisproject.Insomecases,theyreferredustoanotherresearcheroramuseumdatabase.Ultimately,wereceivedpolygonorpointdatafrom17sources(Table2),includingonequeryoftheGBIFonlinedatabaseforrecordsfromtheFloridaMuseumofNaturalHistoryandonequerycoveringmostofGeorgiafromtheSmithsonianMuseum’sdatabase,whichreturnedrecordsthatwemanuallygeoreferencedusingroadandstreamintersections.WeconvenedameetinginChattanooga,TN,onJune1and2,2016,thatincludedmostoftheresearcherswhohadprovideddata.Inthismeeting,wereviewedthedistributionmapsforHUC-8levelrangemapsgeneratedbythecombinationandaggregationoftheinputdatasets.Thisinitiallistincludedcavespeciesandspeciesnotclassifiedasprimaryburrowersandcontainedsomespecieswithunclearordisputedtaxonomy.Thegroupcorrectedtaxonomicandgeographicerrorsandassignedsoutheastendemismformostspecies,althoughapproximatelytwentyspecieswereflaggedforfurtherreviewbyindividualsnotatthemeetingorwhereamoreextensiveliteraturesearchwasrequired.Thesemapsweresubsequentlycorrectedviaemailcommunications.Thecrayfishcommitteealsoaddedtoourspeciessetasmallnumberofprimaryburrowerswhichthegroupagreedweresufficientlyflowing-waterassociatedtobeconsideredstream-dependent.Whilewereferto“crayfishes”throughoutthedocument,itshouldbenotedthatourexclusionofprimaryburrowingspeciesneglectsapproximately15%ofdescribedspecies,includingalmostathirdofthosewith“criticallyimperiled”conservationstatus(WelchandEversole,2005).WeassignedcrayfishimperilmentranksbasedonconsultationwithChrisTayloroftheIllinoisNaturalHistorySurvey,whomaintainsanupdatedlistfromthemostrecentAmericanFisheriesSocietystatuspaper(Taylor,etal,2007).Table2Astacologistswhocontributeddataorreviewedcrayfishdistributionmaps
Name AffiliationProvidedData
In-PersonReview
EmailReview
SusieAdams USFS X X X
TylerBlack NCWildlifeResourcesCommission X X
ChrisSkelton HNTBCorporation X X
ArnieEversole ClemsonUniv. X X X
BobJones MSMuseumofNaturalScience X
ZachLoughman WestLibertyUniv. X X X
GuenterSchuster EasternKYUniv.(retired) X X
ChrisTaylor ILNaturalHistorySurvey X X
RogerThoma MidwestBiodiversityInstitute X X
BronwynWilliams NCMuseumofNaturalSciences X X
CarlWilliams TNWildlifeResourcesAgency X
DavidWithers TNDepartmentofEnvironmentandConservation
X X X
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Name AffiliationProvidedData
In-PersonReview
EmailReview
GeologicalSurveyofAL X
ILNaturalHistorySurvey X
KYDepartmentofFish&WildlifeResources
X
JeffSimmons TNValleyAuthority X X
SmithsonianNMNH X
GBIF X
StuartMcGregor GeologicalSurveyofAL X X
RebeccaBearden GeologicalSurveyofAL X
MusselsMuseumrecordsweretheprimarysourceofmusselpointlocations.WerequestedallmusselrecordsforthestudyareaorqueriedtheonlinedatabasesoftheOhioStateUniversityMuseumofBiologicalDiversity,theNorthCarolinaMuseumofNaturalScience,andtheMississippiMuseumofNaturalScience.WealsoobtainedthestatedatabasesforAlabama,Kentucky,andGeorgia.AllcontributorsarelistedinTable3.Table3Malacologistswhocontributeddataorreviewedmusseldistributionmaps
Name Affiliation Data ReviewJeffGarner ALDepartmentofConservation&
NaturalResourcesX
StuartMcGregor GeologicalSurveyofAL X JasonWisniewski GADepartmentofNaturalResources X XBobJones MSMuseumofNaturalScience X XArtBogan NCMuseumofNaturalSciences X X
OhioStateUniversityMuseumofBiologicalDiversity
X
JimWilliams FloridaMuseumofNaturalHistory X XBobButler
USFish&WildlifeService X
WendellHaag
USForestService X
JessJones
VADepartmentofFishandWildlifeConservation
X
DonHubbs
TNWildlifeResourcesAgency X
KYDepartmentofFishandWildlife X GeologicalSurveyofAL X GADepartmentofNaturalResources X
Thesepointrecords(HUC-12polygonsforKentucky)wereaggregatedandspeciesrangemapswereproducedasforfishes.Weemployedanexpert-opinionapproach,emailingcollectionsofrangemapstomalacologistswithregionalexpertise(Table3)whoassignedendemismanddeliveredcorrectedmapsinwritingoroverthephone.Mostareaswereassignedtomorethan
17
onereviewer,andconflictswererare.However,thisprocesswasnotasthoroughasthemulti-partydiscussionthatoccurredwithinthecrayfishreviewgroup.Musselimperilmentscoresweredrawnfromanin-pressdistributionandimperilmentappendixformusselsfromJimWilliams,developedfortheFreshwaterMolluskConservationSociety.
PriorityCalculationsWecalculatedspeciesrichnessforfishes,crayfishes,andmusselsforeachHUC-8sub-basinasthesumofindividualspeciespresentineach.WecalculatedweightedimperilmentsumsforeachHUC-8byassigning3pointsforeachendangeredspeciesfoundthere,2pointsforeachthreatenedspecies,and1pointforeachvulnerablespecies.Thispointsystemwasadmittedlyarbitrary;otherpointsystemsarepossible.InanefforttocapturenotonlythetotalbiodiversityinanareabutalsothedistinctbiotaoftheSoutheast,wederivedanendemismscoreforeachHUC-8area.Weconsideredaspeciestobeasoutheasternendemicifitsentirerangeoccurredwithinthe290-HUCstudyarea.Foreachofthesespecies,wecalculatedanendemismscoreasthereciprocalofthenumberofHUC-8sub-basinsinwhichitoccurs.Thus,anarrowendemicwhichoccurredinasingleHUC-8receivedascoreof1/1(1),whileamorewidely-distributedspeciesoccurringin10HUC-8sreceivedascoreof1/10(0.1).Thesumoftheendemismscoresofallthefish,crayfish,ormusselspeciesthatoccurwithinaHUC-8wastheendemismscoreforthatwatershed.Althoughthereareexceptions,asnotedbelow,thesimilaritiesinthepatternsofdistributionandimperilmentamongfishes,crayfishes,andmusselssuggestedthatitwasreasonabletoproduceanoverallprioritizationforthethreegroupsinaggregate.Weconsideredtwoapproachestocombinethesetaxa-specificpriorities.Thefirstwastogivefishes,mussels,andcrayfisheseachanequalcontributiontowardamaximum9-pointfinalpriorityscore.However,weultimatelydecidedthattheoveralldiversityanalysisoughttoaccountforthefactthatthereare589fishspecies,234musselspecies,and221crayfishspecies;weightingeachgroupequallywouldhaveeffectivelymadeeachfishspeciescountforlessthanhalfofamusselorcrayfish.Therefore,ourfinalpriorityscoreisan“allspeciesequal”sumthatusesall1,044speciesinthenormalizedbiodiversity,endemism,andimperilmentsums.
RREESSUULLTTSS
PriorityAreasforFishesTheresultingmapsofspeciesrichness,endemism,andimperilmentforfishes,crayfishes,andmusselshighlightareasofparticularconcernforeachgroup.FishspeciesrichnessisgenerallyhighestintheLowerTennesseeRiverandAlabamaRiverBasins,withtheareaofhighestendemismincludingtheseregionsbutalsotheUpperCoosaRiversystemandtheUpperClinchRiver.WeightedimperilmentissimilarlyhighestintheCahaba,Etowah,Conasauga,PickwickLake,andUpperClinch.
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Figure3Richness,endemism,andimperilmentscoresforfishes.Note:large,highresolutionversionsareincludedinAppendixI.
Thestandardizedandsummedrichness,endemism,andimperilmentscoresforfishleadtothehighestprioritiesinthePickwickLakeHUC-8,followedbytheUpperClinchandmostoftheAlabama-CoosaRiversystem.Table4Top15sub-basinsbycombinedpriorityscoreforfishes
FishOnlyRank HUC-8Name MajorDrainage Score(Max3)1 PickwickLake Tennessee 2.652 UpperClinch Tennessee 2.583 Cahaba Alabama 2.464 Etowah Alabama 2.455 Conasauga Alabama 2.176 LowerDuck Tennessee 2.137 Locust Alabama 1.988 LowerCoosa Alabama 1.959 WheelerLake Tennessee 1.9110 MiddleCoosa Alabama 1.8211 Barren Green 1.8212 LowerTallapoosa Alabama 1.8013 WattsBarLake Tennessee 1.7414 LowerLittleTennessee Tennessee 1.7315 SouthForkCumberland Cumberland 1.71
PriorityAreasforCrayfishesCrayfishspeciesrichnessishighestinthePickwickLakeandWheelerLakeHUCs,alongwiththeLowerandMiddleTombigbeeRiver,theBarrenRiverinKentucky,andthePascagoulaRiver.
19
CrayfishendemismishighestinWheelerLake,withPickwickLakescoringthirdonthismeasurebehindtheSt.Andrews/St.JosephsBayHUCinFlorida.Weightedimperilmentscoreswerelessevenlydistributed,withWheelerLakeagainscoringhighest.
Figure4Richness,endemism,andimperilmentscoresforcrayfishes.Note:large,highresolutionversionsareincludedinAppendixI.
ThesescorescombinetogiveWheelerLakethehighestoverallpriorityforcrayfishes,withscoresdroppingoffrapidlythereafter.NotethatthemajorityofthetopwatershedsforcrayfisheslieoutsidetheTennesseeRiversystem.Table5Top15sub-basinsbycombinedpriorityscoreforcrayfishes
CrayfishOnlyRank HUC-8Name MajorDrainage Score(Max3)1 WheelerLake Tennessee 3.002 PickwickLake Tennessee 1.743 Pascagoula Pascagoula 1.654 LowerTombigbee Mobile-Tombigbee 1.525 Noxubee Mobile-Tombigbee 1.366 Yalobusha LowerMississippi-Yazoo 1.307 Black Pascagoula 1.298 St.Andrew-St.JosephBays Choctawhatchee-Escambia 1.259 GuntersvilleLake Tennessee 1.2210 Obey Cumberland 1.2211 LowerTennessee-Beech Tennessee 1.2212 MiddleTombigbee-Lubbub Mobile-Tombigbee 1.1813 MississippiCoastal Pascagoula 1.1314 Sucarnoochee Mobile-Tombigbee 1.1015 LowerAlabama Alabama 1.10
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PriorityAreasforMusselsMusselspeciesrichnessishighestforthePickwickLake,WheelerLake,theUpperGreen(GreenRiver,Kentucky),GuntersvilleLake(TennesseeRiver),andLowerCumberland(CumberlandRiver)sub-basins.TheCoosasystemisalsotheareaofhighestmusselendemism,withfourofthetopfivesub-basins,althoughtheLowerChattahoocheesub-basinscoressecond.MusselimperilmentishighestintheHUCsforPickwickLake,WheelerLake,theUpperClinchandHolstonRivers.
Figure5Richness,endemism,andimperilmentscoresformussels.Note:large,highresolutionversionsareincludedinAppendixI.
Thehighestpriorityareasformusselsarethenow-familiarclusterofPickwickLake,theCoosaRiver(representedbytheMiddleCoosaandLowerCoosa),WheelerLake,andtheCahaba.Table6Top15sub-basinsbycombinedpriorityscoreformussels
MusselOnlyRank HUC-8Name MajorDrainage Score(Max3)1 PickwickLake Tennessee 2.472 MiddleCoosa Alabama 2.383 WheelerLake Tennessee 2.184 Cahaba Alabama 1.905 LowerCoosa Alabama 1.806 GuntersvilleLake Tennessee 1.797 UpperClinch Tennessee 1.798 Holston Tennessee 1.779 Conasauga Alabama 1.7110 UpperCoosa Alabama 1.7011 Caney Cumberland 1.6512 UpperCumberland-Lake
Cumberland Cumberland 1.5813 UpperDuck Tennessee 1.5514 UpperAlabama Alabama 1.5515 Powell Tennessee 1.54
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AllTaxaPriorityAreasThehighestrankinghuc-8sub-basins,overall,arePickwickLakeandWheelerLake,twoMiddleTennesseeRiversystemsthatincludethehighest-rankingbasinsforfishes,crayfishes,andmussels,individually,andwhichsupportahighnumberofcaveandspringendemicspecies.FiveofthenextsevenHUC-8sub-basinsareintheAlabamaRiverdrainage,includingtheCahabaRiver,theMiddleCoosa,andtheConasaugaRiver.TheUpperClinchRiveristhefourthhighest-prioritysub-basinoverall,scoringhighestforfishimperilmentandrelativelyhighforfishendemismandmusselimperilment.Ingeneral,richness,endemism,andimperilmenttrackedfairlyclosely(Figure6),althoughtherewasmoredifferentiationbetweenthesub-basinsonthespecioseendofthescale.Table7Top15sub-basinsbycombinedpriorityscoreforfishes,crayfishes,andmussels
All-TaxaRank HUC-8Name MajorDrainage Score(Max3)1 PickwickLake Tennessee 2.842 WheelerLake Tennessee 2.843 Cahaba Alabama 2.124 UpperClinch Tennessee 2.085 MiddleCoosa Alabama 1.956 LowerDuck Tennessee 1.887 Conasauga Alabama 1.768 LowerCoosa Alabama 1.749 Etowah Alabama 1.7110 Caney Cumberland 1.7111 Barren Green 1.7012 UpperGreen Green 1.6613 UpperDuck Tennessee 1.6414 LowerTennessee-Beech Tennessee 1.6415 SouthForkCumberland Cumberland 1.62Onthemap(Figure7),thehighestpriorityscoresfalltowardthemiddleoftheprojectregion,runningroughlyuptheAlabamaRiverbasinthroughtheMiddleandUpperTennesseesystems,withadditionalhigh-priorityareasintheheadwatersoftheGreenRiverbasin.Thirty-twoofthetop33sub-basinsareintheTennessee,Cumberland,Alabama,orGreenRiversystemsandthesefourcontain41ofthetop50sub-basins,alongwiththeMobile(8sub-basins)andPascagoula(1sub-basin)systems.TheAtlanticcoastalplainandMississippiValleyscorecomparativelyloweronthisoverallranking.
22
Figure6Scaledspeciesrichness,southeastendemism,andweightedimperilmentforalltaxain290HUC-8sub-basins.Labelsindicatethetop12sub-basinsbasedonthecombinedpriorityranking.
Basedonthesescores,wewantedtoselectarelativelysmallnumberofhigh-prioritywatershedsforfurtheranalysisofthreatsandmanagementactions(AppendixIII).Thisshouldnotbeviewedasanattempttoidentifyadefinitivesetofconservationprioritiesfortheregion.Rather,weviewthisasareasonablemethodforusingbiologicaldatatotransparentlyselectasetofprioritylocationsinwhichconservationinvestmentsarelikelytohaveagoodreturn.Examininganorderedplotofpriorityscoresfromall290sub-basins(Figure8),thereisasteepdrop-offfromthefirsttwosub-basins,followedbyaslightplateauat1.71consistingoftheninthandtenthsubbasins(theEtowahandCaney),beyondwhichthemarginaldecayinthewatershedscorebecomesmuchmoregradual.Thiscorrespondstothe97thpercentileforthisdataset,and10watershedsisamanageablenumberforfurtherattention.However,manywatershedsbelowthispointareverysimilarinconservationvalue,andslightchangestoouralgorithm(inparticular,analternativeassignmentofscoresforvulnerable,threatened,andendangeredspecies)wouldchangethemembershipofthetop10list.
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Figure8Sortedoverallpriorityscorebysub-basin
TheninehighestscoringwatershedsincludefourfromtheTennesseeRiversystemandfivefromtheAlabama-Coosasystem,whichmightbeexpectedtosharemanyspecies.Wetabulatedthenumberofuniquespeciesaddedwitheachadditionalwatershedbeyondthe252speciesinPickwickLake(Table8).ThisshowsthattheLowerCoosaaddsonlytwoadditionalspecies,whereastheBarrenRiverwatershedinKentuckyadds26species.Consequently,weelectedtoomittheLowerCoosafromthetop10listandreplaceitwiththeBarren.BeyondtheBarren,themarginalincreaseinspeciesdeclinesagainandthenextsub-basininadrainagenotalreadyincludeddoesnotappearuntiltheMiddleTombigbee-Lubbubatrank22.Table8Numberofadditionalspeciesincludedinthetotalspecieslistwiththeadditionofeachnewsub-basin(watershed)inpriorityrankorder(onlythefirst13areshown).
PriorityRank
PriorityScore Sub-basin MajorDrainage
AdditionalUniqueSpecies
1 2.84 PickwickLake Tennessee 2522 2.84 Wheeler Tennessee 223 2.12 Cahaba Alabama 1104 2.08 UpperClinch Tennessee 295 1.95 MiddleCoosa Alabama 156 1.88 LowerDuck Tennessee 197 1.76 Conasauga Alabama 98 1.74 LowerCoosa Alabama 29 1.71 Etowah Alabama 16
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
1 9 17 25 33 41 49 57 65 73 81 89 97 105
113
121
129
137
145
153
161
169
177
185
193
201
209
217
225
233
241
249
257
265
273
281
289
PriorityScore,290Watersheds
25
PriorityRank
PriorityScore Sub-basin MajorDrainage
AdditionalUniqueSpecies
10 1.71 Caney Cumberland 2111 1.70 Barren Green 2612 1.66 UpperGreen Green 913 1.64 UpperDuck Tennessee 1
Thisisasomewhatad-hocapproachtoaddressingtheconservationprincipleofcomplementarity.Analternativemethodwouldbetouseaformalreserve-designalgorithmthataimstomaximizethetotalcoverageofspecies.However,suchalgorithmsareintendedfortruereservesinwhichthefullareaisgenuinelyprotected;hereweareidentifyingwatershedsinwhichconservationmanagementactions(potentiallyincludingpreservation)canhavesubstantialconservationbenefit.Wearguethattheresultingtop-10list(Figure9)isreasonable,whileacknowledgingthatothermethodsmightproducealternative,equallyreasonablelists.
Figure9.Tenhighlybiodiversewatershedswheremanagementactionscouldhavemajorconservationbenefits.ShadingreflectsHUC-2andHUC-4boundaries,asinFigure2.
26
AParallelPrioritization:HotspotsforVulnerableSpeciesOnealternativeprioritizationusingthisdatasetwouldbetoidentifyareaswithhighnumbersofvulnerablespecies,wheremoremodestinvestmentsnowcouldforestallspeciesdeclinesthatwouldrequiresignificantworktoarrestorreverseinthefuture.Thisapproachalignswiththeoft-statedconservationgoalof“keepingcommonspeciescommon.”Highlightingjustthosespeciesclassifiedasvulnerablerevealsseveralareasthatarenotpartofthetoptierintheoverallprioritization,includingtheHiwasseeriverinGeorgia,NorthCarolina,andTennessee,twohighCumberlandRiversub-basinsinKentuckyandTennessee,andtheBuffaloriverintheLowerTennesseebasin.AlthoughtheTennesseeandAlabama-Mobilesystemsscorehighonthismetric,asintheoverallpriorityanalysis,theyarejoinednearthetopbyoftherankingsbythesub-basinsintheCumberlanddrainage.AtlanticSlopesystemsarealsomoreprominentinthisanalysis,especiallythePeeDeeRiverandSavannahRiverdrainages.Table9Top25sub-basinsrankedbynumberofimperiledspecieswith"Vulnerable"status
Sub-Basin(HUC-8code) MajorDrainageVulnerablespecies
Hiwassee(06020002) Tennessee 19PickwickLake(06030005) Tennessee 19WheelerLake(06030002) Tennessee 19UpperClinch(06010205) Tennessee 18UpperCumberland-LakeCumberland(05130103) Cumberland 17SouthForkCumberland(05130104) Cumberland 17Buffalo(06040004) Tennessee 17UpperDuck(06040002) Tennessee 17Cahaba(03150202) Alabama 17Caney(05130108) Cumberland 17LowerClinch(06010207) Tennessee 16LowerDuck(06040003) Tennessee 16Nolichucky(06010108) Tennessee 16LowerPeeDee(03040201) PeeDee 16Stones(05130203) Cumberland 16UpperGreen(05110001) Green 16MiddleSavannah(03060106) Savannah 16GuntersvilleLake(06030001) Tennessee 16UpperFlint(03130005) Apalachicola 15WattsBarLake(06010201) Tennessee 15
27
Figure10-Countofimperiledspecies(fishes,crayfishes,andmussels)with"Vulnerable"statusbysub-basin.
Sub-BasinPrioritybyStateWerecognizethatmanyconservationdecisionswillnotbemadeattheregionallevel.Forinstance,statewildlifeagenciesdirecttheireffortswithintheirpoliticalboundaries,andmanyfoundationsthatcouldsupportconservationprojectsfocustheireffortswithinaparticulargeography.Tofacilitatesuchsmaller-scaleplanningefforts,thefollowingtablesandmapsusethesamerankingmethodologyasthetheoverall290sub-basinanalysis,butsubsettheresultsbystate(top10shown)andbyHUC-4sub-region.Sincemanysub-basinscrossstatelines,wehaveincludedacolumnlistingthepercentageofthewatershedwithinthestateofinterest.
28
AlabamaTable10Topsub-basinsinAlabamabyoverallpriorityrank
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
PickwickLake 06030005 1 1 63%WheelerLake 06030002 2 2 91%Cahaba 03150202 3 3 100%MiddleCoosa 03150106 5 4 100%LowerCoosa 03150107 8 5 100%LowerAlabama 03150204 17 6 100%MiddleTennessee-Chickamauga 06020001 18 7 3%GuntersvilleLake 06030001 19 8 83%MiddleTombigbee-Lubbub 03160106 22 9 76%UpperAlabama 03150201 23 10 100%
Figure11Within-stateall-taxapriorityrankingsforsub-basinsinAlabama
29
FloridaTable11Topsub-basinsinFloridabyoverallpriorityrank
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
Apalachicola 03130011 60 1 96%Chipola 03130012 66 2 79%Escambia 03140305 72 3 53%Yellow 03140103 79 4 62%LowerChoctawhatchee 03140203 81 5 92%Pea 03140202 92 6 7%St.Andrew-St.JosephBays 03140101 94 7 100%LowerOchlockonee 03120003 117 8 84%LowerSt.Johns 03080103 134 9 100%LowerSuwannee 03110205 155 10 100%
Figure12Within-stateall-taxapriorityrankingsforsub-basinsinFlorida
GeorgiaTable12Topsub-basinsinGeorgiabyoverallpriorityrank
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
Conasauga 03150101 7 1 83%Etowah 03150104 9 2 100%MiddleTennessee-Chickamauga 06020001 18 3 31%Coosawattee 03150102 26 4 100%Hiwassee 06020002 29 5 21%UpperCoosa 03150105 30 6 46%
30
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
MiddleChattahoochee-WalterF 03130003 56 7 49%Oostanaula 03150103 59 8 100%Apalachicola 03130011 60 9 4%UpperFlint 03130005 78 10 100%
Figure13Within-stateall-taxapriorityrankingsforsub-basinsinGeorgia
KentuckyTable13Topsub-basinsinKentuckybyoverallpriorityrank
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
Barren 05110002 11 1 80%UpperGreen 05110001 12 2 100%
31
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
SouthForkCumberland 05130104 15 3 28%UpperCumberland-LakeCumberland 05130103 16 4 99%LowerCumberland 05130205 24 5 58%KentuckyLake 06040005 33 6 20%Obey 05130105 40 7 19%Red 05130206 53 8 48%Rockcastle 05130102 62 9 100%Licking 05100101 67 10 100%
Figure14Within-stateall-taxapriorityrankingsforsub-basinsinKentucky
MississippiTable14Topsub-basinsinMississippibyoverallpriorityrank
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
PickwickLake 6030005 2 1 10%LowerTennessee-Beech 6040001 14 2 2%MiddleTombigbee-Lubbub 3160106 24 3 24%UpperTombigbee 3160101 35 4 93%Noxubee 3160108 49 5 91%Pascagoula 3170006 51 6 100%Bear 6030006 52 7 13%Buttahatchee 3160103 61 8 22%LowerPearl 3180004 67 9 72%
32
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
Sucarnoochee 3160202 81 10 58%
Figure15Within-stateall-taxapriorityrankingsforsub-basinsinMississippi
NorthCarolinaTable15Topsub-basinsinNorthCarolinabyoverallpriorityrank
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
Hiwassee 06020002 29 1 31%LowerLittleTennessee 06010204 37 2 26%Nolichucky 06010108 45 3 38%Waccamaw 03040206 68 4 64%Black 03030006 82 5 32%LowerPeeDee 03040201 91 6 20%UpperNeuse 03020201 102 7 100%Saluda 03050109 106 8 0%
33
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
UpperTar 03020101 110 9 100%UpperLittleTennessee 06010202 115 10 95%
Figure16Within-stateall-taxapriorityrankingsforsub-basinsinNorthCarolina
SouthCarolinaTable16Topsub-basinsinSouthCarolinabyoverallpriorityrank
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
Waccamaw 03040206 68 1 36%MiddleSavannah 03060106 80 2 54%Black 03040205 82 3 42%LowerPeeDee 03040201 91 4 80%Saluda 03050109 106 5 100%Lynches 03040202 142 6 99%UpperBroad 03050105 148 7 39%Congaree 03050110 152 8 100%Wateree 03050104 158 9 100%LakeMarion 03050111 178 10 100%
34
Figure17Within-stateall-taxapriorityrankingsforsub-basinsinSouthCarolina
TennesseeTable17Topsub-basinsinTennesseebyoverallpriorityrank
Sub-basinName HUC-8RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
PickwickLake 06030005 1 1 28%UpperClinch,Tennessee,Virginia 06010205 4 2 36%Conasauga 03150101 7 3 17%LowerDuck 06040003 6 4 100%Caney 05130108 10 5 100%LowerTennessee-Beech 06040001 14 6 98%UpperDuck 06040002 13 7 100%MiddleTennessee-Chickamauga 06020001 18 8 65%SouthForkCumberland 05130104 15 9 72%GuntersvilleLake 06030001 19 10 17%ForkedDeer 08010206 288 50 100%
35
Figure18Within-stateall-taxapriorityrankingsforsub-basinsinTennessee
VirginiaTable18Topsub-basinsinsouthernVirginiabyoverallpriorityrank
Sub-basinName HUC-8 RegionalRank
StateRank
%InState
UpperClinch 06010205 4 1 64%Powell 06010206 20 2 57%SouthForkHolston 06010102 38 3 52%NorthForkHolston 06010101 55 4 96%UpperDan 03010103 120 5 57%Nottoway 03010201 153 6 100%UpperNew 05050001 159 7 73%MiddleRoanoke 03010102 201 8 82%LowerDan 03010104 202 9 44%MiddleNew 05050002 207 10 52%
Figure19Within-stateall-taxapriorityrankingsforsub-basinsinsouthernVirginia
36
Sub-BasinPrioritywithinSub-Regions(HUC-4)Table19Within-basin(HUC-4)andoverallpriorityranksforall290sub-basins.
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
Chowan-Roanoke(0301) UpperDan(03010103) 120 1Chowan-Roanoke(0301) Nottoway(03010201) 153 2Chowan-Roanoke(0301) LowerRoanoke(03010107) 188 3Chowan-Roanoke(0301) MiddleRoanoke(03010102) 201 4Chowan-Roanoke(0301) LowerDan(03010104) 202 5Chowan-Roanoke(0301) UpperRoanoke(03010101) 220 6Chowan-Roanoke(0301) Meherrin(03010204) 224 7Chowan-Roanoke(0301) Chowan(03010203) 230 8Chowan-Roanoke(0301) RoanokeRapids(03010106) 259 9Chowan-Roanoke(0301) Albemarle(03010205) 267 10Chowan-Roanoke(0301) Blackwater(03010202) 272 11Chowan-Roanoke(0301) Banister(03010105) 276 12Neuse-Pamlico(0302) UpperNeuse(03020201) 102 1Neuse-Pamlico(0302) UpperTar(03020101) 110 2Neuse-Pamlico(0302) LowerTar(03020103) 128 3Neuse-Pamlico(0302) Fishing(03020102) 145 4Neuse-Pamlico(0302) Contentnea(03020203) 172 5Neuse-Pamlico(0302) LowerNeuse(03020204) 181 6Neuse-Pamlico(0302) MiddleNeuse(03020202) 211 7Neuse-Pamlico(0302) WhiteOakRiver(03020301) 245 8Neuse-Pamlico(0302) NewRiver(03020302) 262 9Neuse-Pamlico(0302) Pamlico(03020104) 271 10Neuse-Pamlico(0302) PamlicoSound(03020105) 279 11CapeFear(0303) Deep(03030003) 126 1CapeFear(0303) UpperCapeFear(03030004) 130 2CapeFear(0303) LowerCapeFear(03030005) 137 3CapeFear(0303) Haw(03030002) 143 4CapeFear(0303) NortheastCapeFear
(03030007)192 5
CapeFear(0303) Black(03030006) 205 6PeeDee(0304) Waccamaw(03040206) 68 1PeeDee(0304) LowerPeeDee(03040201) 91 2PeeDee(0304) UpperPeeDee(03040104) 139 3PeeDee(0304) Lynches(03040202) 142 4PeeDee(0304) Rocky(03040105) 160 5PeeDee(0304) LowerYadkin(03040103) 180 6PeeDee(0304) UpperYadkin(03040101) 187 7PeeDee(0304) Black(03040205) 196 8PeeDee(0304) Lumber(03040203) 197 9
37
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
PeeDee(0304) LittlePeeDee(03040204) 213 10PeeDee(0304) CarolinaCoastal-Sampit
(03040207)254 11
PeeDee(0304) CoastalCarolina(03040208) 264 12PeeDee(0304) SouthYadkin(03040102) 270 13Edisto-Santee(0305) Saluda(03050109) 106 1Edisto-Santee(0305) UpperCatawba(03050101) 133 2Edisto-Santee(0305) UpperBroad(03050105) 148 3Edisto-Santee(0305) Congaree(03050110) 152 4Edisto-Santee(0305) Wateree(03050104) 158 5Edisto-Santee(0305) LakeMarion(03050111) 178 6Edisto-Santee(0305) SouthForkEdisto
(03050204)185 7
Edisto-Santee(0305) Salkehatchie(03050207) 193 8Edisto-Santee(0305) Cooper(03050201) 215 9Edisto-Santee(0305) LowerBroad(03050106) 219 10Edisto-Santee(0305) LowerCatawba(03050103) 222 11Edisto-Santee(0305) EdistoRiver(03050206) 242 12Edisto-Santee(0305) NorthForkEdisto
(03050203)247 13
Edisto-Santee(0305) SouthForkCatawba(03050102)
250 14
Edisto-Santee(0305) FourHoleSwamp(03050205)
255 15
Edisto-Santee(0305) Enoree(03050108) 258 16Edisto-Santee(0305) Santee(03050112) 260 17Edisto-Santee(0305) Broad-St.Helena(03050208) 273 18Edisto-Santee(0305) Tyger(03050107) 277 19Edisto-Santee(0305) BullsBay(03050209) 286 20Edisto-Santee(0305) SouthCarolinaCoastal
(03050202)289 21
Edisto-Santee(0305) St.HelenaIsland(03050210) 290 22Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) MiddleSavannah
(03060106)80 1
Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) LowerSavannah(03060109) 104 2Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) LowerOgeechee(03060202) 127 3Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) UpperOgeechee(03060201) 149 4Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) Tugaloo(03060102) 210 5Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) UpperSavannah(03060103) 217 6Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) Seneca(03060101) 226 7Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) Broad(03060104) 227 8Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) Stevens(03060107) 229 9
38
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) Brier(03060108) 231 10Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) OgeecheeCoastal
(03060204)241 11
Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) Canoochee(03060203) 246 12Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) Little(03060105) 256 13Ogeechee-Savannah(0306) CalibogueSound-Wright
River(03060110)280 14
Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) LowerOconee(03070102) 114 1Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) UpperOcmulgee(03070103) 121 2Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) Altamaha(03070106) 125 3Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) LowerOcmulgee(03070104) 129 4Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) Ohoopee(03070107) 169 5Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) UpperOconee(03070101) 195 6Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) LittleOcmulgee(03070105) 223 7Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) St.Marys(03070204) 225 8Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) Satilla(03070201) 268 9Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) LittleSatilla(03070202) 281 10Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) Nassau(03070205) 283 11Altamaha-St.Marys(0307) Cumberland-St.Simons
(03070203)284 12
St.Johns(0308) LowerSt.Johns(03080103) 134 1St.Johns(0308) Oklawaha(03080102) 166 2St.Johns(0308) UpperSt.Johns(03080101) 177 3St.Johns(0308) Daytona-St.Augustine
(03080201)274 4
Peace-TampaBay(0310) Withlacoochee(03100208) 244 1Peace-TampaBay(0310) Crystal-Pithlachascotee
(03100207)249 2
Suwannee(0311) LowerSuwannee(03110205)
155 1
Suwannee(0311) SantaFe(03110206) 162 2Suwannee(0311) UpperSuwannee
(03110201)189 3
Suwannee(0311) Withlacoochee(03110203) 204 4Suwannee(0311) Econfina-Steinhatchee
(03110102)240 5
Suwannee(0311) Aucilla(03110103) 251 6Suwannee(0311) Alapaha(03110202) 253 7Suwannee(0311) Waccasassa(03110101) 263 8Suwannee(0311) Little(03110204) 278 9Ochlockonee(0312) LowerOchlockonee
(03120003)117 1
39
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
Ochlockonee(0312) UpperOchlockonee(03120002)
186 2
Ochlockonee(0312) ApalacheeBay-St.Marks(03120001)
216 3
Apalachicola(0313) MiddleChattahoochee-WalterF(03130003)
56 1
Apalachicola(0313) Apalachicola(03130011) 60 2Apalachicola(0313) Chipola(03130012) 66 3Apalachicola(0313) LowerChattahoochee
(03130004)70 4
Apalachicola(0313) UpperFlint(03130005) 78 5Apalachicola(0313) LowerFlint(03130008) 88 6Apalachicola(0313) Ichawaynochaway
(03130009)90 7
Apalachicola(0313) MiddleChattahoochee-LakeHarding(03130002)
100 8
Apalachicola(0313) MiddleFlint(03130006) 103 9Apalachicola(0313) Kinchafoonee-Muckalee
(03130007)138 10
Apalachicola(0313) Spring(03130010) 144 11Apalachicola(0313) UpperChattahoochee
(03130001)190 12
Apalachicola(0313) New(03130013) 282 13Apalachicola(0313) ApalachicolaBay(03130014) 287 14Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) LowerConecuh(03140304) 64 1Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) Escambia(03140305) 72 2Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) Yellow(03140103) 79 3Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) LowerChoctawhatchee
(03140203)81 4
Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) UpperChoctawhatchee(03140201)
89 5
Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) Pea(03140202) 92 6Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) St.Andrew-St.JosephBays
(03140101)94 7
Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) UpperConecuh(03140301) 113 8Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) Sepulga(03140303) 156 9Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) ChoctawhatcheeBay
(03140102)167 10
Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) Patsaliga(03140302) 191 11Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) PensacolaBay(03140105) 199 12Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) Blackwater(03140104) 208 13Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) Perdido(03140106) 212 14
40
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
Choctawhatchee-Escambia(0314) PerdidoBay(03140107) 232 15Alabama(0315) Cahaba(03150202) 3 1Alabama(0315) MiddleCoosa(03150106) 5 2Alabama(0315) Conasauga(03150101) 7 3Alabama(0315) LowerCoosa(03150107) 8 4Alabama(0315) Etowah(03150104) 9 5Alabama(0315) LowerAlabama(03150204) 17 6Alabama(0315) UpperAlabama(03150201) 23 7Alabama(0315) LowerTallapoosa
(03150110)25 8
Alabama(0315) Coosawattee(03150102) 26 9Alabama(0315) MiddleAlabama(03150203) 28 10Alabama(0315) UpperCoosa(03150105) 30 11Alabama(0315) Oostanaula(03150103) 59 12Alabama(0315) MiddleTallapoosa
(03150109)86 13
Alabama(0315) UpperTallapoosa(03150108)
105 14
Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) MiddleTombigbee-Lubbub(03160106)
22 1
Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Locust(03160111) 34 2Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) UpperTombigbee
(03160101)35 3
Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) UpperBlackWarrior(03160112)
41 4
Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) LowerTombigbee(03160203)
42 5
Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Noxubee(03160108) 44 6Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) MiddleTombigbee-
Chickasaw(03160201)49 7
Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) SipseyFork(03160110) 50 8Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) LowerBlackWarrior
(03160113)52 9
Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Mobile-Tensaw(03160204) 57 10Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Buttahatchee(03160103) 58 11Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Sipsey(03160107) 63 12Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Mulberry(03160109) 74 13Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Sucarnoochee(03160202) 76 14Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Luxapallila(03160105) 77 15Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Tibbee(03160104) 99 16Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) MobileBay(03160205) 151 17Mobile-Tombigbee(0316) Town(03160102) 221 18
41
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
Pascagoula(0317) Pascagoula(03170006) 46 1Pascagoula(0317) Black(03170007) 82 2Pascagoula(0317) LowerLeaf(03170005) 97 3Pascagoula(0317) UpperLeaf(03170004) 107 4Pascagoula(0317) MississippiCoastal
(03170009)111 5
Pascagoula(0317) UpperChickasawhay(03170002)
131 6
Pascagoula(0317) Escatawpa(03170008) 140 7Pascagoula(0317) Chunky-Okatibbee
(03170001)146 8
Pascagoula(0317) LowerChickasawhay(03170003)
161 9
Pearl(0318) LowerPearl(03180004) 65 1Pearl(0318) MiddlePearl-Strong
(03180002)101 2
Pearl(0318) MiddlePearl-Silver(03180003)
109 3
Pearl(0318) UpperPearl(03180001) 118 4Pearl(0318) BogueChitto(03180005) 170 5Kanawha(0505) UpperNew(05050001) 159 1Kanawha(0505) Greenbrier(05050003) 163 2Kanawha(0505) MiddleNew(05050002) 207 3Kanawha(0505) Gauley(05050005) 238 4Kanawha(0505) LowerNew(05050004) 261 5Kentucky-Licking(0510) Licking(05100101) 67 1Kentucky-Licking(0510) LowerKentucky(05100205) 73 2Kentucky-Licking(0510) UpperKentucky(05100204) 124 3Kentucky-Licking(0510) SouthForkLicking
(05100102)132 4
Kentucky-Licking(0510) SouthForkKentucky(05100203)
147 5
Kentucky-Licking(0510) NorthForkKentucky(05100201)
165 6
Kentucky-Licking(0510) MiddleForkKentucky(05100202)
174 7
Green(0511) Barren(05110002) 11 1Green(0511) UpperGreen(05110001) 12 2Green(0511) MiddleGreen(05110003) 71 3Green(0511) Rough(05110004) 85 4Green(0511) LowerGreen(05110005) 122 5Green(0511) Pond(05110006) 175 6
42
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
Cumberland(0513) Caney(05130108) 10 1Cumberland(0513) SouthForkCumberland
(05130104)15 2
Cumberland(0513) UpperCumberland-LakeCumberland(05130103)
16 3
Cumberland(0513) LowerCumberland(05130205)
24 4
Cumberland(0513) Obey(05130105) 40 5Cumberland(0513) Stones(05130203) 43 6Cumberland(0513) LowerCumberland-Old
HickoryLake(05130201)47 7
Cumberland(0513) Red(05130206) 53 8Cumberland(0513) UpperCumberland-Cordell
HullReservoir(05130106)54 9
Cumberland(0513) LowerCumberland-Sycamore(05130202)
61 10
Cumberland(0513) Rockcastle(05130102) 62 11Cumberland(0513) Collins(05130107) 75 12Cumberland(0513) Harpeth(05130204) 83 13Cumberland(0513) UpperCumberland
(05130101)95 14
LowerOhio(0514) Salt(05140102) 84 1LowerOhio(0514) RollingFork(05140103) 108 2LowerOhio(0514) Tradewater(05140205) 200 3UpperTennessee(0601) UpperClinch,Tennessee,
Virginia(06010205)4 1
UpperTennessee(0601) Powell(06010206) 20 2UpperTennessee(0601) WattsBarLake(06010201) 21 3UpperTennessee(0601) Holston(06010104) 27 4UpperTennessee(0601) LowerClinch(06010207) 32 5UpperTennessee(0601) LowerLittleTennessee
(06010204)37 6
UpperTennessee(0601) SouthForkHolston(06010102)
38 7
UpperTennessee(0601) LowerFrenchBroad(06010107)
39 8
UpperTennessee(0601) Nolichucky(06010108) 45 9UpperTennessee(0601) NorthForkHolston
(06010101)55 10
UpperTennessee(0601) Emory(06010208) 96 11UpperTennessee(0601) UpperLittleTennessee
(06010202)115 12
43
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
UpperTennessee(0601) Watauga,NorthCarolina,Tennessee(06010103)
123 13
UpperTennessee(0601) UpperFrenchBroad(06010105)
141 14
UpperTennessee(0601) Pigeon(06010106) 179 15UpperTennessee(0601) Tuckasegee(06010203) 194 16MiddleTennessee-Hiwassee(0602) MiddleTennessee-
Chickamauga(06020001)18 1
MiddleTennessee-Hiwassee(0602) Hiwassee(06020002) 29 2MiddleTennessee-Hiwassee(0602) Sequatchie(06020004) 69 3MiddleTennessee-Hiwassee(0602) Ocoee(06020003) 203 4MiddleTennessee-Elk(0603) PickwickLake(06030005) 1 1MiddleTennessee-Elk(0603) WheelerLake(06030002) 2 2MiddleTennessee-Elk(0603) GuntersvilleLake
(06030001)19 3
MiddleTennessee-Elk(0603) UpperElk(06030003) 31 4MiddleTennessee-Elk(0603) Bear(06030006) 48 5MiddleTennessee-Elk(0603) LowerElk(06030004) 51 6LowerTennessee(0604) LowerDuck(06040003) 6 1LowerTennessee(0604) UpperDuck(06040002) 13 2LowerTennessee(0604) LowerTennessee-Beech
(06040001)14 3
LowerTennessee(0604) KentuckyLake(06040005) 33 4LowerTennessee(0604) Buffalo(06040004) 36 5LowerTennessee(0604) LowerTennessee
(06040006)87 6
LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) LowerMississippi-Memphis(08010100)
112 1
LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) Obion(08010202) 116 2LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) LowerHatchie(08010208) 136 3LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) BayouDeChien-Mayfield
(08010201)164 4
LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) Wolf(08010210) 198 5LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) UpperHatchie(08010207) 206 6LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) SouthForkForkedDeer
(08010205)218 7
LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) SouthForkObion(08010203)
233 8
LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) NorthForkForkedDeer(08010204)
239 9
LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) Loosahatchie(08010209) 257 10LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) HornLake-Nonconnah 285 11
44
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
(08010211)LowerMississippi-Hatchie(0801) ForkedDeer(08010206) 288 12LowerMississippi-St.Francis(0802) LowerMississippi-Helena
(08020100)269 1
LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) Yalobusha(08030205) 93 1LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) LittleTallahatchie
(08030201)119 2
LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) UpperYazoo(08030206) 154 3LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) BigSunflower(08030207) 173 4LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) Coldwater(08030204) 182 5LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) Yocona(08030203) 184 6LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) Deer-Steele(08030209) 237 7LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) LowerMississippi-Greenville
(08030100)243 8
LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) Tallahatchie(08030202) 248 9LowerMississippi-Yazoo(0803) LowerYazoo(08030208) 266 10LowerMississippi-BigBlack(0806) LowerBigBlack(08060202) 98 1LowerMississippi-BigBlack(0806) BayouPierre(08060203) 135 2LowerMississippi-BigBlack(0806) UpperBigBlack(08060201) 157 3LowerMississippi-BigBlack(0806) LowerMississippi-Natchez
(08060100)171 4
LowerMississippi-BigBlack(0806) Homochitto(08060205) 176 5LowerMississippi-BigBlack(0806) Buffalo(08060206) 236 6LowerMississippi-BigBlack(0806) ColesCreek(08060204) 275 7LowerMississippi-LakeMaurepas(0807)
Amite(08070202) 150 1
LowerMississippi-LakeMaurepas(0807)
Tangipahoa(08070205) 168 2
LowerMississippi-LakeMaurepas(0807)
LowerMississippi-BatonRouge(08070100)
183 3
LowerMississippi-LakeMaurepas(0807)
BayouSara-Thompson(08070201)
228 4
LowerMississippi-LakeMaurepas(0807)
Tickfaw(08070203) 235 5
LowerMississippi-LakeMaurepas(0807)
LakeMaurepas(08070204) 265 6
LowerMississippi(0809) LibertyBayou-Tchefuncta(08090201)
209 1
LowerMississippi(0809) LowerMississippi-NewOrleans(08090100)
214 2
LowerMississippi(0809) EasternLouisianaCoastal(08090203)
234 3
45
Huc-4Name(HUC-4Code) HUC-8Name(HUC-8Code)RegionalPriority
BasinPriority
LowerMississippi(0809) LakePontchartrain(08090202)
252 4
Extinction,Extirpation,andErrorRatesInanefforttobetransparentaboutthelimitationsofourapproach,thefollowingsectionexaminesthesourcesofbiasanderrorinouranalysisandattemptstoquantifytheseforthetop-tierwatersheds.Asweassembledthedatasetsusedtocalculatethespeciespresencematrixthatunderpinstherichness,imperilment,andendemismmaps,weexcludedrecordsfromspeciesknowntobeextinct(twofishes,MoxostomalacerumandFundulusalbolineatus,andanumberofmusselspecies,e.g.,Epioblasmametastriata,Epioblasmaothcaloogensis,andPleuroblemafibuloidesintheConasaugaRiver).Itshouldbenoted,however,thattheincreasingrecognitionofcrypticbiodiversity(Williamsetal.2008,Powersetal.2012,Bakeretal.2013)amongsoutheasternspeciessuggeststhattheremaybemultipleundocumentedextinctionshiddeninourhistoricaldata.Wedidnotexcluderecordsinareaswherespecieshavebeenextirpated,reasoningthat1)extirpationisdifficulttodocumentusingpointsamplesfrommultiplesourcescollectedwithdifferingtechniquesand2)alocalextirpationisanopportunityforareintroduction,ifthehabitatiscapableofnowsupportingthespeciesandanappropriatesourcepopulationcanbefound.SuchreintroductionshavebeenperformedbygroupssuchasConservationFisheriesIncorporatedandtheAlabamaAquaticBiodiversityCenterwithincreasingregularity.However,werecognizethatsuchextirpationsareprobablywidespreadasaresultofhumanalterationsincludingdams,mining,andlandconversionandthatsuchextirpationsbiasourspeciesrichnessestimatesupwardrelativetotheextantbiodiversityinstreamsandriverstoday.Itwouldbeverydifficulttoreliablyinferextirpationsacrosstheregionusingthefielddataweassembledandtodosofromtheliteraturewouldrequireconsultingmultiplepublishedandunpublishedaccountsofover1000individualspecies.Nevertheless,wewantedtoestimatetheeffectofthisbiasonourprioritizationsystembyusingourtop-rankedwatershedsasasample.Weconsultedpublishedreportsforfishextirpationsinthetop11watershedsintheoverallprioritization.ThesearesummarizedinTable20,alongwiththecircumstancesoftheextirpation,whereprovided.Withinthese11oftherichestsub-basinsforfishdiversity,thereisanaverageof4extirpatedspecies(3.3%)andthisvariedfrom0(twosub-basins)to10(PickwickLake).Wefoundnoaccountsinthereferencematerialforthesesub-basinsofspeciesthatwehadnotrecorded(i.e.,nofalsepositives).Table20Fishextirpationsinthetop11watersheds
Cah
aba
130totalspecies,7extirpated (5.4%)Species PutativecauseAcipsenser oxirynchus desotoi damsAlosa alabamae damsCyprinella caerulea sedimentation
46
Hybognathus nuchalis damsFundulus stellifer unknownMugil cephalus dams
Sander sp. cf. vitreus unknown,possiblyhydridization
Low
er C
oosa
107totalspecies,3extirpated (2.8%)Species PutativecauseAcipsenser oxirynchus desotoi damsScaphirhynchus suttkusi damsAlosa alabamae dams
Mid
dle
Coo
sa 87totalspecies,1extirpated (1.1%)
Species PutativecausePercina brevicauda dams
Etow
ah 81totalspecies,1extirpated (1.2%)
Species PutativecauseCyprinella caerulea sedimentation
Con
asau
ga 80totalspecies,2extirpated (2.5%)
Species Putativecause
Noturus sp. cf. munitus Sedimentation&waterquality
Percina shumardi unknown
Low
er
Duc
k
133totalspecies,noneextirpated (0%)
Pick
wic
k La
ke
142totalspecies,10extirpated (7%)Species PutativecauseScaphirhynchus platorynchus damsHiodon alosoides damsHybognathus hayi drainageofwetlandsHybognathus nuchalis damsNotropis albizonatus damsNotropis ariommus dams
Noturus miurus sedimentation&waterquality
Etheostoma cinereum damsPercina vigil damsElassoma alabamae dams
Whe
eler
120totalspecies,7extirpated (5.8%)Species PutativecauseScaphirhynchus platorynchus dams
47
Lepisosteus platostomus damsHiodon alosoides damsHybognathus hayi drainageofwetlandsHybognathus nuchalis damsPhenacobius uranops dams
Noturus crypticus sedimentation&waterquality
Upp
er C
linch
110totalspecies,4extirpated (3.6%)Species PutativecauseMacrhybopsis hyostoma damsNotropis albizonatus damsNotropis buchanani damsCycleptus elongatus dams
Can
ey
Fork
86totalspecies,noextirpations (0%)
Bar
ren
109totalspecies,4extirpations (3.7%)Species PutativecauseHybognathus nuchalis damsNotropis amnis unknown
Noturus exilis unknownPercina evides dams
Weaskedseveralmusselexpertstoassessextirpationsinthesameareas.BobButlerwiththeUSFishandWildlifeServiceprovideduswithgalleyproofsofanin-pressassessment(Ahlstedt,etal.2016)oftheClinchandPowellsystems.TheirsurveyofthesegmentcorrespondingtotheUpperClinchsub-basin,i.e.theClinchaboveNorrisLake,lists55totalspeciesknown,ofwhich48areconsideredextant,with4extirpations(Leptodeafragilis,Leptodealeptodon,Quadrulaintermedia,Villosafabalis)and3extinctions(Epioblasmahaysiana,Epioblasmalenior,andEpioblasmatorulosagubernaculum).Ourdatabasecontains55species,includingthethreeextirpations(5.5%),plusfourthatdonotappearintheirspecieslist(Fusconaiaozarkensis,Lampsiliscardium,Plethobasuscicatricosus,Villosavibex).Ourlistismissingonespecies,Venustaconchatrabalis,thathasbeenthesubjectofrecenttaxonomicrevision;wehadremovedrecordsforV.troostensisbasedontheproposalinLane,etal.(2016)thatthisspeciesisfoundonlyindrainagesoftheCumberlandRiver.WesuspecttheserecordsareprobablyV.trabalis,basedonAhlstedt,etal.2016.JeffGarnerwithAlabamaDepartmentofConservationandNaturalResourcesassessedthesub-basinsfromsetof11highest-prioritybasinsthatoccurinAlabama(Table21).Withinthese5ofthehighest-rankingbasinsforspeciesrichness,thereareanaverageof14extirpatedspecies,approximately20%ofthetotal.Inaddition,thereareanaverageof6.6speciesperwatershed
48
(10%)thathejudgedtobeerroneous.However,theMusselsofAlabama(Williamsetal.2008),listsapre-damrecordforoneofthese,Pegiasfabula,inBluewaterCreekofthePickwickLakesub-basin,soitmayinfactbelongamongtheextirpated.Table21Musselextirpationsinhigh-priorityAlabamasub-basins
MiddleCo
osa
57totalspecies,11extirpations(19%)SpeciesElliptioarcaEpioblasmapenitaLasmigonaetowaensisLigumiarectaMedionidusparvulusObovariaarkansasensisObovariaunicolorPleurobemahanleyianumPleurobemahartmanianumPleurobemastabilePleurobemataitianum
LowerCoo
sa
52totalspecies,9extirpations(17%)SpeciesElliptioarcaEpioblasmapenitaLasmigonaetowaensisLigumiarectaMedionidusparvulusObovariaunicolorPleurobemahanleyianumPleurobemahartmanianumPleurobemastabile
Caha
ba
58totalspecies,6extirpations(10%)SpeciesElliptioarcaMedionidusparvulusObovariaarkansasensisObovariaunicolorPleurobemageorgianumPleurobemaperovatum
PickwickLake 83totalspecies,29extirpations(35%)
SpeciesActinonaiasligamentinaActinonaiaspectorosaAlasmidontamarginata
49
AlasmidontaviridisDromusdromasEpioblasmaahlstedtiEpioblasmabrevidensEpioblasmacapsaeformisEpioblasmaobliquataobliquataEpioblasmatriquetraFusconaiacorFusconaiacuneolusHemistenalataLasmigonacostataLeptodealeptodonMedionidusconradicusObovariaolivariaObovariaretusaObovariasubrotundaPlethobasuscooperianusPleurobemaclavaPleurobemaoviformePleuronaiadolabelloidesPtychobranchussubtentusQuadrulaintermediaQuadrulasparsaStrophitusundulatusToxolasmacylindrellusVillosatrabalis
Whe
elerLake
78totalspecies,15extirpations(19%)SpeciesActinonaiasligamentinaCyprogeniastegariaDromusdromasEpioblasmabrevidensEpioblasmacapsaeformisEpioblasmaflorentinaaureolaLemioxrimosusObovariaolivariaObovariaretusaPlethobasuscicatricosusPlethobasuscooperianusPleurobemaclavaPtychobranchussubtentusQuadrulaintermediaStrophitusundulatus
50
WealsoconsultedWilliamsetal.(2008)andcomparedthelistofspeciesrecordsfortheConasauga.Nineofthe45specieswithrecordsinourdatabaseforthatsub-basinarenotlistedinthebook,anerrorrateof20%,andJasonWisniewski,aquaticzoologistwiththeGeorgiaDNRNongameprogramandprincipalmalacologistinthestate,estimatesthattheConasaugahistoricallysupportedatleast33speciesbutreportsthatrecentsurveyshavefoundapproximately23species,whichsuggeststhatasmanyas10-13species(22-29%)havebeenextirpated.Theextentofextirpationforcrayfishesisevenlessclear.WeaskedourcrayfishcommitteeiftheyknewofanyHUC-8sub-basinlevelextirpationsintheSoutheastandtheysuggestedthreelocalexamples(i.e.,observedinsmallerareas):twopopulations(CambaruspristinusandC.clivosus)intheCaneyForkputativelyduetodamsandanundescribedspeciessimilartoCambaruscrinipisintheObeddrainageputativelyduetoanintroducedspecies.Thus,amongthebasinsweassessed,wecanconfidentlysaytheinflationofcurrentspeciesrichnessduetopossibleorconfirmedfishextirpationsislessthan5%,onaverage.Formussels,theoverallrateisontheorderof20-25%,withcomparableleveloffalse-positivesduetolocationerrors,misidentifiedspecimensoruncorrectedtaxonomicrevisionsinthesourcedata.Sincethesetwoassessmentswereperformedusingspecieslistsfromwell-surveyed,high-diversitybasins,weexpectthattheseestimatesshouldbenoworseelsewhereintheprojectregion,althoughtheextirpationratewilllikelybehighestinsub-basinsthatareheavilydammed.Forcrayfishes,thesituationisdifficulttoassess.Itmaybethatcrayfishesaremoreresilienttotheperturbationsthathaveextirpatedpopulationsofmusselsandfishes.However,itisalsolikelythattherelativelylowerlevelofattentionthatcrayfisheshavetraditionallyreceivedhasplayedarole.ThissentimentwascapturedbyChrisTaylor,CuratorofFishesandCrustaceansatthePrairieResearchInstituteoftheIllinoisNaturalHistorySurvey,whowrote,“I'mnotawareofanyHUC-wideextirpationsofcrayfishes.ThissituationmayinpartbeduetothepaucityofhistoricalcollectionsofcrayfishesinmanyregionsoftheSoutheastrelativetofishesandmussels(i.e.wemayhavemissedsome).”Wefeelconfidentthaterrorratesinthedatasetforfishesandcrayfishesareminimal,giventhelimitationsoftheavailabledata,althoughfordifferentreasons.Thoughwearecognizantofcrypticbiodiversity,thelargenumberoffieldsamples,relativevigorandmaturityofthefishtaxonomyinthisregion,andtheavailabilityofpublishedreferencesforeachstateenabledustomakeathorough,ifstilllaborious,assessmentofhistoricfishdistributions.Incontrast,thefieldofastacologyisstillcomparativelysmallandwewereabletogathermanyoftheregion’scrayfishexpertstogethertocombineandreviewcollectionswithwhichtheywere,inmostcases,intimatelyfamiliar.Althoughtherehavebeenmanyfewerfieldcollectionsandmanytaxonomicquestionsremain,theattentionandcurationtheteamdonatedestablishesourdatasetasaclearsnapshotofthecurrentstateofcrayfishbiogeography.Wewereunabletoachieveasimilarlevelofconfidenceinthemusseldataset,asevidencedbytheerrorstatisticsrelativetopublishedspecieslists.Althoughthestatecollectionsarelarger
51
formusselsthanforcrayfishes,andthegeoreferencedmuseumcollectionsmuchlarger,theseareapparentlystillrepletewithmisidentifiedspecimensanduncorrectedtaxonomicrevisions.Althoughallourrangemapswerereviewedbyatleastonemalacologist,andtypicallytwoormore,thesesessionswerenotascollaborativeasthecrayfishsessionsduesimplytothefactthatthereviewerswerenotinthesameroom.Wewouldwelcometheopportunitytoreviseandimprovethisdatasetfurther,butthiswasnotfeasiblegiventhetimingofthedatareviewandthemusselpanel’savailabilityduringthefieldseason.Whileweacknowledgethatextirpationsandspuriousmusselrecordsbiasourspeciesrichnessestimatesupwards,wearguethattheoverallprioritizationisstillreasonablesincetheserateswerelowforfishesandcrayfishes,whichtogethermakeup78%oftheoverallspeciescount.Therefore,wedidnotattempttocorrectanyoftheprioritizationscorestoaccountforpotentialerrors,evenforthe11watershedsforwhichweconductedtheerroranalysis.Tocorrectjustthesewatershedswouldhaveintroducedaclearbiasintheresults.
SSOOUUTTHHEEAASSTTEERRNNCCOONNSSEERRVVAATTIIOONNCCAAPPAACCIITTYYAANNAALLYYSSIISSAnimportantfactorinconsideringthepotentialsuccessofconservationinvestmentsistheexistingcapacitywithinawatershed,asindicatedbyactivegovernmentmanagementprograms,NGOmanagementprograms,andexistinginvestments.Thisisnotstraightforwardtoquantify,butasasimpleindicatorwesoughttoidentifythenumberofactiveNGOsineachwatershedintheregion.WequeriedthedatabaseofgroupsontheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency’s“AdoptYourWatershed”pageforgroupsworkingintheSoutheastandfound632differentorganizationsregisteredasfocusingonatleastonewatershedsub-basinintheregion.Onaverage,agrouplistedallorportionsof3.5sub-basinsastheirfocusarea,withthisrangingfrom1sub-basin(395groups)to96sub-basins(AlabamaLandTrust).ThesefocusareasarenotevenlydistributedacrosstheSoutheast(Figure20),withasmanyas32groupsfocusingsomeeffortontheUpperChattahoocheewhile3orfewergroupsfocusonmostofthestateofMississippi(Figure9).Ingeneral,theTennesseeRiversystemisthefocusofmanygroups,althoughnogroupsarefocusedontheLowerElkandPickwickLakeinwesternTennesseeandnorthwesternAlabama.AsshowninTable22,ofthe2,229sub-basinrecordsinthedatabase,842projectobjectives(38%)weredescribedas“Restoration/ConservationProject,”while“WatershedAlliance/Council,”waslistedasanobjectivein697sub-basins(31%)and“EducationProject”waslistedasanobjectivein291sub-basins(13%).
52
Figure20TotalnumberofwatershedgroupsregisteredinEPAdatabase,persub-basin,inAugust2015.Blankareaswithintheprojectregionreflectsub-basinswherenogroupswereregistered.
53
Table22ActivityclassesforprojectobjectivesinEPAdatabaseofwatershedgroups
ActivityCategory #Groups/ProjectsRestoration/ConservationProject 730WatershedAlliance/Council 645Other 308VolunteerMonitoring 223EducationProject/Program 193EducationProject/Program,Restoration/ConservationProject,WatershedAlliance/Council,Other
32
EducationProject/Program,Restoration/ConservationProject 31EducationProject/Program,Restoration/ConservationProject,VolunteerMonitoring
26
EducationProject/Program,Restoration/ConservationProject,VolunteerMonitoring,WatershedAlliance/Council
11
(blank) 11EducationProject/Program,Restoration/ConservationProject,VolunteerMonitoring,Other
3
VolunteerMonitoring,WatershedAlliance/Council 3Restoration/ConservationProject,VolunteerMonitoring 2EducationProject/Program,Restoration/ConservationProject,WatershedAlliance/Council
2
EducationProject/Program,WatershedAlliance/Council 2Restoration/ConservationProject,other 2EducationProject/Program,VolunteerMonitoring 2EducationProject/Program,Restoration/ConservationProject,VolunteerMonitoring,WatershedAlliance/Council,Other
1
EducationProject/Program,Restoration/ConservationProject,Other 1Restoration/ConservationProject,WatershedAlliance/Council 1GrandTotal 2229Sincetheaverageageofarecordinthisdatasetwasjustover5.9years,andtheEPAmakesnoattempttokeepthedatabasecurrent,wedecidedtosurveythegroupslistedandassesstheircurrentlevelofactivity.Weconstructedawebsurveythataskedrespondentstoconfirmtheinformationabouttheareaofgeographicfocuslistedinthedatabase.Wewerealsointerestedinabetterassessmentofthecapacityofeachgroup,sowealsoincludedquestionsaboutthenumberoffull-andpart-timeemployees,whetherthegrouphadrecentlyreceivedexternalfunding,andabriefsummaryofcurrentprojects.Finally,weaskedwhetherrespondentscouldrecommendanyothergroupsworkingintheirgeographicareaforustocontact.Ofthe632groupsinthedatabase,453hadlistedacontactemailaddresswhentheyregistered.WeemailedsurveystotheseaddressesonSeptember11,2015andfollowedupwithareminder10dayslater.Wefoundthat175addresseswerenolongercurrent;only39surveyswerecompleted,foraninitialsurveyresponserateof8.4%.Wewereabletofindupdatedcontactemailsviawebsearchesfor109ofthe453,andwere-mailedsurveyinvitationstothoseonDec7,2015.Ofthose,14contactswerenolongercurrentand12surveyswere
54
completed.Inall,tworoundsofsurveysresultedin51responses,afinalresponserateof11.3%.Ofthe51surveysreturned,onegroupisnolongeractiveandallbutnineupdatedeithertheircontactname,email,website,zip,orgeographicfocus.Exactlyhalfofthosewhorespondedtothegeographicfocusquestion(21of42)didnotupdatetheirgeographicfocus.Amongthosewhoconfirmedorupdatedtheirgeographicfocus,theaveragenumberofsub-basinsinthefocusareawas5.9,witharangefrom1to49,aftertwogroupslisted“statewide”forGeorgia(Figure21).
Figure21Totalnumberofwatershedgroupsregistered,persub-basin,amongsurveyrespondents.Blankareasofthemapwithintheprojectareawerenotassociatedwithanygroupthatresponded.
55
Themostcommonactivitylistedbyrespondents(Figure22)was“EducationProject/Program,”by57%ofrespondents,followedby“VolunteerMonitoring”(49%)and“Restoration/ConservationProject”(35%).
Figure22-Frequencyofgrouporprojectobjectivesontheresponsesof51watershedgroupscompletingsurveys.(Respondentswereallowedtoselectmorethanoneresponse.)
Onaverage,groupsreported3.7full-timeemployees,1.2part-timeemployees,and156volunteers.Twentyoftherespondents(39%)listedatleastoneexternallyfundedprojectwithabudgetexceeding$2000since2005.
CapacityConclusionsWhilewehadhopedthattheEPAdatabasewouldprovidearobustfoundationforaregionalanalysisofconservationcapacity,thiswasnotthecase.Perhapsduetotheageoftherecords,oursurveyreturnratewaslowandtheresultingupdateddatasetof50activeorganizationswasinsufficientforaregionalanalysis.Notably,theorganizationprioritiesexpressedbytherespondentsemphasizedmarkedlydifferentactivities,withalmost44%morerespondentsnamingeducationalactivities,althoughtheoverallproportionreportingrestorationorconservationprojectswasfairlyconsistent(35%vs.38%).Wesuspectthattheresponseswerebiasedtowardactive,well-fundedorganizations,giventhattheyaveragedalmost4FTEsandhadsubstantialsuccessobtainingoutsidefunding.Evenamongthisgroup,however,thespatialdataintheEPAdatabasewasincorrecthalfofthetimeandthelistedcontactinformationwascorrectforonlyoneinfive.Whilewearereluctanttoextrapolatefromthecorrectionssuppliedfor11%ofthedataset,itisclearthattheonlyasmallsubsetofthegroupsactiveintheSoutheastaresufficientlymaturetohaveatransitionplanforreceivingexternal
56
communicationsasleadershipchangesandthatthespatialinformationintheEPA’sdatabaseissomewhatunreliable,whetherasaresultoferrorsatregistrationorchangesingroup’sinterestareaovertime.
WWHHAATTDDOOEESSCCOONNSSEERRVVAATTIIOONNCCOOSSTT??Onereasontoprioritizeriverbasinsistobeabletoconcentrateconservationinvestmentsinafewlocationsinordertohavedemonstrableimpacts,ratherthanspreadingdollarsthinlyacrossabroadlandscape.Buthowmuchisenough?Whatdoes,say,$10millioninfundingachieve?Thisisanexceedinglydifficultquestiontoanswerduetofundamentaldifferencesamongspecies,disparitiesinlandprices,indirectbenefits,andthedifficultyindetectingpopulationtrends(manypopulationsnaturallyhavelargeyear-to-yearfluctuationsthatcanmaskrecovery)todeterminewhetheraprojectwassuccessful.Perhapsinthecaseofaverynarrowlydistributedendemic—suchasaspeciesconfinedtoasingleheadwaterslocation—wecanfeasiblyestimatethecostoflandmanagement,acquisition,orconservationeasements.Butwhatisthebenefitofacompellingvideothatiswidelyviewedandresultsinchangestopublicattitudestowardconservation?Ultimatelythiscouldbethebestinvestmentofall,butquantifyingthebenefitprospectivelyisnearlyimpossible.Nevertheless,wehavegoodindividualprojectstoevaluateandbyexaminingoneofthesemulti-faceted,long-termconservationcampaignswecanprovideaballparkestimateofthecostofconservingasuiteofspecies.Fortenyears,theNatureConservancyanditspartnershaveconcentratedtheireffortsintheEtowahBasinwithinasinglesub-watershed:RaccoonCreek.RaccoonCreekistheonlytributaryoftheLowerEtowahwithaknownpopulationoffederallyendangeredEtowahdarters(Etheostomaetowahae).ItalsosupportsthelargestpopulationoftheLowerESU(evolutionarilysignificantunit)ofCherokeedarters(Etheostomascotti).Atleast41otherfishspeciesoccurinthesub-watershed.MuchofRaccoonCreekiscoveredinsecondaryforest,withrelativelysmallamountsofurban/suburbandevelopmentandagriculture.Since2005TheNatureConservancy(TNC)hasworkedwithUSFishandWildlifeService(FWS),GeorgiaDepartmentofNaturalResources(DNR)andPauldingCountytoacquirecriticaltractsoflandthroughouttheupperRaccoonCreekwatershed.RaccoonCreekwasidentifiedbyTNCandFWSasapriorityareabasedonthelocalpopulationsofimperiledCherokeeandEtowahdartersandtheassociatedhighlyendemicfishfaunaandbecausethewatershedsupportsthelargestremnantlongleafpinepopulationinnorthwestGeorgia.Alargeportionofthefundingcamefroma$15millionbondpassedbyPauldingCountyin2006for“preservationofopenspace,wildlifehabitatandrecreationalareas.”Countyfundinghasfrequentlyservedasmatchforstatelandacquisitionfunds;mostnotably,theyjointlypurchasedthe6,500-acrePauldingForestWildlifeManagementAreain2008.ThistractcoversmuchoftheRaccoonCreekheadwaters.In2013TNC,FWSandDNRpurchased2,400acresownedbytheJonesCompany,mostofwhichlaywithinthewatershed.Ofequalimportance,thesamepartnershavealsoconductedmajorrestorationprojectswithin
57
thewatershed.Between2008and2013,TNCreceivedthreePartnersForWildlifeLandscapeScalegrantstorestorea6,441linearfootreachofRaccoonCreekimmediatelydownstreamfromthePauldingCountyWildlifeManagementArea.Thereach,whichwasimpactedbyapowerlinerightofway,wasrestoredintwophasesbetween2010and2013.In2014and2015theUSFWS,DNR,PauldingCounty,locallandowners,theChestatee/ChattahoocheeResourceConservation&Developmentdistrict,andTNCcollaboratedontheremovalofanundersizedsix-barrelculvertthatimpededfishpassagefromRaccoonCreekintoPegamoreCreek,oneofitslargesttributaries.Theculvertwasreplacedwitha32’free-spansteelbridge.MonitoringofEtowahdartersandCherokeedartershasbeenconductedannuallybyBrettAlbanese(DNR)orBillEnsign(KennesawStateUniversity)sincetheinitiationofrestorationactivities,andhasshownthatpopulationsaresteadyorincreasing.High-profilerestorationprojectssuchasthesecancapturetheattentionofboththepublicanddecision-makersbecausetheyrepresentthepossibilityofactualrecoveryandimprovement.Arguably,sucheffortscatalyzeandpavethewayformoreprosaicconservationactivitiessuchaslandpreservation.KatieOwensofTNCestimatedthatconservationspendingwithintheRaccoonCreekwatershedbetween2005and2016totaledapproximately$30million,ofwhichabout90%wasforlandacquisition(personalcommunication,September2016).ShesaidthatTNC’smajorrestorationandpreservationgoalshadbeenachieved,andthesewerelikelytobelastingbecausethestrongpartnershipwithPauldingCountyhadinstitutionalizedaconservationethicwithrespecttoRaccoonCreek.Thedifficultynow,shesaid,wasinsteeringpartnerstootherprioritywatershedsintheUpperEtowah(startingwithSmithwickCreek)inordertoreplicatetheRaccoonCreeksuccess.Inshort,$30millionmaybeareasonablefigureforacomprehensivesuiteofsuccessfulconservationactions—withaheavyfocusonacquisition—resultingingoodprobabilityofthelong-termhealthofa35,100-acrewatershed.However,RaccoonCreekisjustoneofseveralhigh-qualitytributariesthatwouldrequiresimilarinvestmentstomorebroadlyprotecttheaquaticfaunaoftheEtowah,sotodeclaresuccessinthebasinasawholemightrequireseveraltimesthisamount.(Forcomparison,theGeorgiaConservancyestimatesthat$150million,dividedequallybetweenstate,federal,andprivatesources,willberequiredtoadequatelyprotectGopherTortoisehabitatinthestateofGeorgia,amulti-speciesconservationproblemanalogoustothatofconservingawatershedbecauseofthecomplexroleoftortoisesintheirhabitat.)Thecostelsewheremightbesomewhatlower,astheEtowahsitsontheouterfringesofAtlantaanditspropertyvaluesarehigherthanmanyotherprioritybasins.Butthisisareasonablestartingpointforthecostofacomprehensive,multi-speciesconservationeffort.Thatsaid,ineverybasintherewillbeopportunitiesforprojectsthatrepresentlow-hangingfruitthatwillmeaningfullyreducepressureonat-riskspecies.Oneexamplewouldberemovalofabarrierblockingacriticalmigrationpathorrestorationofacriticalspawninglocationthatcouldhavebenefitsoutofproportiontothelowcost.Thiscouldbeaparticularlyripeareagiventheincreasingattentionandsupportbeinggivenatthefederalandstateleveltotheremovalofsmaller,outdateddams.Theeffortsofmultipleactors,includingoftheSoutheastAquaticResourcesPartnership,TNC,theSouthAtlanticLandscapeConservationCooperative,
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andAmericanRiverstoidentifyandprioritizebarriersforremovalaswellasbuildcapacityforremovalteamsintheSoutheastarehelpingtocreateabiggerpictureonbarrierremoval.AnothermodelisthesuccessfulimplementationoflandownerincentivesfortheplantingofherbaceousandvegetativebuffersintheElkRiverwatershedofTennessee.TheElkRiverproject,acoordinatedeffortofTennesseeWildlifeResourcesAgency(TWRA),theTennesseeValleyAuthority(TVA),theNationalFishandWildlifeFoundation(NFWF),theNaturalResourcesConservationService(NRCS),TNC,andotherpartners,encourageslandownerstoparticipateinstreamrestoration.TheprojectsupplementsthepaymentsalreadyavailablethroughNRCSinanareawherehighcommodityprocesshadmadebufferimplementationunattractive.Thisresultedinincreasedadoptionratesandimprovedwaterqualityalonga26-milestretchofriverintheMiddleTennesseeRiverwatershedatopthebiologicallydiverseCumberlandPlateau.Theprojectachievedalmost200acresofbufferplantingintreesornativewarm-seasongrassesatacostofjustover$315,000andisagoodexampleofhowsuccesscanbehad,evenatlowerprices.Asmentionedabove,suchactivitiescanalsoserveasstartingpointsforbroader,multi-prongedcampaignsbyshowingearlysuccesses,generatingexcitement,cementingpartnerships,andopeningthedoortootherfundingsources.
CCOONNCCLLUUSSIIOONNSSSoutheasternaquaticecosystemsarethemostimperiledinNorthAmericaandurgentlyinneedofincreasedconservationactivity.Thedollarfiguresdescribedinthissectionmaysoundhighatfirst,butcomparedtoconservationspendingelsewhereintheUS,theyarequitemodest.Forexample,BonnevillePowerAdministration(BPA),whichmanagesreservoirsintheColumbiaRiverBasin,spends$252milliononsalmonrecoveryeachyear.Watershedrestorationthatoccursinthisbasinoccurswithinacomplexregulatoryandlegalframeworkthatincreasescostsdramatically.Thisshouldbeacautionaryexampleforotherregionsofthecountrytotakenoticeofaquaticspeciesconservation,beforeendangerment.Combinedwithcostsduetoalteredoperationstobenefitsalmon,BPAspendsnearly20%ofitsbudgetmanagingforsalmon.ThegoodnewsisthatmostoftheimperiledspeciesoftheSoutheastareeasiertomanagethansalmon,whichhavecomplexlifecyclesandundergolongmigrations.Manyofourspeciesareimperiledduetosmallrangesize,whichmeansthatconservationbenefitscanbeobtainedforrelativelylittlespending.However,eventhoughtherearescoresofsoutheasternaquaticspeciesthatarelegallyprotectedundertheESA,hundredsmoreareimperiledandhavebeenpetitionedforformalprotection.Wehavealreadymovedbeyondtheproverbial“ounceofprevention,”sincemuchhasbeenlostinthesestreamsandriversthoughcenturiesofmisuseandneglect,yetanoutstandinglevelofbiodiversitystillremains.Butthepricetagformaintainingthisbiodiversitywillbemuchhigherinthefuture.Thetimetoinvestisnow.
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75
AAPPPPEENNDDIIXXII::FFIISSHH,,CCRRAAYYFFIISSHH,,AANNDDMMUUSSSSEELLMMAAPPSSThemapsinthissectionduplicatetheinsetmapsfromtheresultssectionatalargersize,forbetteron-screenviewing.Digitalversionswillbeavailableatwww.southeastfreshwater.org
75
AAPPPPEENNDDIIXXIIII..NNAAMMEESSOOFFHHUUCC--88SSUUBB--BBAASSIINNSSIINNTTHHEESSOOUUTTHHEEAASSTTThemapsinthissectionshowthe270HUC-8Sub-basinsintheprojectarea,withnames.HUCboundariesandnamesdatadrawnfromtheUSGSNationalWatershedBoundaryDataset(http://nhd.usgs.gov/wbd.html).ColorsreflectHUC-2andshadingreflectsHUC-4boundaries.
Upper
Yadkin
SouthFork
CatawbaUpper Little
Tennessee
Tuckasegee UpperCatawba
UpperCatawba
Watauga, NorthCarolina, Tennessee
Uppe
r Fren
chBr
oad
Pigeon
Nolichucky
Lower LittleTennessee
UpperNew
TygerEnoree
Congaree
UpperConecuh
Middle
Coosa
Lowe
rCo
osa Middle
Tallap
oosa
LowerTallapoosaUpper
Alabama
Cahaba
MiddleAlabama
Luxapal
lilaSip
sey
Mulberry
SipseyFork
Locust
Upper B lackWarrior
Lowe
r Blac
kWa
rrior
Middle Tombigbee-Chickasaw
WheelerLakeBear
Midd
leCh
attah
ooch
ee-La
keHa
rding
Middle Chattahoochee-
Walter F
Upper
Tallapoosa
Middle Tombigbee-Lubbub
Noxubee
PickwickLake
Gunters
ville
Lake
Lowe
rElk
South ForkEdisto
SalkehatchieBroad-St.Helena
Stevens
Tugaloo
UpperSavannah
MiddleSavannah
LowerCatawba
UpperBroad
Saluda
Seneca
Upper Cumberland-Cordell Hull Reservoir
Collins
Caney
Lower Cumberland-Old Hickory Lake
Lower Cumberland-Sycamore
StonesHarpeth
Holston
Lower French
BroadWattsBar Lake
LowerClinchEmory
Sequa
tchie
Lower Tennessee-Beech
UpperDuck
LowerDuckBuffalo
South
Fork
Obion
North ForkForked Deer
UpperElk
South
Fork
Cumb
erlan
d
Obey
LowerCumberland
Red
Kentu
cky
Lake
Obion
UpperClinch
Powell
LowerBroadUpper
Coosa
UpperCumberland
South Fork
HolstonNorth Fork Holston
Middle New
LowerNew
LowerNew
Gauley
Pea
Broad
Little
BrierUpper
Ogeechee
Lower
Ogeechee
Canoochee
Canoochee
UpperOconee
Lower
Oconee
UpperOcmulgee
Lower
OcmulgeeLittle
Ocmulgee AltamahaAltamaha
Ohoopee
Upper
Chattah
oochee
UpperFlint
MiddleFlintKinchafoonee-
Muckalee
Conasau
gaCo
osawatte
e
Oosta
naula
Etowah
OcoeeMiddle
Tennes
see-
Chick
amaug
a Hiwassee
Lower
Savannah
Licking
South Fork
LickingNorth ForkKentucky
Middle Fork
Kentucky
South ForkKentucky
UpperKentucky
LowerKentucky
UpperGreen
Barren
Middle
Green
RoughLowerGreen
Pond
Rock
castl
e
Upper Cumberland-Lake Cumberlan
d
Salt
Roll ingFork
Tradewater
LowerTennessee
Town
Tibbee
UpperTombigbee
Buttah
atchee
Sucarnoochee
UpperHatchie
Wateree
Patsaliga
LowerCatawba
LowerNew
Bayou DeChien-
Mayfield
TownTown
Chunky-Okatibbee
Appendix II: HUC-8 Sub-Watersheds of the Southeast
Deep
UpperCape Fear
Lower
CapeFear
Black NortheastCape Fear
UpperYadkin
SouthYadkin
Lower
YadkinUp
per
Pee De
eRocky
South Fork
Catawba
UpperCatawba
Watauga, NorthCarolina, Tennessee
Uppe
r Fren
chBr
o ad
Nolichucky
Middle
Roanoke
UpperDan Lower
Dan
RoanokeRapids
Chowa
n
MeherrinUpperNew
Lynches
Black
CarolinaCoastal-Sampit
Wateree
TygerEnoree
Congaree
LakeMarion
SanteeCooperSouth Carolina
Coastal
North ForkEdisto
South ForkEdisto FourHole
SwampEdistoRiver
Salkehatchie
Broad-St.Helena
Bulls
Bay
St. HelenaIsland
Stevens
UpperSavannah
MiddleSavannah
Calibogue Sound-
Wright River
LowerPee Dee
LumberLittlePee Dee
Waccamaw
Coastal
Car
olina
Lowe
rCa
tawba
UpperBroad
Saluda
SenecaSeneca
Holston
UpperClinch
LowerBroad
South ForkHolston
Lower
Roanoke
MiddleNeuse
UpperRoanoke
Banister
Nottoway
Blackwater
North Fork Holston
MiddleNew
Greenbr
ierLowerNew
Gauley
Broad
Little
BrierUpper
Ogeechee
Lower
Ogeechee
Canoochee
CanoocheeAltamaha
Ohoopee
Lower
Savannah
AlbemarleUpperTar
Fishing
LowerTar
Pamlico
PamlicoSound
Upper
Neuse Contentnea
LowerNeuse
White OakRiver
NewRiver
Haw
Appendix II: HUC-8 Sub-Watersheds of the Southeast
WattsBar Lake
WattsBar Lake Deep
Upper
Cape FearLower
Cape FearBlack
SouthYadkin
LowerYadkin
Upper
PeeDe
e
Rocky
South ForkCatawbaUpper Little
Tennessee
Tuckasegee
UpperCatawba
Uppe
rCa
tawba
Upper
French
Broad
PigeonLower LittleTennessee
Lynches
Black
CarolinaCoastal-Sampit
Wateree
TygerEnoree
Congaree
LakeMarion
SanteeCooper
Uppe
rCh
octaw
hatch
ee
UpperConecuh
MiddleCoosa
MiddleCoosa
MiddleTallapoosa
Lowe
rTa
llapo
osa
Midd
leCh
attah
ooch
ee-La
keHa
rding
Midd
leCh
attaho
ochee-
Walter
F
Upper
Tallapo
osaGuntersville
Lake
South Carolina
Coastal
North ForkEdisto
South ForkEdisto FourHole
SwampEdistoRiver
SalkehatchieBroad-St.
Helena
Bulls
Bay
St. HelenaIsland
Stevens
Tugaloo
UpperSavannah
MiddleSavannah
Calibogue Sound-Wright River
LowerPee Dee
LumberLittlePee Dee
Waccamaw
Coastal
Car
olina
Lowe
rCa
tawba
UpperBroad
Saluda
Seneca
Collins
Caney WattsBar Lake
Sequa
tchie
LowerBroad
Uppe
rCo
osa
Nassau
Upper St.
Johns
Oklawaha
Lower St.Johns
Daytona-St.
AugustineCrys
tal-
Pithlacha
scote
e
Withlacoochee
Wacca
sassa
Econfina-
Steinhatchee
LowerSuwannee
Santa Fe
LowerOchlockonee
Apala
chico
la
New
ApalachicolaBay
St.Andrew-St.
Joseph BaysChipola
Pea
Lowe
rCh
octaw
hatch
ee
LowerChattahoochee
St.Marys
Aucilla
UpperSuwannee
Alapaha
Withlacoochee
Apala
chee Ba
y-St.
Marks
Broad
Little
BrierUpper
OgeecheeLower
Ogeechee
Canoochee
Ogeec
heeCo
astal
UpperOconee
LowerOconee
UpperOcmulgee
LowerOcmulgee
Little
Ocmulgee
Altamaha
Ohoopee
Satilla
LittleSatilla
Little
Uppe
rOchl
ocko
nee
Upper
Chattah
oochee
UpperFlint
MiddleFlint
Kinchafoonee-
Muckalee
Lower
Flint
Ichaw
ayno
chaw
ay
S prin
gCona
sauga
Coosa
wattee
Oosta
naula
Etowah
Ocoee
Middle Tennessee-Chickamauga
Cumb
erlan
d-St.
Simon
s
Hiwassee
Lower
Savannah
UpperNeuseHaw
Appendix III: HUC-8 Sub-Watersheds
Lower LittleTennessee
PerdidoBay
Upper
Choctaw
hatch
ee
Upper C
onecuh
Patsa
liga
Sepu
lga
LowerConecuh
Middle
Coosa
Lowe
rCo
osa Mid dle
Tallap
oosa
LowerTallapoosaUpper
Alabama
Cahaba
MiddleAlabama
Lower
Alabam
aLuxa
pallila
Sipse
yMulberry
SipseyFork
Locust
Upper B lackWarrior
Lowe
r Blac
kWa
rrior
Middle Tom
bigbee-
Chickasaw
Lowe
rTo
mbigb
eeMo
bile-
Tensa
wMobileBay
WheelerLakeBear
Perdido
Midd
leCh
attah
ooch
ee-La
keHa
rding
Midd
leCh
attaho
ochee-
Walter
F
Upper
Tallapoosa
Middle Tombigbee-LubbubNoxubee
Upper
Chickasawhay
PickwickLake
Gunters
ville
Lake
Lowe
rElk
Upper Cumberland-Cordell Hull Reservoir
Collins
Caney
Lower Cumberland-Old Hickory Lake
Lower Cumberland-Sycamore
StonesHarpeth Watts
Bar Lake
LowerClinch
Emory
Sequa
tchie
Lower Tennessee-Beech
UpperDuck
LowerDuck
Buffalo
South ForkObionNorth ForkForked Deer
South Fork Forked Deer
ForkedDeer
Loosahatchie UpperElk
South
Fork
Cumb
erlan
d
Obey
LowerCumberland
Red
Kentu
cky
LakeObion
LowerHatchie
Horn Lake-Nonconnah
Lowe
r Miss
issipp
i-Me
mphis
UpperCoosa
Lower Mississippi-Helena
Tangipahoa
LowerLeaf
Yocona
LowerOchlockonee
Apalachicola
New
ApalachicolaBay
St. Andrew-St.
Joseph Bays
ChoctawhatcheeBayPensacola
Bay
Chipola
Yellow
Blackwate
r
Pea
Lower
Choct
awhatchee
Escambia
LowerChattahoochee
UpperOcmulgee
Uppe
rFli
nt
MiddleFlint
Lowe
rFli
ntIch
away
noch
away
S prin
g
Conasau
gaCo
osawatte
e
Oosta
naula
Etowah
OcoeeMiddle
Tennes
see-
Chick
amaug
a Hiwassee
UpperGreen
Upper Green
Barren
MiddleGreen
PondUpper Cumberland-
Lake CumberlandTradewater
LowerTennesseeBayou De Chien-
Mayfield
Lower Mississippi-Baton Rouge
Tickfaw
LakeMaurepas
Lower Mississippi-New Orleans
Liberty Bayou-
Tchefuncta
LakePontchartrain
Eastern LouisianaCoastal
BogueChitto
Lower
Yazoo
Deer-Steele
Lower Mississippi-Natchez
Bayou Sara-Thompson
Amite
Lower Mississippi-Greenville
Town
Tibbee
Chunky-
Okatibbe
e
UpperLeaf
Pascagoula
Black
UpperPearl
Middle
Pearl
-Str
ong
Middle Pearl-
Silver
LittleTallahatchie
Tallahatchie
Coldwater
Yalobusha
UpperYazoo
BigSu
nflow
er
Upper
Big
Bla
ck
Lower Big
Black
BayouPierre
ColesCreek
Homochitto
Buffalo
Uppe
rTo
mbigb
eeBu
ttahatch
ee
Sucarnoochee
Lower
Chickasawhay
Esca
tawpa
MississippiCoastal
LowerPearl
Uppe
rHa
tchie
Wolf
LowerCumberland
Lower Ochlockonee
MiddleFlint
UpperGreen
Appendix III: HUC-8 Sub-Watersheds