Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation PlanCreating a Habitat Conservation Plan Edwards Aquifer Recovery and Implementation Process (EARIP): 2006-2012

Collaborative stakeholder process, balancing endangered species & humanaquifer water needs

Produced framework & ground rules for the establishment of the Edwards AquiferHabitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP)

EAHCP approved in 2012

Incidental Take Permit ITP covering 7 endangered, 1 threatened, and 3 petitioned March 2013 - 2028.

5 entities on permit

San Antonio Water System, City of San Marcos, City of New Braunfels, Texas State University, and Edwards Aquifer Authority

EAHCP COVERED SPECIES

Fountain Darter Comal Springs Riffle Beetle San Marcos Gambusia*

Comal Springs DryopidBeetle

Peck’s Cave Amphipod

Texas Wild-rice*

*All photos except Gambusia and Wild-rice credit of Abbott Nature Photography.

EAHCP COVERED SPECIES

Texas Blind Salamander

San Marcos Salamander Edwards Aquifer Diving Beetle

Comal Springs Salamander

TX Troglobitic Water Slater

All photos except Gambusia and Wild-rice credit of Abbott Nature Photography.

EAHCP REFUGIA PROGRAM

The HCP defines a refugium as:

A population of a Covered Species, housed at a

series of aquatic facilities, for the purpose of

reintroduction of the Covered Species into the

Comal or San Marcos systems, in the event the

Covered Species go extinct in their native habitat.

Edwards Aquifer HCP Refugia In 2017, the EAA entered into a contract with USFWS to provide refugia services through the ITP.

The contract includes budget for collections, husbandry, propagation, infrastructure improvements, and research for two off-site refugia.

USFWS SMARC• ~2,500 ft2 main house

and 1,000 ft2

quarantine bldg.

• Construction should be complete late Summer/ early Fall.

• Building remodels

• Project is on FedConnect

• Anticipated completion 12/2018

USFWS UNFH

REFUGIA WILD STOCK

JanuarySu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31

FebruarySu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28

MarchSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31

AprilSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 1516 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 2930

MaySu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 30 31

JuneSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 1011 12 13 14 15 16 1718 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30

JulySu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 1516 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 2930 31

AugustSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

1 2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31

SeptemberSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

1 23 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 30

OctoberSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31

NovemberSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

1 2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30

DecemberSu Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa

1 23 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 3031

USFWS FIELD ACTIVITIES 2017

Texas wild rice Traps for Texas blind salamanders

Invert lures

Peck’s handpick

Driftnets in San Marcos: salamanders & invertsFountain darter

Hand collect salamanders

2017 REFUGIA: FOUNTAIN DARTERSCollected with Dipnets and SCUBA diversSan Marcos River: Upper, Middle, and Lower

Comal River: Upper and Lower

Collected by river section Tillers collected by hand & SCUBA diversGPS coordinates are recorded Seeds collected

2017 REFUGIA: TEXAS WILD-RICE

TEXAS BLIND SALAMANDERSTrapped in wells, caves 1 of 3 collected are retained for

refugia

Drift nets at Spring Lake & locations on the Texas State University campus

Measured & swabbed

Fountain darter

Texas wild rice

Texas blind salamander

San Marcos salamander

Comal Springs salamander

Comal Springs riffle beetle

Texas troglobitic water slater

Peck’s cave amphipod

Comal Springs dryopid beetle

Edwards aquifer diving beetle

0: Little knownTo

5: Documented procedures

5 5 5 4 5

5 5 5 4 5

4 5 2 1 0

3 3 2 2 0

5 4 3 3 0

5 4 2 2 0

5 3 2 2 0

3 2 0 2 0

1 1 0 0 0

1 0 0 0 0

4

REFUGIA RESEARCH Comal Springs Riffle Beetle Life History

Can sex males and females Reproductive Cycle (instars)

Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle Life History Can we differentiate males and females Are larvae aquatic?

o Fecundity, egg incubation, larval growth rates, instars

Peck’s Cave Amphipod Life History Growth rates At what stage can we differentiate from other species? How long do eggs incubate? Fecundity? # molts or size classes before sexually mature?

QUESTIONS?