Middle Fork ProjectMiddle Fork ProjectTERR 6 - Special-Status BatTERR 6 - Special-Status BatTechnical Study Plan Report Technical Study Plan Report

Overview Overview

March 3, 2008March 3, 2008

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Study ObjectivesStudy Objectives Document special-status bats and Document special-status bats and

roosts at existing Project facilities, roosts at existing Project facilities, features, and recreation featuresfeatures, and recreation features

Document special-status bats and Document special-status bats and roosts at potential Project roosts at potential Project bettermentsbetterments

Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii )

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TERR 6 – Special-Status Bats Study Objectives and TERR 6 – Special-Status Bats Study Objectives and RelatedRelated

Conduct Facility Assessment Develop Preliminary Map of Known Occurrences

Visual Roost Surveys

Handheld Acoustic Sampling

InfraredVideo

Conduct Reproductive Surveys

Identify Facilities Not Providing Bat Access or Potential Habitat

Conduct Seasonal Habitat Use Surveys

Stationary Acoustic Sampling

Mist Net Sampling

Select Survey Locations and Methods

Document Special-Status Bat Seasonal Habitat Use in the Study Area

Document Special-Status Bat Occurrences in the Study Area

Identify Facilities Supporting Bats

Identify Facilities Potentially Supporting

Bats

Document Special-Status Bats and Roosts

Develop Final Map of Known Occurrences

TERR 6 – Special-Status Bats Technical Study Report – 2008

Study Elements and Study Elements and ReportsReports

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Conducted Facility AssessmentConducted Facility Assessment

Supporting batsSupporting bats Potentially Potentially

supporting batssupporting bats Not providing bat Not providing bat

access or potential access or potential habitathabitat

French Meadows Powerhouse – Sign of extensive roosting activity in alcoves

Identified Identified ProjectProjectFacilities or Facilities or Features:Features:

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Selected Focused Survey Selected Focused Survey LocationsLocations

and Site-Specific Methodsand Site-Specific MethodsDuring Terrestrial TWG Conference CallDuring Terrestrial TWG Conference Call(August 13, 2007)(August 13, 2007) Reviewed Facility Assessment ResultsReviewed Facility Assessment Results Refined Scope of TSP Refined Scope of TSP Selected Survey Locations and Site-Specific Methods Selected Survey Locations and Site-Specific Methods

for:for: Reproductive SurveysReproductive Surveys Seasonal Habitat Use SurveysSeasonal Habitat Use Surveys

Western Red Bat (Lasiurus blossevillii )

Twelve Reproductive Survey Locations

Nine Seasonal Habitat Use Survey Locations

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Reproductive SurveysReproductive Surveys Conducted at:Conducted at:

Facilities where bat roosts or sign were identifiedFacilities where bat roosts or sign were identified Facilities determined to be suitable for bat use, Facilities determined to be suitable for bat use,

but presence was not determined during Facility but presence was not determined during Facility AssessmentAssessment

Implemented August and September 2007Implemented August and September 2007 Consisted of one or more of the following site-Consisted of one or more of the following site-

specific methods:specific methods: Visual RoostVisual Roost Handheld AcousticHandheld Acoustic Infrared VideoInfrared Video

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Seasonal Habitat Use SurveysSeasonal Habitat Use Surveys Spatially distributed across elevation range of Spatially distributed across elevation range of

study area at reservoirs, diversion pools, and study area at reservoirs, diversion pools, and potential Project bettermentspotential Project betterments

Focused in potential flight paths near foraging Focused in potential flight paths near foraging habitat or commuting corridorshabitat or commuting corridors

Implemented August through October 2007Implemented August through October 2007 Consisted of one or more of the following site-Consisted of one or more of the following site-

specific methods:specific methods: Mist nettingMist netting Stationary AcousticStationary Acoustic

– 5-Night 5-Night – Long-TermLong-Term

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Survey ResultsSurvey Results

No special-status bat roosts identified in No special-status bat roosts identified in Project facilities or featuresProject facilities or features

Three special-status bats detected during Three special-status bats detected during acoustic samplingacoustic sampling:: Pallid batPallid bat

Townsend’s big-eared batTownsend’s big-eared bat

Western red batWestern red bat

Special-status bat activity was Special-status bat activity was concentrated in Augustconcentrated in August

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Bat Roosts Identified In Study Bat Roosts Identified In Study AreaAreaReproductive Surveys

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Five-Night Acoustic Seasonal Five-Night Acoustic Seasonal Habitat Use Survey ResultsHabitat Use Survey Results

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Five-Night Acoustic Seasonal Five-Night Acoustic Seasonal Habitat Use Survey Results Habitat Use Survey Results

(cont.)(cont.)

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Surveys were conducted at 4 Project facilitiesSurveys were conducted at 4 Project facilities Peak detections in AugustPeak detections in August Between 9 and 15 bat species were detected at each Between 9 and 15 bat species were detected at each

sampling locationsampling location Of these, 3 were special-status species:Of these, 3 were special-status species:

Pallid batPallid bat Townsend’s big-eared batTownsend’s big-eared bat Western red batWestern red bat

Total common bat passes: 44,029

Total special-status bat species passes: 74

Long-Term Acoustic SurveysLong-Term Acoustic Surveys

Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus)

0.17% of passes were special-status bats

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Special-Status Bat DetectionsSpecial-Status Bat Detections