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Middle Fork Project TERR 6 - Special-Status Bat Technical Study Plan Report Overview. March 3, 2008. Study Objectives. Document special-status bats and roosts at existing Project facilities, features, and recreation features
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Middle Fork ProjectTERR 6 - Special-Status BatTechnical Study Plan Report Overview March 3, 2008
Study Objectives • Document special-status bats and roosts at existing Project facilities, features, and recreation features • Document special-status bats and roosts at potential Project betterments Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii )
TERR 6 – Special-Status Bats Study Objectives and Related Document Special-Status Bats and Roosts Develop Preliminary Map of Known Occurrences Conduct Facility Assessment Identify Facilities Supporting Bats Identify Facilities Potentially Supporting Bats Identify Facilities Not Providing Bat Access or Potential Habitat Select Survey Locations and Methods Conduct Reproductive Surveys Conduct Seasonal Habitat Use Surveys Visual Roost Surveys Handheld Acoustic Sampling Infrared Video Mist Net Sampling Stationary Acoustic Sampling Document Special-Status Bat Occurrences in the Study Area Document Special-Status Bat Seasonal Habitat Use in the Study Area Develop Final Map of Known Occurrences TERR 6 – Special-Status Bats Technical Study Report – 2008 Study Elements and Reports
Conducted Facility Assessment Identified ProjectFacilities or Features: • Supporting bats • Potentially supporting bats • Not providing bat access or potential habitat French Meadows Powerhouse – Sign of extensive roosting activity in alcoves
Selected Focused Survey Locationsand Site-Specific Methods During Terrestrial TWG Conference Call (August 13, 2007) • Reviewed Facility Assessment Results • Refined Scope of TSP • Selected Survey Locations and Site-Specific Methods for: • Reproductive Surveys • Seasonal Habitat Use Surveys Twelve Reproductive Survey Locations Nine Seasonal Habitat Use Survey Locations Western Red Bat (Lasiurus blossevillii )
Reproductive Surveys • Conducted at: • Facilities where bat roosts or sign were identified • Facilities determined to be suitable for bat use, but presence was not determined during Facility Assessment • Implemented August and September 2007 • Consisted of one or more of the following site-specific methods: • Visual Roost • Handheld Acoustic • Infrared Video
Seasonal Habitat Use Surveys • Spatially distributed across elevation range of study area at reservoirs, diversion pools, and potential Project betterments • Focused in potential flight paths near foraging habitat or commuting corridors • Implemented August through October 2007 • Consisted of one or more of the following site-specific methods: • Mist netting • Stationary Acoustic • 5-Night • Long-Term
Survey Results • No special-status bat roosts identified in Project facilities or features • Three special-status bats detected during acoustic sampling: • Pallid bat • Townsend’s big-eared bat • Western red bat • Special-status bat activity was concentrated in August
Bat Roosts Identified In Study Area Reproductive Surveys
Five-Night Acoustic Seasonal Habitat Use Survey Results (cont.)
Long-Term Acoustic Surveys • Surveys were conducted at 4 Project facilities • Peak detections in August • Between 9 and 15 bat species were detected at each sampling location • Of these, 3 were special-status species: • Pallid bat • Townsend’s big-eared bat • Western red bat Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus) Total common bat passes: 44,029 Total special-status bat species passes: 74 0.17% of passes were special-status bats