WNTI Habitat Assessment Robin Knox – WNTI Coordinator

WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS  Approach 1 - Intermountain Cutthroat Assessment protocol  Approach 2 - WNTI individual species status assessment

WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS  The range-wide assessment for BVCT will include: estimating range that was historically occupied; estimating range that was historically occupied; determining current distribution and identifying specific attributes associated with current distribution; determining current distribution and identifying specific attributes associated with current distribution; identifying the various conservation populations and assessing relative population health identifying the various conservation populations and assessing relative population health

WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS evaluating the potential for further expansion and restoration of conservation populations. evaluating the potential for further expansion and restoration of conservation populations.

WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS  Habitat Components: 1. Use National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) as the base for the effort 2. Use the 1:24,000 scale of NHD as available. Some watershed areas will require using the 1:100,000 scale and an effort will be made to correct the information to the 1:24,000 scale as it becomes available.

WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS  3. Relative quality of occupied habitat a. Excellent habitat quality (e.g., ample pool environment, low sediment levels, optimal temperatures, quality riparian habitat, etc.) b. Good habitat quality (may have some habitat attributes that are slightly less than ideal) c. Fair habitat quality (has a greater number of attributes that are less than ideal) d. Poor habitat quality (most habitat attributes reflect inferior conditions) e. Unknown

WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS  Other Factors considered: Connectedness/barriers Connectedness/barriers Presence/absence of non-natives Presence/absence of non-natives Stocking Stocking Ability to improve habitat Ability to improve habitat Life History attributes Life History attributes Capability for conservation actions Capability for conservation actions Population size Population size Genetics Genetics

WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS Development of potential restoration areas: “A generalized restoration opportunity assessment for each potential restoration stream segment will be done by rating the information.” “A generalized restoration opportunity assessment for each potential restoration stream segment will be done by rating the information.”

WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS  Completed for: Bonneville CT Bonneville CT Colorado River CT Colorado River CT Greenback CT Greenback CT Rio Grande CT Rio Grande CT Yellowstone CT Yellowstone CT Westslope CT (old, new ) Westslope CT (old, new ) Lahontan CT Lahontan CT  Suggested for: Coastal CT Coastal CT Redband Trout Redband Trout  Other systems: Bull trout Bull trout Apache trout Apache trout Gila Trout Gila Trout Paiute Cutthroat Paiute Cutthroat

WNTI HABITAT ASSESSMENTS