Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe’s Physical Habitat/ Bioassessment Program on the Lower Truckee River Daniel Mosley Environmental Specialist Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe

Map

Lower Truckee River within the Lower Truckee River within the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian Reservation

Wet/ Dry Trends

Sensitive Taxa Cui-ui Cui-ui (Chasmistes cujus) Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (Clarki henshawi) (Clarki henshawi)

Tolerant Taxa

2002 Analysis

PLPT BA Program n 15 years of data collected over a span of 20 years, n 2 collection methods –Surber sampler (1981 to 1999) –1 meter Kicknet (2 years, ) –10 x18 inch Kicknet(2001 to present) –Differing number of replicates each year n 3 counting/identification methods –Estimated counts (2 years, 1992 & 1993) –Presence/Absence (2 years, 1994 & 1995) –Total counts 1981, 1996 to present)

Metric Selection n EDAS calculates ~70 metrics n To narrow focus on the most robust metrics, Tetra Tech decided to concentrate on those metrics that were identified from peer reviewed literature –14 metrics –Chapter 7, Table 7-1 n

RBP Recommended Metrics

The PLPT Biological Index consists of 4 core metrics: Taxonomic Richness Percent EPT Individuals Percent Tolerant Individuals Percent Dominant Taxon

Approx. Upstream Distance (miles) from MBD Station ID YearAverage * 22.5I WB AH FJR SS NW DO *51.5 8CN * ND LNX * NB NIX *56.1 0MBD Average *Only 2 of 6 sites for 2001 had been processed and ready for this analysis. BOLD sites are sites that will be part of the future sampling scheme Excellent69-60Good49-40Poor79-70 Very Good 59-50Fair39-0 Very Poor PLPT Biological Index Score and Narrative Rating PLPT Biological Index

Recommendations n Use a standard effort for collections –Equipment (Surber) –Replicates (3 reps) n Use a standard effort for identification –Total Counts or a standard subsample size n Having a standard number of organisms (e.g., 200 or 300) would allow for other types of analyses (e.g., RIVPACS) n Collect and record non-biological data –Physical Habitat assessments –Water Chemistry n Even just simple parameters would be good –pH, DO, Conductivity, & Temperature

Additional Analyses on the Truckee River - Nevada n BMI biological index development: Tetra Tech - Baltimore, MD (Michael Barbour, Eric Leppo) n Fish biological index development: Oregon State U. (Dr. Robert Hughes, and Thomas Whittier/ Gregg Lomnicky, Dynamac Corporation). n An algae IBI was developed by Desert Research Institute – Reno (Dr. Chris Fritzen and Clint Davis) n Habitat Index development: Tetra Tech - Baltimore, MD (Michael Barbour, Eric Leppo)

Physical Habitat/ Bioassessment Sampling Sites n Interstate 80 (I80) n Big Bend (BB) n Wadsworth Bridge (WB) n Abandoned House (AH) n S bar S Ranch (SS) n Dead Ox (DO) n Canyon (CN) n Little Nixon (LNX) n Nixon Bridge (NB) n Lower Nixon (NIX) n Marble Bluff Dam (MBD)

LTR Biotic index

Physical Habitat ≥ 90% = Comparable to reference 75-88% = Supporting 60-73% = Partially Supporting ≤ 58% = Non-supporting