Middle Fork Project TERR 6 SpecialStatus Bat Technical Study Plan Report Overview

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Middle Fork ProjectTERR 6 - Special-Status
BatTechnical Study Plan Report Overview

• March 3, 2008

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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

Townsends Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus
townsendii )
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TERR 6 Special-Status Bats Study Objectives and
Related
Study Elements and Reports
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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
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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 )
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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

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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

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Survey Results

• No special-status bat roosts identified in
  Project facilities or features
• Three special-status bats detected during
  acoustic sampling
• Pallid bat
• Townsends big-eared bat
• Western red bat
• Special-status bat activity was concentrated in
  August

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Bat Roosts Identified In Study Area
Reproductive Surveys
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Five-Night Acoustic Seasonal Habitat Use Survey
Results
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Five-Night Acoustic Seasonal Habitat Use Survey
Results (cont.)
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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
• Townsends 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
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Special-Status Bat Detections