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11p.; ill.; Caption title; Includes bibliographical references (p.11)
Citation Citation
- Title:
- Upper Klamath basin nutrient-loading study: estimate of wind-induced resuspension of bed sediment during periods of low lake elevation
- Author:
- Laenen, Antonius; LeTourneau, A.P.
- Year:
- 1996, 2006, 2005
11p.; ill.; Caption title; Includes bibliographical references (p.11)
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Range, areas of concentrated activity, and dispersal characteristics for juvenile Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus in the endangered western population (west of 144° W in the Gulf of Alaska) are poorly ...
Citation Citation
- Title:
- Range-use estimation and encounter probability for juvenile Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in the Prince William Sound-Kenai Fjords region of Alaska
- Author:
- Meck, Stephen R.
Range, areas of concentrated activity, and dispersal characteristics for juvenile Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus in the endangered western population (west of 144° W in the Gulf of Alaska) are poorly understood. This study quantified space use by analyzing post-release telemetric tracking data from satellite transmitters externally attached to n = 65 juvenile (12-25 months; 72.5 to 197.6 kg) Steller sea lions (SSLs) captured in Prince William Sound (60°38'N -147°8'W) or Resurrection Bay (60°2'N -149°22'W), Alaska, from 2003-2011. The analysis divided the sample population into 3 separate groups to quantify differences in distribution and movement. These groups included sex, the season when collected, and the release type (free ranging animals which were released immediately at the site of capture, and transient juveniles which were kept in captivity for up to 12 weeks as part of a larger ongoing research program). Range-use was first estimated by using the minimum convex polygon (MCP) approach, and then followed with a probabilistic kernel density estimation (KDE) to evaluate both individual and group utilization distributions (UDs). The LCV method was chosen as the smoothing algorithm for the KDE analysis as it provided biologically meaningful results pertaining to areas of concentrated activity (generally, haulout locations). The average distance traveled by study juveniles was 2,131 ± 424 km. The animals mass at release (F[subscript 1, 63] = 1.17, p = 0.28) and age (F[subscript 1, 63] = 0.033, p = 0.86) were not significant predictors of travel distance. Initial MCP results indicated the total area encompassed by all study SSLs was 92,017 km², excluding land mass. This area was heavily influenced by the only individual that crossed over the 144°W Meridian, the dividing line between the two distinct population segments. Without this individual, the remainder of the population (n = 64) fell into an area of 58,898 km². The MCP area was highly variable, with a geometric average of 1,623.6 km². Only the groups differentiated by season displayed any significant difference in area size, with the Spring/Summer (SS) groups MCP area (Mdn = 869.7 km²) being significantly less than that of the Fall/Winter (FW) group (Mdn = 3,202.2 km²), U = 330, p = 0.012, r = -0.31. This result was not related to the length of time the tag transmitted (H(2) = 49.65, p = 0.527), nor to the number of location fixes (H(2) = 62.77, p = 0.449). The KDE UD was less variable, with 50% of the population within a range of 324-1,387 km2 (mean=690.6 km²). There were no significant differences in area use associated with sex or release type (seasonally adjusted U = 124, p = 0.205, r = -0.16 and U = 87, p = 0.285, r = -0.13, respectively). However, there were significant differences in seasonal area use: U = 328, p = 0.011, r = -0.31. There was no relationship between the UD area and the amount of time the tag remained deployed (H(2) = 45.30, p = 0.698). The kernel home range (defined as 95% of space use) represented about 52.1% of the MCP range use, with areas designated as "core" (areas where the sea lions spent fully 50% of their time) making up only about 6.27% of the entire MCP range and about 11.8% of the entire kernel home range. Area use was relatively limited – at the population level, there were a total of 6 core areas which comprised 479 km². Core areas spanned a distance of less than 200 km from the most western point at the Chiswell Islands (59°35'N -149°36'W) to the most eastern point at Glacier Island (60°54'N -147°6'W). The observed differences in area use between seasons suggest a disparity in how juvenile SSLs utilize space and distribute themselves over the course of the year. Due to their age, this variation is less likely due to reproductive considerations and may reflect localized depletion of prey near preferred haul-out sites and/or changes in predation risk. Currently, management of the endangered western and threatened eastern population segments of the Steller sea lion are largely based on population trends derived from aerial survey counts and terrestrial-based count data. The likelihood of individuals to be detected during aerial surveys, and resulting correction factors to calculate overall population size from counts of hauled-out animals remain unknown. A kernel density estimation (KDE) analysis was performed to delineate boundaries around surveyed haulout locations within Prince William Sound-Kenai Fjords (PWS-KF). To closely approximate the time in which population abundance counts are conducted, only sea lions tracked during the spring/summer (SS) months (May 10-August 10) were chosen (n = 35). A multiple state model was constructed treating the satellite location data, if it fell within a specified spatiotemporal context, as a re-encounter within a mark-recapture framework. Information to determine a dry state was obtained from the tags time-at-depth (TAD) histograms. To generate an overall terrestrial detection probability 1) The animal must have been within a KDE derived core-area that coincided with a surveyed haulout site 2) it must have been dry and 3) it must have provided at least one position during the summer months, from roughly 11:00 AM-5:00 PM AKDT. A total of 10 transition states were selected from the data. Nine states corresponded to specific surveyed land locations, with the 10th, an "at-sea" location (> 3 km from land) included as a proxy for foraging behavior. A MLogit constraint was used to aid interpretation of the multi-modal likelihood surface, and a systematic model selection process employed as outlined by Lebreton & Pradel (2002). At the individual level, the juveniles released in the spring/summer months (n = 35) had 85.3% of the surveyed haulouts within PWS-KF encompass KDE-derived core areas (defined as 50% of space use). There was no difference in the number of surveyed haulouts encompassed by core areas between sexes (F[subscript 1, 33] << 0.001, p = 0.98). For animals held captive for up to 12 weeks, 33.3% returned to the original capture site. The majority of encounter probabilities (p) fell between 0.42 and 0.78 for the selected haulouts within PWS, with the exceptions being Grotto Island and Aialik Cape, which were lower (between 0.00-0.17). The at-sea (foraging) encounter probability was 0.66 (± 1 S.E. range 0.55-0.77). Most dry state probabilities fell between 0.08-0.38, with Glacier Island higher at 0.52, ± 1 S.E. range 0.49-0.55. The combined detection probability for hauled-out animals (the product of at haul-out and dry state probabilities), fell mostly between 0.08-0.28, with a distinct group (which included Grotto Island, Aialik Cape, and Procession Rocks) having values that averaged 0.01, with a cumulative range of ≈ 0.00-0.02 (± 1 S.E.). Due to gaps present within the mark-recapture data, it was not possible to run a goodness-of-fit test to validate model fit. Therefore, actual errors probably slightly exceed the reported standard errors and provide an approximation of uncertainties. Overall, the combined detection probabilities represent an effort to combine satellite location and wet-dry state telemetry and a kernel density analysis to quantify the terrestrial detection probability of a marine mammal within a multistate modeling framework, with the ultimate goal of developing a correction factor to account for haulout behavior at each of the surveyed locations included in the study.
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2863. [Image] The Endangered Species Act and the National Research Council's interim judgment in Klamath Basin
The controversial 2001 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service water allocation decision in the Klamath Basin has been portrayed as an example of scientific guesswork operating under a flawed Endangered Species ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- The Endangered Species Act and the National Research Council's interim judgment in Klamath Basin
- Author:
- Cooperman, Michael S. ; Markle, Douglas F.
- Year:
- 2002, 2005
The controversial 2001 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service water allocation decision in the Klamath Basin has been portrayed as an example of scientific guesswork operating under a flawed Endangered Species Act. This conclusion has been based on an interim National Research Council report, quickly prepared in late fall, 2001. We have reviewed several iterations of the NRC Interim Report as well as all Biological Opinions and management documents related to Klamath Basin suckers and provide an overview. The 2001 Biological Opinion and the Interim Report illustrate the lack of consensus typical of scientists in the early stages of exploring a complex system. Unfortunately, the decision created hardship for a small group of people and the lack of scientific consensus has politicized the debate. Politicians have assumed that the Interim Report has primacy in the scientific debate when, in fact, its speedy construction contributed to multiple errors that detract from its scientific usefulness. The NRC Interim Report has, instead, primarily served to deflect debate away from the needs of listed fishes to one about shortcomings in the Endangered Species Act. Although the process of science has been served by both the 2001 Biological Opinion and the Interim Report, both have shortcomings, and we see no justification for either side labeling the other's decisions or conclusions as "not sound science."
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2864. [Image] Raising Upper Klamath Lake, appraisal study : draft.
Executive Summary This report documents an appraisal-level evaluation of raising Upper Klamath Lake in south-central Oregon. The lake is the State's largest freshwater lake and is a principal storage feature ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Raising Upper Klamath Lake, appraisal study : draft.
- Author:
- U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
- Year:
- 2000, 2008, 2005
Executive Summary This report documents an appraisal-level evaluation of raising Upper Klamath Lake in south-central Oregon. The lake is the State's largest freshwater lake and is a principal storage feature of the Klamath Project. The Klamath Project provides water for irrigating approximately 240,000 acres in the Klamath Basin in south-central Oregon and northern California. The Klamath Project was authorized for construction in 1905, and work began shortly thereafter. In 1921, Link River Dam was constructed at the south end of the lake, near the city of Klamath Falls, to provide regulation of the lake. Background The listing of fish species as threatened or endangered, and the Federal responsibility to protect Tribal trust assets, have placed increasing demands on the limited water supply of the Klamath Project and reduced its flexibility to meet demands. There is an immediate need to increase water supplies and improve the timing of their availability to improve fish and wildlife habitat and water quality. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) began the Klamath Basin Water Supply Initiative (Initiative) in 1996 to identify options for increasing water supplies in the Klamath River Basin. The Initiative is a joint effort partnership of Reclamation, the Klamath River Compact Commission, the California Department of Water Resources, and the Oregon Water Resources Department. The Initiative identified 96 options for increasing water supplies and recommended 44 for further study, including raising Upper Klamath Lake. Options Evaluated The evaluation documented in this report considers increasing the maximum operating level of Upper Klamath Lake by 2 feet by raising Link River Dam. Two options are described: (1) raising existing levees around the lake to contain the lake within its current surface area and (2) allowing the lake to spread and flood adjacent lands. Option 1 constrains the higher water surface elevation to the current shoreline. Modifications would be provided to protect all existing land, roads, and structures surrounding the lake. A 2-foot-high parapet will be constructed on top of the dam to accommodate the higher water level. Major construction activities include: Raising Upper Klamath Lake ? Eight sections of new seawall, totaling 6.6 linear miles ? Modifying 14 sections of existing dikes with roads, totaling 44.3 linear miles ? Modifying 10 sections of existing dikes without roads, totaling 25.2 linear miles ? Two sections of new dikes with roads, totaling 1.9 linear miles ? Three sections of new dikes without roads, totaling 2.7 linear miles ? Armoring two sections of existing dikes, totaling 3.5 linear miles ? Raising one bridge and county and local roads at seven locations, totaling 1.3 miles of roads ? Raising 2.5 miles of a State highway ? Rehabilitating 126 private residences (relocating septic tanks, providing foundation drainage, and landscaping) ? Rehabilitating headworks and intake structures at 10 locations ? Relocating an existing boat dock The estimated cost of Option 1 is $125 million. Option 2 does not protect structures and property, but, instead, allows the lake to spread beyond the current shoreline and flood adjacent lands. Existing dikes will be breached, and existing roads that would otherwise be inundated will be raised. Either existing headworks and water intakes at various locations will be retrofitted for the higher water surface elevation, or the associated facility will be purchased. Link River Dam will be modified as in Option 1. Major construction activities include: ? Breaching (every % mile) 14 sections of existing dikes with roads, totaling 44.3 linear miles of dikes ? Breaching 10 sections of existing dikes without roads, totaling 25.3 linear miles of dikes ? Armoring 3.0 linear miles of an existing dike ? Raising one bridge and county and local roads at three locations, totaling 0.6 mile of roads Executive Summary ? Raising 2.5 miles of an existing State highway ? Rehabilitating headworks and intake structures at nine locations ? Relocating an existing boat dock The estimated cost of Option 2 is $129 million, including $113 million for the acquisition of private land and structures. Raising Upper Klamath Lake 2 feet will increase storage by approximately 170,000 acre-feet, or about 25 percent. Winter floodflows, which are presently spilled to the Klamath River and not available for project use, will be stored and made available to help meet water needs for endangered species, Tribal trust resources, agricultural contractors, and national wildlife refuges. Future operation of the enlarged lake will be contingent upon acquisition of appropriate rights to divert and store additional water in the lake and may require filing an application for the appropriation of additional water with the Oregon Water Resource Department. Costs associated with implementing either Option 1 or Option 2 are significant. In addition, implementing either option will have both positive and negative impacts on the natural and human environment. Recommendations Several engineering studies are recommended. These include: ? Estimating quantities, properties, and availability of embankment and riprap materials, and identifying their locations (quaries) ? Constructing a modified dike test section to assess construction methodology and performance of rockfill protection ? Using detailed aerial topography (maximum 1-foot contours) of the Upper Klamath Lake shoreline to better define existing features and required improvements ? Conducting a comprehensive survey of all shoreline structures to provide a better estimate of the work required and associated costs ? Inspecting existing dam gates and concrete bulk heads to determine if additional modifications are required for the higher reservoir water surface ? S-3 Raising Upper Klamath Lake ? Developing site-specific, cost-effective alternatives to the proposed shore protection features ? Identifying and securing suitable rights-of-way Recreation facilities need to be analyzed in more detail to determine impacts and associated protection, relocation, and modification costs. A user survey and appropriate mapping of all recreational facilities has been initiated to determine existing recreation use levels and assist in the analysis of potential impacts. A detailed hydrology study demonstrating that unappropriated water is available to fill the additional storage in Upper Klamath Lake is recommended. Better descriptions of area-elevation-capacity relationships and evaporation and transpiration losses will also be needed. The following environmental studies are recommended: ? Develop detailed topographic information for the entire lake and surrounding area to predict the extent of flooding and potential vegetation changes ? Develop topographic mapping in 1-foot increments to predict effects on wetland vegetation ? Determine potential streamflow changes below Link River Dam and potential benefits to threatened and endangered fishes ? Determine impacts to upland areas that would be inundated by the higher reservoir water surface elevations. The following economic studies are recommended: ? Determine all costs (e.g., planning, design, construction, mitigation, and operation, maintenance, and replacement) ? Determine benefit/cost Early development and implementation of a public involvement plan will be essential to a feasibility study. Various studies to identify and analyze social impacts and impacts to environmental justice, Tribal trust, and cultural resources are recommended. Opportunities to avoid or lessen adverse impacts will also need to be identified. S-4
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2865. [Image] Martha
Maria Schwalb, too, had many an opportunity during the long summer, to show her housewife accomplishments. Nor was she unassisted by her humbler sister in these duties. The arrangements for entertaining ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Martha
Maria Schwalb, too, had many an opportunity during the long summer, to show her housewife accomplishments. Nor was she unassisted by her humbler sister in these duties. The arrangements for entertaining the crowds that came were in the hands of the central committee. This committee assigned travellers to the different hotels and homes. Lodgings cost from $1.00 to $2.50 per day according to location. The meals cost as much more. Here let one (Mrs. Elizabeth Hayhurst of Portland) who witnessed the portrayal of this great play in 1922 tell us some of her observations and experiences. "We left Munich Saturday afternoon on one of the many special trains for Oberammergau which is about a two hour journey by fast train. We went through a picturesque country, whose fir-clad hills reminded us very strongly of Oregon, while the numerous blue lakes and chalet-like houses partook of the characteristics of Switzerland. Soon we were in sight of the lovely Bavarian Alps, and entering the valley of the Ammer, beheld Oberammergau - a small village nestled at the foot of Kofel, a high mountain peak with precipitous sides whose crest is surmounted with a cross. Upon our arrival, we were put in the care of a porter, who was dressed in the quaint garb of the Bavarian peasant - short leather breeches, embroidered velvet jacket, and a peaked leather hat adorned with a feather of a wild fowl. We followed him to the home of our host - Hans Mayr, who had the role of "Pilate" in the play. Frau Mayr greeted us cordially, as she domiciled forty of us Americans seemingly without any effort whatsoever, and made us feel quite like we were her personal guests instead of playing ones. A walk about the village later brought forth many "Ohs and Ahs". Most of the houses are painted a soft green, gray or white, and on the outside walls of many are painted religious scenes, and on one house there was a canopy of ivy growing about a painted shrine to the Virgin. Everywhere there were shrines and on the banks of the clean, clear Ammer river was a splendid monument of the Crucifixion. After our simple but wholesome evening meal, many of us purchased copies of the play, and knowing no German, which is the original text, I obtained an English version, to familiarize myself with the lines I had journeyed so far to see and hear interpreted. The characters are selected by a committee that is elected by the whole community, and the villagers wait with breathless anticipation the announcement of the bestowal of the assignment, as often a near-tragedy is witnessed when one is deemed too old to continue in a famous role. Anton Lang has been the Christus for three consecutive decades but he will not be able to continue in the role, as the crucifixion scene where he is suspended on the cross for twenty minutes is a great physical strain. Frau Lang has never witnessed the crucifixion scene as given by her husband. On the day of the performance, Anton Lang remains at the auditorium all day - simple food being brought to him during the noon intermission when he rests. By profession, he is a potter. He is profound student of the life of Christ, and has made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in order to portray the role. The bestowal of the role of the Christus is considered the highest honor within the power of the community as there is the character requisite as well as the acting one. That interest in the Play is lifelong can best be revealed by the interest of Johann Zwinck who was first a boy in the play, twice enacted the part of the disciple, Joh, and for three decades interpreted the role of Judas - said to be among the greatest of the Judases and in 1922 was the venerable Simon of Bethany, as well as understudy to the Judas. It is told of him that while he wished nothing to happen to Guida Mayr - the Judans of 1922, but Oh! how much he should like to just once again play the part of Judas, and when he was told that it would be difficult for him to make himself heard with so many of his teeth gone, he replied, "well, if I were sure of the chance, I would try in some way to gather together enough money to buy teeth". George Lang, the director of the play, is a young man of about thirty years. He was wounded in the late war and one hand is atrophied. He is their teacher in the wood carving school. Wood carving is the principal industry of the village and to that fact may be ascribed the artistic success of the play. The Villagers day by day experience the joy of creating beautiful objects. The robes have all been designed and made in the village from wonderful materials gotten mostly from the Orient. No make-up whatsoever is used, not even a wig is worn, another secret of the lovely hair one sees there everywhere. No married woman is given a speaking role, but an exception was made to the understudy of the Virgin Mary of 1922, who was the Virgin Mary of 1910, but who in the meantime has been wooed, wed, and widowed. Nine hundred five people have a part in the production of the play; there are 124 speaking roles; 50 musicians in the orchestra and 45 singers in the well-trained chorus. Seven hundred persons from mere tots of four to men and women of venerable years appear in the mob scene; 75 men are needed to collect the tickets and serve as doorkeepers and ushers, and remember at the same time thousands are being entertained in the homes of the villagers, as the few small hotels cannot begin to provide for the large number who come from all parts of the world to see the Marvelous Play of all time. The prices were established early in the year of 1922, and although the value of the mark declined many times in value before the season had hardly begun, there was no deviation from the established price of either the seats or the accomodations. Thus it was that eleven of the villagers journeyed to American to try to retrieve some of the deficit. Each summer a religious play is given which enables the selecting committee to know who is best adapted to the various roles, and each family hopes it may be represented in the famous characters and shapes its daily life to that end. We were awakened early Sunday morning by such peaceful sounds as the crowing of the cocks, lowing of the calves, tinkling of the bells of the cows as they were being driven through the village streets to the pasture, and the pealing of the chimes from the village's one church. Upon arising, we were greeted with frosted roofs and fences, which was a most welcome sight, as it foretold a clear day. We breakfasted at six-thirty, after which we were given our tickets to the open-air auditorium, as experience has shown that it simplifies matters to retain the tickets as long as possible to avoid all the useless mislayings and losings. The seats are distributed according to the household, the better homes secure the better seats for their guests. Our hostess very thoughtfully suggested our securing robes and cushions, which were provided for a small fee and made our stay in the open-air auditorium much more comfortable. As we went to the Play through the village streets, it seemed as though the whole world had come to Oberammergau. There were monks and nuns of the various orders, Hindoos from India, Syrians from the Near East, a Japanese and Chinese from the Far East, and very, very black people from Africa. We were requested to be in our seats at 7:45, and there we were, 4200 sitting, hundreds standing and scores kneeling, when at precisely eight o'clock the Chorus dressed in rich colorful robes advanced from the colonnades on either side of the stage and sang the opening number which is a prayer of thanks for their deliverance from the awful scourge in ages past and an appeal from the blessing of the presence of the Saviour always. Then the prologist in full, rich voice gave the following beautiful greeting which sounds the keynote of the whole play. "Welcome, welcome, to all, whom here the tender love Of the Saviour unites, mourning, to follow Him On His journey of suffering To the last resting place. Who from far and from near, all here have come today They all feel themselves now joined in brotherly love As disciples of one Lord Who has suffered death for all. Who gave Himself for us, with compassion and love Even to bitter death. To Him let us lift up Our gaze and our hearts too, With love unfeigned and gratitude. Up to Him let us lift all our thoughts and our souls, Pray with us - yea - with us pray, as the hour comes, When the dept of our sacred vow We pray to the supreme GOD". There are twenty-four tableaux and the function of the tableaux is to connect the incidents of the old testament that relate to the incidents of the last seven days of Christ. The dialogue begins with Christ's entry into Jerusalem, and our very souls were quickened as we beheld the face of Him who has beem so familiar to us through the very best of painting and sculpture. As the sad story unfolded, there were lovely pictures of indelible impress left upon our minds. The bleating of the sheep as they were freed from the pens and the flying of the doves over the audience, all added to the realism of the Temple scene. Then the beauty and the humility of Mary Magdalene as she wiped the feet of the Christus with her lovely long hair; the pathos and the tenderness of the leave-taking of the Christus of His mother in Bethany, and the Last Supper which is an animated counterpart of the Da Vinci painting. The play has progressed until the betrayal of the Christus by Judas in the Garden of Gethsamane when the Noon intermission is announced which is the first intermission of the morning. We were all enthralled as we wended our way quietly to our various place of abode for luncheon, which in many instances, is served by those appearing in the performance. At 1:15 we were again in our seats in eager anticipation of the continuance of the wonderful story of the Ages, as the shortening of days of September made it necessary to resume the Play at 1:30 in order to finish before nightfall. The lines of the Play have Judas reveal where the Christus is spending the night rather than an actual betrayal, and when Judas realized all to late what his telling has brought to the Christus, he is so filled with compassion that he receives our pity instead of our scorn. Scene after scene is portrayed until we are confronted with the realistic "Way of the Cross", and the Chorus, now dressed in black, sing a dirge-like refrain all through the Crucifixion Scene, which was too real and too sad for most of us. As the body was removed from the cross we thought at once of another famous painting "Rubens' Descent From the Cross" and during the rites of the last unction, another work of art came to our mind, Michael Angelo's marble masterpiece "Pieta" as Mary, the Mother, folded in her arms the beautiful body of the Christus. The Christ appeared for a moment to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection, and in a final tableau, we had a glimpse of the Ascension. The last chorus was sung--a glad, halleluiah one-- and the somber robes of mourning have been replaced by the first, bright, colorful ones, and the final curtain is drawn about five-thirty upon the marvelous Passion Play. It has filled our very souls with reverence and a prayer that the Great Sacrifice of Reconcilliation upon Golgotha may contribute to a world peace and a better understanding among the nations and within the nations until the whole world is imbued with the same unity and co-operation that makes possible the perfect rendering of this marvellous Play by the villagers of Oberammergau.
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Cover title; At head of title: Department of the Interior, General Land Office
Citation -
2868. [Image] The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 109th Congress conflicting values and difficult choices
IB10144 04-22-05 The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 109th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices SUMMARY The 109th Congress is likely to consider various proposals to amend the ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 109th Congress conflicting values and difficult choices
- Author:
- Buck, Eugene H
- Year:
- 2006, 2008, 2005
IB10144 04-22-05 The Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 109th Congress: Conflicting Values and Difficult Choices SUMMARY The 109th Congress is likely to consider various proposals to amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA; P.L. 93-205; 16 U.S.C. ??1531-1543 ). Major issues in recent years have included changing the role of science in decision-making, modifying critical habitat procedures, reducing conflicts with Department of Defense activities, incorporating further protection and incentives for property owners, and increasing protection of listed species, among others. In addition, many have advocated enacting as law some ESA regulations promulgated during the Clinton Administration. The ESA has been one of the more contentious environmental laws. This may stem from its strict substantive provisions, which can affect the use of both federal and non-federal lands and resources. Under the ESA, species of plants and animals (both vertebrate and invertebrate) can be listed as endangered or threatened according to assessments of their risk of extinction. Once a species is listed, powerful legal tools are available to aid its recovery and protect its habitat. The ESA may also be controversial because dwindling species are usually harbingers of broader ecosystem decline: the most common cause of listing species is habitat loss. The authorization for spending under the ESA expired on October 1, 1992. The prohibitions and requirements of the ESA remain in force, even in the absence of an authorization, and funds have been appropriated to implement the administrative provisions of the ESA in each subsequent fiscal year. In the 108th Congress, two bills were reported by the House Committee on Resources, but not enacted, that would have amended the ESA to modify scientific peer review and critical habitat procedures. Interior appropriations measures funded Fish and Wildlife Service programs related to endangered species (P.L. 108-108 provided $265 million for FY2004; P.L. 108-447 provided $262 million for FY2005). P.L. 108-136 (Defense authorization) included an ESA amendment to direct that critical habitat not be designated on military lands under certain conditions when Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans are in effect. P.L. 108-137 (Energy and Water appropriations) prohibited use of FY2004 or earlier funds to reduce water deliveries under existing contracts for ESA compliance for the silvery minnow on the Middle Rio Grande River unless water is obtained from a willing seller or lessor; this prohibition appears to have been made permanent by ?205 of Div. C of P.L. 108-447. P.L. 108-148 (Healthy Forests Act) authorized hazardous fuels reduction projects on BLM and national forest lands, including those containing habitat for listed species; directed establishment of a healthy forests reserve program to promote recovery of listed species; and directed the Secretary of the Interior to provide property rights assurances to landowners enrolled in the healthy forests reserve program. Congressional Research Service ? The Library of Congress CRS
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2869. [Image] Programmatic environmental assessment for Klamath Basin Ecosystem Restoration Office Projects, 2000-2010
Programmatic Environmental Assessment Summary This Environmental Assessment (EA) provides compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for restoration actions undertaken by the US Fish ...Citation Citation
- Title:
- Programmatic environmental assessment for Klamath Basin Ecosystem Restoration Office Projects, 2000-2010
- Author:
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Klamath Basin Ecosystem Restoration Office.
- Year:
- 2000, 2005, 2004
Programmatic Environmental Assessment Summary This Environmental Assessment (EA) provides compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for restoration actions undertaken by the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Klamath Basin Ecosystem Restoration Office (ERO) in Klamath Falls, Oregon. These restoration activities are needed due to the large-scale loss of wetland and riparian habitat and degraded water quality. The purpose of these restoration efforts is the improvement of conditions of the watershed with specific regard to habitat and water quality, resulting in, among other benefits, improved conditions for the endangered fish species (bull trout and Lost River and shortnose sucker) populations of the basin. The geographic scope of this EA is defined as the upper Klamath River basin, including the entire watershed from Irongate Dam upstream to the headwaters. This EA is intended to provide NEPA compliance for restoration projects conducted between the years 2000 and 2010. The ERO was established in 1993 to sponsor and assist with a variety of restoration activities in the Klamath Basin. The ERO funds and provides technical assistance to restoration projects involving private landholders, concerned groups, and other state, federal, and tribal agencies. Four alternatives are presented in this EA. The proposed alternative (Alternative 1) consists of a comprehensive program of ecosystem restoration, promoting projects in both riparian areas and in upland habitats. This would continue the current program in effect since 1994. NEPA compliance would primarily be carried out via a single, programmatic document saving time and funds. The Fish & Wildlife Service proposes to fund and administer the following projects types: Riparian Projects: (fencing for livestock management; native plant establishment & diversification; non-native plant removal/control; erosion control; contour re-establishment; impoundment removal; wildlife habitat improvements) Wetland Projects: (fencing; wetland restoration and enhancement; wildlife habitat improvements) Upland or Road Projects: (road abandonment, decommissioning, & obliteration; road drainage improvements and storm proofing, re-establishment of historic contours; silvicultural treatments; native plant establishment/diversification; non-native plant removal/control; fencing; landslide treatments; culvert/stream crossing upgrades; erosion control; wildlife habitat improvements). In-stream Projects: (habitat complexity and diversity improvements; hydrologic regime improvements; coarse woody debris supplementation; natural or artificial barrier removal, modification &/or creation; fish screens installation). Alternative 2 would concentrate restoration efforts only on riparian, instream, and wetland areas. Road projects would be conducted only within the riparian corridor, as defined. NEPA compliance would also be conducted programmatically. Alternative 3 would cease all restoration activities conducted and funded by the ERO in the Klamath Basin. This alternative would serve as a benchmark against which the effects of the restoration alternatives discussed above can be compared. Alternative 4, the "No Action" alternative, would continue current management policies with regard to NEPA compliance, providing compliance on a project by project basis requiring independent analysis for each project. The affected environment of the region is described in detail. The environment has been changed significantly since the 1890's due to logging, agriculture and urban development. An extensive system of dams, canals, and drainage structures has resulted in the conversion of approximately 80% of pre-settlement wetlands to agricultural uses. Riparian corridors have been similarly impacted, and upland forests regions have been affected by logging, road construction and other factors. These changes have contributed to problems with the water quality in the region, contributing to the listing of several fish species as threatened or endangered; loss of habitat has affected a large number of other species as well. The environmental effects of each alternative is analyzed. Some short term negative impacts could occur as a result of the projects authorized by both Alternative 1 and Alternative 2, but these would be strongly offset by the expected beneficial results to water quality and habitat conditions. Alternative 1 would be expected to have a greater overall effect on the environment than Alternative 2, since many of the underlying factors with which restoration efforts are concerned originate in upland conditions (i.e. sedimentation and hydrologic functionality). Alternative 3 would result in conditions remaining much as they are currently, although other programs and organizations are making efforts at restoration activities. The environmental impacts of individual projects anticipated under Alternative 4 would be generally the same as for similar projects under Alternative 1. The primary difference between the two alternatives would be the higher efficiency and improved cumulative analysis resulting from a programmatic approach as proposed in Alternative 1. Public participation in the NEPA process has been, and will continue to be, solicited and welcomed. Compliance with state and federal laws and regulations such as the Clean Water Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and the Endangered Species Act, as well as guidelines for contaminant surveys, will be carried out as detailed. While these projects are expected to play an important role in the restoration of the region, none of these alternatives are expected to have a significant impact when compared with the loss of wetland, riparian and upland habitats over the past century, impacts which do occur would be of a cumulatively beneficial nature. Other restoration efforts are being carried out in the area by other governmental and private groups, and it is expected that these combined efforts will achieve important beneficial results for the ecosystem.
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2870. [Image] The South Portal Project : creating a sense of arrival
"Holistic planning for Lake Ewauna & the south entry to the City of Klamath Falls"Citation