[Hells Canyon mollusk survey.] Responses to FERC, additional information, request AR-2: Listed mollusks. Final Report

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On May 4, 2004, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a request for additional information to Idaho Power Company (IPC) in response to its final license application for the Hells Canyon Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No. 1971). Request AR-2 specified that IPC consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to develop a plan to conduct targeted surveys that would provide additional information on the presence or absence of listed, rare, or sensitive mollusk species in the project-affected area. AR-2 was based on the contention of FERC and the USFWS that the macroinvertebrate surveys conducted by IPC during preparation of the license application (Myers and Foster 2003) were inadequate for detecting listed, rare, or sensitive mollusk species. The main concern identified by the two agencies was that unique habitats in the project area may not have been sampled because of the systematic location of a relatively small total area of sampling throughout the entire study area. AR-2 suggested that sampling focused on unique habitats would result in a more definitive search for listed, rare, or sensitive species. The study reported in this response to AR-2 was conducted to address agency concerns and to provide the additional information requested by FERC in AR-2. In this study, we sampled all 5 benthic habitat types found in reservoirs associated with the project reach and 9 generic types of riverine benthic habitat in the target reach. Bit we emphasized those habitats that we believed a priori would offer ideal habitat for listed and sensitive mollusks (Frest and Johannes 1992, 1995, Lysne 2003, Neitzel and Frest 1990, Richards 2004, Strayer and Smith 2003).

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology: Invertebrates [Note that the copy we have electronically does not show Observation database NIDs. Check file cabinets for notated copies or spreadsheets?]