The Millerton Area watershed is
a biologically diverse geographical area of the western foothills of the Sierra
Nevada Bioregion. The watershed has
been uniquely protected from the potential detriment of large land use
alterations – though in close proximity to the Fresno/Clovis metropolitan
area. This urban area is one of the
fastest growing regions in California. It
is anticipated that within 20 years that the population will double in Fresno
County from approximately 1 million residents to 2 million residents.
Within the Millerton watershed in the last 10 years, the population has
increased to approximately 12,000 people in a 148,000 acre area.
Thus the watershed is still very sparsely populated and provides vital
habitat and a wildlife corridor that extends from the San Joaquin Valley up into
the upper Sierra Nevada range and National forest lands.
Demand for recreational
resources and open space will probably place greater pressures on the watershed.
Future land use decisions that support increased development could also
negatively impact viable habitat, wildlife corridors and overall biodiversity
within the watershed. This could
occur through land fragmentation – breaking large parcels down into smaller
parcels for residential and commercial development.
Outside of a few unincorporated
foothill rural communities – most of the watershed is typified as a working
landscape for cattle grazing or for its recreational opportunities.
Biodiversity, ecological health, viable habitat and water quality source
protection go hand in hand – and are complementary within these working
landscapes. Historically, a
significant amount of research has been conducted regarding the flora and fauna
of the Upper San Joaquin River basin. For
example, over 300 research activities have been cataloged at the San Joaquin
Experimental Range dating back to the 1930s.
These studies cover a wide range of investigations focused on rangeland
and oak woodland environments, soil conservation, water quality, wildlife
habitat and so forth. A number of
Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been developed – as well as adaptive
management approaches. Within the
last five years, there have been a number of studies devoted to rangeland
management for biodiversity.
These include the use of fire and grazing to promote species diversity
– and prevent the unintended consequence of unique flora and fauna going
extinct. These investigations have been conducted by the California Department
of Fish and Game in partnership with the Sierra Foothill Conservancy.
The most recent and
comprehensive biological inventory and assessment have been conducted by Live
Oak Associates
of Oakhurst, Madera County for the lower Finegold Creek Watershed; by California
State University – Fresno for the San Joaquin River Gorge Recreational Area;
and by the Endangered Species Recovery Program (ESRP), California State
University – Stanislaus for the US Bureau of Reclamation’s Millerton Area
Resource Management Plan. These,
and other recent investigations and their status have been noted below in a
table and location map.
Table
11 -
Biological Studies Associated with Millerton Area Watershed
Figure
25 – Map
showing location of recent biological investigations
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement
Board’s (OWEB) Watershed Manual and the Inter-Agency Working at the Watershed
Level Workbook focus on the hydrology and geology of a watercourse for its
viability for aquatic species and as an indicator of water quality.
Most of the streams within the Millerton watershed are ephemeral – flowing only during or immediately after periods
of precipitation. They generally
flow less than 30 days per year during the wet season and only for a few days
after a significant rainstorm generates surface run-off. Cottonwood, Big Sandy and in particular Finegold creeks would
be classified as intermittent streams that flow only during certain times of the
year. Seasonal flow in an
intermittent stream usually lasts longer than 30 days per year. The San Joaquin River is perennial,
flowing continuously during both wet and dry seasons.
The type and location of aquatic species in these ephemeral and
intermittent streams have been cataloged in the California Natural Diversity
Database (CNDDB) maintained by the California Department of Fish and Game.
This is a computerized inventory of location and condition information on
California’s rarest plants, animals and natural communities.
Lowland riparian waterways can consist of deciduous trees such as
California Sycamore, cottonwood, willow – as well as live oak species coursing
their way down through upland grassland areas – and blue oak woodlands.
Some native perennials such as deer grass may be in these riparian areas
as well. In the case of the upper
Finegold watershed, the headwaters and stream drainages tend to be in a more
mixed conifer/oak woodland environment. These
riparian areas play a vital role in providing nesting habitat and the
reproduction of numerous species.
Figure
26 –
Observation map of Special Species - CNDDB
There are at least five species
of oaks within the Millerton watershed that provide vital habitat and food for
numerous species. Conifer species such as the foothill pine in the lowlands and
ponderosa in the higher elevation are typical as well.
A shrub understory such as manzanita and ceanothus are prevalent
throughout the area and provide coverage and food for fauna.
A great number of spring-flowering forbs are abundant in grassland areas
and vernal pools. The CalFlora
Occurrence Database is computerized and hosted by the University of California,
Berkeley. There are over 8,375
vascular plants recognized in California with over 800,000 records of plant
observations.
Based on a query of the CalFlora database over 27 species listed as rare,
threatened and endangered were identified for Madera and Fresno Counties.
Of those species a number occur within the Millerton watershed.
The Live Oak Biological Assessment lists those that are endemic to the
watershed.
Within the Millerton watershed
is an abundance of wildlife from amphibians and reptiles to various mammals and
birds. The Live Oak Biological
Assessment of the lower Finegold watershed lists many of the common species –
as well as special status species such as the Bald Eagle.
Within the perennial course of
the San Joaquin River are a number of fish species that range from warm water
introduced species such as bass and blue gill – to native and non-native
coldwater species such as rainbow trout (native) and kokanee (non-native
salmon). There is a Department of
Fish and Game cold water hatchery operated by the Department of Fish and Game in
Friant. At this time, information
was not obtained that would indicate what specific native fish may inhabit the
San Joaquin River.
There are
numerous species that fall under invertebrates.
These include insects such as beetles, butterflies and moths – as for
example, the Longhorn Beetle which resides symbiotically in the Valley
Elderberry bush. There are
also crustaceans such as the fairy shrimp which survives in seasonal vernal
pools. A subgroup is
Macroinvertebrates – which includes organisms going through an aquatic
life-cycle such as Caddisfly and Stonefly Nymphs which are indicators of
ecological health and water quality.
As noted earlier, the California
Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) maintained by the California Department of
Fish and Game is a computerized inventory of location and condition information
on California’s rarest plants, animals and natural communities.
Species identified by CNDDB as being within the Millerton watershed
include:
California
Tiger Salamander
Fauna
·
California Tiger Salamander
·
Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog
·
Golden Eagle
·
Swainson’s Hawk
·
Western Spadefoot Toad
·
Western Pond Turtle
Orange Lupine
Flora
·
Madera Linanthus
·
Mariposa Pussypaw
·
Orange Lupine
·
Spiny-Sepaled Button-Celery
·
Succulent Owls Clover
The Live Oak Biological
Assessment within the Appendices provides a more complete listing of species.
1.
The Millerton area watershed is biologically diverse – and has had a
low level of impact from large-scale land use alterations.
2.
There are significant areas of the watershed that are under federal,
state or private land trust management. These
lands constitute nearly 20 percent of the watershed.
3.
There is a significant amount of development potential along or adjoining
the westernmost portion of the Millerton area watershed in both eastern Madera
and Fresno County – yet the watershed itself remains sparsely populated with
viable habitat and wildlife corridors extending from the San Joaquin Valley,
through the Millerton watershed foothills region – and then into the higher
elevations of the Sierra Nevada.
4.
The majority of the watershed is grassland and blue oak woodlands –
typified as working landscape for cattle grazing and recreational usage.
5.
An extensive amount of research has been conducted within the watershed
related to land management practices for economic purposes – and/or for the
health and diversity of flora and fauna. The
San Joaquin Experimental Range has had over 300 types of research conducted.
6.
Grazing studies have been conducted to determine beneficial aspects
towards noxious weeds suppression, species diversity and improved habitat.
7.
Because of the ephemeral conditions of the watershed, channel habitat
analysis has not been as extensively researched.
Ephemeral and intermittent streams within the watershed play an important
role. However, specific research on
the contribution to species diversity has not been fully investigated.
8.
Riparian areas along ephemeral and intermittent streams – as well as
vernal pools and springs play a vital role in providing nesting habitat and the
reproduction of numerous species.
9.
There are at least five species of oaks within the Millerton area
watershed – along with the Foothill Pine in the lowlands.
10.
The fishery within the Millerton area watershed is predominately warm
water and consists of non-native introduced species.
11.
The presence of species – as well as the diversity, provides an
indication of ecological health and water quality conditions for a watershed.
12.
There are at least twenty sensitive species, some of which are State and
Federal protected species that have been identified by the California Natural
Diversity Database as being within the Millerton area watershed.
13.
The California Department of Fish and Game analyze vegetation type to
determine its contribution towards species propagation and biodiversity.
Separately, The California Department of Forestry analyzes vegetation as
a fuels model type (See Section 7 – Fuels and Fire
History).
1.
Future land use activities could have a detrimental impact on
species diversity, habitat, wildlife corridors and water quality and quantity
within the Millerton area watershed.
2.
Studies have shown that grazing can be significantly beneficial in
maintaining species diversity of flora and fauna – and the overall ecological
health of the Millerton area watershed.
3.
Healthy riparian areas along streams, vernal pools and springs
play an important role not only for their value related to species diversity of
flora and fauna and migratory needs – but, also for their contributions
towards water quality and quantity within the Millerton area watershed.
4.
Land use decisions due to fragmentation or formation of ranchettes
may degrade habitat and wildlife corridors not only for their value related to
species diversity of flora and fauna and migratory needs – but, also as it
relates to water quality and quantity within the Millerton area watershed.
5.
The identification of significant specie types, their location,
range and migratory needs is not fully known by extensive field verification
within the Millerton area watershed.
