Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 1 University of California, Davis
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River
Habitat Management Units
Results from the 2009 Field Season
A Report to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -
Walla Walla District
Ona S. V. Alminas, Avery A. Cook, and Andrew Engilis Jr. Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology
University of California, Davis
May 2010
Covering the following HMUs Toothaker
Yakima Bend Richland Bend
Hood Park Riparia
John Henley Nisqually John Alpowa Creek Chief Timothy
Plus Incidental Observations on
17 other HMUs
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 2 University of California, Davis
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River
Habitat Management Units
Results from the 2009 Field Season
A Report to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -
Walla Walla District May 2010
By Ona S. V. Alminas, Avery A. Cook, and Andrew Engilis Jr.
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology
University of California, Davis
Suggested citation.
Alminas, O.S.V., A. A. Cook, P. L. Gibert, and A. Engilis, Jr. 2010. Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake
River Habitat Management Units: Results from the 2009 Field Season. A Report to the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers - Walla Walla District. Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, Department of
Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology. University of California, Davis.
Covering the following HMUs Toothaker
Yakima Bend Richland Bend
Hood Park Riparia
John Henley
Nisqually John Alpowa Creek Chief Timothy
Plus Incidental Observations on
17 other HMUs
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 3 University of California, Davis
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................. 5 1.0 Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 6 2.0 Methods ............................................................................................................................................ 7 2.1 Nomenclature & Species Lists ........................................................................................ 9 2.2 Survey Methods ............................................................................................................... 9
2.2.1 Visual Encounter Surveys (VES) .................................................................................. 10 2.2.2 Nocturnal VES and road searches ................................................................................. 11 2.2.3 Anuran call survey/ eyeshine spotlighting .................................................................... 11 2.2.4 Dipnet/ water surveys .................................................................................................... 12 2.2.5 Guzzler dipnet survey .................................................................................................... 12 2.2.6 Funnel trapping ............................................................................................................. 13 2.2.7 Skin molt / Reptile Determinations ............................................................................... 14 2.2.8 Incidental detections and specimens ............................................................................. 14
2.3 Amphibian chytrid fungus testing ................................................................................. 14 3.0 General Results .............................................................................................................................. 15 3.1 Survey results ................................................................................................................ 15 3.2 Amphibian chytrid fungus testing ................................................................................. 17 4.0 Discussion ....................................................................................................................................... 19 4.1 Previous studies ............................................................................................................. 19 4.2 Survey method efficiency .............................................................................................. 21 4.3 Gallinaceous guzzler use by Long-toed Salamanders ................................................... 22 4.4 Toad (Bufo sp.) distribution along the lower Snake River ............................................ 25 4.5 Lack of lizards ............................................................................................................... 25 4.6 Other species not detected ............................................................................................. 27 4.7 Amphibian chytrid fungus ............................................................................................. 29 5.0 Tricities-Managed HMUs.............................................................................................................. 31 5.1 Toothacre HMU ............................................................................................................................. 32
Methods summary .......................................................................................................................... 32 Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 32 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 32
5.2 Yakima Delta HMU ....................................................................................................................... 35 Methods .......................................................................................................................................... 35 Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 35 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 35
5.3 Richland Bend HMU ..................................................................................................................... 38 Methods summary .......................................................................................................................... 38 Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 38 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 38
5.4 Hood Park....................................................................................................................................... 40 Methods summary .......................................................................................................................... 40 Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 40 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 40
5.5 Summary of 2008 and 2009 surveys ............................................................................................. 43 5.6 Management Recommendations .................................................................................................. 43 6.0 Clarkston-Managed HMUs ........................................................................................................... 44 6.1 Riparia HMU ................................................................................................................. 45
Methods summary .......................................................................................................................... 45 Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 45 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 45
6.2 John Henley HMU ......................................................................................................................... 48
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 4 University of California, Davis
Methods summary .......................................................................................................................... 48 Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 48 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 48
6.3 Nisqually John Canyon HMU ....................................................................................................... 52 Methods summary .......................................................................................................................... 52 Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 52 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 52
6.4 Alpowa Creek HMU ...................................................................................................................... 56 Methods summary .......................................................................................................................... 56 Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 56 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 56
6.5 Chief Timothy HMU ...................................................................................................................... 59 Methods summary .......................................................................................................................... 59 Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 59 Results ............................................................................................................................................ 59
6.6 Other Clarkston-managed HMUs ................................................................................................ 62 6.6.1 Lower Monumental pool ............................................................................................... 62 6.6.2 Little Goose pool ........................................................................................................... 63 6.6.3 Lower Granite Pool ....................................................................................................... 65
7.0 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................ 67 Appendix A. Species list for Walla Walla District HMUs (lower Snake River). .................................. 70 Appendix B. Snake molt identifications, 2009 ........................................................................................ 71 Appendix C. Species detection table for Toothacre HMU, 2009 surveys. ............................................. 72 Appendix D. Species detection table for Yakima Delta HMU, 2009 surveys. ...................................... 74 Appendix E. Species detection table for Richland Bend HMU, 2009 surveys. ..................................... 75 Appendix F. Species detection table for Hood Park HMU, 2009 surveys. ............................................ 75 Appendix G. Species detection table for Riparia HMU, 2009 surveys. ................................................. 76 Appendix H. Species detection table for John Henley HMU, 2009 surveys. ......................................... 77 Appendix I. Species detection table for Nisqually John Canyon HMU, 2009 surveys. ......................... 78 Appendix J. Species detection table for Alpowa Creek HMU, 2009 surveys. ....................................... 79 Appendix K. Species detection table for Chief Timothy HMU, 2009 surveys. ..................................... 79 Appendix L. Species Accounts................................................................................................................ 81
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 5 University of California, Davis
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would first and foremost like to thank the field assistant of the Museum of Wildlife and Fish
Biology (MWFB) Edith P. Jovel whose long hours in the field contributed tremendously this project.
Also from the MWFB, Mana Hattori, Irene E. Engilis, Jeffery Prentice, Angela Hsiung, and Melanie
Truan contributed records of incidental herp sightings from previous small mammal trapping efforts.
The assistance of Robert Thomson and Levi Gray with the Shaffer Lab (UC Davis, Dept. of Evolution
and Ecology) was invaluable to this project. Robert provided support with taxonomy recommendations
and genetic analyses of tadpole tail clips. Both Robert and Levi provided feedback on survey methods,
species identification, and confirmed identification of snakeskin molts we collected in the field.
Michael Guilfoyle of the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) arranged for the
research to be coordinated through the Walla Wall District office, obtained our Washington state
scientific collecting permit and assisted in the field. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wildlife Biologist
Mark Halupczok of the Walla Walla District arranged field site access and assisted with logistics for
truck and boat transportation to remote sites. Pete Ober and Mark Plummer, Fisheries Biologists with
the Walla Walla District also assisted with vehicle and boat transportation to remote sites. Mike Butler
and Mark Graves assisted with logistics and field transportation from the USACE Clarkston Field
Office. We would also like to thank the workers from De Ruwe Habitat Management for taking the
time to share their experiences with herpetofauna at the HMUs, and Carlos Alvarado, who assisted with
materials, supplies and methods for this project. Lori Salzer of Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife (WDFW) was gracious enough to provide historical records for species status species in our
study area. Gretchen Padgett-Flohr of the University of Illinois Carbondale, Steve Wagner of Central
Washington University, Jason Lowe of the Bureau of Land Management and Dede Olson of the USDA
Forest Service provided information regarding amphibian chytridiomycosis in Washington state. The
UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, One Health Program was instrumental in assisting in the
field to sample and analyze anurans for chytrid fungus. Specifically we wish to thank Cheryl Scott
(oneHealth Program Director), and veterinary extern students who assisted in the field, Ryan Sadler,
Sarah Smolley and Francois Bates.
Photo credits: All photos were taken by Ona Alminas and Andrew Engilis, Jr.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 6 University of California, Davis
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Columbia River and Snake River watersheds remain some of the most altered in western North
America. With over 20 major dams, massive land conversion for agriculture and recreation, and a
rapidly growing human population, wildlife refuges and managed lands provide some of the only
protected remaining habitats. In association with the dams, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) manages a network of Habitat Management Units (HMUs) that are distributed along most of
the shoreline of the Snake and Columbia rivers. Traditionally these HMUs have been managed for
recreation including hunting, fishing and off-road vehicles. In the past two decades USACE biologists
recognized that the HMUs also support a vast array of wildlife and vegetation, and so began to question
the future management of the HMUs and the biodiversity they support. There was a need for natural
resource baseline data for making species and habitat management decisions on USACE lands. The
USACE began to develop strategies to inventory and investigate natural resources and management for
multiple species. These directives are organized into three basic levels of effort: land use
classifications and rapid assessment of diversity (Level 1), multi-species detailed inventories (Level 2),
adaptive management investigations (Level 3) (USACE 1996).
In 2005 the USACE and the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology at the University of
California, Davis (MWFB) entered into a cooperative agreement to initiate Level 1 vertebrate
inventories of small mammal diversity and abundance relative to Russian olive (Elaeagnus
angustifolia) in the Walla Walla District, eastern Washington (Guilfoyle 2006). From this survey start,
our efforts and collaboration have evolved into a general Level 2 biodiversity inventory of terrestrial
vertebrates within the District, including reptiles and amphibians (herpetofauna). The scope of this
effort was to inventory amphibians and reptiles at Walla Walla district HMUs along the lower Snake
River in southeastern Washington. Within this scope, the main goals were to examine species richness
at each HMU, discuss habitat use, and as a result of our research, fill in the gaps in distribution for
several species along the Lower Snake River canyon and the Columbia/Snake River confluence.
The herpetofaunal surveys began in 2008 on HMUs in and around the Tri-Cities region of the Walla
Walla District, spanning 55 river miles up the Snake River from Burbank to Lyon’s Ferry (Walla Walla
and Franklin counties) (Table 1). With the completion of 2009 surveys (year 2), the efforts covered a
130 mile length of the Snake River (Tri-Cities, Washington to Lewiston, Idaho) and portions of the
Columbia River from Umatilla, Oregon to Richland, Washington (Figure 1). This is the final report of
the 2008 and 2009 field season findings.
Understanding the diversity and distribution of the region’s herpetofauna is a critical step in
understanding the ecological condition of the HMUs under investigations. Owing to their
comparatively sedentary nature, amphibians and reptiles are susceptible to local habitat changes and
environmental conditions. Therefore their presence and absence can serve as accurate indicators on
ecosystem health, food-webs, environmental contaminants, impacts of invasive species, and other
anthropogenic forces influencing the landscape (Lawler et al. 2003).
MWFB
Biologist
sampling for
amphibians at
Toothaker (left)
and John
Henley HMUs.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 7 University of California, Davis
2.0 METHODS
The study area is located in southeastern Washington state along a stretch of the Lower Snake River
near the confluence with the Columbia River just south of Finley, Washington upstream 130 miles
along the Snake River to Lewiston, Idaho (Figure 1). This stretch of the Snake River borders seven
Counties (Table 1). Surveys were conducted in USACE lands bordering five river “pools” formed
between the McNary Dam in northeastern Oregon on the Columbia River to upstream the Snake River
by Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite Dams. The McNary pool
encompasses the Columbia River and confluence with the Snake River upstream to the Ice Harbor
Dam; the stretch of river between the Ice Harbor and Lower Monumental Dams forms the Ice Harbor
pool; the stretch of river between Lower Monumental Dam to the Little Goose Dam forms the Lower
Monumental Pool; the stretch of river between the Little Goose and Lower Granite dams comprises the
Little Goose pool, and the river between Lower Granite dam and Clarkson forms the Lower Granite
pool (Figure 1). In 2008, we inventoried HMUs managed along the Columbia/ Snake River
confluence in the McNary pool upstream to HMUs managed in the Lower Monumental pool. In 2009
we inventoried HMUs managed along the Snake River within the McNary, Lower Monumental and
Lower Granite pools (Figure 2). Additional surveys were conducted at HMUs in the Lower
Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite pools to determine use of gallinaceous guzzlers by Long-
toed Salamanders (Ambystoma macrodactylum) in these areas (refer to Sections 2.2.5, 6.6). Two-letter
site codes were developed to abbreviate each HMU name for GPS and other detection descriptions
(Table 1).
Figure 1. Overview of Snake River pools and associated USACE lands surveyed in 2008 (black ovals) and areas surveyed
in 2009 (dotted ovals). Image: http://www.nww.usace.army.mil/lsr/REPORTS/sportfish/phase_2/ph2_part1.htm#2.1
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 8 University of California, Davis
Figure 2. Lower Snake River HMUs surveyed by MWFB efforts in 2008 and 2009.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 9 University of California, Davis
2.1 NOMENCLATURE & SPECIES LISTS
As with some vertebrate groups, the taxonomy and systematics of North American herpetofauna is in a
state of flux. For example, the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR) proposed
major name changes to 48 of the 100 described genera of North American anurans in the peer-reviewed
Amphibian Tree of Life (Frost et al. 2006, R.C. Thomson, pers. comm.). Data derived from modern
molecular techniques are fast becoming the standard in exploring questions regarding speciation, and
the more researchers publish molecular (genetic) data of herpetofaunal species, the more questions
arise regarding species and sub-species level placements within known North American herpetofaunal
systematics. As a result, many of these publications in herp phylogenetics have attempted to resolve
taxonomic questions by offering final revisions in placement within a clade, but instead have created
scientific and common name instability and taxonomic confusion (R. C. Thomson, pers. comm.). We
built a species list of potential amphibians and reptiles for the study area from peer-reviewed
publications, literature and local agencies. The taxonomy presented for this report follows Stebbins
(2003) with updates to scientific and common names that have been broadly accepted in the literature.
A total of 24 species (2 salamanders, 7 frogs, 1 turtle, 5 lizards and 9 snakes) were identified to
potentially occur along the entire study area. This species list, along with alternate and proposed
names, can be found in Appendix A.
Table 2. Potential Washington state special status herpetofaunal species for the study area
Common Name Scientific Name Listing Status
Columbia Spotted Frog Rana luteiventris State Candidate for listing
Northern Leopard Frog Rana pipiens State Endangered, Federal Species of Concern
Western Toad Bufo boreas State Candidate for Listing, Federal Species of Concern
Sagebrush Lizard Sceloporous graciosus State Candidate for Listing, Federal Species of Concern
Striped Whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus State Candidate for listing Source: WDFW (2009)
2.2 SURVEY METHODS
While a combination of several survey methods will result in the most number of species detected,
budgetary, time and personnel constraints limited the number of methods that could be implemented.
Each of these methods (drift fence arrays, pitfall and funnel trapping) is biased in the species they
detect and limited in terms of applicability in different habitats (Corn & Bury, 1990). For this reason,
eight survey methods were used to determine herpetofaunal species diversity within the study area, and
were conducted from March through September 2008 and 2009 (Table 1). For all of these methods
(with the exception of incidental detections), time spent searching, dipnetting, listening was recorded to
obtain a measurement of effort (animals detected per unit time). For timed surveys, relative abundance
Table 1. Tricities and Clarkston-managed HMUs surveyed for herpetofaunal in 2009.
Tricities HMUs Clarkston HMUs
HMU County Acreage Pool HMU County Acreage Pool
Yakima Delta
(YD)
Benton 800 McNary Nisqually John
Canyon (NJ)
Whitman 3,509 Lower
Granite
Toothacre
(TO)
Benton 347 McNary Riparia (RA) Whitman 52 Lower
Monumental
Hood Park
(HP)
Walla Walla 60 McNary John Henley
(JH)
Whitman 868 Lower
Monumental
Richland
Bend (RB)
Franklin 10 McNary Alpowa Creek
(AL)
Asotin 81 Lower
Granite
Chief Timothy
(CT)
Asotin 77 Lower
Granite
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 10 University of California, Davis
was calculated as the number individuals detected per hour surveyed. For funnel trapping, relative
abundance was calculated as number of individuals captured per 100 trap-nights (TN). All detection
locations were recorded with a Garmin Vista HCX handheld GPS unit, in the form of each two-lettered
site code (Table 1) followed by the four-letter species code (listed in Appendix A) and the numbered
occurrence of that species. For example, “YDPSRE3” signifies the third detection of Pseudacris
regilla (Pacific Treefrog) for Yakima Delta HMU. Herps captured were photographed when possible,
in order to document animals captured to provide the USACE with a representative photo record of
herp species detected on corps lands. The use of coverboards, a method implemented in surveys of
HMUs in Franklin and Walla Walla Counties in 2008 was discontinued for 2009 surveys owing to low
productivity in results. Instead, aquatic and terrestrial funnel trapping was implemented to target
aquatic and terrestrial herpetofaunal species (Section 2.2.7). Some surveys required entry or contact
with water bodies to survey for aquatic herps (including wetlands, creeks, and inlets; see Sections
2.2.4-2.2.6). Owing to the potential risk for contamination of field gear by the amphibian chytrid
fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), measures were taken to disinfect all water-surveying
equipment with QUAT 128 (quaternary disinfectant, 1:60 dilution) or 10% bleach solution before
moving to a different HMU or site (Fellers 2008). Voucher specimens were collected for obtaining a
representative of each species and when positive identification cannot be reached in the field, under
Washington State Scientific Collection Permit # 08-274.
2.2.1 Visual Encounter Surveys (VES)
Visual encounter surveying (VES) is a standard and non-invasive method for inventorying herps. This
method is useful for determining the presence or absence of herptile species at a site and is a technique
best employed when several study areas need to be surveyed in a short time (Corn and Bury 1990).
VES allows researchers to cover a larger general area with different habitats and examine objects that
are most likely to reveal animals (Manley et al. 2006, Corn & Bury 1990). We used VES as our
primary method for inventorying herps on all HMUs. Because herptile activity is contingent with the
weather, researchers attempted to coordinate site visits with rainy weather for amphibians and warm
weather for reptiles. Our methods entailed two or three researchers walking through a habitat type,
parting vegetation with lumber or snake hooks, overturning debris, rocks, and logs to look for herps,
not spending more than 10 minutes at any one object and making sure to return the cover items to their
original positions (following Corn & Bury, 1990) (Figure 3). These surveys were conducted multiple
times each visit by one to three MWFB researchers. VES were not time or area constrained, but time
spent searching within a habitat type in the form of researcher hours was recorded so effort could be
calculated. Researchers attempted to capture each individual seen to correctly identify to species (with
the exception of Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes, Crotalus oreganus oreganus, which were positively
identified without capture). When an animal was captured, processing (handling) time of that animal
did not factor in to the total search time (Corn & Bury 1990). Animals captured were processed with
photo documentation and measurement (snout-vent and total length); air temperature, habitat and other
MWFB biologists conducting VES.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 11 University of California, Davis
details of the detection were recorded. Once identified, the animal was released at the capture point,
and its location marked with by GPS unit. The locations of animals seen or heard and positively
identified without capture were also marked in this manner for future comparisons.
2.2.2 Nocturnal VES and road searches
Some of the target species in our study area are best found on warm nights (particularly snakes), along
roads or in rocky habitat (Washington Herp Atlas, 2005). During warm, rainy weather, Great Basin
Spadefoot (Spea intermontana) and Woodhouse’s Toad (Bufo woodhousii) can be found along dirt and
paved roads as they emerge from their burrows. Each HMU with appropriate breeding habitat within or
near the site will be searched at night. Likewise, in periods of hot weather, dirt and paved roads were
searched for snakes.
Some of the potential reptile species in our study area were best found on warm nights along
roads, shrub-steppe, leaf-littered damp areas or in rocky habitat, specifically Night Snake (Hypsiglena
chlorophaea), Ring-neck Snake (Diadophis punctatus) and Rubber Boa (Charina bottae). During
warm, rainy weather anurans such as Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana) and Woodhouse’s
Toad (Bufo woodhousii) can be found along dirt and paved roads as they emerge from their burrows
(Washington Herp Atlas, 2005). We conducted nocturnal surveys during rainy and/or warm periods to
record these movements, in evenings near and after sundown. Nocturnal VES followed the same
methods to search for and record species as diurnal VES and were conducted on warm nights in
habitats specific for crepuscular and nocturnal species. Nocturnal searches were typically conducted
between 19:00 and 24:00 hours, depending on humidity and temperature, using Maglite S2D015
flashlights and/ or an EagleTac P100A2 LED Flashlight for spotlighting. Additionally, night-time road
searches on dirt and/or paved roads within each HMU were conducted either on foot or by cruising in a
pickup truck, documenting time spent searching. Locations of detected animals were marked with GPS
unit.
2.2.3 Anuran call survey/ eyeshine spotlighting
Anuran call surveys during the late spring and summer were
conducted to inventory frog and toad species (anurans). Each
HMU was visited at least one night during monthly survey
periods from May through July to listen for broadcasting anurans.
Sites with standing water (ponds, ditches, inlet edges) were
visited; calling species and best estimated number were recorded.
Prior to initiating surveys, MWFB researchers trained in frog
calls using those published by Davidson (1995). We modified a
chorus scoring system used by Kinkead (2006) that assigns an
index ranking categorizing the number of frogs singing. A
ranking of “1” signifies that individual frogs can be counted, with space between calls. A “2” signifies
there is an overlap in calls but the observer is still able to distinguish between individuals. Finally, a
“3” designates a full chorus of constantly overlapping calls where the observer can no longer discern
between individuals. During quiet nights with low activity, customized Davidson (1995) calls were
broadcasted over a portable speaker system to try to elicit a response, listening 5 minutes between
broadcasts for a response. Anuran detections elicited in this manner were noted on datasheets. During
most anuran call surveys, MWFB researchers used a Maglite S2D015 flashlight and/ or an EagleTac
P100A2 LED Flashlight at eye level to spotlight for eyeshine with 10 x 42 binoculars along shorelines
of ponds, wetlands and inlets, particularly in areas where low or no anuran calling occurred. Areas that
yielded eyeshine detections (if early in the season) were visited at later dates to conduct anuran call
surveys to confirm the identity of anurans. Animals detected by eyeshine were counted towards the
survey if positive identification of the species could be made. For ponds or other bodies surveyed
multiple times during a season, estimated numbers of calling frogs with the highest number from one
survey was used in calculations of abundances. Locations of detected animals were marked with GPS
unit.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 12 University of California, Davis
2.2.4 Dipnet/ water surveys
We surveyed standing water and/or inlet areas at each HMU for amphibian eggs and larvae in early
spring (Figure 4). River inlets with suitable habitat and ponds within sites were surveyed at least once
whereas shorelines with steep inclines or no emergent vegetation were not surveyed due to
unlikelihood of these habitats supporting amphibians (USFWS 1991). For large bodies of water, one to
two MWFB researchers donned waders to wade through water, visually inspecting the surface water
for frog egg masses and using long-handled dipnets. Nets used were 3/16 inch mesh, and were 16 by
16 by 12 inches in size. Smaller bodies of water (creeks, small ponds) were sampled using smaller nets
with mesh size ranging 3/16 inch to 1/32 of an inch. Sweeps were conducted in a random fashion, but
served to sample the entire wadable area, dipping in areas where aquatic vegetation was reduced.
Dipnet surveys were contained within the area of the water body, and time spent searching in the form
of researcher hours was recorded so effort could be calculated. When an amphibian was netted,
processing (handling) time of that animal did not factor in to the total search time (Corn & Bury 1990).
Animals captured were processed with photo documentation and measurement (total length); air
temperature, water temperature (at 6 inches below the surface) and other details of the detection were
recorded. Tadpole locations within a body of water were not marked at point of detection; rather, the
general location was marked with by GPS unit to document the portion of the water body where they
were found.
2.2.5 Guzzler dipnet survey
We expanded the Guzzler survey protocol to several HMUs in the Little Goose and Lower Granite
pools in 2009 after the initial discovery of amphibian eggs in gallinaceous guzzlers at 55-Mile in April
2008. All guzzlers at all sites were sampled in subsequent visits (Figure 5). Guzzlers were visited
during the day to mark their locations with a GPS unit, using the two-lettered site codes listed in Table
1 followed by “WT” (signifying “watering trough”) and the numbered encounter of that guzzler. For
instance, “BFWT3” signifies the third guzzler encountered and surveyed at Big Flat HMU. Also
during daytime visits, general habitat surrounding the guzzler, as well as presence of eggs or sign of
amphibians was noted. Guzzlers were then visited at night for optimal viewing using a Maglite
S2D015 flashlight and/ or an EagleTac P100A2 LED Flashlight for recording nocturnal activity.
Visual estimates of numbers of eggs and larvae were recorded rather than physical counting to prevent
disruption to the amphibians at these stages. The maximum number of eggs or larvae between the first
and subsequent visits (if any) were tallied to produce a minimum number estimate in each guzzler.
Captured amphibians at older larval stages were processed with photo documentation and measurement
(total length); air temperature, water temperature (at 6 inches below the surface), and other details of
the detection were also recorded. )
Left: MWFB biologist dip netting with waders. Right: MWFB biologist using small nets to capture
tadpoles.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 13 University of California, Davis
2.2.6 Funnel trapping
Funnel traps were used to attempt to capture both aquatic and terrestrial herpetofaunal species between
June and August 2009. Traps used were double-end, with a funnel opening ranging in diameter
between 1 inch and 1.5 inches. Mesh was 0.25 inches, and traps measured 7.5 inches diameter at the
narrowest point, 9 inches at the widest point and were 16 inches long when set-up. Funnel traps were
baited with approx. 1 teaspoon full of tuna (either tuna in oil or tuna in water) or sardines in mesh
fabric and was suspended inside the trap with a Zip-tie. Captured animals were photographed,
measured for total length (snout-vent length for frogs), location marked with a GPS unit and then
released at the point of capture. Traps were placed in two different ways: aquatically and terrestrially.
Aquatic funnel traps
Funnel traps (photo right) were submerged two-thirds in water
(with the funnel entrance completely submerged) to allow
breathing room for captured animals. Traps were typically set
along wetland or edges of water bodies under vegetation to
provide shade to captured animals as well as serving as an anchor
to tie the traps to. Traps were spaced along shorelines of water
bodies greater than half an acre at approximately 50 to 100 feet
apart (between 1 and 10 traps per acre water), though in small
water bodies less than half an acre (i.e. wetlands) the density of
placement was greater (traps placed every 5-10 feet, up to 75
traps per acre). The time traps were set was recorded and effort
was calculated and number of minutes open. Traps were checked
within 24 hours of setting, and were typically set early in the day
and checked the following morning to allow for diurnally as well
as nocturnally active species to find and investigate the traps. All
traps were disinfected with a QUAT 128 (quaternary disinfectant,
1:60 dilution) or 10% bleach solution before moving to a
different HMU or site.
Terrestrial funnel traps
Traps were baited in the same way as aquatic traps and set singly on the ground along microhabitat
corridors (between parted grasses, along grass-shrub edges, along but out of the water’s edge, etc.). A
space in the ground was scuffed or dug out until the funnel entrance hole was flush with the ground to
facilitate entry into the trap. The time traps were set was recorded and effort was calculated as number
of hours open. Traps were checked within 24 hours of setting, and were typically set early in the day
and checked the following morning to allow for diurnally as well as nocturnally active species to find
and investigate the traps.
MWFB researchers examining guzzlers for breeding amphibians.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 14 University of California, Davis
2.2.7 Skin molt / Reptile Determinations
When molted snake skins were found, we noted general habitat and marked each snakeskin molt with a
GPS unit (Figure 6). The skin was then collected and stored in plastic bags for later identification by
researchers with the Shaffer Lab at the University of California, Davis. Only skins that were complete
enough for positive identification were used in analyses.
2.2.8 Incidental detections and specimens
Locations of any reptiles or amphibians detected
incidentally were marked with a Garmin Vista HCX
handheld GPS unit and described in the same way as
those found during a VES. Specimens were collected
where needed to help confirm determinations of
tadpoles, young animals or hard to id herps. The
mammal crews worked closely to help record
observations of all herps detected while in the field.
We also salvaged herptiles found dead. These
specimens were vouchered and deposited into the
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology.
2.3 AMPHIBIAN CHYTRID FUNGUS TESTING
In June 2009, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Calvin Schwab One Health Program
contributed field hours and funds for the testing of Lower Snake River HMU amphibians for the
amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Veterinary student externs and
MWFB researchers collected swab samples from amphibians captured at HMUs in the McNary, Lower
Monumental and Lower Granite pools. Methods for capture included dipnet/ water surveys, guzzler
dipnet surveys and funnel trapping. Out of Tricities-managed HMUs in the McNary pool, samples
were collected from Toothacre, Yakima Delta and Hood Park on June 12, 13 and 14, 2009. Samples
were collected from Clarkson-managed HMUs in the Lower Monumental and Lower Granite pool on
June 15, 16 and 17 2009 from Tucannon, Riparia, Nisqually John Canyon and Alpowa HMUs. Field
sampling (swab collection) was performed following the protocols of Brem et al. (2007) and Livo
(2004). Disinfection procedures for all aquatic contact or survey activity at all HMUs followed Fellers
(2008) protocol, as described in Section 2.2.
Skin swabs and tissue samples (tail clips from salamanders and mouthparts from tadpoles)
were collected and stored in 70% Ethanol for later analysis by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
methods at the Pisces Molecular (Boulder, Colorado). The PCR assay is extremely sensitive, allowing
for the detection of chytrid fungus presence in a sample with as little as one zoospore (Livo 2004, Brem
Snake skins were collected, marked by GPS and bagged for later identification.
Incidental observations included this Pacific
Rattler released from a Sherman Small Mammal
Trap.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 15 University of California, Davis
et al. 2007). Owing to this sensitivity, precautions were taken to prevent cross-contamination through
the changing of gloves and sterilization of tools in between animals. Samples were batched (Table 5)
within species and localities (Brem et al. 2007).
3.0 GENERAL RESULTS
3.1 SURVEY RESULTS
From April through August 2009, we spent 240.67 hours conducting a total of 398 surveys and
completed 449 funnel trap-nights (TN) on nine HMUs along the Lower Snake River (Table 3). Details
of effort for Tricities and Clarkson-managed HMUs are presented in Sections 5.0 and 6.0, respectively.
We confirmed 14 species of reptiles and amphibians among all nine HMUs (6 amphibian and 8 reptile),
with an average species richness of 5.4 species per site. A total of 2,511 animals were captured or
detected during this inventory (from all survey methods combined), including 2,396 amphibians (333
salamanders, 2,063 frogs) and 116 reptiles (3 turtles, 4 lizards, 109 snakes) (Table 4). These totals
include all captured or observed adult amphibians and reptiles as well as frog tadpoles and salamander
larvae, serving only as a sample of the actual number of herptiles present. More species were detected
by the Visual Encounter Survey (VES) method than any other method (9 species, combined diurnal and
nocturnal searches), followed by funnel trapping and incidental detections next (8 species each) (Table
4). While only one species was detected, guzzler dipnet surveying was an effective method for
determining presence of Long-toed Salamanders at certain HMUs (Tables 4 and 7).
Of the projected 24 species for our study area (Appendix A), we detected 14 species (Tables 4, 6).
The sites with the most number of species detected was Nisqually John Canyon and John Henley
HMUs (8 species) and the HMUs with the fewest number of species found were Chief Timothy and
Richland Bend HMUs (1 and 2 species, respectively). The most abundant herptile, amphibian and
anuran species detected was the American Bullfrog, which was detected by 5 methods (Table 4). The
most abundant reptile and snake was the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, whose presence was detected by
six survey methods. Long-toed Salamanders were found breeding in 9 of 36 guzzlers surveyed in
Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite pools (Table 6). Great Basin Spadefoot was
heard calling at Yakima Delta and Toothacre HMUs in the McNary pool and at John Henley in the
Lower Monumental pool. A total of 4 Western Toads were observed at two sites, one at Willow Bar
Table 3. Summary of effort and results by method, all sites combined
Sampling method Duration
(effort)
Number of
detections
Individual
detection rate
Species
richness
Visual encounter surveys (n=134) 92.27 hr 571 1/ 91.13 minutes 7
Nocturnal VES and road searches
(n=79) 50.53 hr 24 1/ 126.33 minutes 5
Anuran call surveys (n=100) 48.00 hr 1139 1/2.53 minutes 5
Dipnet surveys (n=45) 39.57 hr 493 1/4.82 minutes 6
Guzzler dipnet surveys (n=41)
(36 guzzlers surveyed) 10.30 hr 149
25% surveyed
showed presence 1
Aquatic funnel trapping 289 TN 113
19.4% trap
captures 5
Terrestrial funnel trapping 160 TN 3 1.3% trap captures 3
Snakeskin/ reptile determinations -- 12 -- 3
Incidental detections -- 68 -- 8 1 denotes individuals heard or seen during VES. 2 Relative abundance = No. individuals detected/ hour surveyed 3 Relative abundance = No. individuals captured/ 100 trap-nights
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 16 University of California, Davis
HMU in the Little Goose pool and three at Nisqually John Canyon in the Lower Granite pool.
Woodhouse’s Toads were most common at Toothacre HMU in the McNary pool. Pacific Treefrogs
were the second most abundant amphibian, and showed the greatest numbers at Yakima Delta HMU in
the McNary pool, Tucannon HMU in the Little Goose pool and Alpowa HMU in Lower Granite pool
(Sections 5.0 and 6.0). Two Painted Turtles were observed in April at Yakima Delta HMU in the
McNary pool (Section 5.0) and another at a pond in the Lower Granite pool (Section 6.0). Western
Skinks (Plestiodon skiltonianus) were observed at John Henley in the Lower Monumental Pool and 2
sites in the Lower Granite pool (Section 6.0). Sixteen detections of Western Yellow-bellied Racer
(Coluber constrictor mormon) were recorded by 4 survey methods, including four detections by
positive snakeskin determinations (Appendix B). Twenty-three Gopher Snake detections (Pituophis
catenifer) occurred by four survey methods at five HMUs. Two Common Garter Snakes (Thamnophis
sirtalis fitchi) were observed during survey months, one at Yakima Delta HMU and one at John Henley
HMU. Six of nine detections of Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans vagrans) occurred at six
HMUs, with six detections by funnel trap capture. The most widely distributed species was the
Bullfrog, which was detected at 8 of the 9 HMUs by our surveys in 2009. The least widely distributed
species was the Northern Desert Night Snake (Hypsiglena chlorophaea), of which one individual was
found by Nocturnal VES at John Henley HMU (Section 6.0). No state sensitive species were detected
during the 2009 inventory period.
Table 4. Number of confirmed species identifications by survey method, 2009.
Species VES Nocturnal
VES
Anuran
call Dipnet
Guzzler
dipnet
Funnel
trapping
Snakeskin/
reptile
determination
Incidental totals
Long-toed
Salamander 110 188 35 333
Great Basin
Spadefoot 24 24
Western Toad 2 2 4
Woodhouse's
Toad 18 17 1 36
Pacific
Treefrog 4 358 283 21 2 668
American
Bullfrog 40 9 1,152 80 50 1,331
Painted Turtle 3 3
Western Skink 1 3 4
Western
Yellow-bellied
Racer 1 1 5 9 16
Gopher Snake 2 1 3 17 23
Common
Garter Snake 1 1 2
Terrestrial
Garter Snake 2 6 1 9
Thamnophis sp. 1 1
Night Snake 1 1
Northern
Pacific
Rattlesnake 7 12 1 1 5 31 57
Detection totals 57 24 1,553 493 188 116 12 68 2,511
Confirmed
species by
survey method 7 5 5 6 1 8 3 8
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 17 University of California, Davis
3.2 AMPHIBIAN CHYTRID FUNGUS TESTING
During June 2009, MWFB researchers and UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine student externs
swabbed a total of 53 animals from 7 HMUs from Tricities to Clarkston. Swabs from individuals
captured or trapped at the same site or same water body were pooled for testing purposes, for a total of
19 pooled samples (and thus 19 data points). Four species were sampled for testing: Bullfrog (n=36
individual, 11 pooled samples), Pacific Treefrog (n=9, 5 pooled samples), Long-toed Salamander (n=5,
3 pooled samples) and Western Toad (n=2, 1 pooled sample). The results of testing of samples at the
Pisces Molecular Laboratory (Boulder, Colorado) found that of 4 species at 7 different HMUs, only
beak (mouthpart) samples collected from dead Bullfrog tadpoles turned up positive in two different
ponds (approx. 0.36 and 1 acre sizes) at just one of the sites (Toothacre HMU). The beaks of 2
combined samples of 3 Bullfrog tadpoles each tested positive for the fungus (Table 5).
Table 5. Results of amphibian chytrid fungus testing at Lower Snake River HMUs, 2009
HMU (site) Species Lifestage
No.
sampled
sample
date Northing Easting Test result
Hood Park Bullfrog juvenile frog 1 6/12/2009 5119933 344844 Negative
Hood Park Bullfrog
juvenile or
adult frog 9 6/12/2009 5119694 344785 Negative
Yakima Delta Bullfrog adult frog 1 6/13/2009 5123324 326524 Negative
Yakima Delta Bullfrog tadpole 3 6/13/2009 5123319 326559 Negative
Toothacre Bullfrog
tadpole, found
dead 3
6/11,
6/13/2009 5109702 346201 Positive
Toothacre Bullfrog
juvenile or
adult frog 7 6/13/2009 5109847 345956 Negative
Toothacre Bullfrog
tadpole, found
dead 3 6/13/2009 5109923 346009 Positive
Toothacre Bullfrog metamorph 2 6/14/2009 5109923 346009 Negative
Tucannon
Pacific
Treefrog metamorph 2 6/16/2009 5155660 410086 Negative
Tucannon
Long-toed
Salamander larva 4 6/16/2009 5155941 410145 Negative
John Henley
Pacific
Treefrog adult frog 2 6/15/2009 5158854 416967 Negative
John Henley
Long-toed
Salamander
larva or
neotene 1 6/16/2009 5158876 416920 Negative
Nisqually
John Bullfrog adult frog 6 6/14/2009 5150756 482173 Negative
Nisqually
John
Western
Toad adult frog 2 6/14/2009 5150756 482173 Negative
Alpowa
Pacific
Treefrog adult frog 5 6/14/2009 5140183 483911 Negative
Alpowa Bullfrog adult frog 1 6/14/2009 5140183 483911 Negative
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 18 University of California, Davis
Table 6. Checklist of reptiles and amphibians detected at HMUs surveyed in 2009, all methods combined.
Tricties-managed HMUs Clarkston-managed HMUs
Species Detections
(2009)
Toothacre Yakima
Delta
Richland
Bend
Hood Park Riparia John
Henley
Nisqually
John Cyn
Alpowa
Creek
Chief
Timothy
Othera
Long-toed
Salamander 158 1 5 143 9 175
Great Basin
Spadefoot 24 18 3 3 0
Western Toad 3 3 1
Woodhouse's
Toad 36 31 5 0
Pacific
Treefrog 402 237 21 139 266
American
Bullfrog 1256 396 312 76 401 1 26 1 43 73
Painted Turtle 2 2 1
Western
Skink 3 2 1 1
Western
Yellow-
bellied Racer
6 1 1 4 8
Gopher Snake 11 1 1 4 2 1 12
Common
Garter Snake 2 1 1 0
Terrestrial
Garter Snake 8 1 1 3 1 1 1 1
Thamnophis
sp. 1 1 0
Night Snake 1 1 0
Northern
Pacific
Rattlesnake
34 4 3 15 12 23
Species
confirmed 14 6 7 2 3 6 8 8 4 1
a Please refer to Section 6.6 detailing detections at other Clarkston-managed HMUs.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 19 University of California, Davis
4.0 DISCUSSION
4.1 PREVIOUS STUDIES
The 2009 surveys of Lower Snake River HMUs built on those conducted in 2008 by the MWFB in the
Tricities area (Franklin and Walla Walla Counties) (Alminas et al. 2009). Overall effort in 2009 was
slightly less (by 31 hours) and the survey period was one month shorter in 2009 (4 months rather than 5
in 2008). The 2009 surveys resulted in detections of 4 additional species at Clarkston-managed HMUs
between Lower Monumental and Lower Granite pools not observed at HMUs surveyed in the Tricities
area in 2008 (Great Basin Spadefoot, Western Toad, Common Garter Snake and Night Snake).
However, Rubber Boa (Charina bottae), a species detected through the positive identification of a
snakeskin molt at 55-Mile HMU in the Lower Monumental pool in 2008, was not observed during
2009 surveys.
Asherin and Claar (1976) found 9 species of reptiles and amphibians along the northeastern
portion of the McNary pool (Segment 8: Woodhouse’s Toad, Bullfrog, Painted Turtle, Sagebrush
Lizard, Common side-blotched Lizard, Western Yellow-bellied Racer, Gopher Snake, Terrestrial
Garter Snake, Northern Pacific Rattlesnake), 4 species of reptiles and amphibians at sites surveyed
within the Ice Harbor Pool (Segment 7: Woodhouse’s Toad, Western Yellow-bellied Racer, Northern
Pacific Rattlesnake and Great Basin Gopher Snake), and detected 9 species within the Lower
Monumental and Little Goose pools (Segment 6: Pacific Treefrog, Bullfrog, Columbia Spotted Frog,
Great Basin Spadefoot, Western Yellow-bellied Racer, Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, Gopher Snake,
Wandering Garter Snake and Valley Garter Snake).
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
McNary Ice Harbor Lower
Monumental
Little Goose Lower Granite
Sp
ecie
s ri
chn
ess
Asherin & Claar (1976) Loper & Lohman (1998) UC Davis (2008) UC Davis (2009)
Figure 3. Comparison of species richness by pool from previous surveys, 1976 – 2009.
Figure 3 depicts the number of species found in each pool by previous and current inventories. All 9
species depicted in the Lower Monumental pool in Figure 3 are representative of Segment 6 (which
merged findings from Lower Monumental and Little Goose pools together) described by Asherin and
Claar (1976). Our survey efforts in the Ice Harbor pool exceeded the species richness found by
previous research. Loper and Lohman (1998) did not conduct any surveys for herptiles in the McNary
pool, whereas Asherin and Claar (1976) had found 9 species at five sites (described above). Our
surveys at a single site in the McNary pool (Villard Ponds) in 2008 yielded detections of 6 species, and
additional surveys in the McNary pool at 4 other HMUs added confirmation of 4 species, for a total of
10 species known from our surveys in the McNary Pool. Two species in the McNary pool (Sagebrush
Lizard and Common Side-blotched Lizard) not found by our surveys were found at sites near the
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 20 University of California, Davis
confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers (Asherin and Claar 1976). It was unclear however
where these detections occurred. The Sagebrush and Common Side-blotched Lizards were found by
the researchers to occupy big sage (Artemisia tridentata) and rubber rabbit brush (Ericameria
nauseosa) habitats, which from the five sites described by the researchers narrow to Finley-Hover Park
(adjacent to the current Toothacre HMU) and/or Hat Rock State Park (Asherin and Claar 1976)
(Section 4.3).
The greatest number of species detected by our surveys were at Nisqually John Canyon and
John Henley HMUs (8 species) followed by Yakima Delta HMU (7 species) (Table 6). Chief Timothy
HMU in the Lower Granite pool and Richland Bend in the McNary pool showed the lowest species
richness (1 and 2 species, respectively). Surveys were conducted at Chief Timothy in 2009 to augment
those done by Loper & Lohman (1998), who detected Bullfrog, Common Garter Snake, Terrestrial
Garter Snake and Painted Turtle within this HMU. While MWFB researchers spent 3.5 hours
searching for turtles in the main pond at Chief Timothy during spring and summer 2009; none were
seen.
The Great Basin Spadefoot was not detected at any HMU
surveyed in 2008, but was found and photographed on private land
adjacent to Hollebeke HMU (Alminas et al. 2009). This species is well-
known from the Snake/ Columbia River confluence and upstream the
Snake River, as it is primarily a shrub-steppe specialist, spending most of
its adult life buried underground. Adult Great Basin Spadefoots return to
water only to breed, often using slow-moving springs, seasonal pools,
irrigation ditches to lay 10 to 40 eggs (WA Herp Atlas, 2005). This
species appears to tolerate some habitat alteration, as it is able to breed in
agricultural lands with a source of standing irrigation water. We observed
this species calling at Toothacre, Yakima Delta HMUs (McNary pool) and
John Henley HMU (Lower Monumental pool) (Sections 5.0 and 6.0).
The Night Snake is a crepuscular and nocturnal snake present
whose distribution in Washington state falls primarily within the Columbia Basin (Stebbins 2003).
Due to its nocturnal and secretive behavior, this snake can be hard to detect, and prior to research
between 2003 and 2005, only a few records existed in Washington. Between 2003 and 2005, road
cruising along state routes and other roads by Weaver (2008) yielded 121 detections of Night Snake in
8 counties, with one first county record (Douglas). Historical record
of Night Snake from the McNary National Wildlife Refuge prior to
1984 is the one closest to our study area of Tricities-managed
HMUs, and falls within a 5 mile radius of Villard Ponds HMU (WA
Herp Atlas 2005). Our surveys in 2008 at Tricities-managed HMUs
in the McNary, Ice Harbor and Lower Monumental pools did not
detect this species. Night Snake has been detected upstream the
Columbia River at Tucannon HMU by drift fence/trapping methods
in upland habitat (Loper & Lohman 1998). Our nocturnal VES
yielded a single observation of this species at John Henley HMU
(photo left) in 2009, possibly the first record of this species for
Whitman County (Section 6.0). The animal was collected and
vouchered at the MWFB.
The Common Garter Snake is the most widely distributed and one of the most common snakes in the
state of Washington (WA Herp Atlas, 2005). The subspecies in eastern Washington is the Valley
Garter Snake. Like most garter snakes, Common Garter Snakes are typically found in or near aquatic
habitats such as ponds, wetlands, springs, creeks and rivers, but will also utilize terrestrial habitats,
particularly in the spring and fall when emerging or dispersing to hibernacula sites (WA Herp Atlas
2005). While we did not detect this species at any HMU in the McNary pool during 2008 surveys, this
species has been detected upstream the Snake River at Deadman Creek, Chief Timothy and Alpowa
Great Basin Spadefoot
photographed near
Hollebeke HMU
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 21 University of California, Davis
HMUs (Loper & Lohman 1998). This species is likely more common than our surveys found them to
be, probably occurring throughout USACE-managed HMUs along the lower Snake River.
4.2 SURVEY METHOD EFFICIENCY
Unlike mammals and birds, whose presence is often conspicuous, reptiles and amphibians are
considered secretive in nature due to the difficulty in detecting their presence from chance encounters.
Single survey techniques can uncover the mammal and avian diversity within a study area; with reptiles
and amphibians, a variety of survey methods and techniques are required to detect species occupying
both aquatic and terrestrial habitats (Corn & Bury 1990, Ryan et al. 2002). Survey methods employed
for a herpetofaunal study will depend on the study objectives and goals. Studies to inventory and
determine herpetofaunal species richness typically implement only a few, well-known number of
sampling techniques, such as drift fence arrays with pitfall and/or funnel traps, Visual encounter
surveys (VES) and coverboards. These methods are considered to be primary techniques for
herpetofaunal surveying based on prevalence in literature (Hutchens and DePerno 2009). Secondary
techniques known from literature include standardized road searches, poly-vinyl chloride piping grids,
line transects and auditory surveys. Tertiary techniques include documentation of species observed
opportunistically, non-standardized road searches and the use of aquatic traps, often regarded as non-
standardized approaches (Hutchens and DePerno 2009). The use of primary techniques only may
result in underestimated species richness, depending on the geographic location, habitat and species
distribution (Hutchens and DePerno 2009). Utilization of secondary and tertiary techniques add to
species richness estimates, particularly when used in conjunction with primary techniques. For
inventorying purposes, a variety of methods, combined with site visits during favorable weather
conditions are necessary to document as many species as possible at a site. Owing to the nature of our
short-term, seasonal surveys at HMUs along the Lower Snake River, the use of drift fence arrays was
not feasible, and we focused on implementing more secondary and tertiary survey techniques to
attempt to detect more species in less time. We utilized eight survey techniques in 2008 and 2009, and
switched from the use of coverboards in 2008 to funnel traps in 2009. Only six of the 14 species
detected by surveys in 2009 in the Tricites and Clarkston-managed HMUs were found by the use of a
primary technique (VES); the use of this single technique would’ve thus resulted in a species richness
underestimated by 57%. Hutchens and DePerno (2009) classified species detected by only one or two
survey techniques as “unique species,” which were found to augment total species richness by 38-85%.
Of the 14 species detected by surveys in 2009 in the Tricites and Clarkston-managed HMUs, 43% were
considered unique species; of these, 5 (83%) were detected by secondary, tertiary or unconventional
techniques. Thus, the results from surveys in 2008 and 2009 show that certain methods vary in their
success of detecting species, even those within the same taxonomic group.
Visual Encounter Surveying (VES) is a standard and non-invasive method which allows
researchers the flexibility to search a variety of habitats. In general, the flexible nature of VES makes
them difficult to replicate in future efforts, and analyses based on this method will often not provide
sufficient quantitative data on population size and structure or life history traits (Mitchell 2004).
Rather, the data from the VES method is more qualitative, making it an appropriate method for
inventory work (as with our objective, documenting occurrence of amphibian and reptiles within a
study area). Our VES were not area or time constrained, rather an opportunistic search of habitats
known to support certain species. During our surveys on HMUs, 7 out of 14 species were detected by
VES (Table 4).
Nocturnal VES method resulted in the detection of 5 of 14 species (Table 4). Northern Pacific
Rattlesnake was the most commonly observed species by this survey method, but was also detected by
other methods. The finding of a Night Snake by this survey method at John Henley HMU further
emphasizes the importance of inclusion of secondary and tertiary survey techniques in an inventory-
type study design.
Anuran call surveys proved to be an effective method for inventorying anuran diversity and
numbers at HMUs (Table 3). Four species were detected, with Great Basin Spadefoot as the only
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 22 University of California, Davis
anuran observed by this method alone (unique species). Pacific Treefrog, Woodhouse’s Toad, and
American Bullfrogs were also observed by this survey technique.
A total of 39.57 researcher hours were spent surveying bodies of water with dipnets in 2009,
with 20.30 surveyor hours spent to target Northern Leopard Frog tadpoles or juveniles at HMUs within
or adjacent to historical known locations in the McNary pool (Table 3, Section 4.5). While no species
was found by this method alone, it did result in the detection of American Bullfrog, Woodhouse’s
Toad, Pacific Treefrog as well as Long-toed Salamander and Western Toad in native wetland and
riparian habitats at select Clarkston-managed HMUs (Section 6.0).
From the time Long-toed Salamanders were first detected breeding in gallinaceous guzzlers at 55-Mile
HMU in April 2008, we subsequently surveyed guzzlers in Ice Harbor pool and in 2009, Lower
Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite pools (Table 7). No other amphibian species was found
to use these guzzlers for breeding.
The method of collecting snakeskin molts and turtle shells proved to be a effective one in
2008– of the 30 snake molts and turtle carapace collected, 23 were identifiable to species (Table 4,
Appendix B). Snakeskin molt collection began in June 2008 when MWFB researchers first started to
see them and through the summer with 77% of the molts being encountered in September 2008,
presumably after snakes had bred and were preparing for hibernation. In 2009, only 9 were found at
Clarkston-managed HMUs between June and August (none at Tricities HMUs in the McNary pool),
when the survey season ended, perhaps out of the ideal time period for collection of snakeskin molts.
Three additional molts were found incidentally during small mammal trapping efforts in September
2009 at Clarkston-managed HMUs. Positive identification of the snake molts was made by Robert
Thomson and Levi Gray at the Shaffer Lab (Dept. of Evolution and Ecology, UC Davis). This method
yielded the detection of 3 species. Rubber boa at 55- Mile HMU in the Lower Monumental pool in
2008 represents a unique species found by this survey method.
The artificial cover objects (coverboards) implemented at 6 HMUs in 2008 were found to be
the least successful for species detection after nocturnal VES (3 species were found to use them, all
which were also detected by other methods) (Alminas et al. 2009). While coverboards are a primary
technique for surveying for herptiles, it is a technique best suited for frequent and repeated researcher
visits. In 2009, funnel traps were used instead of coverboards to augment surveys. Funnel traps were
effective in catching anurans and garter snakes (Table 4). Terrestrial and Common Garter snakes,
while widespread and locally common elsewhere in their ranges appear to be present in low numbers
along the lower Snake River HMUs. Six Terrestrial Garter Snakes were captured at 5 HMUs in funnel
traps; 4 of these detections only occurred through funnel trapping.
4.3 GALLINACEOUS GUZZLER USE BY LONG-TOED SALAMANDERS
One of the more interesting finds from this project was the
use of guzzlers by Long-toed Salamanders. In 2008, we
discovered populations at Skookum HMU. After this
discovery, we initiated a search of 19 guzzlers down river of
Skookum including 55-Mile, Hollebeke, Lost Island and Big
Flat HMUs in Ice Harbor and western Lower Monumental
pools. None were found downriver of Skookum. In 2009, we
developed a sampling protocol to assess the use of guzzler s
along the Snake River from Skookum HMU, east of the Idaho
Border. In 2009, we sampled an additional 36 gallinaceous
guzzlers at HMUs in eastern Lower Monumental upstream
through Little Goose and Lower Granite pools, for a total of
56 guzzlers surveyed along the lower Snake River HMUs. We
detected Long-toed Salamanders on nine HMUs spanning the
Lower Snake River (Table 7, Figure 5). During the 2009
season we also detected salamanders in natural wetlands and
All life stages of Long-toed Salamanders
were found in guzzlers. Photos above
are of egg, larvae, and adults all sampled
from HMU guzzlers.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 23 University of California, Davis
streams on several HMUs. We found all life stages of salamanders in the guzzlers indicating breeding
at all HMUs detected. We can find no documentation of the use of guzzlers by salamanders in
Washington prior to this study. Habitat associations for guzzlers within approximately 20 meters of the
guzzlers are described in Figure 4 and a map of long-toed salamander distribution based findings from
2008 and 2009 surveys is displayed in Figure 5. Salamanders seem to preferentially seek guzzlers in
irrigated areas (usually dominated by Russian Olive as a canopy tree and an understory of dense
grasses). Grasslands in general are also widely used (Figure 4). Use of guzzlers on a single HMU was
not uniform. For example at Skookum, 50% of the guzzlers were used, those being in irrigated
patches. Of the six guzzlers sampled at Swift Bar, only one was used. We believe that the guzzler
units have afforded the dispersal of Long-toed Salamanders along the Snake River. This species has
gone virtually undetected along the lower Snake River prior to these studies
Table 7. Summary of gallinaceous guzzler surveys, 2008 - 2009
No. guzzlers
HMU in HMU surveyed detected
AMMA dates surveyed
No. AMMA
detected
Ice Harbor pool
Big Flat 5 5 0 5/13/2008 0
Lost Island 2 2 0 5/15/2008 0
Hollebeke 3 3 0 5/17, 6/29/2008 0
Lower Monumental pool
Skookum 6 6 3 4/16/2008 58
55-Mile 3 3 3 4/15/2008 110
Lyon's Ferry 5 5 0 5/7/2009 0
Tucannon 4 1 1 6/16/2009 4
John Henley 4 4 0 5/6, 5/15/2009 0
Little Goose pool
Ridpath 1 1 0 4/23/2009 0
Dry Gulch 1 1 1 6/5/2009 2
New York Bar 3 3 3 4/23/2009 59
Swift Bar 6 6 1 4/23/2009 18
Illia Dunes 2 2 1 6/8/2009 2
Lower Granite pool
Transmission Line 1 1 0 5/13/2009 0
Kelly Bar 3 3 1 5/13/2009 22
Nisqually John Canyon 6 5 1 5/11/2009 39
Hell's Gate 5 4 0 4/25/2009 0
AMMA = Long-toed Salamander
Figure 4. Habitat associations within 20 meters of gallinaeous guzzlers surveyed in 2008 and 2009. Left: Habitat
associations of guzzlers where no Long-toed Salamanders were found (n=40); Right: Habitat associations of guzzlers
where Long-ted Salamanders were detected (n=15).
13%
7%
13%
13%
47%
7%
Bunchgrass
Grass, blackberry edge
Grassland slope adjacent
to riparian
Grass-filled depression;
moist
Irrigated Russian Olive/
grass patch
Shrub-steppe
5%
49%
20%
3%
20%
3%
Grass, blackberry edge
Grassland slope
Irrigated Russian Olive/
grass patch
Locust sp. grassland
Shrub-steppe
Sand dune
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 24 University of California, Davis
Figure 5. Long-toed Salamander detections, Lower Snake River
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 25 University of California, Davis
4.4 TOAD (BUFO SP.) DISTRIBUTION ALONG THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER
The Western Toad occurs widely in the Pacific states as well as portions of Montana, Idaho, Nevada
and other areas of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains (Stebbins 2003). The Boreal Toad is the
subspecies in Washington state, which occurs in most of the state excluding the Columbia Basin
(Washington Herp Atlas, 2005). The distribution of Woodhouse’s Toad in Washington is limited to the
lower Snake River and the vicinity of the Columbia River at its confluence with the Snake. Asherin
and Claar (1976) describe the Western Toad as occurring commonly only along the middle Snake
River, particularly in Hell’s Canyon. They do note that Western Toads did not seem to overlap in
range with Woodhouse’s Toads (Asherin and Claar, 1976). Examination of distributional records for
the state of Washington indicate this isn’t so; Woodhouses’s Toads are known to occur from records
pre-dating 1984 as far upstream as bordering southeastern Whitman County (north of Garfield) along
the lower Snake River (Washington Herp Atlas, 2005). Recent records for Woodhouse’s Toad exist
from the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers, as well as upstream in southern Grant County
and downstream bordering Benton and Klickitat Counties to the south with Oregon (Washington Herp
Atlas, 2005). Conversely, Western Toads are known from records radiating from the Blue Mountains
as far west as northwestern Columbia County (Washington Herp Atlas, 2005). Detections of toads in
2008 and 2009 are mapped with those described by Loper and Lohman (1998) in Figure 6. We found
Western Toads in areas previously recorded, however we confirmed the presence of Woodhouse’s
Toad at locations which may been previously unrecorded (Figure 6). It should be noted that a road
killed, desiccated specimen of Bufo sp. was collected on June 2, 2009 along Wawawai Road in
Whitman County, located at 482477 Easting, 5149364 Northing (zone 11 N) approximately 0.85 miles
south of the bottom of Nisqually John Canyon. Owing to its degraded and desiccated condition was
not fully identifiable but may be a specimen of Woodhouse’s Toad from this stretch of Snake River in
the Lower Granite pool. Further surveys should be conducted within slow-moving and fishless water
bodies along the potential zone of overlap in these species’ occurrence, which likely occurs between
the upstream end of the Lower Monumental pool through the Lower Granite pool.
4.5 LACK OF LIZARDS
Out of the possible 4 species of lizard for the study area, we found only one species, the Western Skink
during 2008 and 2009 surveys. An individual skink was observed at 55-Mile HMU in July 2008.
During 2009 surveys, two were observed at John Henley HMU in the Lower Monumental pool and one
at Nisqually John Canyon. A skink was also observed incidentally during small mammal trapping
efforts at Nisqually John Canyon HMU in August 2008.
Three other species’ distributions show records for the Snake/ Columbia River confluence: Common
Side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana), Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporous graciosus), and Pigmy Short-
horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglasii). These species are known to occupy open shrub-steppe and
sandy habitat comprised of rubber rabbit brush and big sagebrush, much of which has been developed
for agriculture or urban use in areas surrounding Tri-Cities and is heavily degraded at most HMUs.
Records for Common Side-blotched Lizard from the Snake/ Columbia confluence date prior to 1984;
recent records are reported further upstream the Columbia River from north Benton and south Grant
counties (WA Herp Atlas, 2005). This species relies on shrub-steppe, sandy or rocky areas, with
shrubs for evading predators and extreme temperatures (WA Herp Atlas, 2005; Stebbins 2003).
Historical accounts for Sagebrush Lizard show a similar distribution, with records prior to 1984 in the
Snake/ Columbia Rivers confluence and more recent records in Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area
(Franklin Co.), north Benton and south Grant counties (WA Herp Atlas, 2005). The Sagebrush Lizard
is seemingly more of a habitat specialist, with the most recent records for the state of Washington
linked with sand dunes or other sandy habitats (WA Herp Atlas 2005). The third potential lizard
species is the Pigmy Short-horned lizard, whose distribution
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 26 University of California, Davis
Figure 6. Toad (Bufo sp.) distribution at HMUSs of the lower Snake River study area
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 27 University of California, Davis
(because of its habits) is similar to that of the Sagebrush lizard.
Both Sagebrush and Pigmy Short-horned lizards were detected
during visits to Juniper Dunes Wilderness in April 2006 and May
2008 to check the season of emergence and identification for
known populations of these two species. A fourth potential
species, the Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporous occidentalis)
shows a distribution in Washington in the Cascades and Puget
Sound regions, with records from the Blue Mountains and other
extralimital records in the Columbia Basin. Asherin and Claar
(1976) described this species as suspected for the entire Lower
Snake River, with known detections upstream the Snake River
from Clarkston in the reach between its confluence with the
Clearwater and Salmon Rivers (described as Segment 4, Asherin
and Claar [1976]). We did not find this species on any HMU
surveyed between 2008 and 2009.
Out of the HMUs surveyed in 2008, 55-Mile and
Hollebeke HMUs supported potential habitat for the Sagebrush,
Common Side-blotched and Pygmy Short-horned lizard species.
We extensively surveyed an acre-sized patch of open sand dunes
at 55-Mile for lizards; none were found. This negative finding is
unsurprising due to the small size of appropriate habitat combined
with the fact that the closest distributional record for either of the
three species is Juniper Dunes Wilderness (Pigmy Short-horned
Lizard and Sagebrush Lizard) (WA Herp Atlas, 2005). At
Hollebeke HMU, we specifically surveyed within 11 acres of big sagebrush and sandy habitat to detect
these lizard species and did not find a single one. A possible explanation for Hollebeke’s lack of
lizards may lie in the fact that much of the big sagebrush habitat had dense groundcover of cheatgrass
(Bromus tectorum), and this groundcover hinders lizard movements, who prefer open ground for
tracking prey and evading predators (WA Herp Atlas 2005; Green et al. 2001).
Out of the 9 HMUs surveyed in 2008, those occurring within historical range and supported
potential habitat for these species were Toothacre and Yakima Delta HMUs. MWFB researchers spent
approximately 13.2 hours in spring and summer 2009 conducting diurnal and evening VES at
Toothacre HMU targeting lizards, and were conducted at varying times of day to maximize lizard
detections. Surveys were conducted in habitats described by Asherin and Claar (1976) in sagebrush,
shrub steppe, bunchgrass habitats with and without sandy bare areas in the northern and southern
portions of Toothacre HMU, adjacent to areas known to harbor lizards according to Asherin and Claar
(1976). Likewise, MWFB researchers conducted 17.4 hours of VES in spring and summer 2009 at
Yakima Delta HMU in big sagebrush and other shrub-steppe habitats to target lizards. No lizards were
found by any search method at these HMU. They may still exist in the HMU and surrounding areas in
small patches in suitable, undisturbed habitat in this part of their former range.
4.6 OTHER SPECIES NOT DETECTED
Due to their ectothermic abilities, weather and climate dictate the movements and life history of
amphibians and reptiles significantly more than for birds and mammals. A complete inventory of
amphibians and reptiles can be a challenge for short-term surveys due to a number of climatic
conditions, such as lower than average rainfall, extreme temperatures or flooding (Mitchell 2004).
Therefore, our site visits of 1 to 12 days per month between April through August 2009 may have
missed certain weather patterns crucial to the detection of certain species. Nonetheless, the inventory
effort of this project is significant, exceeding in survey methodology and scope of previous efforts, and
fulfills the purpose of establishing baseline data for the lower Snake River HMUs from Benton County
in the west upstream to Whitman and Asotin Counties in the east.
Sagebrush Lizard (2008) and
Horned Lizard (2006) found at the
Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area by
MWFB biologists. Neither were
found on HMUs during the study.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 28 University of California, Davis
Tiger Salamander
Though Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) shows distributional records at the Snake and
Columbia River confluence predating 1984 (Washington Herp Atlas 2005). A total of 20.3 surveyor
hours were spent dipnetting in ponds, wetlands and other water bodies at Toothacre, Yakima Delta and
Hood Park HMUs in spring and summer 2009. We did not detect this species at these HMUs nor at
Villard Ponds (surveyed in 2008), which lie in the vicinity of two 1962 records from Burbank (WA
Herp Atlas, 2005; L. Salzer, pers. comm.).
Columbia Spotted Frog
Historical records for Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris) show presence approximately 15
miles upstream of Tucannon HMU, in the vicinity of the Tucannon River (approx 1000’ elevation)
(WA Herp Atlas 2005; WA Gap Analysis). While species accounts did not specify where the
Columbia Spotted Frog was found, Asherin & Claar (1976) did describe the detection in willow
habitat, which from the described survey transects narrows the finding down to Meadow Creek, Riparia
or Tucannon River (Asherin & Claar 1976). The seasonally flooded impoundment off the Tucannon
River along the HMU road within Tucannon HMU surveyed by dipnet/aquatic surveys in June 2009
did not yield detections of this species. The Lower Snake River may have provided seasonal flows and
ponded habitats for this species historically prior to dam construction.
Northern Leopard Frog
Similar to Tiger Salamander, we did not detect at any HMU the state endangered Northern Leopard
Frog (Rana pipiens), whose historical records fall within the Tri-Cities and the Snake/ Columbia River
confluence and upstream the Columbia River (Benton county) (WA Herp Atlas, 2005). A single record
from 1941 falls right within Yakima Delta HMU, indicating their historical presence within our study
area (L. Salzer, pers. comm.). We conducted 10.55 hours of anuran call/ eyeshine surveys at Yakima
Delta HMU in spring in summer 2009 to target Northern Leopard Frog in this historical location. None
were heard during our surveys; in the southeastern corner of the HMU, large numbers of Pacific
Treefrogs and Bullfrogs dominated the nighttime chorus). An additional 19.24 hours of anuran call/
eyeshine surveys were conducted at Toothacre, Hood Park and Richland Bend HMUs to listen for the
Northern Leopard Frog, with no detections of this species. In spring and summer 2008, we spent 17.9
hours in listening for calling anurans at Villard Ponds HMU, a site adjacent to historical Northern
Leopard Frog records; none were detected. Thus 47.69 surveyor hours of anuran call/ eyeshine surveys
were conducted between April and August 2008 and 2009 at HMUs surrounding the confluence of the
Snake and Columbia areas at sites previously known to support Northern Leopard Frogs. These
negative findings build on those compiled by McAllister et al. (1999); surveys conducted west of
Kennewick in April 1992, near Burbank in 1996 and south of the confluence of the Walla Walla and
Columbia Rivers in September 1994 failed to detect Northern Leopard Frogs in these historical known
locations.
Ring-neck snake
Due to its secretive nature, records for Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus) in Washington are
scarce. They seem to prefer moist habitats, and in other states can be found under rotting logs, stones,
stumps and other debris within forested or other woodland habitats (particularly in late winter and early
spring). Their distribution in the Columbia Basin is limited to a handful of pre-1984 records in
southeastern Whitman County, drainages south of Pullman and surrounding the Snake River Basin, and
Hell’s Canyon (WA Herp Atlas 2005). A record from 1975 from the McNary National Wildlife
Refuge (Walla Walla Co.) falls within approximately 5 miles from Villard Ponds HMU (WA Herp
Atlas, 2005). Nisqually John Canyon appeared to be the HMU most likely to support this species. As
such, approximately 20.74 diurnal, evening and nocturnal VES surveyor hours were spent at Nisqually
John Canyon HMU searching for this and other species in riparian, brushy edge and other habitats;
none were detected during the course of the survey season.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 29 University of California, Davis
Striped Whipsnake
The Striped Whipsnake (Masticophis taeniatus) utilizes a variety of habitats including sagebrush and
shrublands, grasslands, canyons, piñon-juniper and pine woodlands and occasionally seasonal or
permanent creeks or streams (Stebbins 2003). Records of Striped Whipsnake in the Columbia basin are
not numerous, with detections from intact shrub-steppe habitat with some cheatgrass (Bromus
tectorum) groundcover (WA Herp Atlas, 2005). The closest records of this species are from upstream
along the Snake River, in the eastern middle portion of Benton County, with more records from
southeastern Grant County near the Columbia River (WA Herp Atlas 2005). While our study area is
somewhat beyond the range depicted by historical records, we conducted approximately 57.44 surveyor
hours of diurnal and nocturnal VES surveys at Tricities-managed HMUs in 2009 (Yakima Delta,
Toothacre, Hood Park and Richland Bend); none were detected by our efforts.
Red-eared slider
A species not listed in Appendix A but one which is always a possibility is the Red-eared Slider
(Trachemys scripta), an aquatic turtle species popular in the pet trade. It is native to the Midwest and
southern U.S. but populations of this species have sprung up all over western states due to release from
captivity into the wild. In Washington state, populations of Red-eared Sliders are known from Puget
Sound and surrounding waterways to the east; Sliders are also reported from the lower Columbia River
at the south end of Klickitat county (WA Herp Atlas, 2005). More undocumented populations of this
species undoubtedly exist in Washington state. None were observed by our surveys at Tricities and
Clarkston-managed HMUs in 2009, however, their presence should not be precluded.
4.7 AMPHIBIAN CHYTRID FUNGUS
The chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) (Bd) is the only known chytrid fungus to have
jumped to vertebrate hosts. Bd causes the disease chytridiomycosis in anurans (frogs) and caudates
(salamanders); it is responsible for declines and extinctions of some species on every amphibian-
inhabited continent (Skerratt et al. 2008). The fungus spreads through waterways, amphibian-to-
amphibian contact, and other mechanisms not yet understood. Bd is especially virulent at temperatures
between 17º and 25º C (63º to 77º F) (Skerratt et al. 2008). The mechanism that causes mortality in
amphibians is not yet fully understood but is believed to hinder respiratory functions through the skin
and alter blood solute concentrations (Brem et al. 2007). In tadpoles, Bd affects the keratin in the
mouthparts and in adults, the fungus imbeds itself in layers of the skin. With this in mind, MWFB
researchers took precautions to disinfect all equipment with a disinfectant or10% bleach solution before
moving to another site (Section 2.2).
In Washington, Bd has been confirmed along the Columbia River, and in Kittitas, Klickitat,
Grant, Spokane and Yakima counties in a variety of amphibian species (G. Pagdett-Flohr, D. Olson, J.
Lowe, pers. comm.). Information regarding Bd prevalence from our study area along the Snake/
Columbia River confluence and lower Snake River is lacking (D. Olson, pers. comm.). It is especially
important to educate the public about this disease because the Columbia and Snake River confluence
(general locations of high human traffic - Villard Ponds, Richland Bend, Yakima Delta, Hood Park
HMUs) have historically supported the state endangered Northern Leopard Frog. The historical
records for Northern Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) fall within the Tri-Cities and the Snake/ Columbia
River confluence and upstream the Columbia River (Benton county) (WA Herp Atlas, 2005).
Confirming the presence of the chytrid fungus in Bullfrogs in two ponds at Toothacre HMU
(Ponds 2 and 4, see Figure 7) within the historical range of Northern Leopard Frog at the Snake/
Columbia River confluence could provide one explanation for its decline in this area (Table 5, Section
3.2). However, swabs from one juvenile and one metamorph from one of the positive ponds tested
negative. These two ponds are flanked on the western side by an active railroad, and on the east may
have nexus (perhaps seasonally) to the Lower Snake River. Interestingly enough, Bullfrogs from the
ponds on the opposite side of the railroad tracks tested negative for the fungus (there is connectivity
under the railroad via a culvert, but the water flows west to east towards the Snake River). The
tadpoles which tested negative were found dead in these ponds. The furthermost south pond was
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 30 University of California, Davis
stagnant and appeared anoxic. Further studies regarding amphibian chytridiomycosis in the lower
Snake River region are needed to better understand the spread and rate of infection in this area.
MWFB Field Crew at Work
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 31 University of California, Davis
5.0 TRICITIES-MANAGED HMUs
From April through August 2009, we spent 107.52 hours conducting a total of 166 surveys and 215
funnel trap-nights or trap-days. We confirmed 11 species of reptiles and amphibians between the four
Tricities-managed HMUs (4 amphibian and 7 reptile), with an average species richness of 4.5 species
per site. A total of 1,495 animals were captured or detected during this inventory (from all survey
methods combined), including 1,479 amphibians (0 salamanders, all frogs) and 16 reptiles (2 turtles, 0
lizards, 14 snakes). These totals include all captured or observed adult amphibians and reptiles as well
as frog tadpoles. While the VES method yielded the greatest species richness in detections, the
majority of detections occurred through anuran call/ eyeshine surveys, mainly owing to the dense
populations of American Bullfrogs at the four HMUs surveyed (Table 9). Anuran call/ eyeshine
surveys yielded detections of 5 species (including a rattlesnake at Toothacre HMU) as well as the most
productive detection rate of all methods (Table 9). Aquatic funnel trapping proved to be successful,
yielded detections of 4 species, while terrestrial funnel trapping did not yield any captures (Table 9).
No snakeskin molts were collected from Tricities HMUs in 2009.
Of the projected 21 species for the Tricites study area (confluence of Snake and Columbia
Rivers), we detected 11 species (Table 6). The site with the most number of species detected Yakima
Delta HMU (7 species) and the fewest were found at Richland Bend HMU (2 species). The most
abundant herptile species and amphibian was the American Bullfrog, which were found at all HMUs
surveyed in the Tricities area (McNary pool). The most abundant reptile and snake was the Western
Terrestrial Garter Snake, whose presence was detected at 3 HMUs through five detections (Table 6).
Abundances of snakes in general were low; only 16 were observed during the survey season. Pacific
Treefrogs were the second most common amphibian, though only detected at Yakima Delta HMU
(Table 6). Great Basin Spadefoot was detected for the first time in the McNary pool by our survey
efforts, in low numbers at Yakima Delta and slightly higher numbers at Toothacre HMUs (Table 6).
Two Painted Turtles were observed at Yakima Delta at the start of the survey season. No skinks or
lizard species were observed at any HMU in the Tricities region during the 2009 or 2008 survey
season. The most widely distributed species was the American Bullfrog, which was detected at all 4
HMUs and the Western Terrestrial Garter Snake, which was found at 3 HMUs. No state sensitive
species were detected during the 2009 inventory period.
Table 8. Summary of effort and results by method, Tricities sites.
Sampling method Duration
(hours)
Number of
detections
Individual
detection rate RA
Species
richness
Visual encounter surveys
(n=59) 40.67 hr 321 1/ 76.26 minutes 0.79
2 5
Nocturnal VES and road
searches (n=26) 16.77 hr 11 1/ 91.47 minutes 0.662 3
Anuran call surveys (n=64) 29.78 hr 865 1/2.07 minutes 29.042 5
Dipnet surveys (n=17) 20.30 hr 106 1/11.49 minutes 5.222 3
Aquatic funnel trapping 168 TN 61
23.2% trap
captures 36.313 4
Terrestrial funnel trapping 47 TN 0 0% trap captures 03 0
Incidental detections -- 5 -- 4 1 denotes individuals heard or seen during VES. 2 Relative abundance = No. individuals detected/ hour surveyed 3 Relative abundance = No. individuals captured/ 100 trap-nights
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 32 University of California, Davis
5.1 TOOTHACRE HMU
Methods summary
Surveys at Toothacre HMU focused on targeting species known from the vicinity by historical
distribution habitats with potential to harbor these species. These included Tiger Salamander, Northern
Leopard Frog, Sagebrush Lizard, Common Side-blotched Lizard and Pygmy Short-horned Lizard.
Survey effort totals were as follows: anuran call/eyeshine surveys (8.27 hours), dipnet/ aquatic sessions
(15.80 hours), 16.05 hours of nocturnal and diurnal VES (combined) and a pooled 155 funnel trap
nights and days. Between two and 5 days per month from April through August were spent conducting
surveys at Toothacre HMU in 2009 (Table 9).
Habitats
General habitats of Toothacre HMU include sandy areas with native bunchgrasses (particularly in the
northwestern corner of the HMU), open shoreline/ emergent vegetation, Russian Olive woodland with
annual grass understory, intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) and other native and non-
native bunchgrasses, pond/ wetland habitat, and basalt rock ground outcrops in open grassland habitat.
Ponds in Toothacre HMU were labeled for ease of reference (Figure 7).
Results
A total of 6 confirmed species were found within Toothacre HMU during 2009 surveys (Table 6,
Appendix C). Interestingly, no Pacific Treefrogs were detected at Toothacre HMU during 2009
surveys, while they were very common in areas at Yakima Delta HMU (Section 5.2) and were
observed at Villard Ponds in 2008. Toothacre HMU was the only HMU surveyed in 2009 which did
not yield detections of any garter snakes, despite repeated funnel trapping (both aquatically and
terrestrially), a method which proved to be effective at Hood Park and Richland Bend HMUs. They
likely inhabit Toothacre HMU but were not observed during our surveys. Species detections are
mapped in Figure 7.
GREAT BASIN SPADEFOOT
On 12 June 2009 during an anuran call/ eyeshine survey from the railroad tracks overlooking Pond 3,
MWFB researchers detected Great Basin Spadefoots calling at a far distance from the far western end
of the pond. The number of individuals calling were difficult to count, as there was no overlap in calls
of the chorus, but were estimated at 15 individuals. Subsequent listening on the west side of the pond
yielded no auditory observation of Spadefoots. Spadefoots were confirmed, however, just out of the
HMU calling from a wet grass field and also from a cattle pond on private land (Figure 7). Three
individuals were heard at this location. A total of 18 individuals were detected at or in the vicinity of
Toothacre HMU during 2009 surveys.
Table 9. Dates of Toothacre HMU herpetofaunal surveys, 2009
Month Date Survey types
April 29, 30 Anuran call/ eyeshine; Dipnet/ aquatic surveys
May 12, 18, 20, 21 Incidental; Anuran call/ eyeshine; VES; Dipnet/ aquatic
June 12, 13 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/ eyeshine, Dipnet/ aquatic
July 22, 23, 24 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/ eyeshine, Dipnet/ aquatic
August 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/ eyeshine
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 33 University of California, Davis
WOODHOUSE’S TOAD
Woodhouse’s toads were first heard calling from the large inlet area in the north end of the HMU from
the water diversion structure where the canal enters the HMU (Pond 5, Figure 7). Six were heard
calling in this location on 18 May 2009. A toad was dipnetted along this same water body on 20 May
2009. On 12 June 2009, a small group of approximately 15 toad tadpoles was found during a dipnet
survey in Pond 3 on the west side of the railroad tracks in the middle of the HMU. Later that night, one
Woodhouse’s toad was heard calling from this same pond, as well as from the canal at the north end of
the HMU (Pond 6, Figure 7). On August 10, 2009 a single toadlet was captured in an aquatic funnel
trap in Pond 3. A total of 31 individuals were detected at or in the vicinity of Toothacre HMU during
2009 surveys, and were found along shoreline of river inlet (Pond 5), wetland and canal (Pond 6)
habitat.
AMERICAN BULLFROG
Bullfrogs were first observed on April 29, 2009 during an anuran call/
eyeshine survey, when the eyeshine of approximately 20 bullfrogs was
observed in Pond 4, though none were calling yet (Figure 7). Bullfrogs
were first heard chorusing on May 18, 2009 at Pond 2 on the eastern side
of the railroad tracks. During a dipnet/aquatic survey on June 12, 2009, a
large egg mass was found in Pond 3, laid in a large sheet approximately
16 square feet in size (Figure 7). This species was ubiquitous throughout
the water bodies at Toothacre HMU along pond, canal, shoreline of inlet
and wetland edges, with at least 396 counted during 2009 surveys (plus
many more).
WESTERN YELLOW-BELLIED RACER
A single detection of Racer occurred on May 12, 2009 by incidental observation of a road killed
individual on Meals Road and surrounded by Russian olive/ grassland habitat.
GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE
A single detection of Gopher Snake occurred on July 22, 2009 during a nocturnal VES (road cruise)
along Preit Road headed from the HMU boundary towards other habitats. Surrounding habitat of the
detection was Russian olive/ grassland.
NORTHERN PACIFIC RATTLESNAKE
Rattlesnakes eluded MWFB researchers during the 2009 survey season at Toothacre HMU until July
22, 2009, when four rattlesnakes were observed during evening hours. Three detections occurred
during nocturnal VES and one was encountered along the railroad tracks during an anuran call/
eyeshine survey. Two rattlesnakes were observed within shrub-steppe habitat (with scattered
rabbitbrush and annual grasses) while a third was encountered within the rock “quarry”, all within the
southern portion of the HMU (Figure 7).
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 34 University of California, Davis
Figure 7. Toothacre HMU herp species detections, 2009
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 35 University of California, Davis
5.2 YAKIMA DELTA HMU
Methods
Surveys at Yakima Delta HMU focused on targeting species known from the vicinity by historical
distribution habitats with potential to harbor these species. These included Northern Leopard Frog,
Tiger Salamander, Sagebrush Lizard, Common Side-blotched Lizard and Pigmy Short-horned Lizard.
Survey effort totals were as follows: anuran call/eyeshine surveys (10.55 hours), dipnet/ aquatic
sessions (1.16 hours), 27.28 hours of nocturnal and diurnal VES (combined) and 15 aquatic funnel trap
nights and days. Between one and 6 days per month from April through August were spent conducting
surveys at Toothacre HMU in 2009 (Table 10). Additional anuran call/ eyeshine surveys were
conducted along the inlet areas of the Yakima River at the Chamna Preserve, located on the north shore
of the Yakima River across from the main HMU.
Habitats
General habitats of Yakima Delta HMU include sandy areas with big sagebrush, particularly in the
middle portions of the HMU), open shoreline of the Yakima River with native riparian, Russian Olive
woodland with annual grass understory interspersed with native riparian tree species, and pond/
wetland emergent habitat resulting from channelized flow from the Columbia and Yakima Rivers.
Ponds in Yakima Delta HMU were labeled for ease of reference (Figure 8).
Results
A total of 7 species were found within the Yakima Delta HMU during 2009 surveys (Appendix D).
Woodhouse’s Toad was not observed at this HMU during 2009 surveys. Western Yellow-bellied
Racer was also not detected, but likely occurs in the HMU. Northern Pacific Rattlesnake was another
species not observed at this HMU, despite 27.28 hours of VES in a variety of habitat types. Species
detections are mapped in Figure 8.
GREAT BASIN SPADEFOOT
A Spadefoot was heard calling from Pond 3 (Figure 8) on May 20, 2009 during an anuran call/
eyeshine survey. Two more were detected at Pond 4 calling during a subsequent survey (Figure 8).
Funnel trap and dipnetting efforts in these two ponds on subsequent visits did not yield additional
detections of Spadefoots.
PACIFIC TREEFROG
Pacific Treefrogs were first heard calling in full chorus from Ponds 1 and 5 on April 30, 2009 (Figure
8). At least 100 treefrogs were heard chorusing from the cattail-lined Pond 1. At Pond 2 on the east
side of the railroad tracks, at least 50 were heard chorusing during a subsequent survey. Similar
numbers were observed chorusing from Pond 4 on May 1, 2009. A single Treefrog was heard calling
from the concrete berm of the settling pond (Pond 3, Figure 8) on May 22, 2009. This species was
common in most water bodies along wetland and pond edges (with a canopy of Russian olive at Pond
Table 10. Dates of Yakima Delta HMU herpetofaunal surveys, 2009
Month date Survey types
April 27, 28, 29, 30 VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
May 1, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
June 13, 14 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/eyeshine, Dipnet/
aquatic
July 23 VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
August 10, 11 VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 36 University of California, Davis
4) with at least 237 counted during 2009 surveys. This species was also observed calling from a inlet
off the Yakima River at the Chamna Preserve on April 28, when four individuals were heard calling
during a diurnal VES. At least 42 were heard chorusing during an anuran call/ eyeshine survey May
21, 2009 (Figure 8).
AMERICAN BULLFROG
Bullfrogs were first observed during anuran call/ eyeshine survey on May 1, 2009 through the detection
of eyeshine of a large male on the concrete berm of the settling pond (Pond 3, Figure 8). Bullfrogs
were first heard calling on June 14, 2009 from Pond 1, however presence of bullfrogs in this pond were
realized during full onset of chorusing on July 23, 2009 when 20 were heard calling from this pond.
On August 10, 2009, the eyeshine of approximately 230 young bullfrogs was observed in Pond 5 from
the elevated railroad track (Figure 8). On August 11, 2009, single bullfrogs were heard calling at Pond
4 and along the southern shore of the Yakima River (Figure 8). This species was present in most water
bodies and very common in others along wetland and pond edges (with a canopy of Russian olive at
Pond 4) with at least 312 counted during 2009 surveys.
PAINTED TURTLE
Two turtles were observed incidentally in Pond 1 on April 27, 2009
(photo right). One was observed basking on a floating tire within
tule reeds and cattail of wetland habitat, and a second turtle was
observed close by basking on raised vegetation.
GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE
An incidental detection of Gopher Snake occurred on June 13, 2009 crossing the gravel road within the
HMU just north of Columbia Park Drive. Surrounding habitat of the detection was Russian olive/
grassland.
COMMON GARTER SNAKE
During a diurnal VES on August 10, 2009, a predated Common Garter Snake was found along the edge
of the Yakima River along a grassy bar in riparian habitat.
TERRESTRIAL GARTER SNAKE
A single individual was observed on 14 June 2009,
incidentally crossing the gravel road outside the parking
lot below the highway 182 bridge. It was captured
moving out from a rockpile at the base of the highway
truss (photo right).
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 37 University of California, Davis
Figure 8. Yakima Delta HMU herp species detections, 2009
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 38 University of California, Davis
5.3 RICHLAND BEND HMU
Methods summary
Surveys at Richland Bend HMU focused on targeting species known from the vicinity by historical
distribution in habitats with potential to harbor these species. These included Tiger Salamander and
Northern Leopard Frog. Survey effort totals were as follows: anuran call/eyeshine surveys (4.50
hours), 10.09 hours of nocturnal and diurnal VES (combined) and a pooled 28 funnel trap nights and
days. No dipnet/ aquatic sessions were conducted at this HMU, though hours were spent in the ponds
at the southern end of the HMU setting and checking funnel traps. Between one and four days per
month from May through August were spent conducting surveys at Richland Bend HMU in 2009
(Table 11).
Habitats
General habitats of Richland Bend HMU consist mainly of native riparian vegetation in black
cottonwood (Populus balsamifera) and non-native poplar forest along the Columbia River. Fluctuating
water levels in the McNary pool have created a wetland fringe of tule and cattail. Along the southern
edge of the HMU, fluctuating water levels (combined with efforts from beavers) have created a wetland
area where these aquatic plants flourish. In the northern part of the HMU, disturbed grassland and
remnant orchards are surrounded by riparian forest.
Results
A total of 2 confirmed species were found within Richland Bend HMU during 2009 surveys (Table 6,
Appendix E). This is relatively low diversity, despite survey effort exceeding 15 hours. Other species
likely present (though not detected) include Great Basin Gopher Snake, Western Yellow-bellied Racer,
Common Garter Snake and possibly Northern Pacific Rattlesnake. Species detections are mapped in
Figure 9.
AMERICAN BULLFROG
Bullfrogs were first heard calling at the southern HMU wetland pond areas on July 20, 2009, when 15
were seen or heard calling from this area during an anuran call/ eyeshine survey. Subsequent funnel
aquatic trapping in these ponds yielded multiple captures of bullfrogs, though no other species was
captured. Bullfrogs were heard calling through August, when at least 20 were heard chorusing.
TERRESTRIAL GARTER SNAKE
A single individual was captured by funnel trap on July 20, 2009
in the southern HMU wetland pond areas (right photo).
Table 11. Dates of Richland Bend HMU herpetofaunal surveys, 2009
Month Date Survey types
May 1, 20, 22 Anuran call/ eyeshine
June 11 Anuran call/ eyeshine
July 20, 21, 22, 24 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/ eyeshine
August 12, 13 VES, Anuran call/ eyeshine
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 39 University of California, Davis
Figure 9. Richland Bend HMU herp species detections, 2009
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 40 University of California, Davis
5.4 HOOD PARK
Methods summary
Surveys at Hood Park HMU focused on targeting species known from the vicinity by historical
distribution. These included Northern Leopard Frog and Tiger Salamander. Survey effort totals were
as follows: anuran call/eyeshine surveys (6.47 hours), dipnet/ aquatic sessions (3.3 hours), 4.02 hours
of nocturnal and diurnal VES (combined) and 17 aquatic funnel trap nights and days. Between one and
three days per month from April through August were spent conducting surveys at Hood Park HMU in
2009 (Table 12).
Habitats
General habitats of Hood Park HMU include a campground consisting of 69 tent and RV spaces and
paved parking and day use areas with expanses of irrigated lawn and native and ornamental tree
species. A series of connected ponds and islands in the southeastern portion of the HMU recently
underwent removal of Russian olive and planting of native species along shorelines. Another smaller
pond, unconnected to those to the north is lined with some cattail and provides more wetland-like
habitat. Other areas with Russian olive mixed with native riparian tree species persist along the edges
of these ponds. South of the day use parking, a small patch of disturbed, non-native grassland exists
adjacent to highway 12.
Results
A total of 3 confirmed species were found within Hood Park HMU during 2009 surveys (Table 6,
Appendix F). No anurans were heard calling from the two large ponds on the eastern end of the HMU
during anuran call/ eyeshine surveys. All frogs and toads heard were observed in the two western
ponds (where the footpath to the southern most pond is located). While three Terrestrial Garter Snakes
were captured in funnel traps, no Common Garter Snakes were, despite repeated aquatic funnel
trapping in the ponds. No Pacific Treefrogs were observed during 2009 surveys, possibly owing to the
large densities of Bullfrogs, which may exclude or predate on them. Other species likely present in
habitats surrounding the ponds (though not detected) include Great Basin Gopher Snake, Western
Yellow-bellied Racer, and possibly Northern Pacific Rattlesnake. Species detections are mapped in
Figure 10.
WOODHOUSE’S TOAD
Woodhouse’s toads were first heard calling from the northern most pond on June 11, 2009 during an
anuran all/ eyeshine survey, when a total of 5 individuals were heard calling.
AMERICAN BULLFROG
Bullfrogs were ubiquitous in the northern and southern ponds just west of the restored area and
footpath. They were first observed during anuran call/ eyeshine surveys on April 27, 2009, when they
were spotted by eyeshine, not calling or chorusing and sitting along the edges of the ponds. Nine were
observed in the northern pond and 26 in the southern pond during this survey. Infrequent calls were
Table 12. Dates of Hood Park HMU herpetofaunal surveys, 2009
Month date Survey types
April 27 Anuran call/eyeshine
May 19 Anuran call/eyeshine
June 11, 13 Funnel trapping, Anuran call/eyeshine, Dipnet/ aquatic
July 20, 21, 22 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
August 12 VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 41 University of California, Davis
first heard from these ponds on May 19, 2009. Subsequent anuran call/ eyeshine surveys through
August indicated that Bullfrog density was much higher in the southern most pond than in the northern
most pond. On August 12, 2009, the northern pond yielded detections of 18 bullfrogs during an anuran
call/ eyeshine survey. Survey of the southern pond yielded detections of approximately 310 bullfrogs,
where many were recently metamorphosed juveniles. A possible explanation for this difference in
density may be attributed to the size differences of fish species in both ponds. It was noted that in the
northern pond, connected to the larger ponds to the east, the sizes of fish species present were larger
than those observed in the south pond. Perhaps predation of bullfrogs and bullfrog tadpoles was more
prevalent in the northern pond and not as prevalent in the southern pond, allowing for higher survival
of juvenile and larval bullfrogs and leading to higher densities.
TERRESTRIAL GARTER SNAKE
Terrestrial Garter Snake was first detected on June 13, 2009 when two were captured in funnel traps set
aquatically, one in the northern pond and one in the southern pond (photo below). A third was
observed during a diurnal VES on August 12, 2009 resting in a patch of mowed grass within 6 feet of
the edge of the southern pond.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 42 University of California, Davis
Figure 10. Hood Park herp species detections, 2009
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 43 University of California, Davis
5.5 SUMMARY OF 2008 AND 2009 SURVEYS
The findings of the 2009 surveys for the Tricities-managed HMUs in the McNary pool are consistent
with those from the 2008 surveys in the McNary, Ice Harbor and Lower Monumental pools. Long-toed
Salamanders were not observed at any HMUs in the McNary or Ice Harbor pools, but were recorded at
Skookum and 55-Mile HMUs in the Lower Monumental pool in 2008. Woodhouse’s Toads were
observed at 3 HMUs in the Ice Harbor Pool in 2008, and at Hood Park and Toothacre HMU during
2009 surveys. Yakima Delta in 2009 and Villard Ponds in 2008 supported the only known populations
of Pacific Treefrog at HMUs in the McNary pool. American Bullfrogs were present at all sites
surveyed in the McNary pool 2009 and 2008 (including Villard Ponds) and only at Big Flat in the Ice
Harbor pool (2008). Painted Turtles were observed at Yakima Delta HMU in 2009 and were known
from Villard Ponds from the finding of a turtle carapace in 2008. No lizards were found at any sites
surveyed in 2008 and 2009 with the exception of the detection of a Western Skink at 55-Mile HMU in
the Lower Monumental pool. Western Yellow-bellied Racers and Great Basin Gopher Snakes were
widespread in the pools surveyed in 2008, though were seemingly less common in the McNary pool
during surveys in 2009. The use of funnel traps was effective for determining presence of garter snakes
in 2009, where 3 of 4 HMUs surveyed in the McNary pool showed presence and only 1 of 6 HMUs
surveyed across 3 pools in 2008 yielded detection of garter snake (Thamnophis) sp. Northern Pacific
Rattlesnakes were found at all HMUs surveyed in 2008 in Ice Harbor and Lower Monumental pools;
surveys at 5 HMUs in the McNary pool in 2008 and 2009 yielded detection of this species only at
Toothacre HMU.
5.6 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Continue to work to eliminate Russian olive for the opportunity to restore native grassland or
riparian habitat.
2. Conduct periodic surveys at historical sites for Sagebrush Lizard, Pigmy Short-horned Lizard
and Common side-blotched Lizard at Toothacre HMU, particularly in areas with sandy soils.
3. Fence off the northern and southern portions of Toothacre HMU to prevent additional
unrestricted off-road access to shrub-steppe areas with potential to support lizard species
described above.
4. Consider posting signage at Toothacre HMU to warn fishermen or other visitors of the
presence of chytrid fungus in the area to encourage disinfection of fishing or other water
contact gear prior to moving to another site.
5. Consider managing hood park restoration ponds (south of campground) for frogs; perhaps
combined with chemical or other treatment and drying up of the ponds seasonally, eliminate
the bullfrogs there and reintroduce native leopard frogs (WA state endangered species).
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 44 University of California, Davis
6.0 CLARKSTON-MANAGED HMUS
From April through August 2009, we spent 134.16 hours conducting a total of 232 surveys and 234
funnel trap-nights or trap-days. We confirmed 12 species of reptiles and amphibians between the 5
HMUs surveyed as well as incidental detections at other HMUs (5 amphibian and 7 reptile), with an
average species richness of 5.6 species per site. A total of 1,015 animals were captured or detected
during this inventory (from all survey methods combined), including 915 amphibians (333
salamanders, 582 frogs) and 100 reptiles (1 turtle, 4 lizards, 95 snakes). These totals include all
captured or observed adult amphibians and reptiles as well as frog tadpoles and salamander larvae.
Both the Visual Encounter Survey (VES) method and funnel trapping method yielded detections of 7
species each, and incidental detections were next most productive (6 species) (Table 13). The least
productive survey methods were anuran call/ eyeshine surveys and the collection and identification of
snakeskin molts, which resulted in detection of 3 species each.
Of the projected 24 species for the entire study area, we detected 12 species (Table 6). The site with
the most number of species detected by our surveys was Nisqually John Canyon HMU (9 species) and
the HMU with the fewest number of species found was Chief Timothy HMU (1 species). The most
abundant herptile species detected was the Pacific Treefrog, which were found in larval and adult
stages at Riparia, Nisqually John Canyon and Alpowa HMUs. However, the most widespread
herpetofaunal species was the Long-toed Salamander and American Bullfrog, which were each found
at 4 of the 5 HMUs surveyed (Table 6). Long-toed
Salamanders were detected in 25% of the guzzlers surveyed
in the Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite
pools (Section 4.3). The most abundant reptile and snake
was the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, comprising 53% of all
reptile detections. A Painted Turtle was observed in the
pond at the foot of Steptoe Canyon where it meets the
Columbia River (Section 6.6, Photo Right). Presence of
Western Skink was confirmed at John Henley, Nisqually
John and Kelly Bar HMUs (Seciton 6.6). Fifteen detections
of Western Yellow-bellied Racer occurred by five survey
Table 13. Summary of effort and results by method, Clarkston sites
Sampling method Duration
(hours)
Number of
detections
Individual detection
rate RA
2
Species
richness
Visual encounter surveys (n=75) 52.60 hr 251 1/ 126.24 minutes 0.48 4
Nocturnal VES and road searches
(n=53) 33.77 hr 13 1/ 155.86 minutes 0.39 4
Anuran call surveys (n=36) 18.22 hr 274 1/3.99 minutes 15.04 3
Dipnet surveys (n=28) 19.27 hr 387 1/2.99 minutes 20.09 5
Guzzler dipnet surveys(n=40)
36 guzzlers surveyed) 10.30 hr 149
25% surveyed
showed presence 14.47 1
Aquatic funnel trapping 121 TN 52 14.1% trap captures 42.983 4
Terrestrial funnel trapping 113 TN 3 1.8% trap captures 2.653 3
Snakeskin/ reptile determinations -- 12 -- -- 3
Incidental detections -- 63 -- -- 6 1 denotes individuals heard or seen during VES.
2 Relative abundance = No. individuals detected/ hour surveyed
3 Relative abundance = No. individuals captured/ 100 trap-nights
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 45 University of California, Davis
methods at 9 Clarkston HMUs, with 10 detections by positive snakeskin determinations and confirmed
presence. Twenty-one Gopher Snake detections occurred by three survey methods at 9 Clarkston
HMUs (Section 6.6). A single detection of Night Snake occurred at John Henley HMU, by no cturnal
VES. The most widely distributed reptile species were Northern Pacific Rattlesnake and the Terrestrial
Garter Snake which were detected at 3 of the 5 HMUs by our surveys. No state sensitive species were
detected during the 2009 inventory period.
6.1 RIPARIA HMU
Methods summary
Surveys at Riparia HMU served to target as many herpetofaunal species as possible, utilizing a variety
of survey methods to maximize detections. Survey effort totals were as follows: Anuran call/eyeshine
surveys (2.30 hours), dipnet/ aquatic sessions (1.08 hours), 1.53 hours of nocturnal and diurnal VES
(combined) and a combined 57 aquatic and terrestrial funnel trap nights and days. An additional 3.93
hours of dipnet/ aquatic surveys were performed along Alkali Creek near the confluence with the Snake
River and upstream along Alkali Flat HMU. Between three and four days per month from May
through August were spent conducting surveys at Riparia HMU in 2009 (Table 14).
Habitats
General habitats of Riparia HMU include an undeveloped campground and day use/ picnic areas with
lined with native trees and Rhus sp. (sumac). Bisecting the HMU latitudinally, Alkali Creek flows to
the Snake River, creating shoreline inlet habitat lined primarily with reed canary glass (Phalaris
communis) and occasional tule and cattail. A relict railroad berm provides a seasonal barrier to the
Snake River, capturing river water in an impounded area and creating a large pond lined with cattail
and other reed species (Figure 11). Fish, however, are still present in this pond owing to the seasonal
water releases from Little Goose dam through a low point of the railroad berm. Grassland and
disturbed shrub-steppe abut the current raised railroad berm, whose base is lined with basalt rip-rap
along its stretch through Riparia and John Henley HMUs. No gallinaceous guzzlers existed within this
HMU.
Results
A total of 6 confirmed species were found within Riparia HMU during 2009 surveys, three amphibian
and three reptile species (Table 6, Appendix G). All frogs and toad were observed in the wetland
edges of the pond bordering the relict railroad berm to the north. Two of 57 nights of funnel trapping
yielded two captures, one Long-toed Salamander and one Terrestrial Garter Snake. Other species likely
present in habitats surrounding the pond (though not detected) include Western Yellow-bellied Racer,
Western Skink and possibly Common Garter Snake. Species detections are mapped in Figure 11.
Table 14. Dates of Riparia HMU herpetofaunal surveys, 2009
Month date Survey types
May 6, 13, 14, 24 Anuran call/eyeshine, VES
June 10, 16, 17, 19 Funnel trapping, Anuran call/eyeshine, Dipnet/ aquatic
July 17, 18, 19 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
August 2, 3, 4 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 46 University of California, Davis
LONG-TOED SALAMANDER
A single Long-toed Salamander was captured by aquatic
funnel trapping efforts on June 16, 2009 within the western
edge of the pond bordering the relict railroad berm to the north
(Figure 11, photo right). This salamander was interesting
because it was a paedomorph, or a salamander which hadn’t
metamorphosed retaining its external gills and remaining
completely aquatic. This paedomorphic Long-toed
Salamander was the only salamander captured at Riparia
HMU during 2009 surveys.
PACIFIC TREEFROG
Pacific Treefrogs were first heard chorusing on May 6, 2009 along the southern shore of the pond
bordering the relict railroad berm (Figure 11). They were present in rather low numbers, but
throughout the season were observed calling from the north shore of the pond, which was marshy
habitat as well as along the southern shore. At least 21 treefrogs were observed in this pond during the
2009 survey season.
AMERICAN BULLFROG
A single bullfrog was observed on July 18, 2009 during an anuran call/ eyeshine survey on the eastern
end of the pond bordering the relict railroad berm (Figure 11). It was not calling, but was spotted by
eyeshine and was in full view, making identification possible. Interestingly, no bullfrogs were heard at
this HMU during 2009 surveys, though they could be present in small numbers. It is possible that the
presence of fish limits bullfrog numbers in this water body.
GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE
Four Gopher Snakes were observed at Riparia during the 2009 survey period. Two were observed
incidentally, the first was a road kill along the campground loop road, found on June 16, 2009 and the
second was observed along the cobble shoreline of the Snake River on July 17, 2009 (Figure 11).
Additional detections came from the positive identification of two snakeskin molts in the Riparia
campground.
TERRESTRIAL GARTER SNAKE
A single Terrestrial Garter Snake was captured in an aquatic funnel trap on July 17, 2009 along a small
wetland on the southern side of the relict railroad berm.
NORTHERN PACIFIC RATTLESNAKE
Three rattlesnakes were observed in Riparia HMU during the survey season, and all were observed
incidentally. Two were observed on July 17 and 19, 2009 in the campground, where one was observed
near the pit toilet and the other was trapped underneath MWFB researcher’s tent. A third was observed
crossing the gravel road within the HMU during evening hours (Figure 11).
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 47 University of California, Davis
Figure 11. Riparia HMU herp species detections, 2009
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 48 University of California, Davis
6.2 JOHN HENLEY HMU
Methods summary
Surveys at John Henley HMU served to target as many herpetofaunal species as possible, utilizing a
variety of survey methods to maximize detections. Survey effort totals were as follows: anuran
call/eyeshine surveys (1.22 hours), dipnet/ aquatic sessions (2.40 hours), 46.45 hours of nocturnal and
diurnal VES (combined) and a combined 68 aquatic and terrestrial funnel trap nights and days. Four
gallinaceous guzzlers occur within this HMU and were surveyed for a total of 1.65 hours (Table 7).
Between three and six days per month from May through August were spent conducting surveys at
John Henley HMU in 2009 (Table 15).
Habitats
The general habitat of John Henley HMU consists of upland
disturbed, grassland habitat. The northern end of the HMU
encompasses canyon slopes which harbor fewer non-native grasses
and more native bunchgrasses and forbs. Several restoration plots
line the HMU in a linear fashion, consisting of mostly native and
some non-native trees and shrubs (primarily black cottonwood,
rose sp. hawthorne sp. and others). An active railroad berm bisects
the HMU longitudinally, providing basalt rock rip-rap habitat for
rock-dwelling species such as Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
(Figure 11). Grassland and disturbed shrub-steppe abut the
current raised railroad berm, and basalt rock bluffs provide
additional cover for canyon-dwelling species. Two seasonal ponds
in the southwestern portion of the HMU provide potential breeding
habitat for amphibians (photo right, see below and Figure 11).
Results
A total of 8 confirmed species were found within John Henley HMU during 2009 surveys, two
amphibian and six reptile species (Table 6, Appendix H). This HMU provides limited aquatic habitat
for amphibians, potentially explaining the detection of only two species. Two of 68 nights of funnel
trapping yielded two captures of snakes, both in terrestrially-placed traps. The tree and shrubplots in
the HMU provided habitat for four species of reptiles, which were detected by VES or terrestrial funnel
trap captures (see below). Another species with the potential to occur in this HMU is the Terrestrial
Garter Snake, based on habitat and species distribution. Species detections are mapped in Figure 12.
LONG-TOED SALAMANDER
A drainage with a small, ephemeral pool was surveyed with dipnets on May 15, 2009 in the canyon
hills of the eastern portion of the HMU (photo above right). Five Long-toed Salamander larvae of
various stages from a few weeks to a few months old were netted in this natural pool surrounded by
aquatic forbs, grasses and algae in this rocky drainage north of the active railroad berm (Figure 12).
MWFB researchers returned to this pool on June 9, 2009 and it was nearly completely dry, suggesting
Table 15. Dates of John Henley HMU herpetofaunal surveys, 2009
Month date Survey types
May 6, 14, 15 Anuran call/eyeshine, VES, guzzler dipnet
June 9, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18 Funnel trapping, Anuran call/eyeshine, Dipnet/ aquatic ,
guzzler dipnet
July 17, 18, 19, 20 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
August 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Funnel trapping, VES, Anuran call/eyeshine
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 49 University of California, Davis
that larvae may have suffered mortality prior to metamorphism. In
years with above average rainfall, this pool could sustain water
through the end of breeding season and provide a viable location for
breeding for this species. No guzzlers were found to support long-
toed salamanders, though surveys in the guzzler located at 419399
Easting, 5160013 Northing (zone 11 north) yielded detection of
gelatinous structures reminiscent of hatched eggs, though no
salamanders were netted on May 15, 2009. A follow up survey on
June 9, 2009 failed to detect long-toed salamanders in this guzzler.
GREAT BASIN SPADEFOOT
During an anuran call/ eyeshine survey on June 10, 2009, three spadefoots were heard calling from the
northern of the two ephemeral ponds at the base of the relict railroad berm in the southwestern portion
of John Henley HMU (Figure 12). This species had not been heard previously during anuran call/
eyeshine surveys from Riparia HMU, the HMU adjacent to the west.
WESTERN SKINK
A Western Skink was observed incidentally on a rainy afternoon
of May 6, 2009 in the northwestern corner of the HMU underneath
a burnt fence post on a grassland slope (photo right). Additional
skinks were not observed in subsequent months until August 5,
2009 when one was observed during a diurnal VES associating
with a pile of fenceposts in the northeastern corner of the HMU
surrounded by bunchgrass and shrub steppe habitat (Figure 12).
WESTERN YELLOW-BELLIED RACER
A single Racer was observed during 2009 surveys at John Henley HMU. It was captured in a funnel
trap along with a Common Garter Snake, which was found the following morning dead in the trap with
the Racer. This detection occurred in the western shrub-plot of the HMU, nearby the active railroad
berm (Figure 12).
GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE
Two Gopher Snakes were detected at John Henley HMU during the 2009 survey season. On June 10,
2009 a Gopher Snake was spotted moving quickly into the surrounding grassland from the western tree
and shrubplot in the HMU. A second Gopher Snake was observed incidentally on June 17, 2009 while
driving through the HMU in the evening, it was crossing the road in the middle of the HMU.
Surrounding habitat was non-native annual grassland and forbs.
COMMON GARTER SNAKE
Common Garter Snakes were not observed in the HMU until one was captured along with a Western
Yellow-bellied Racer in a funnel trap placed terrestrially in a restorative shrub plot on the western end
of the HMU (see Figure 12 Racer detection, labeled “1”). The Garter Snake was found dead in the
funnel trap with a live Racer, though it wasn’t clear how the snake had died.
NORTHERN DESERT NIGHT SNAKE
A Night Snake was detected during nocturnal VES on July 17, 2009 along the base of basalt rock bluffs
in native bunchgrass and shrub-steppe habitat (Figure 12). It was observed on the ground amongst
One of five larvae netted in
the natural wetland on John
Henley HMU
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 50 University of California, Davis
bunchgrasses, and was identified as male by the hemipenes protruding during handling. The snake was
collected and deposited in the MWFB. This Night Snake was one of 9 individual reptiles detected
during nocturnal VES at John Henley HMU, and represents a new species for MWFB survey efforts.
The closest known record is Tucannon HMU also in the Lower Monumental pool, approximately 5
miles downstream in Columbia County (Loper and Lohman, 1998). Preliminary examination of Snake
River distributional records suggests that our detection at John Henley HMU may be the first
documented record from Whitman County.
NORTHERN PACIFIC RATTLESNAKE
The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake was the most common reptile observed at John Henley HMU in
2009. Sixteen detections occurred over a period of four months and in a variety of habitats. Five of the
16 rattlesnakes (31%) were observed in restoration shrub or treeplots (Figure 12). Rattlesnakes were
first observed June 9, 2009 through August, with the majority of detections occurring by VES (81%,
either diurnal or nocturnal).
Clockwise from Top left, Night
Snake found on evening VES, a wet
seep marked with monkey flower, an
irrigated riparian plot, and the
ubiquitous Pacific Rattler, all at John
Henley HMU.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 51 University of California, Davis
Figure 12. John Henley HMU herp species detections, 2009
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 52 University of California, Davis
6.3 NISQUALLY JOHN CANYON HMU
Methods summary
Surveys at Nisqually John Canyon HMU served to target as many herpetofaunal species as possible,
utilizing a variety of survey methods to maximize detections. Survey effort totals were as follows:
anuran call/eyeshine surveys (2.47 hours), dipnet/ aquatic sessions (7.72 hours), 28.55 hours of
nocturnal and diurnal VES (combined) and a combined 66 aquatic and terrestrial funnel trap nights and
days. Six gallinaceous guzzlers occur within this HMU; five were surveyed for a total 0.77 hours
(Table 7). Between one and seven days per month from May through August were spent conducting
surveys at Nisqually John Canyon HMU in 2009 (Table 16).
Habitats
Nisqually John Canyon HMU spans from the Snake River canyon bottom at approximately 732 to
approximately 2,550 feet msl at the top of the Snake River canyon. Upland hill slopes from the HMU
are farmed for winter wheat, corn and other grain crops. General habitats of Nisqually John Canyon
HMU include upland grassland habitat of native bunchgrasses and non-native annuals with basalt rock
fields. Rabbitbrush and rigid sagebrush occur in patches within the canyon and along the tops of hills.
Along the creek channel, dense stretches of alder (Alnus sp.), willow (Salix sp.), cottonwood (Populus
sp.) and others comprise the creek riparian habitat. Where the stream emerges from the canyon at its
confluence with the Snake River, a pond lined with blackberry and cattail existed until late winter in
2009, when heavy precipitation brought a large movement of water down the canyon stream bottom,
resulting in severe erosion and wash out of creek sediments which filled in the pond in its entirety.
This pond was completely silted up during spring and summer 2009 surveys, offering habitat in the
form of a mud flat adjacent to north of Wawawai Road and the Snake River.
Results
A total of 8 confirmed species were found within Nisqually John Canyon HMU during 2009 surveys,
three amphibian and five reptile species (Table 6, Appendix I). Species detections are mapped in
Figure 13. Five of 66 nights of funnel trapping yielded 29 captures of amphibians and reptiles (see
below). The creek riparian habitat and the former pond at the base of the canyon adjacent to the Snake
River provided the greatest number of detections (Figure 13). Anuran call/ eyeshine surveys at
Nisqually John Canyon HMU focused on the southern end of the riparian creek and the silted-in pond.
No frogs were heard calling during these surveys, though frogs were seen (see below). Other species
not detected by our surveys but have the potential to occur in this HMU include Rubber Boa, Ring-
neck Snake, Common Garter Snake, and perhaps even Night Snake, based on habitat and species
distribution.
LONG-TOED SALAMANDER
While the entire stretch of creek was not surveyed, salamander eggs were found in early May 2009 in
six different locations in slow-moving pools in the creek at the bottom of Nisqually John Canyon
(Figure 13). Eggs were laid singly or in small clusters along the undersides of submerged rocks or
Table 16. Dates of Nisqually John Canyon HMU herpetofaunal surveys, 2009
Month date Survey types
April 26 Incidental
May 4, 8, 11, 17, 27, 29 Anuran call/eyeshine, VES, Dipnet/ aquatic, Guzzler dipnet,
incidental
June 3, 15 VES, Dipnet/ aquatic
July 14, 15, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 Funnel trapping, Anuran call/eyeshine, VES
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 53 University of California, Davis
vegetation. Only one of five guzzlers surveyed supported long-toed salamanders located just upslope
(within 25 meters) of a damp drainage (Figure 13). This guzzler was being used by cattle for drinking
in summer 2009.
WESTERN TOAD
During the 2009 survey season, three Western Toads were
observed at Nisqually John Canyon HMU. The first was
observed incidentally on May 11, 2009 along the old jeep
trail where a seasonal seep drains to the stream below and
the foot path is lined with wooden boards help facilitate
crossing to access the canyon to the north (Figure 13).
Two more were observed during a nighttime dipnet/
aquatic session along the silted-in pond (mudflat area) at
the base of the canyon where it meets the Snake River.
Two females (one was very large, 101 millimeters snout-
vent length, the other smaller, 89 mm) were observed during this night-time survey on June 15, 2009,
sitting within the filled-pond mudflat where the stream trickles into the Snake River (Figure 13). None
were heard calling within the HMU during anuran call/ eyeshine surveys.
AMERICAN BULLFROG
While no bullfrogs were heard calling during anuran call/ eyeshine surveys, nine were observed sitting
out in the silted-in pond (mudflat area) at the base of stream adjacent to the Snake River during a night-
time anuran call/ eyeshine survey on May 27, 2009. Subsequent surveys in the vicinity of the mudflat
found this species in this locale. During night-time dipnet/ aquatic survey geared towards capture of
bullfrogs for swabbing to test for the presence of chytrid fungus, eight were captured along the silted-in
pond (mudflat area) but many more were observed by eyeshine. Amphbian chytrid test results for
these frogs were negative (Table 5, Section 3.2). Funnel trapping along the creek within the mudflat
area and upstream along the creekbed only yielded captures of two bullfrogs in traps placed aquatically
within the silted-in pond.
WESTERN SKINK
This species was observed incidentally along grassy slopes interspersed with rock outcrops near the top
and middle of Nisqually John Canyon during small mammal trapping surveys in August 2008. VES in
2009 did not detect this species, though a lizard was observed incidentally on April 26, 2009 within a
basalt rock-filled slope, approximately 700 meters upslope of the creek drainage (Figure 13). This
species probably occurs in the HMU in much higher numbers than detected; VES survey conditions
may not have been ideal to detect this species more frequently.
WESTERN YELLOW-BELLIED RACER
Two Western Yellow-bellied Racers were observed during 2009
surveys. One was observed during a dipnet/ aquatic survey on
May 11, 2009 along a rocky, dry drainage on the eastern side of
the canyon (Figure 13, photo right). A second was observed
incidentally within the same drainage in between surveys.
These detections within the same vicinity within the same hour
suggest that these surveys were performed during a period of
emergence or activity for this species in the HMU.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 54 University of California, Davis
GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE
This species was observed incidentally along grassy slopes interspersed with rock outcrops near the
bottom of Nisqually John Canyon during small mammal trapping surveys in August 2008. During a
VES survey on a hot morning on July 15, 2009, a Gopher Snake was observed coiled up underneath a
shrub near the forb-lined creek (Figure 13). This species probably occurs in the HMU in much higher
numbers than detected; VES survey conditions may not have been ideal to detect this species more
frequently.
TERRESTRIAL GARTER SNAKE
A single detection of Terrestrial Garter Snake occurred through aquatic funnel trapping within the
creek within and upstream the silted-in pond (mudflat area). It was captured in a trap placed in a small
pool just upstream of the silted-in pond on July 27, 2009.
NORTHERN PACIFIC RATTLESNAKE
Six detections of rattlesnakes occurred during the 2009 survey season at Nisqually John Canyon HMU.
Three were observed incidentally on May 11 and July 28, 2009. Two were observed during VES on
July 27 and 28, while a sixth was captured in a funnel trap set terrestrially on July 28. This species
remains active through late summer and into fall.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 55 University of California, Davis
Figure 13. Nisqually John Canyon HMU herp species detections, 2009
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 56 University of California, Davis
6.4 ALPOWA CREEK HMU
Methods summary
Surveys at Alpowa Creek HMU in 2009 served to augment those surveys conducted by Loper and
Lohman (1998) at this HMU. We utilized survey methods to target additional herpetofaunal species.
Survey effort totals were as follows: anuran call/eyeshine surveys (4.57 hours), dipnet/ aquatic sessions
(1.33 hours), 2.57 hours of diurnal VES and 20 aquatic funnel trap nights and days. No gallinaceous
guzzlers occur within this HMU. Between two and four days per month from May through July were
spent conducting surveys at Alpowa Creek HMU in 2009 (Table 17).
Habitats
Alpowa Creek HMU is located at the confluence of Alpowa Creek and the Snake River. The primary
habitat type within this HMU is riparian forest consisting of alder, willow and cottonwood overstory
and an understory of blackberry, hawthorne sp. other native shrubs and tall annual grasses. A wetland
area along the east of the riparian forest is regularly flooded owing to fluctuating river pool levels.
Upland habitat in this HMU consists of shrub-steppe with non-native annual grasses. Alpowa Creek
flows on the northwestern edge of the HMU; a side channel to the Snake River occurs on the
southeastern edge of the HMU bordering Highway 12.
Results
A total of 4 confirmed species were found within Alpowa Creek HMU during 2009 surveys, three
amphibian and one reptile species (Table 6, Appendix J). Species detections are mapped in Figure
14. The majority of detections occurred within the side channel riparian habitat in the southeastern
edge of the HMU (Figure 14). We detected three species not previously documented within this HMU
by Loper and Lohman (1998). Thus, our surveys in addition to those conducted by Loper and Lohman
(1998) confirm a total of 7 species for Alpowa Creek HMU (see below). Other species not detected by
our surveys or those conducted by Loper and Lohman (1998) which have the potential to occur in this
HMU include Western Toad and Northern Pacific Rattlesnake based on habitat and species
distribution.
LONG-TOED SALAMANDER Salamanders were observed at Alpowa Creek HMU by our surveys in 2009. The first detection
occurred on June 15, 2009, when a Long-toed Salamander
larva was dipnetted during night-time dipnet/ aquatic
survey in the side channel inlet to the Snake River (photo
right, Figure 14). Funnel trapping efforts in this side
channel yielded captures of larval salamanders (10
captures out of 20 traps set) on July 14 and 15, 2009. This
species was not observed by surveys conducted by Loper
and Lohman (1998), despite the use of drift fence and
pitfall arrays as well as funnel trapping (associated with
the drift fence).
Table 17. Dates of Alpowa Creek HMU herpetofaunal surveys, 2009
Month date Survey types
May 5, 12, 17, 26 Anuran call/eyeshine, VES
June 10, 15 VES, Dipnet/ aquatic
July 14, 15, 16 Funnel trapping, Anuran call/eyeshine
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 57 University of California, Davis
A Pacific TreeFrog at Alpowa
Creek
PACIFIC TREEFROG
Pacific Treefrogs were the most frequently observed amphibian and
herptile at Alpowa Creek HMU during 2009 surveys. Treefrogs were
first heard chorusing in the side channel on May 5, 2009 during an
anuran/ eyeshine survey and were heard chorusing through May and into
early summer. Dipnet/ aquatic surveys June 15, 2009 yielded captures of
five Treefrogs which were swabbed to test for the presence of chytrid
fungus in that portion of the Snake River. Amphibian chytrid test results
for these frogs were negative (Table 5, Section 3.2). Aquatic funnel
trapping July 14, 2009 yielded two captures of Treefrogs, one tadpole
and one metamorph. This species had been observed by Loper and
Lohman (1998) at Alpowa Creek HMU.
AMERICAN BULLFROG
American bullfrogs were not detected at Alpowa Creek HMU by any survey method until June 15,
2009 when a large female was captured during a dipnet/ aquatic survey geared towards capture of frogs
for swabbing to test for the presence of chytrid fungus conducted in the side channel (Figure 14). This
species was not observed by surveys conducted by Loper and Lohman (1998), despite the use of drift
fence and pitfall arrays as well as funnel trapping (associated with the drift fence). Bullfrogs might be
expected to occur in the side channel water way in higher numbers, however only one was detected
during the survey season in 2009.
WESTERN YELLOW-BELLIED RACER
This species was not detected by our surveys in 2009, but was recorded within the HMU by Loper and
Lohman (1998).
GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE
This species was not detected by our surveys in 2009, but was recorded within the HMU by Loper and
Lohman (1998).
COMMON GARTER SNAKE
This species was not detected by our surveys in 2009, but was recorded within the HMU by Loper and
Lohman (1998).
TERRESTRIAL GARTER SNAKE
A single detection of this species occurred through the discovery of a dead (or depredated) Terrestrial
Garter Snake along the side channel habitat on May 12, 2009 (Figure 14). It was found half-
submerged in the water with pieces of flesh missing and was partially rotten. This observation
confirms the presence of Terrestrial Garter Snake in Alpowa Creek HMU, where Loper and Lohman
(1998) had not identified unknown Thamnophis sp. as this particular one.
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 58 University of California, Davis
Figure 14. Alpowa Creek HMU herp species detections, 2009
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 59 University of California, Davis
6.5 CHIEF TIMOTHY HMU
Methods summary
Surveys at Chief Timothy HMU in 2009 served to augment those surveys conducted by Loper and
Lohman (1998) at this HMU. We utilized survey methods to target additional herpetofaunal species.
Survey effort totals were as follows: anuran call/eyeshine surveys (4.22 hours), dipnet/ aquatic sessions
(0.87 hours), 7.26 hours of diurnal VES and 20 aquatic funnel trap nights and days. No gallinaceous
guzzlers occur within this HMU. Between one and four days per month from April through August
(excluding June) were spent conducting surveys at Chief Timothy HMU in 2009 (Table 18).
Habitats
Chief Timothy HMU is located just upstream of the confluence of Alpowa Creek and the Snake River
and approximately 4.5 miles west of the city of Clarkston. The HMU consists primarily of a shoreline
strip with some upland areas between the Snake River and Highway. The primary habitat type within
this HMU is mixed riparian forest consisting of cottonwood overstory with occasional Russian olive
and an understory of blackberry, hawthorne sp. other shrubs and tall annual and perennial grasses. A
pond, seasonally isolated from the Snake River provides aquatic habitat in the middle of the HMU and
is lined with Russian olive, willows and other trees. Upland habitat in this HMU consists of degraded
shrub-steppe with non-native annual grasses.
Results
Only one species, the American Bullfrog was detected during 2009 surveys (Table 6, Appendix K).
Detection locations of American Bullfrogs are mapped in Figure 15. Despite 2.10 and 5.16 hours of
diurnal and nocturnal surveys, respectively, no other reptiles or amphibians were observed at Chief
Timothy HMU during 2009 surveys. Bullfrog, along with three other species not detected during 2009
surveys were previously documented within this HMU by Loper and Lohman (1998). Thus, our
surveys combined with those conducted by Loper and Lohman (1998) confirm a total of 4 species for
Chief Timothy HMU (see below). Other species not detected by our surveys or those conducted by
Loper and Lohman (1998) which have the potential to occur at Chief Timothy HMU include Western
Toad, Pacific Treefrog, Western Yellow-bellied Racer, Great Basin Gopher Snake and Northern Pacific
Rattlesnake based on habitat and species distribution.
AMERICAN BULLFROG
The majority of detections of Bullfrogs occurred within the pond in the middle of the HMU (Figure
15). The first Bullfrog was heard calling on May 17, 2009 during an anuran call/ eyeshine survey,
when a single bullfrog was heard intermittently calling from the south shore of the pond. While
detection of bullfrogs by eyeshine peaked in mid July with the eyeshine of at least 21 individuals
observed along the east end of the pond, none were heard calling at this time.
Table 18. Dates of Chief Timothy HMU herpetofaunal surveys, 2009
Month date Survey types
April 21 Anuran call/eyeshine
May 5, 12, 17, 26 Anuran call/eyeshine, VES
July 14, 15, 16, 30 Funnel trapping, Anuran call/eyeshine, dipnet/ aquatic, VES,
August 1 VES
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 60 University of California, Davis
PAINTED TURTLE
This species was not detected by our surveys in 2009, but was recorded within the HMU by Loper and
Lohman (1998) in an area described as a pond. We surveyed the existing pond for a total of 1.76
observer hours during mid-July to target turtles basking during morning hours; none were detected by
our surveys. In addition, several hours of funnel trap setting and checking did not detect this species
incidentally.
COMMON GARTER SNAKE
This species was not detected by our surveys in 2009, but was recorded within the HMU by Loper and
Lohman (1998).
TERRESTRIAL GARTER SNAKE
This species was not detected by our surveys in 2009, but was recorded within the HMU by Loper and
Lohman (1998).
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 61 University of California, Davis
Figure 15. Chief Timothy HMU herp species detections, 2009
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 62 University of California, Davis
6.6 OTHER CLARKSTON-MANAGED HMUS
Additional surveys were conducted at other HMUs to target particular species. This section outlines
the methodology, timing and results of those surveys and discusses any incidental sightings by MWFB
efforts as well as results of previous research at those HMUs.
6.6.1 Lower Monumental pool
LYON’S FERRY HMU
No formal surveys were conducted at Lyon’s Ferry HMU, except for
a guzzler survey to check for presence of Long-toed Salamanders.
Guzzler surveys were conducted of all 5 gallinaceous guzzlers on
May 7, 2009. No salamanders were detected in any guzzler in this
HMU. However, two species were observed incidentally at Lyon’s
Ferry HMU. Two Pacific Treefrogs were heard chorusing from the
small island off the archaeological levee in the southeast end of the
HMU on June 9, 2009 at 408101E, 5162953N (zone 11N). On June
16, 2009 a Racer (photo right) was detected within riparian habitat
during MWFB small mammal surveys near trap node LF-1A
(408149E, 5163211N zone 11N).
TUCANNON HMU
This HMU was not specifically surveyed for reptiles and
amphibians in 2008 or 2009. However, five species were
recorded incidentally or during opportunistic surveys
during the MWFB three-day small mammal survey in
mid-June 2009. This HMU was surveyed for reptiles and
amphibians by Loper and Lohman (1998). Their efforts
yielded detections of 10 species over a spring, summer
and autumn sampling seasons between 1995 and 1997. A
survey of the gallineacous guzzler located at 410146E,
5155935N (zone 11N) yielded captures of 4 Long-toed Salamander larvae. These larvae were sampled
and tested for the amphibian chytrid fungus; results were negative, perhaps unsurprising for an isolated
body of standing water such as the guzzler (Table 5). While salamanders were detected at Tucannon
HMU by Loper and Lohman (1998), the finding of salamanders in this guzzler was surprising owing to
the fact that this guzzler is located atop a rocky, elevated bench covered in native bunchgrasses such as
bluebunch wheatgrass and other native as well as non-native grasses. Salamanders had been detected
in this HMU by drift fence and pitfall array by Loper and Lohman (1998) among riparian habitats.
Aquatic funnel trapping in temporarily flooded areas along the HMU road yielded capture of a
Terrestrial Garter Snake as well as captures of Pacific Treefrog tadpoles on June 17, 2009. Treefrog
tadpoles were abundant in these flooded areas located at 410263E, 5155670N (zone 11N); at least 250
were visually estimated though undoubtedly more were present. Six rattlesnakes were observed during
two days of the three-day trapping session in June 2009. One rattlesnake was captured in a Sherman
live trap along a temporary flooded area at 410336E, 5155659N (zone 11N) on June 17, 2009. An
additional species, the Western Yellow-bellied Racer was confirmed through the positive identification
of a snakeskin molt found along shrub-steppe and grassland slope edge on June 16, 2009.
ALKALI FLAT HMU
No formal surveys for reptiles and amphibians were conducted at Alkali Creek HMU in 2009.
However, Pacific Treefrog was heard calling during nocturnal anuran call/ eyeshine surveys north of
this HMU on May 6, 2009 when five frogs were heard calling north of the HMU on private land
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 63 University of California, Davis
utilized for ranching cattle, at 416249E 5161296N (zone 11N). Again on June 10, 2009, five Treefrogs
were heard calling from within this same area. No Treefrogs were heard calling during nocturnal
anuran call/ anuran surveys from within the HMU.
6.6.2 Little Goose pool
RIDPATH HMU
No formal surveys were conducted at Ridpath HMU, except for a guzzler survey to check for presence
of Long-toed Salamanders. The single gallinaceous guzzler in the HMU was surveyed on April 23,
2009; no salamanders were observed. However, we detected four species at Ridpath HMU by
incidental observations during site visits or small mammal trapping. A fifth species not detected by our
surveys, the Great Basin Spadefoot, was recorded at this HMU by Downs et al. (1996).
American Bullfrogs were heard calling from the seasonally isolated ponds created by sand
deposited through wave action in the eastern end of the HMU during small mammal surveys in
September 2009. Northern Pacific Rattlesnake and Western Yellow-bellied Racer were observed
incidentally during a visit by Wildlife Biologist Mark Graves on April 21, 2009. Additionally,
Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes were observed in high numbers incidentally during MWFB small
mammal trap set-up during a blistery morning on September 19, 2009. During a period of 1.5 hours, 7
rattlesnakes were observed moving through or within the western end of the HMU. A possible
explanation for the high rate of detections was found at the west shoreline of the HMU where, within a
field of driftwood 4 rattlesnakes were observed underneath or in the immediate vicinity of a driftwood
piece of plywood, located at (430317E, 5160235N zone 11N). This observation suggests that the
woody debris provided adequate coverage for a possible hibernacula spot and the rattlesnakes were on
the move toward their witnering spot. Also observed during small mammal surveys in September 2009
were two Great Basin Gopher Snakes: one was seen along bunchgrass/ riparian edge on September 19
and another was observed crossing a grassy ATV path on September 21.
DRY GULCH HMU
No formal surveys were conducted at Dry Gulch HMU, except for a guzzler survey to check for
presence of Long-toed Salamanders (Table 7). Presence was confirmed on June 5, 2009 when 5
salamander larvae were netted from guzzler DGWT1, located at 430510E 5158339N (zone 11 N). The
guzzler is located in a depression adjacent to cattle pasture of private land, and was tall with annual
grasses at the time of the survey.
NEW YORK BAR HMU
No formal surveys were conducted at New York Bar HMU, except for guzzler surveys to check for
presence of Long-toed Salamanders (Table 7). Guzzler surveys were conducted of all 3 gallinaceous
guzzlers on April 23, 2009. All three guzzlers were found to have Long-toed Salamander eggs and
hatched larvae on this date. During small mammal surveys in September 2009, a Western Yellow-
bellied Racer was seen incidentally on September 18 near small mammal trap node NY-1C, located at
(434699E, 5163410N zone 11N) along a riparian/ blackberry edge. Three Northern Pacific
Rattlesnakes were observed between September 18 and 20, 2009 along rocky escarpment edges with
grassland slopes. Additionally, two snakeskin molts were collected and later identified as Northern
Pacific Rattlesnake.
DEADMAN CREEK HMU
No surveys were conducted at Deadman Creek HMU during 2008 or 2009. However, this site was
surveyed for reptiles and amphibians by Loper and Lohman (1998). Five species were recorded at this
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 64 University of California, Davis
HMU during surveys conducted between 1995 and 1997: Long-toed Salamander, Western Toad,
Pacific Treefrog, Western Yellow-bellied Racer and Common Garter Snake.
WILLOW BAR HMU
This HMU was not specifically surveyed for reptiles and amphibians in 2009. However, four species
were recorded incidentally during the MWFB three-day small mammal survey in mid-June 2009. On
June 19, 2009 a large female Western Toad was observed incidentally near small mammal trapping
node WB-3A (442380N, 5169696E, zone 11N) (Figure 6). On
June 20, 2009, four Great Basin Gopher Snakes were detected
during trap checking. Two were observed along grass slope edges
(442448N, 5169184E and 442448N, 5169669E); one was
observed near small mammal trap node WB-1A (442861E,
5170267N zone 11N) and another adjacent to wetland habitat of
WB-2D (442768E, 5170169N) (Photo Right). A Western Yellow-
bellied Racer was detected within grassland slope habitat on June
20, 2009 at 442448N, 5169669E. Also on June 20, a juvenile
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake was detected along a grassland/ forb
edge at small mammal trap node WB-1D (442789E, 5170248N).
PENAWAWA HMU
This HMU was not specifically surveyed for reptiles and amphibians in 2008 or 2009. However, two
species were recorded incidentally or during bird surveys and three-day small mammal survey in mid-
June 2009. On June 4, 2009, a Pacific Treefrog was heard chorusing during bird surveys from a small
wetland west of the HMU and north of the railroad tracks. On June 23, 2009 a Northern Pacific
Rattlesnake was observed incidentally during small mammal trap set-up within a ephemeral drainage
lined with tall annual grasses, located at 447603N, 5172712E (zone 11N).
RICE BAR HMU
This HMU was not specifically surveyed for reptiles and amphibians in 2008 or 2009. However, this
site was surveyed for reptiles and amphibians by Loper and Lohman (1998). Five species were
recorded at this HMU during surveys conducted between 1995 and 1997: Long-toed Salamander,
Western Toad, Western Yellow-bellied Racer and Great Basin Gopher Snake (Figure 6).
SWIFT BAR HMU
No formal surveys for reptiles and amphibians were conducted at Swift Bar HMU, except for guzzler
surveys to check for presence of Long-toed Salamanders (Table 7). All six gallinaceous guzzlers
present in the HMU were surveyed on April 23, 2009. Only one guzzler yielded detections of Long-
toed Salamanders, located at 452386N, 5170022E (zone 11N). During small mammal surveys in
August 2008, a snakeskin molt was collected at the west end of the HMU and was later identified as
belonging to a Western Yellow-bellied Racer. During bird surveys on June 4, 2009, a Great Basin
Gopher Snake was spotted basking on a patch of gravel adjacent to the railroad, located at 454609N,
5169397E (zone 11N).
ILLIA DUNES HMU
No formal surveys for reptiles and amphibians were conducted at Illia Dunes HMU, except for a
guzzler survey to check for presence of Long-toed salamanders. Presence was confirmed on June 8,
2009 when 2 Long-toed Salamanders were netted in guzzler IDWT1, located at 462825E, 5170652N
zone 11 N. One was a metamorphosing larva that was in the process of reabsorbing its gills, but
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 65 University of California, Davis
showed the green dorsal pattern characteristic of adult long-toed salamanders. The other was a larva
which appeared ready to metamorphose. The guzzler is located in a grass-filled draw between two
slopes, which was tall with annual grasses at the time of the survey. Another guzzler, IDWT2 (located
at 463249E, 5170652N, zone 11 N) was surveyed but no long-toed salamanders were detected. This
guzzler was located between two sand dunes with some shrub and grass coverage.
6.6.3 Lower Granite Pool
TRANSMISSION LINE HMU
No formal surveys for reptiles and amphibians were conducted at Transmission Line HMU, except for
a guzzler survey to check for presence of Long-toed salamanders. The single gallinaceous guzzler in
the eastern end of the HMU was surveyed on April 23, 2009; no salamanders were observed.
However, two Great Basin Gopher Snakes species were incidentally observed during small mammal
trapping efforts in September 2009. Both were observed within the vicinity of the riparian shoreline of
the Snake River on September 15, 2009 at small mammal trap nodes TL-1D and TL-4D (470102E,
5165893N and 468511E, 5166482N, zone 11N).
KNOXWAY CANYON HMU
No formal surveys for reptiles and amphibians were conducted at Knoxway Canyon HMU, except for a
dipnet/ aquatic to check the ephemeral drainage that flows into the HMU for presence of Long-toed
Salamanders. A total of 0.65 hours were spent visually scanning and dipnetting the creek within the
HMU and the small pooled area just south of the USACE boundary fence. No salamander eggs or
salamanders were observed. During small mammal surveys in mid-September 2009, two Western
Yellow-bellied Racers were incidentally observed in the HMU. One was observed on September 15,
2009 along a rocky escarpment, located at small mammal trap node KC-1C (474308E, 5158535N zone
11N); another was observed along a grassy draw on September 16, 2009.
KELLY BAR HMU
No formal surveys for reptiles and amphibians were conducted at Kelly Bar HMU, except for guzzler
surveys to check for presence of Long-toed Salamanders (Table 7). Of the three gallinaceous guzzlers
present within the HMU, presence was confirmed on May 13, 2009 when at least 22 Long-toed
Salamander eggs were observed in the guzzler located at the guzzler located at 478918N, 5155408E
(zone 11N). In addition, Western Skinks were observed incidentally during small mammal surveys in
August 2008 in this HMU.
NISQUALLY JOHN LANDING
No formal surveys for reptiles and amphibians were conducted at Nisqually John Landing, except for a
anuran call/ eyeshine to check the pond for anurans adjacent to the railroad. An anuran call/ eyeshine
survey was conducted on June 3, 2009 at the pond located where Wawawai Road intersects the railroad
crossing at 482071E 5146499N near Nisqually John Landing. A total of 4 American Bullfrogs were
heard calling from this pond.
STEPTOE CANYON
No formal surveys for reptiles and amphibians were conducted at Steptoe Canyon, except for an anuran
call/ eyeshine to check the pond for anurans near the intersection of Steptoe Canyon and Wawawai
Roads. A anuran call/ eyeshine survey was conducted on July 14, 2009 at the pond located at the
intersection of Wawawai Road and Steptoe Canyon Road. A total of 64 Bullfrogs were observed by
eyeshine; 8 of which were calling in this pond, located at 484303E, 5144338N. Additionally, a large
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 66 University of California, Davis
Painted Turtle was incidentally observed in summer 2008 basking along debris on the edges of this
pond.
ASOTIN SLOUGH
This HMU was not specifically surveyed for reptiles and
amphibians in 2008 or 2009. However, a Great Basin Gopher
Snake (photo right) was seen incidentally during small
mammal surveys within grass and shrub-steppe habitat on
September 24, 2009 at 497763E, 5131410N (zone 11N).
Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 67 University of California, Davis
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Herpetofauna of the Lower Snake River HMUs – Final Report 2009 season Walla Walla District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 69 University of California, Davis
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 70 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX A. SPECIES LIST FOR WALLA WALLA DISTRICT HMUS (LOWER SNAKE RIVER).
Species
code Scientific Name Vernacular Name Status
AMTI Ambystoma tigrinum Tiger Salamander PO
AMMA Ambystoma macrodactylum columbianus Long-toed Salamander CO
SPIN Spea intermontana Great Basin Spadefoot CO
BUBO Bufo boreas boreas Western Toad CO
BUWO Bufo woodhousii woodhousii Woodhouse's Toad a CO
PSRE Pseudacris regilla Pacific Treefrog b CO
RALU Rana luteiventris Columbia Spotted Frog PO
RAPI Rana pipiens Northern Leopard Frog PO
RACT Rana catesbeiana American Bullfrog CO
CHPI Chrysemys picta Painted Turtle CO
SCOC Sceloporus occidentalis Western Fence Lizard PO
SCGR Sceloporus graciosus graciosus Sagebrush Lizard PO
UTST Uta stansburiana Common Side-blotched Lizard PO
PHDO Phrynosoma douglasii Pigmy Short-horned Lizard PO
EUSK Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus Western Skink c CO
CHBO Charina bottae Rubber Boa CO*
DIPU Diadophis punctatus Ring-necked Snake PO
COCA Coluber constrictor mormon Racer CO
MATA Masticophis taeniatus Striped Whipsnake PO
PICA Pituophis catenifer deserticola Gopher Snake CO
THSI Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi Common Garter Snake CO
THEL Thamnophis elegans vagrans Western Terrestrial Garter Snake CO
HYTO Hypsiglena chlorophaea Night Snake d CO
CRVI Crotalus oreganus oreganus Western Rattlesnake e CO
PO = Possibly occurring; CO = Confirmed along study area * Confirmed presence during 2008 surveys (Alminas et al
2009).
Literature consulted for species list: Stebbins (2003), Washington Gap Analysis, WDFW Herp Atlas, R.C. Thomson, UC Davis.
Nomenclature follows Stebbins (2003) with the following name adjustments: a Crother, B. I., Boundy J., Campbell, J. A., de Quieroz, K., Frost, D., Green, D. M. and R. Highton. 2003. Scientific and
Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico: Update. Herpetological Review, vol.
34, no. 3. 196-203. b Faivovich, J., Systematic review of the frog family Hylidae, with special reference to the Hylinae: phylogenetic analysis and
taxonomic revision. 2005 Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 294: 1-240 c Smith Hobart M. 2005. Plestiodon: a Replacement Name for Most Members of the Genus Eumeces in North America. Journal
of Kansas Herpetology. Number 14 d Mulcahy, D. G. 2008. Phylogeography and species boundaries of the western North American Nightsnake (Hypsiglena
torquata): Revisiting the subspecies concept. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 46: 1095 – 1115. e Ashton, K.G. & A. de Queiroz. 2001. Molecular Systematics of the western rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis (Viperidae), with
comments on the utility of the D-Loop in phylogenetic studies of snakes. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution 21:176-189.
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 71 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX B. SNAKE MOLT IDENTIFICATIONS, 2009
HMU Habitat Date found Species
Riparia Non-native grasses surrounded by Sumac 7/19/2009 Great Basin Gopher Snake
Riparia
Non-native grasses surrounded by
boulders in campground 6/19/2009 Great Basin Gopher Snake
Swift Bar Base of bluffs, rock outcrop 8/10/2008 Western Yellow-bellied Racer
Nisqually John
Canyon
Found under rock and downed woody
debris in riparian area 7/15/2009 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
Nisqually John
Canyon rocky slope with sparse bunchgrasses 7/27/2009 Western Yellow-bellied Racer
Nisqually John
Canyon talus field covered in broken basalt rocks 7/27/2009 Western Yellow-bellied Racer
Nisqually John
Canyon unknown; found under bridge 7/30/2009 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
Lyon's Ferry Sagebrush 6/17/2009 Western Yellow-bellied Racer
Tucannon Grassy slope, shrub-steppe edge 6/16/2009 Western Yellow-bellied Racer
Knoxway Canyon shoreline of inlet of Snake River 9/17/2009 Great Basin Gopher Snake
New York Bar Rock outcrop with bunchgrasses 9/18/2009 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
New York Bar Rock outcrop with bunchgrasses 9/20/2008 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 72 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX C. SPECIES DETECTION TABLE FOR TOOTHACRE HMU, 2009 SURVEYS.
Species
MWFB
name
Detection
date Detection Method Primary habitat Secondary habitat Individuals Easting Northing
Woodhouse's Toad TOBUWO1 18-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Shoreline Inlet Pond 6 344782 5110887
Woodhouse's Toad TOBUWO2 20-May-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Wetland Pond 2 344782 5110842
Woodhouse's Toad TOBUWO3 12-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Russian Olive grassland 1 345907 5109847
Woodhouse's Toad TOBUWO4 12-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Canal Wetland 6 344909 5110657
Woodhouse's Toad TOBUWO5 10-Aug-09 Funnel Trap Wetland Russian Olive grassland 1 345969 5109904
Woodhouse's Toad
TOBUWOT
AD1 12-Jun-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Wetland Russian Olive grassland 15 345922 5109861
Western Yellow-bellied
Racer TOCOCA1 12-May-09 Incidental Russian Olive grassland road 1 347114 5108442
Nothern Pacific
Rattlesnake TOCRVI1 22-Jul-09 VES Shrub-steppe Rock outcrop 1 346845 5109232
Nothern Pacific
Rattlesnake TOCRVI2 22-Jul-09 VES Shrub-steppe Rock outcrop 1 347015 5109289
Nothern Pacific
Rattlesnake TOCRVI3 22-Jul-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Rock pile Russian Olive grassland 1 346137 5109745
Nothern Pacific
Rattlesnake TOCRVI4 22-Jul-09 VES Russian Olive grassland road 1 346553 5108789
Nothern Pacific
Rattlesnake TOCRVI5 23-Jul-09 Incidental Russian Olive grassland road 1 346567 5108772
Great Basin Gopher
Snake TOPICA1 22-Jul-09 VES Russian Olive grassland road 1 345683 5109661
American Bullfrog TORACT1 29-Apr-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Shoreline river 20 346007 5109928
American Bullfrog TORACT2 29-Apr-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Shoreline river 3 346214 5109702
American Bullfrog TORACT3 30-Apr-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Pond Russian Olive grassland 6 346290 5109614
American Bullfrog TORACT4 18-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Canal Wetland 12 344759 5110935
American Bullfrog TORACT5 18-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Shoreline Inlet Shoreline river 4 344759 5110935
American Bullfrog TORACT6 20-May-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Wetland Pond 1 344782 5110842
American Bullfrog TORACT7 12-Jun-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Wetland Russian Olive grassland 4 345967 5109873
American Bullfrog TORACT8 12-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Russian Olive grassland 3 345945 5109839
American Bullfrog TORACT9 12-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive grassland 5 346181 5109701
American Bullfrog TORACT10 12-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Canal Wetland 4 344877 5110680
American Bullfrog TORACT11 12-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Canal Wetland 5 344741 5110921
American Bullfrog TORACT12 14-Jun-09 Funnel Trap Pond Shoreline river 3 345994 5109939
American Bullfrog TORACT13 22-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Wetland Shoreline river 1 346823 5109452
American Bullfrog TORACT14 22-Jul-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Shoreline river 10 346581 5109543
American Bullfrog TORACT15 22-Jul-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Canal Wetland 5 344749 5110875
American Bullfrog TORACT16 22-Jul-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Canal Wetland 1 344752 5110924
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 73 University of California, Davis
Appendix C. (con’t) Species detection tables for Toothacre HMU, 2009 surveys.
Species MWFB name
Detection
date Detection Method Primary habitat Secondary habitat Individuals Easting Northing
American Bullfrog TORACT17 23-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Wetland Shoreline river 1 346765 5109480
American Bullfrog TORACT18 09-Aug-09 Funnel Trap Pond Russian Olive grassland 1 346279 5109617
American Bullfrog TORACT19 09-Aug-09 Funnel Trap Pond Russian Olive grassland 1 346279 5109621
American Bullfrog TORACT20 09-Aug-09 Funnel Trap Pond Russian Olive grassland 1 346269 5109625
American Bullfrog TORACT21 09-Aug-09 Funnel Trap Pond Russian Olive grassland 1 344746 5110873
American Bullfrog TORACT22 09-Aug-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond 7 344741 5110935
American Bullfrog TORACT23 10-Aug-09 Funnel Trap Pond Russian Olive grassland 1 346269 5109623
American Bullfrog TORACTEGG1 12-Jun-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Wetland Russian Olive grassland >1,500 345893 5109841
American Bullfrog TORACTTAD1 30-Apr-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Pond Russian Olive grassland 1 346197 5109713
American Bullfrog TORACTTAD2 12-Jun-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Pond Shoreline river 1 346005 5109922
American Bullfrog TORACTTAD3 24-Jul-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Wetland Shoreline river 1 346578 5109544
Great Basin Spadefoot TOSPIN1 12-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Russian Olive grassland 15 345958 5109723
Great Basin Spadefoot TOSPINout1 12-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Irrigated grassland Pond 3 346754 5108745
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 74 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX D. SPECIES DETECTION TABLE FOR YAKIMA DELTA HMU, 2009 SURVEYS.
Species MWFB name Detection date Detection Method Primary habitat Secondary habitat Individuals Easting Northing
Pacific Treefrog YDCHPSRE1 28-Apr-09 VES Shoreline inlet Wetland 4 325427 5124439
Pacific Treefrog YDCHPSRE2 21-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Bunchgrass 20 325174 5124434
Pacific Treefrog YDCHPSRE3 21-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Shoreline inlet Russian Olive 15 325350 5124469
Pacific Treefrog YDCHPSRE4 21-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Shoreline inlet Grassland 7 325569 5124531
Pacific Treefrog YDPSRE1 30-Apr-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Pond 100 326539 5123320
Pacific Treefrog YDPSRE2 30-Apr-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Pond 24 326701 5123228
Pacific Treefrog YDPSRE3 01-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive 50 322496 5125780
Pacific Treefrog YDPSRE4 20-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive 50 322499 5125789
Pacific Treefrog YDPSRE5 22-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive 1 323290 5125354
Pacific Treefrog YDPSRE6 13-Jun-09 Funnel Trap Pond Wetland 3 326511 5123322
Pacific Treefrog YDPSRE7 11-Aug-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive 2 322461 5125772
Great Basin Gopher Snake YDPICA1 13-Jun-09 Incidental Russian Olive 1 325982 5123389
American Bullfrog YDRACT1 01-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive 1 323322 5125370
American Bullfrog YDRACT2 13-Jun-09 Funnel Trap Pond Wetland 3 326559 5123319
American Bullfrog YDRACT3 13-Jun-09 Funnel Trap Pond Wetland 1 326524 5123324
American Bullfrog YDRACT4 14-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Pond 4 326562 5123245
American Bullfrog YDRACT5 14-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Pond 1 326735 5123237
American Bullfrog YDRACT6 10-Aug-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Pond 13 326536 5123261
American Bullfrog YDRACT7 10-Aug-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Pond 230 326753 5123224
American Bullfrog YDRACT8 11-Aug-09 VES Shoreline river riparian 1 322341 5125894
American Bullfrog YDRACT9 11-Aug-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive 1 322461 5125772
American Bullfrog YDRACT10 11-Aug-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Shoreline river 1 323303 5125362
Great Basin Spadefoot YDSPIN1 20-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Shoreline river 1 323290 5125354
Great Basin Spadefoot YDSPIN2 20-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive 2 322499 5125789
Garter snake sp. YDThamnophis1 13-Jun-09 VES Grassland slope 1 325486 5123627
Terrestrial Garter Snake YDTHEL1 14-Jun-09 Incidental Rock pile Shoreline river 1 323396 5125269
Common Garter Snake YDTHSI1 11-Aug-09 VES riparian Shoreline river 1 323096 5125742
Painted Turtle YDCHPI1 27-Apr-09 Incidental Pond Wetland 1 326589 5123291
Painted Turtle YDCHPI2 27-Apr-09 Incidental Pond Wetland 1 326584 5123280
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 75 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX E. SPECIES DETECTION TABLE FOR RICHLAND BEND HMU, 2009 SURVEYS.
Species MWFB name
Detection
date Method Primary habitat Secondary habitat Individuals Easting Northing
American Bullfrog RBRACT1 20-Jul-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Pond 15 325987 5126877
American Bullfrog RBRACT2 20-Jul-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Pond 9 326008 5126841
American Bullfrog RBRACT3 21-Jul-09 VES Shoreline river Pond 6 325656 5127649
American Bullfrog RBRACT4 13-Aug-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Wetland Riparian 20 325935 5126864
Terrestrial Garter Snake RBTHEL1 20-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Wetland Pond 1 325997 5126866
APPENDIX F. SPECIES DETECTION TABLE FOR HOOD PARK HMU, 2009 SURVEYS.
Species MWFB name Detection date Method Primary habitat Secondary habitat Individuals Easting Northing
Woodhouse's Toad HPBUWO1 11-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive 4 344845 5119933
Woodhouse's Toad HPBUWO2 11-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Russian Olive 1 344841 5119967
American Bullfrog HPRACT1 27-Apr-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Restoration 28 344816 5119891
American Bullfrog HPRACT2 27-Apr-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Pond Restoration 310 344827 5119643
Terrestrial Garter Snake HPTHEL1 13-Jun-09 Funnel Trap Pond Wetland 1 344864 5120008
Terrestrial Garter Snake HPTHEL2 13-Jun-09 Funnel Trap Pond Wetland 1 344884 5119595
Terrestrial Garter Snake HPTHEL3 12-Aug-09 VES Pond Grassland 1 344833 5119621
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 76 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX G. SPECIES DETECTION TABLE FOR RIPARIA HMU, 2009 SURVEYS.
Species MWFB name Detection date Method Primary habitat Secondary habitat Individuals Easting Northing
Long-toed Salamander RAAMMA1 16-Jun-09 Funnel trapping Shoreline inlet Pond 1 416920 5158876
American Bullfrog RARACT1 18-Jul-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Shoreline inlet Pond 1 417165 5158817
Pacific Treefrog RAPSRE1 06-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Shoreline inlet Pond 12 416976 5158848
Pacific Treefrog RAPSRE2 06-May-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Shoreline inlet Pond 5 417001 5158963
Pacific Treefrog RAPSRE3 10-Jun-09 Anuran call/ eyeshine Shoreline inlet Pond 2 417038 5158835
Great Basin Gopher Snake RAPICA1 16-Jun-09 Incidental Grassland forb Tree plot (restoration) 1 416547 5158736
Great Basin Gopher Snake RAPICA2 17-Jun-09 Incidental Shoreline river 1 416569 5158725
Terrestrial Garter Snake RATHEL1 17-Jul-09 Funnel trapping Pond Grassland 1 416861 5158859
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake RIPACRVI1 17-Jun-09 Incidental Grassland forb 1 416433 5158778
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake RIPACRVI2 17-Jun-09 Incidental Grassland forb Rock outcrop 1 416958 5159061
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake RIPACRVI3 19-Jul-09 Incidental Shoreline river 1 416570 5158746
* Numbered detections refer to those plotted in Figure 11 for that particular species.
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 77 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX H. SPECIES DETECTION TABLE FOR JOHN HENLEY HMU, 2009 SURVEYS.
Numbered
Detection * Species MWFB name Detection date Method Primary habitat
Secondary
habitat Individuals Easting Northing
1 Long-toed Salamander JHAMMA1 5/15/2009 Dipnet-Aquatic Ephemeral pond Draw 5 418923 5159532
1 Western Yellow-bellied Racer JHCOCA1 05-Aug-09 Funnel Trap Shrub plot (Restoration) 1 417437 5158945
1 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI1 09-Jun-09 VES Grassy draw 1 418960 5159575
2 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI2 09-Jun-09 VES Grassy draw 1 419693 5159835
3 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI3 09-Jun-09 Incidental Rock pile Railroad tracks 1 419194 5159354
4 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI4 10-Jun-09 VES Shrub plot (Restoration) 1 417990 5158989
5 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI5 10-Jun-09 VES Shrub plot (Restoration) 1 417989 5158983
6 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI6 18-Jun-09 Incidental Tree plot (Restoration) 1 418010 5158997
7 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI7 17-Jul-09 VES Shrub-steppe 1 418364 5159194
8 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI8 17-Jul-09 VES Shrub-steppe 1 418433 5159263
9 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI9 18-Jul-09 Incidental Grassland forb Grassland slope 1 418271 5159105
10 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI10 19-Jul-09 VES Bluffs 1 418932 5159472
11 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI11 19-Jul-09 VES Bluffs 1 418959 5159406
12 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI12 20-Jul-09 VES Restoration 1 417862 5158874
13 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI13 02-Aug-09 VES Shrub-steppe 1 418479 5159253
14 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI14 02-Aug-09 VES Shrub-steppe 1 418382 5159479
15 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI15 03-Aug-09 VES Grassland slope 1 418799 5158981
16 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake JHCRVI16 05-Aug-09 VES Road Grassland forb 1 419392 5159388
1 Western Skink JHEUSK1 06-May-09 Incidental Grassland slope Bunchgrass 1 416995 5160037
2 Western Skink JHEUSK2 05-Aug-09 VES Grassland slope Shrub-steppe 1 419645 5160072
1 Northern Desert Night Snake JHHYCH1 17-Jul-09 VES Bluffs
Bunchgrass,
Shrub-steppe 1 418502 5159297
1 Great Basin Gopher Snake JHPICA1 10-Jun-09 VES Tree plot (Restoration) 1 417793 5158809
2 Great Basin Gopher Snake JHPICA2 17-Jun-09 Incidental Grassland forb 1 418463 5159131
1 Great Basin Spadefoot JHSPIN1 10-Jun-09
Anuran call/
eyeshine Ephemeral pond Grassland forb 3 417471 5158711
1 Common Garter Snake JHTHSI1 05-Aug-09 Funnel Trap Shrub plot (Restoration) 1 417437 5158945
* Numbered detections refer to those plotted in Figure 12 for that particular species.
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 78 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX I. SPECIES DETECTION TABLE FOR NISQUALLY JOHN CANYON HMU, 2009 SURVEYS.
Numbered
Detection* Species MWFB name
Detection
date Method Primary habitat
Secondary
habitat Individuals Easting Northing
1 Long-toed Salamander NJAMMA1 04-May-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Riparian creek Riparian 17 483990 5152334
2 Long-toed Salamander NJAMMA2 04-May-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Riparian creek 8 483803 5152271
3 Long-toed Salamander NJAMMA3 04-May-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Riparian creek 11 483078 5151765
4 Long-toed Salamander NJAMMA4 08-May-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Riparian creek 50 484454 5152709
5 Long-toed Salamander NJAMMA5 08-May-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Riparian creek 18 484634 5153511
6 Long-toed Salamander
NJAMMA6,
NJWT5 11-May-09 Guzzler Grassland slope Shoreline creek 18 482280 5153352
1 Western Toad NJBUBO1 11-May-09 Incidental Riparian creek Riparian 1 482306 5151110
2 Western Toad NJBUBO2 15-Jun-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Shoreline creek Wetland 1 482195 5150738
3 Western Toad NJBUBO3 15-Jun-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Shoreline creek Wetland 1 482170 5150748
1 Racer NJCOCA1 11-May-09 Dipnet-Aquatic RDD 1 482635 5151055
2 Racer NJCOCA2 11-May-09 Incidental Shoreline creek 1 482883 5151015
1 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake NJCRVI1 11-May-09 Incidental Rock outcrop Riparian 1 482905 5151008
2 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake NJCRVI2 27-Jul-09 VES Bluffs 1 482211 5153332
3 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake NJCRVI3 28-Jul-09 Incidental
Grassland/
blackberry edge Wetland 1 482170 5150780
4 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake NJCRVI4 28-Jul-09 Incidental
Grassland/
blackberry edge 1 482161 5150759
5 Northern Pacific Rattlesnake NJCRVI5 28-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Shoreline creek Grassland slope 1 482143 5153393
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake NJCRVI6 28-Jul-09 VES Grassland slope 1 482142 5153398
1 Great Basin Gopher Snake NJPICA1 15-Jul-09 VES Shoreline creek Riparian 1 482586 5151164
1 American Bullfrog NJRACT1 27-May-09
Frog Call
Eyeshine Shoreline creek Wetland 10 482198 5150784
2 American Bullfrog NJRACT2 15-Jun-09 Dipnet-Aquatic Shoreline creek Wetland 16 482198 5150717
1 Western Skink NJEUSK1 26-Apr-09 Incidental Rocky slope Grassland slope 1 484391 5152628
1 Terrestrial Garter Snake NJTHEL1 27-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Riparian creek Grassland slope 1 482198 5150732
* Numbered detections refer to those plotted in Figure 13 for that particular species.
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 79 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX J. SPECIES DETECTION TABLE FOR ALPOWA CREEK HMU, 2009 SURVEYS.
Numbered
Detection Species MWFB name Detection date Method
Primary
habitat
Secondary
habitat Individuals Easting Northing
1 Long-toed Salamander ALAMMA1 15-Jun-10 Dipnet-Aquatic Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 1 483817 5140120
2 Long-toed Salamander ALAMMA2 14-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 1 483778 5140108
3 Long-toed Salamander ALAMMA3 14-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 1 483802 5140123
4 Long-toed Salamander ALAMMA4 14-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 1 483824 5140127
5 Long-toed Salamander ALAMMA5 15-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 1 483838 5140145
1 Pacific Treefrog ALPSRE1 05-May-09
Anuran call/
eyeshine Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 80 483764 5140107
2 Pacific Treefrog ALPSRE2 05-May-09
Anuran call/
eyeshine Shoreline creek 4 483548 5139922
3 Pacific Treefrog ALPSRE3 17-May-09
Anuran call/
eyeshine Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 50 483966 5140202
4 Pacific Treefrog ALPSRE4 26-May-09
Anuran call/
eyeshine Pond Shoreline inlet 3 483588 5139850
5 Pacific Treefrog ALPSRE5 14-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 1 483802 5140123
6 Pacific Treefrog ALPSRE6 14-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 1 483838 5140145
1 American Bullfrog ALRACT1 15-Jun-10 Dipnet-Aquatic Shoreline inlet Shoreline river 1 483803 5140122
1 Terrestrial Garter Snake ALTHEL1 12-May-09 VES Shoreline creek Riparian 1 483775 5140106
* Numbered detections refer to those plotted in Figure 14 for that particular species.
APPENDIX K. SPECIES DETECTION TABLE FOR CHIEF TIMOTHY HMU, 2009 SURVEYS.
Numbered
Detection Species
MWFB
name
Detection
date Method Primary habitat Secondary habitat Individuals Easting Northing
1 American Bullfrog CTRACT1 17-May-09
Anuran call/
eyeshine Pond Shoreline river 9 487108 5141009
2 American Bullfrog CTRACT2 26-May-09
Anuran call/
eyeshine Pond 23 487132 5141067
3 American Bullfrog CTRACT3 26-May-09
Anuran call/
eyeshine Pond 2 486992 5140967
4 American Bullfrog CTRACT4 15-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Pond 2 487106 5141049
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 80 University of California, Davis
5 American Bullfrog CTRACT5 15-Jul-09 Funnel Trap Pond 1 487076 5141028
6 American Bullfrog CTRACT6 15-Jul-09 VES Pond 14 487132 5141035
7 American Bullfrog CTRACT7 01-Aug-09 VES Shoreline river 1 487228 5141166
8 American Bullfrog CTRACT8 01-Aug-09 VES Shoreline river 1 487410 5141271
* Numbered detections refer to those plotted in Figure 15 for that particular species.
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 81 University of California, Davis
APPENDIX L. SPECIES ACCOUNTS
This section provides information on life history and habitats for reptiles and amphibians within the
Lower Snake river and specific to the Columbia basin. Much of the life history and habitat information in
the species accounts is derived from the Washington Herp Atlas, unless otherwise noted (Washington
Herp Atlas, 2005. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, U.S.D.I.
Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service. http://www1.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/herp/ last
accessed 21 February 2009).
LONG-TOED SALAMANDER
The Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) is the most widespread salamander species in
Washington, and it is named for its unusually longer fourth toe. The subspecies in our study area and the
Columbia basin is the Central Long-toed Salamander (A. m. columbianus). Long-toed Salamanders are
“pond type” breeders in that they lay eggs in slow-moving or lentic waters. No stream-breeding
salamanders are known to occur in the lower Snake River region. Long-toed Salamanders are capable of
exploiting a variety of habitats including sagebrush, conifer forest, oak and alpine meadows. They may
use lakes, ponds, wetlands, ditches, slow moving springs, semi-permanent puddles to breed in; usually in
bodies of water where fish are absent, but this can vary with microhabitat complexity. Metamorphosed
salamanders will travel to breeding sites by moving within interstitial spaces, by rodent burrows and
under moist or decaying material, such as rocks, leaf litter and logs (Nafis 2009). Habitat for this species
in the Snake River Canyon has probably dwindled since dam construction, as many of the isolated
backwaters and pools formed by flows have largely disappeared. Snake River aerials from 1958 show the
river margins surrounding the study sites with much more complex microhabitat than the current, “lake”
shoreline of the Snake River today (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2002).
The Long-toed Salamander is a medium-sized salamander usually all dark grey or black with a
mottled yellow, greenish or light olive lateral stripe that runs from its head down the tail. Adults range in
size from 2.1 to 3.2 in (50 to 80 mm) snout-vent length, and have a laterally-compressed tail. Egg lying
commences in the Columbia basin in March and April, and egg development to hatching largely depends
on temperature, but spans from 2 to 5 weeks. Long-toed Salamander hatchlings are distinct from Tiger
Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) hatchlings in that they possess structures on the sides of the head
called balancers. Within two weeks or so of development, hatchlings lose the balancers, and as the gills
develop the top gill filament is usually longer than the other ones on the stalk, whereas in Tiger
Salamanders, all gill filaments are approximately equal length. Long-toed Salamander larvae rarely
exceed 85 mm total length, and as they metamorphose, the yellow dorsal stripe develops. In Washington
state, Long-toed Salamander larvae may metamorphose in the summer or fall of the first year, but larval
development is crucially dependent on water temperature, water quality and food resources.
GREAT BASIN SPADEFOOT
The Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana) primarily inhabits the Columbia basin plateau but can
also be found in certain portions of the Okanogan ecoregion. The most recent records for this species
from our study area are from the lower Snake River near its confluence with the Columbia. Older records
exist of Spadefoots from Spokane, Asotin and Garfield counties. Spadefoots require soft, loose soils for
burrowing during non-breeding months, where they remain completely fossorial until early spring rains,
often emerging late February to March to breed. Breeding occurs in a variety of seasonal water bodies,
including ditches, pools, ponds, and agricultural water sources. Once breeding is complete Spadefoots
spend the remainder of the year underground.
Spadefoots are typically explosive breeders, with emergence triggered by a rain or moisture
event. Eggs, once laid, typically hatch within a few days. Development of tadpoles varies from 1-2
months, depending on local water conditions, such as temperature (having the ability to metamorphose
faster if water temperatures reach a certain limit). Adult Spadefoots have vertical pupils and a black
spade-structure on each hind leg that facilitates digging in loose soils.
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 82 University of California, Davis
WESTERN TOAD
Western Toad, or the Boreal Toad (Bufo boreas boreas) occurs in most ecoregions in Washington. Their
presence within the Columbia basin in Washington State, however, is restricted to the southeastern
portion. Western Toads occur in a variety of habitat types, including prairies, forests, grasslands,
canyons, conifer and oak forests. They appear to be absent from shrub-steppe areas but do occur in
grasslands within southeastern Washington state. Western Toads utilize most permanent or semi-
permanent waters for breeding, including wetlands, ponds, lakes, impoundments and other shallow and
slow-moving water bodies. Breeding typically occurs mid-April through June, and embryonic
development takes approximately 2 weeks. Tadpoles metamorphose within approximately two months,
with newly metamorphosed toadlets emerging in large masses where the species is common and breeding
densities are high.
This species occurs with some overlap within the lower Snake River between Columbia and
Garfield counties, though Woodhouse’s Toads are known to range into Whitman and Asotin counties.
They can be distinguished from Woodhouse’s Toads by the apparent lack of “L”-shaped cranial crests
and enlarged, kidney-bean shaped paratoid glands. Both species are distinguishable by call as well, with
Western Toads giving a softer, more chirrup-or peeping-like sound.
WOODHOUSE’S TOAD
Woodhouse’s Toad, or the Rocky Mountain Toad (Bufo woodhousii woodhousii) is a native species
whose distribution in Washington state is limited to the Snake and Columbia Rivers within the Columbia
basin. This and the population along the upper Snake River floodplain in Idaho represent isolated and
disjunct populations from the rest of the Midwest. Woodhouse’s Toads adults and newly morphed
toadlets are terrestrial, spending most of their time away from water except to breed. Mature
Woodhouse’s Toads are among the largest toads in North America, and can be gray, light brown and
olive colors with dark splotches with splotched bellies and a white dorsal stripe running from snout to
vent. Their paratoid glands are elongated and oval-shaped; this trait along with the “L”-shaped cranial
crests and voice distinguish them from the Western Toad. Western and Woodhouse’s Toads overlap in
distribution where Western Toads range north into the lower Snake River canyon in extreme north
Garfield, Asotin and southern Whitman counties (WA Herp Atlas 2005).
Woodhouse’s Toads occupy a variety of habitats; in the Snake River canyon, they can be found
near sagebrush, riparian and grassland habitats or crossing roads and other habitats as they migrate to
water to breed. Aquatic breeding habitat includes still-water ponds, ephemeral pools and ditches. As an
adaptation to explosive breeding in arid habitats, egg to tadpole development is rapid, and metamorphism
to adult occurs approximately in 2 months.
PACIFIC TREEFROG
The Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris regilla) is native to the Pacific states, along with parts of Idaho,
Montana and Nevada. It is the most commonly heard frog in the state of Washington. Adult frogs can be
solid, spotted and blotched in a range of colors from red to green to grey. Its most conspicuous field mark
is the black “mask” that extends from the nostrils, widening at the eye and tympanum through to the
shoulder. In Eastern Washington males can start calling weeks before onset of breeding, starting around
April. Breeding can be prolonged, lasting 3 to 4 months; at the peak of breeding season, males even
chorus during daylight hours. Tadpoles are dark brown to olive, oftentimes with black speckling on the
dorsum and iridescent white on the ventral side. Tadpole eyes are offset to the margins of the head, such
that if viewed from above, the eyes would protrude from the outline of the head. In Washington, this is
the only anuran with eyes offset in this manner; this character along with toepads distinguish Pacific
Treefrogs from all other anurans in the state.
In the Columbia basin, transformed Pacific Treefrogs are terrestrial, using damp forests, riparian,
shrubland, grassland and other habitats near a source of water. They can breed in disturbed and urban
areas with any sort of standing water - wetland, pond edges, stillwaters of rivers, puddles, ditches, deep
tire ruts.
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 83 University of California, Davis
AMERICAN BULLFROG
The American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) is an invasive but naturalized species in Washington state and
most western states, where it was probably introduced in the 1920’s as a source of food for their large
meaty legs. The Bullfrog has since exploded in range, out competing local amphibians (Nafis 2009).
They are mostly aquatic even in the transformed phase, and can almost always be found near water (Nafis
2009). Bullfrogs emerge in late spring to breed, lay eggs in giant masses. Bullfrog tadpoles often take 2
to 3 years to mature before metamorphosing; because of this, they require permanent or semi-permanent
water bodies to breed.
In Washington, Bullfrogs are known from Puget Sound and along a great extent of the Columbia
River, parts of the Pend Oreille River as well as scattered populations in Okanogan, Klickitat and other
western counties. In the Columbia Basin, Bullfrogs are known from the Columbia/ Snake River
confluence and further upstream in extreme north Garfield and Asotin counties with scattered populations
in Spokane, Adams and Yakima counties (WA Herp Atlas, 2005).
PAINTED TURTLE
Painted Turtle are native to most areas of Washington, and have been documented in all Washington state
ecoregions. Most occurrences are at the lower elevations of eastern Washington, the Columbia Gorge and
the Puget Trough, where this species is suspected to have been introduced to, and likely did not occur
there historically. This species is common where they occur in Washington, and occupy a variety of
aquatic habitats including lakes, ponds, wetlands, and slow-moving portions of rivers and creeks.
Basking structure, such as submerged logs, debris and aquatic vegetation are required for basking sites
within water bodies. Outside the water, terrestrial habitats include shrub-steppe, grassland and forest.
Painted turtles are medium-sized with a dark upper shell (carapace), often with striking patterning
on the head and bright red coloration on the lower shell (plastron). This species typically emerges in late
March through April, and breeding occurs in June and July.
WESTERN SKINK
The Western [Skilton’s] Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus skiltonianus) is the subspecies of Western Skink
in our study area. It occurs primarily in the eastern and northeastern part of the state, in parts of the
Columbia basin, eastern Cascades, and in the Blue Mountains. It is a smooth-scaled, relatively small
lizard (5 to 9 centimeters, snout-vent length) with a dark brown mid-dorsal stripe running from the snout
to the tail lined with alternating cream-white and black stripes down the sides. Juvenile lizards have an
almost-fluorescent blue tail and bold striping; as the lizard ages, the blue fades to a blue-grey or
brownish-gray. This is the only lizard in Washington state with a bright blue tail, mid-dorsal stripe and
shiny, smooth scales. During breeding season males may develop orange to reddish coloring along the
chin and sides of the face.
In the Columbia basin, they can exploit semi-arid and moist environments, ranging from shrub-
steppe, basalt rock outcroppings, dry forests and grasslands to edges of creeks and ponds with lots of
vegetation (pers. obs., Nafis 2009). They can be found sifting through leaf litter and other woody debris
and turning rocks and other cover objects.
RUBBER BOA
The Rubber Boa (Charina bottae) is a thick-bodied, small-scaled and robust-looking snake. Adults can
range in size from 35 to 85 cm, though they are typically within the smaller end of this spectrum (Nafis
2009). The end of its tail is blunt and can be confused with its head. The scales are smooth and it ranges
in color from pink, tan, olive, brown or dark grey with a pale belly with mottling; juveniles can be
brighter in color, even rosy pink (Nafis 2009). It can be distinguished from the Racer (Coluber
constrictor mormon) with its small eyes, thick body, small dorsal scales, vertical pupils and rather
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 84 University of California, Davis
sluggish, non-aggressive behavior. Rubber Boas can be active in temperatures that may be too cool for
some other species – at surface temperatures in the fifties Fahrenheit (Nafis 2009).
Though Rubber Boas have not been studied in detail in Washington, they are thought to start
emerging from wintering sites around March, with breeding occurring around April and May.
Distribution of Rubber Boas in the state is patchy, but they have been found to occupy forest, grasslands
and prairie habitats but have also been found in wet forests of the Pacific Northwest ecoregion, as well as
in arid shrub-steppe in the Columbia basin. Rubber Boas are nocturnal and fossorial, spending much of
their time underground or moving in interstitial spaces throughout habitat, which makes them difficult to
detect. It may be possible to return to a site year and year and detect them or find shed skins.
WESTERN YELLOW-BELLIED RACER
The Western Yellow-bellied Racer (Coluber constrictor mormon) is the subspecies of the Racer which
occurs in our study area. Racers are known for their speed on the ground and the visual tracking of prey,
which they accomplish by stalking prey with their heads elevated off the ground. Racers can grow to
lengths of 51 to 190 centimeters but are typically under 91 cm in length on the west coast (Stebbins
2003). They have seemingly large eyes for their long, skinny bodies, which consist of smooth scales.
Adults are long and smooth in appearance, often olive green, pale blue-gray or brownish above with
cream or yellow bellies below. Juvenile snakes are blotched or patterned on the dorsum, with the pattern
fading on the tail (Nafis 2009, Stebbins 2003).
Racers favor semi-arid and moist habitats including meadows, wetland edges, grassland,
sagebrush, and woodlands. They are absent from extremely dry habitats and high mountains (Stebbins
2003). In Washington state, the Western Yellow-bellied Racer occurs primarily east of the Cascades
throughout the Columbia basin, with records from the Snake/ Columbia River confluence and upstream in
southern Whitman county (WDFW 2009).
GREAT BASIN GOPHER SNAKE
The subspecies of Gopher Snake in our study area is known as the Great Basin Gopher Snake (Pituophis
catenifer deserticola). In Washington state, Gopher Snakes are only found east of the Cascades where
their distribution spans the Columbia basin (WA Herp Atlas, 2005). Known by locals as the “bullsnake”,
it is one of the most widespread and commonly occurring herptile species in the Columbia basin. They
are often mistaken for rattlesnakes, which differ in that rattlesnakes have vertical pupils, possess vertical
“sensing” pits and a rattle (which Gopher Snakes will often mimic by shaking their rattle-less tails and
hissing). Gopher Snakes have keeled dorsal scales, and are usually a beige or tan color overall with dark,
squarish blotching along the dorsal side and smaller dark markings along their sides.
Gopher Snakes specialize in small mammals for prey, though they will take birds, bird eggs,
lizards and insects (Nafis 2009). While active day or night depending on temperatures, they commonly
bask, fully extended, on paved or gravel roads in the evening or early morning hours. In Washington
state, they can be found in shrub-steppe, white oak and ponderosa forests and often spend the majority of
hot days underground in small mammal burrows.
COMMON GARTER SNAKE
The Common, or Valley Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi) is the subspecies known from the
southeastern portion of Washington and the Columbia Basin. This Common Garter Snake is the most
widespread garter snake in Washington, with several subspecies recognized for different areas. Its
variation in dorsal coloration is among the most variable of all garter snakes in Washington. This species
is nearly always found near water habitats consisting of slow-moving creeks, ponds, rivers,
impoundments. Common Garter Snakes typically prey on frogs, fish, other snakes and occasionally
rodents. They emerge from wintering sites around March, with males emerging sooner than females.
Once mating is complete, snakes remain in the breeding areas before dispersing to summering habitats.
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 85 University of California, Davis
This is typically the only garter snake in Washington state with red patches running the side of
the body above the lateral stripe. Eastern Washington snakes are typically dark with bright yellow dorsal
and lateral stripes and bright red markings. Labial scales (facial scales from the snout to the ear) typically
are 7, but can be occasionally 8.
WANDERING GARTER SNAKE
The Wandering Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans vagrans) is the subspecies of Western Terrestrial
Garter Snake that occurs in our study area. It is a relatively slender snake of medium length, head just
barely wider than body. They are variable in color, but like most other garter snake species, exhibit a
lateral striping pattern along the body. They usually have a green, grey or brownish background with
yellow, brownish, orange, dorsal and lateral stripes from the head that fade into the tail (Nafis 2009).
Wandering Garter Snakes are typically diurnal, and in arid climates like the Columbia basin, are
likely to be found near a water source, though they are chiefly terrestrial (Stebbins 2003, Nafis 2009).
They can occupy a variety of habitats, including shrub-steppe, grassy meadows, forests and riparian areas
(Nafis 2009). Our one detection occurred bordering wetland habitat.
NORTHERN DESERT NIGHT SNAKE
The Night Snake (Hypsiglena chlorophaea) is also known as the Northern Desert Night Snake, a secretive
and seemingly uncommon species, probably owing to their nocturnal nature. In Washington, Night
Snakes are known from isolated records in the Columbia Basin, eastern Cascades and Okanogan
ecoregions. Historical record of this species from the McNary Wildlife Refuge, Prescott and Pateros
areas should be updated, as no recent observations are known. Recent survey efforts in western portion of
the Columbia basin (middle of Washington state) have increased the knowledge of this species
distribution and habitat associations (Weaver 2008). Habitat use includes arid areas with shrub-steppe,
rock escarpments, and sagebrush flats. In higher elevations, the Night Snake has been found in ponderosa
pine forest. Night Snakes are active April – October, and hunt for prey (insects, lizards, smaller snakes)
at night and in evenings.
NORTHERN PACIFIC RATTLESNAKE
The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) is the subspecies of Western Rattlesnake
that occurs in our study area. It is the only venomous snake within our study area. One of the most
widely known characters is the rattle, which grows by one “button” at a time, each time the snake sheds
its skin. The cryptic coloration depends on the substrate where they can be found – from brown to olive
with dark spots 2/3 of the way along the dorsum lined with black and white that change to dark bars
which appear like rings closer to the tail (Nafis 2009). Dorsal scales are strongly keeled, and the scale
above the eye is enlarged. Pupils are vertical, and along the snout, small holes or “pits” are capable of
detecting infrared heat. Gopher Snakes have round pupils, smaller dorsal spots in more of a checkered
pattern, a dark band over the eyes and the top of the head, more weakly keeled scales, and lack pits and a
rattle. Night Snake can be distinguished from juvenile Western Rattlesnakes by the smooth scales,
smaller, denser dark markings, and lack of pits and a rattle.
The distribution of Northern Pacific Rattlesnake in Washington spans the Columbia Basin, and is
only found east of the Cascades (WA Herp Atlas, 2005, WDFW 2009). They begin to emerge from
winter hibernacula in the Columbia Basin around April, when temperatures begin to warm up. Mating
will take place in the vicinity of the hibernacula, before adults disperse to summer wintering grounds.
They occupy a variety of habitats, from open forest to shrub steppe, and are known to over winter in rock
outcropping, talus and burrows (Nafis 2009). Our numerous findings of Northern Pacific Rattlesnake
demonstrate that this species is truly a habitat generalist, and was found in the greatest variety of habitats
of all species detected (Figure 37).
USACE Lower Snake River HMUS Herpetofaunal surveys, 2008 Interim Report
Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology 86 University of California, Davis
Appendix M. List of scientific names for plant species used in this report
Common name Genus Species Common name Genus Species
Alder sp. Alnus sp. mulberry sp. Morus alba
arrow-leaf
balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata mullein Verbascum sp.
Aspen Populus tremuloides mustard sp. Brassica sp.
Big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata
native blackberry
sp. Rubus sp.
Black
cottonwood Populus balsamifera
Perennial
pepperweed Lepidium latifolium
bluebunch
wheatgrass Pseudoroegneria spicata pine sp. Pinus sp.
Broom
snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae Plum Prunus sp.
buckwheat Eriogonum sp. poison hemlock Conium maculatum
cattail Typha sp. Prairie goldenrod Oligoneuron album
cheatgrass Bromus tectorum prickly lettuce Lactuca serriola
Common reed
grass Phragmites australis Rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa
Currant sp. Ribes sp. Rush skeletonweed Chondrilla juncea
Elderberry sp. Sambucus sp. Russian olive Elaeagnus angustifolia
False indigo Amorpha fruiticosa Russian thistle Salsola sp.
fiddleneck Amsinckia sp. sandbar willow Salix exigua
Hawthorn Crataegus sp. serviceberry Amelanchier sp.
Himalayan
blackberry Rubus armeniacus Smooth sumac Rhus glabra
Horsetail Equisetum sp. sunflower sp. Helianthus sp.
Intermediate
wheatgrass Thinopyrum intermedium teasel sp. Dipsacus fullonum
Japanese
honeysuckle Lonicera japonica Tree of heaven Ailanthus altissima
Tule reed Scripus acutus
Juniper sp. Juniperus sp. vetch Vicia cracca
Locust sp. Robinia pseudoacacia wild rose Rosa sp.
Maple sp. Acer sp. Willow Salix sp.
medusahead Taeniatherum caput-medusae Yarrow Achillea millefolium
mint sp. Mentha requienii Yellow rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus
Nomenclature follows the US Dept of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Plants Database,
http://plants.usda.gov/ date last accessed: 1 June 2009