June 23, 2005
July 24 birding trip @ Mather Lake
The Sacramento Audubon Society sponsors bird watching or "birding" trips, and it's recently updated spring schedule lists a Mather Lake field trip led by member and Mather Lake Bird expert Wayne Blunk. Here are the details from the Sacramento Audubon Society's Field Trips schedule page:
Sunday, July 24, 8:00 a.m.
Mather Regional Park
Leader: Wayne Blunk (876-0457)
Mather Lake and its surrounding grasslands host a wide variety of birds. Wayne knows this area well and is one of Wayne’s favorite birding locations. This is a good trip for beginners and enjoyable for all. Meet in the parking lot of Mather Lake Rotary Park at the corner of Douglas Road and Eagle’s Nest Road. There is a $4 County Parks self pay parking fee.
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Directions to
4103 Eagles Nest Rd
Mather, CA 95655-2900
Posted by cystdog at 08:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 27, 2005
Audubon Birding field trip @ Mather Lake
The Sacramento Audubon Society sponsors bird watching or "birding" trips, and it's recently updated spring schedule lists a Mather Lake field trip led by member and Mather Lake Bird expert Wayne Blunk. Here are the details from the Sacramento Audubon Society's Field Trips schedule page:
Sunday, April 24, 7:30 a.m.
Mather Field
Leader: Wayne Blunk 876-0457
Mather Lake is one of Wayne’s favorite birding locations. Join Wayne to look for resident birds and spring migrants. Targeted birds will be Yellow-headed blackbirds, Black-headed Grosbeaks, White-tailed Kites, Wild Turkey and Green Heron. Meet Wayne in the parking lot of Mather Regional Park at the corner of Douglas Road and Eagle’s Nest Road for this half day trip.
This is a wonderful trip for beginning birders.
Directions to
4103 Eagles Nest Rd
Mather, CA 95655-2900
Posted by cystdog at 01:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 08, 2005
About fish at Mather Lake, from the Resource Management Study
I finally scanned into pdf format (text captured) 7 pages of the Mather Lake Resource Management Study (see earlier article about study) that deals with "Fisheries and Aquatic Resources", aka FISH.
Link to document:
http://www.scupper.net/ct/matherlake_fish.pdf
The excerpt lists each of the fish species, how they were planted in Mather Lake, a study of the fish population conducted from 1986-1990 by Dr. C. David Vanicek of California State University, Sacramento, and makes recommendations about improving habitat in deeper parts of the lake for bass and bluegill/crappie, something I'd be willing to pull up my sleeves and help with if it would improve the fishing there in the future.
The file is a pdf and is 96K in size. I will also paste the text of the pages in the following extended entry:
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
The Air Force annually stocked Mather Lake with channel catfish (Idaluruspundatus), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) until the base was closed in 1991. Annual stocking numbers were approximately 500 pounds each of catfish and trout (information on bass stocking numbers is unavailable). The CDFG took over stocking responsibilities for the lake shortly after the base closed, and continues to stock the lake at the present time. The numbers and species stocked vary with hatchery supplies; however, the CDFG usually stocks 100 pounds of channel catFish (100 fish) or rainbow trout (200 fish) per week during stocking seasons. CatFish stocking occurs between June and October; trout stocking occurs between November and May.
Work done by C. David Vanicek of the California State University, Sacramento, documented fish species composition and relative abundance in the lake during the summers of 1986 through 1990. During those years, Vanicek recorded eight fish species in the lake, although we can presume the lake contained at least nine species during winter months when trout were present (the lake becomes too warm for trout during the summer). A table showing the composition and relative abundance of fish in the lake during Vanicek's 1986 study is provided in Table 5.
Since Vanicek's work, the CDFG has sporadically documented fish "catch" data in the lake. However, data have not yet been compiled and are unavailable at this time. We believe it is unlikely fish species composition has changed much since Vanicek's studies, although abundance may be at least partially dependent on stocking, angling efforts, seasonal habitat conditions, and predation. It is possible additional species have been introduced to the lake by humans or through the Folsom South Canal. For example, Joe Ferreira of CDFG's "Fishing in the City" program heard about a large fish in the lake that he believes could be a carp.
There are no special-status fish species known to inhabit Mather Lake. However, the lake supports several recreational fish species. Because recreational fishing opportunities at the lake is considered an asset of the park, and management practices at the lake may influence resident fish populations, we have provided natural history information on the year-long resident fish species in the lake in the sections below.
Natural History
Largemouth Bass
Largemouth bass live primarily in lakes and ponds, or in very low velocity pools and backwater habitat in rivers. The species prefers water velocities of < 0.2 fee/second (fps), and does not tolerate velocities above 0.66 fps. Largemouth bass are often associated with aquatic plants or other types of structure in which they can hide and ambush their prey. Juvenile and adult largemouth bass feed on large invertebrates and smaller fish. Because largemouth bass are sight feeders, they prefer relatively clear water.
Largemouth bass experience optimal growth in water temperatures between 75 and 86 OF. Growth is reduced at temperatures below 59 and above 97 OF. Dissolved oxygen levels above 8.0 parts per million (ppm) are considered optimal. Growth is reduced at dissolved oxygen levels below 4.0 ppm, and levels below 1.0 ppm are considered lethal. Largemouth bass are intolerant of high turbidities, preferring levels of suspended solids < 25 ppm.
Water temperatures for spawning and incubation are considered optimal between 68 and 70 OF, although a range of 55 to 79 O F is acceptable. Largemouth bass spawn on a variety of substrates, including gravel (the preferred substrate), sand, mud, roots, and vegetation. Largemouth bass prefer to spawn a t depths of three to six feet. During spawning, stable water surface elevations are preferred. The incubation period of largemouth bass eggs is influenced by water temperature. Incubation ranges from approximately 13 days at 50 O F to 1.5 days at 86 OF. The expected temperature range in Mather Lake during the April and May spawning season is approximately 59 to 68F. This would equate to an incubation period of approximately three to seven days, with larval largemouth bass leaving the nest 13 to 21 days after the onset of nest construction. For young bass (fry), shallow, warm water (80 to 86 OF) with abundant cover in the form of aquatic vegetation and/or woody debris is optimal.
Bluegill
(Lepomk macrochirus) live primarily in lakes, ponds, sloughs, and other quiet water habitats. They are often associated with rooted aquatic plants in which they take shelter and feed. Bluegill can live in a wide range of temperatures and dissolved oxygen levels, but optimal growth occurs at water temperatures and dissolved oxygen levels between 71.6 and 89.6 OF and 4 to 8 ppm, respectively. Bluegill spawn in the spring at water temperatures between 62.5 to 70F. Spawning substrate can consist of gravel, sand, or mud, and the nest is built in shallow water. After emerging from the nest, young bluegills typically move into shallow water with aquatic plant beds that serve as cover. As bluegill fry grow to approximately 0.5 inches long, they move out into deeper water and feed on zooplankton near the sutface. After six or seven weeks, they return to aquatic plant beds along the shoreline. Bluegills are opportunistic predators and will feed on plankton, insects, other invertebrates, and small fish. Juvenile and adult bluegill feed on large invertebrates and fish.
Green Sunfish
Green sunfish are usually closely associated with aquatic plants, or other types of dense cover. Optimal water temperature for adult and juvenile sunfish has been reported to be 82.8 O F . If possible, green sunfish will avoid temperatures above 87.8 OF and below 78.8 OF. Dissolved oxygen levels are presumed to be optimal at levels greater than 5.0 ppm, and lethal levels are < 1.5 ppm. Green sunfish abundance is positively correlated with moderate turbidities (25 to 100 JTU).
Green sunfish usually spawn in May and June, beginning when water temperatures exceed 66F. They prefer sand and gravel as a spawning substrate. Nests are generally built at depths from 0.15 to 1.15 feet. Optimal temperatures for spawning and embryo development range from 68 to 80F. The upper and lower temperature limits for spawning are 87.8 and 66.2F, respectively. For fry, optimal temperatures range from 64.4 to 78.8 O F . I n stream environments, fry seeks areas with velocities < 0.26 fps, preferably, 0.16 fps. The diet of green sunfish consists of larger invertebrates and small fish. Redear Sunfish Redear sunfish (L. micro/ophus) typically inhabit ponds, lakes, and river backwaters with depths greater than six feet and abundant aquatic vegetation. Redear sunfish spawn through the summer at temperatures from 72 to 75F. Redear sunfish will utilize sand, gravel, or mud to build their nest. Spawning usually occurs at depths of six to ten feet. Other life history requirements are similar to those listed for green sunfish. The diet of redear sunfish consists of snails and other bottom dwelling invertebrates.
Black Crappie
Black crappies (Pomoxk n@romacu/atus) are typically found in warm, clear lakes and reservoirs. Black crappie are schooling fish, and are often found around aquatic plants, logs, or other submerged objects. Spawning is initiated in March or April when temperatures are between 57.0 and 62.5F. Nests are built in or near areas of aquatic plants. A hard clay substrate is preferred, and nests are typically constructed in less than three feet of water. Adult black crappie typically feed on fish, but they also feed on zooplankton and aquatic insects.
Channel Catfish
Channel catfish can tolerate a wide variety of habitat conditions, ranging from clear, rapidly flowing warm water streams to large reservoirs. Channel catfish are tolerant of relatively low dissolved oxygen levels (as low as 1 to 2 ppm), but their growth rate is higher at levels above 3 ppm. Channel catfish are also tolerant of relatively high temperatures (reported up to 100F). Channel catfish are spring spawners, with greatest spawning activity between May and mid-July. Optimal temperature for spawning is approximately 82F, but spawning has been reported at temperatures ranging from 70 to 84F. Channel catiish typically spawn a t depths of 8 to 12 feet in cave like sites, such as old muskrat burrows, undercut banks, or log
jams. The diet of channel caffish consists of invertebrates and fish.Black Bullhead
Black bullhead (AmeHus melas) typically inhabit ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and pool or backwater areas of streams and rivers. During the day, adult bullheads are typically closely associated with aquatic plants or other types of cover. Bullheads are very temperature tolerant, withstanding temperatures up to 95F. Black bullheads spawn in the spring when water temperatures exceed 68F. Preferred substrates or spawning depths are not well documented. The black bullhead diet consists of aquatic insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and occasionally fish.
Management Considerations and Recommendations
Fish pass through several life stages (egg, larvae, fiy, juvenile and adult), each with its own set of environmental requirements to allow for survival to the next stage. The early life history stages (egg, larvae, and fry) of many lake-dwelling fish are vulnerable to effects from fluctuations in water surface elevation. Members of the family Centrarchidae, which include largemouth bass and the "sunfishes," (e.g., black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, and red ear sunfish) often are born, and complete their early life stages in water e 10 feet deep. A rapid drop in the water surface elevation could result either in the nest being abandoned (leaving the embryos or larvae vulnerable to predation), or becoming completely dewatered (resulting in the mortality of eggs and/or larvae). Fry spend their first few months living (rearing) in and around aquatic plants and submerged objects where they find food and shelter (cover) from predators. Rising water surface elevations during the fry rearing season increases available habitat by flooding terrestrial vegetation, and increasing available shelter for the young fish. A rapid decrease in the water surface elevation during the spawning period (April through June) and rearing season (May through August) may result in a loss of spawning habitat and juvenile cover as water recedes from the lake shoreline where most cover is found. A drawdown of greater than 3.0 feet is considered sub optimal. With rapid drawdowns, fry are forced to concentrate into smaller, more open areas, where they become more susceptible to predation from juvenile and adult life stages of larger fish such as largemouth bass and black crappie. Conversely, increasing water surface elevations during spawning and fry rearing periods may also negatively impact largemouth bass by decreasing temperatures.
All of the fish species in Mather Lake require cover. For most of the species, the abundance of available cover for fry and juvenile fish probably has a significant effect on the number of fish that are recruited into the population. In Mather Lake cover appears to consist primarily of submerged woody debris, rocky points, and submerged and emergent vegetation.
Because our study was conducted when the lake was relatively full of water, we could not assess the amount and types of cover that would be available when fry and juvenile fish were present (i.e., spring and summer). However, information we collected during our bathymetric study indicated a lack of cover in deeper water. As a result, in summer months when lake levels have receded there may be a lack of cover in shallow water. A more intensive investigation of available cover, especially for juvenile bass, is recommended to determine if the appropriate amount of cover will be present at various lake levels. If it is documented that cover is limited at lower lake levels, we recommend the addition of structure (cover) in the form of root wads, at various locations in the lake.
The CDFG has been stocking Mather Lake for approximately the last 10 years. We anticipate this practice will continue, and recommend that the Department rely on the expertise of CDFG biologists in determining stocking practices.
Posted by cystdog at 06:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 28, 2005
~GISUser: Mapping Birds with the USFWS and USGS
GISuser.com - GIS & mapping news, jobs, software, data, education, and forums
Mapping Birds - NBII Bird Conservation
Friday, 21 January 2005
Interactive map from the NBII Bird Conservation Node features Bird Surveys, Conservation Units (Regions), Physical and Vegetation data, and political units. This site is made available through partnership between the US Fish and Wildlife Service and USGS's National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII).
This application was developed to facilitate informed querying of certain bird monitoring databases accessible through the NBII Bird Conservation Node as well as to display the results of geospatial queries of these databases that are of general public interest. The capabilities of this site are intended to be of use to professional wildlife biologists and conservation planners as well as to the general public.
This application enables the user to interactively view various elements of select bird population survey designs (e.g., strata boundaries, transects, segments, routes, zones). The user can display these design elements over a backdrop of political boundaries, NABCI Bird Conservation Regions, landcover, hydrology, and/or elevation.
Using these views, the user should be better able to define efficient queries of the bird population databases and retrieve data relevant to their interests. Additionally, certain queries of the population and geospatial databases that are of general interest to the public are also enabled by this application.
Examples of query output that can be generated using this application include: a) maps of estimated population abundance within survey units, b) maps of percent change in estimated population abundance within survey units between user selected years, c) maps of active survey routes, and d) maps of species relative abundance. More information on individual databases may be found by selecting that particular database through the "Retrieve Bird Data" button in the application.
Posted by cystdog at 10:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 16, 2005
A lake in maps - Mather Lake revealed
In 2001, a resource management study of Mather Lake was commissioned by the Sacramento County Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Open Space. The study, and recommendations for a Resource Management Plan, were drafted by ECORP Consulting, in concert with other natural resource studies being conducted to eventually be used to draft the Mather Regional Park Land Use Plan.
The Mather Lake Resource Management Study was released on November 12, 2002, and was only available upon request from the County. The study was never made available in a digitized format, either in pdf ir jpeg format. This is a great loss for the public as there is a treasure trove of information that reveals a coincidental man-made oasis, exploding with life, in the midst of a shuttered Air Base, neighbored by auto wreckers and groundwater contamination monitoring wells.
Terrestrial Habitat Map | Aquatic Habitat Map | Water Depth Map |
I'd had a copy of the study since 2003, and have wanted to scan certain maps contained in the study, but never made the time. I finally got them scanned and have uploaded them to my hosting account.
There are 3 maps in particular that I think will be of interest to everyone who frequents Mather Lake and is concerned for it's long term survival, a:
- Terrestrial Habitat Map (Small | Large | Large/PDF)
- Aquatic Habitat Map (Small | Large | Large/PDF)
- Water Depth Map (Small | Large | Large/PDF)
Ultimately, I'd like to get the entire study digitized (scanned as a searchable pdf) posted online, and perhaps even obtain shape files from ECORP to use in making customs maps of the lake and surrounding habitat. Until then, I'll have to settle for what I have and the maps I scanned from the study.
If you're interested in obtaining a copy of the Mather Lake Resource Management Study, contact Jill Ritzman, Deputy Director, Regional Parks and Contract Maintenance: Jill Ritzman (916) 876-5134, or Sarah Egan or Shannon Brown with ECORP Consulting of Roseville, CA.
You can also contact the Mather Lake Rotary who are actively developing Mather Lake's recreation and interpretive opportunities through their Mather Lake Rotary Recreation Area service project with ecology kiosks along the lake trail, a Military Memorial, a playground, picnic/bbq facilities and a fish cleaning station.
Posted by cystdog at 10:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack