ODFW
ODFW
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
$19,807
The Goose Lake Valley is an endorheic desert valley that runs north-to-south on the border of Oregon and California. The Valley’s watersheds drain into Goose Lake — a slightly alkaline system that has historically dried up during severe drought years, and drains into the Pit River to the south during very high-flow years. There are several endemic fish species that occupy Goose Lake and its adjacent rivers, wetlands, and riparian areas: the Goose Lake redband trout, Goose Lake lamprey, Goose Lake tui chub, and Goose Lake sucker. These endemic species coexist with a variety of native and non-native species. Goose Lake and its surrounding watersheds are highly sensitive to climate-mediated disturbances such as drought. An increased frequency of disturbance events in the region may limit the accessibility, quantity, and quality of available habitat for native fishes, while increasing range expansion of non-native fishes may put undue stress on vulnerable species. The goal of this project is to aid agency partners in conducting a population status assessment for at-risk native species in the Goose Lake ecosystem and to determine which areas are most at risk of declining populations due to disturbances such as drought and invasive species. This research is timely because consistent surveys have not been conducted in many of Oregon’s high desert basins for more than a decade. Updated abundance and distribution estimates will inform state and federal managers as to the population status of at-risk native fish species, while an assessment of habitat quality will support actionable management outcomes.