File Geodatabase Feature Class
Tags
habitat, biota, amphibian, abundance, California, distribution, management, fish, lake, Sierra Nevada, multi-species, monitoring, montane, alpine, inventory, inlandWaters
The CDFW High Mountain Lakes project is designed to obtain baseline data on lakes, meadows, and streams in current and historic yellow-legged frog and cascade frog habitat in order to create Aquatic Biodiversity Management Plans for individual basins. Baseline data is used to create monitoring schedules, and additional data is used to refine and improve management of high elevation aquatic resources. This involves monitoring and restoration of yellow-legged and cascades frogs in order to document and mitigate for impacts of non-native fish species on native amphibians in mountain water bodies. KNOWN CAVEATS OF THE AMPHIBIAN DATA: 1) The data represent only a "snapshot" of what actually exists at a given site. Most sites were visited only once and survey conditions varied due to weather, time of year, or time of day. In many cases the most recent survey may have been over 10 years ago. 2) Survey protocol for amphibians targeted mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae and Rana muscosa) and cascades frog (Rana cascadae), both highly visible aquatic species. Nocturnal, terrestrial, or extremely cryptic species were counted when seen, but were not specifically targeted.
The amphibian dataset presents results from High Mountain Lakes (HML), SLIP (Sierra Lakes Inventory), and Redwood Sciences Laboratory (RSL) project amphibian surveys. Both projects collected data on high elevation waters in the Sierra Nevada and mountains of Northern California using protocol developed by Roland Knapp (Regions 4, 6, and 2) and RSL (Region 1). Surveys of fish, amphibians, habitat, and stream barriers were done at each site between late-May and early-September. Amphibians were surveyed visually by walking the entire shoreline of a waterbody and counting individuals by species as well as by life stage. As many sites were only visited once, the data presented represent a "snapshot" view of the waterbody. However, mountain yellow-legged frogs, cascades frogs, (and fish) are highly aquatic and easily detected during the summer months. Every survey conducted for amphibians using these protocols is represented in this dataset, and a record exists for each species found during each survey. Surveys which did not observe any herpetofauna have null values for species ID, name, and life stage.
SLIP surveys were done in the John Muir Wilderness by Roland Knapp's crews in 1995-1996. HML surveys were done in Regions 2, 4 and 6 by CDFW crews between 2001 and 2010. CDFW crews did not survey within National Park boundaries and no SLIP data from National Parks is included here. RSL surveys were conducted between 2001 and 2006, and additional surveys in Northern California ranges were conducted by HML crews in 2008 and 2010. As of May 2010, approximately 85% of the total mapped waters in the High Mountain Lakes range have been surveyed. It should be noted that the High Mountain Lakes expanded in 2007 to include water bodies in cascades frog range.
"Baseline" survey types indicate a full survey was done at the site, including amphibian, fish, habitat characteristics, tributary characteristics, and photos. Generally this survey type occurs during the initial visit to a particular site. "Monitoring" surveys are repeat surveys of fish or amphibian populations at a site, and generally do not include habitat or stream barrier data.
WHAT EACH RECORD REPRESENTS:
This dataset represents field data collected in high elevation Sierra Nevada and Northern California lakes, meadows, streams, and springs. In addition to species observed, individuals are assigned a life stage class. Adults are sexually reproductive; sub-adults are not. Metamorphs are those individuals metamorphosing from the larval to terrestrial stage. Lakes are identified by a unique "CA Lakes" identifying number corresponding to CDFW's CA_Lakes.shp GIS dataset. Some sites may not yet exist on CA_Lakes.shp: the dataset is updated annually with data obtained by HML crews and digitized by CDFW Staff. Stream sites do not exist on CA_Lakes, but HML is surveying and monitoring streams with known yellow-legged frog populations, and these surveys are part of the amphibian dataset. Contact Sarah Mussulman (916) 358-2838 for additional information about High_mountain_lakes.shp.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)
To use data outside BIOS, please contact the point of contact listed in the metadata. If data are used, please acknowledge that the dataset was created and provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Disclaimer : The State makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or adequacy of these data and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in these data. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to these data.
Extent
| West | -124.237152 | East | -37.450013 |
| North | 42.027507 | South | -89.895562 |
| Maximum (zoomed in) | 1:5,000 |
| Minimum (zoomed out) | 1:150,000,000 |
To use data outside BIOS, please contact the point of contact listed in the metadata. If data are used, please acknowledge that the dataset was created and provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Disclaimer : The State makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or adequacy of these data and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in these data. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to these data.