07/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/08/2024 08:03
The Barrens topminnow is a small colorful fish. It occurs in groundwater-fed spring pools (pond-like areas) and runs (small streams) in middle Tennessee, on the Cumberland Plateau physiographic province, in Cannon, Coffee, Dekalb, Franklin, Grundy, and Warren Counties. The species was listed as endangered November 2019 due to significant predation from the western mosquitofish.
The Service is proposing to designate critical habitat for the endangered Barrens topminnow. In total, approximately 1.5 of spring pool and 11.4 miles of spring run are being proposed for designation. The Service is seeking comments on these proposed actions and accompanying documents.
The most important factor affecting the status of the Barrens topminnow is western mosquitofish. Mosquitofish are native to portions of western Tennessee and were introduced to the Barrens Plateau and many other sites in North America in the mid-twentieth century in attempt to control mosquitos. Mosquitofish prey on young topminnows and harass adults. Except for one known instance, once mosquitofish were established at a Barrens topminnow site, Barrens topminnows were extirpated within three to five years.
The Endangered Species Act defines critical habitat as the specific geographic areas that contain features essential to the conservation of an endangered or threatened species and that may require special management and protection. Critical habitat may also include areas that are not currently occupied by the species but will be needed for its recovery.
Within areas occupied by the species, biologists consider physical or biological features needed for life processes. These include:
After considering occupied areas, biologists consider unoccupied areas that may be essential for the conservation of the species.
In total, approximately 1.5 acres of spring pool and 11.4 miles of spring run in Cannon, Coffee, Dekalb, Franklin, Grundy, and Warren Counties, Tennessee, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. All units are currently occupied by Barrens topminnow except Vervilla Spring, which occurs on the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge. At Vervilla Spring, a population of Barrens topminnows was stocked upstream of an artificial barrier but was lost when mosquitofish circumvented the barrier during a flood.
During the development of the proposal, the Service worked closely with Federal and State partners within the area of potential designation and chose them based on the best available science.
Table 1: Approximate Size and ownership of each unit
Unit | Occupancy | Ownership | Area (acres) or Length (miles) |
1 - McMahan Creek | Occupied | Private | 0.8 mi. |
2 - Benedict Spring (Type Locality) | Occupied | Private | 0.11 ac. |
3 - Short Spring | Occupied | City Utility Board | 1.0 ac. |
4 - Vervilla Spring |
Unoccupied | US Fish and Wildlife Service | 0.2 mi. |
5 - Marcum Spring | Occupied | Private | 0.6 mi. |
6 - Greenbrook Pond | Occupied | City Park |
0.1 mi. 0.39 ac. |
7 - Merkle (Big) Spring | Occupied | Private | 0.5 mi. |
8 - Pepper Hollow Branch | Occupied | Private |
9.2 mi. |
Figure 3. Proposed critical habitat units, which constitute the species' range. All units currently occupied except Unit 4, Vervilla Spring, on the Tennessee NWR
They are:
Draft economic analyses (DEA) are created to analyze the economic impacts of a proposed critical habitat designation. The DEA for the Barrens topminnow found that the economic cost of implementing the rule will likely be limited to additional administrative effort in considering adverse modification of the species' habitat during section 7 consultations.
For directions on how to submit comments, visit the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-R4-ES-2023-0224, which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Comments must be received by September 9, 2024. We must receive requests for a public hearing, in writing, at the address shown below by August 23, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Elbert, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office, 446 Neal Street, Cookeville, TN 38501-4027; telephone 931-254-9617. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
The Service intends that any final action resulting from this proposed rule will be based on the best scientific and commercial data available and be as accurate and as effective as possible. Therefore, we are requesting comments or information from other concerned governmental agencies, Native American tribes, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested parties.
The Service is particularly seeking comments concerning: