BLM New Mexico, Fish and Wildlife Service team up for springsnail and amphipod surveys

BLM New Mexico, Fish and Wildlife Service team up for springsnail and amphipod surveys

Oct 7, 2024

Personnel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the BLM, as well as an intern from Conservation Corps New Mexico, conduct a survey for Koster's springsnail, the Roswell springsnail and Noel's amphipod at the Rio Hondo Spring Run on the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Roswell, New Mexico on July 8.

Nearly a year ago, personnel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and BLM New Mexico worked together to save endangered Koster's springsnails when a creek at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge ran dry near the end of a hot summer.

This year, it does not appear that the springsnails will require saving, but the two Department of the Interior agencies have teamed up again to help with annual surveys of the Koster's springsnail, the Roswell springsnail and Noel's amphipod at the refuge.

The surveys took place from July 8-10 at a variety of sites within the wildlife refuge, including eight sites along the Rio Hondo Spring Run.

"They're [the species] an important part of the ecosystem out on the refuge," said Melissa Fry, a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service New Mexico Ecological Services, who works in the BLM Roswell Field Office. "They're a good indicator for water quality out on Bitter Creek, but also they help maintain eating all the algae and making sure it's a good ecosystem for all the other species that are there."

A Koster's springsnail in a petri dish. Koster's springsnails are an endangered, tiny species only found at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Roswell, New Mexico. "Large" adults are 4 mm long - and as their name implies, they require a constant flow of water from a spring or other source to survive.

Carl Jacobsen, wildlife biologist at the refuge, said the biannual surveys reveal the health and status of the most important springsnail and amphipod populations and how they change over time.

Carl Jacobsen, right, wildlife biologist at the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, hands Trevor Howe, a natural resource intern in the BLM Roswell Field Office, a survey sample for endangered springsnails and amphipods at the Rio Hondo Spring Run on the refuge in Roswell, New Mexico on July 8.

"If there are declines or increases in the population, it lets us know if there are environmental factors or conservation efforts impacting these changes," Jacobsen said. "This data is crucial for adapting our management strategies to ensure the survival and recovery of these vulnerable species in their natural habitats."

From the BLM New Mexico Rowell Field Office, Allison Nelson, a natural resource specialist; Mariana Lujan Sanders, an archaeologist; and Trevor Howe, a natural resource intern, stepped up to help Fry with the surveys.

Allison Nelson, left, a natural resource specialist in the BLM Roswell Field Office, and Carl Jacobsen, a wildlife biologist at the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, examine a survey sample for endangered springsnails and amphipods at the Rio Hondo Spring Run on the refuge in Roswell, New Mexico on July 8.

Once the crew located a site, one person wearing waders went into the water and used a Benthic grab to take samples. The grabs are small, box-like metal devices that include holes so the person conducting the grab can then shake out much of the river sediment in the water, making it easier to find the snails and amphipods.

After shaking out the sediment, the person then handed the grabs to another person standing in the water, who delivered it to a person on the bank. Three people then looked for the species in question using paint brushes and trays. When the examiners found the species, they gave it to another person, who looked at it under a microscope to make an identification. For each sample, the person then recorded the number of snail or amphipod species that had been found. After that, a member of the crew returned the species to the water.

Jacobsen said it is unlikely the springsnails will require rescuing this year because the refuge recently received 1.5 inches of rain, and he does not expect the creek to dry out as much this year.