SPRINGS AND SEEPS INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT
prepared for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Inyo County Water Department
prepared by Gary Ahlborn and Mark Hill Ecosystem Science
ABOUT TECHNICAL MEMORANDUMS
Technical memorandums are intended as information/data analysis of specific components
in the Lower Owens River ecosystem management planning process. Ultimately, the individual
environmental components described in tech memos will be used to build the final
management plans for the Lower Owens River Project. Comments, questions, and suggestions
on tech memos are encouraged; however, tech memos will not be revised. Criticisms,
comments, suggestions, or recommendations which improve analysis or alter a decision on an
environmental component will be incorporated into the draft management plans. These plans
will in turn be subject to public review and subsequent revision leading to final plans.
Table of Contents
Purpose and Scope
Baseline Inventory Data Collection
Report Preparation and Documentation
Appendix - Spring and Seep Location Maps
This technical memorandum represents Task VII C of the workplan. The purpose of the spring and seeps inventory is to identify, characterize and document existing plant and animal resources at qualified, as stated in the MOU, spring/seep sites in the Owens Valley.
The scope of this document is to provide information on efforts to identify, map and evaluate candidate spring and seep sites that meet the criteria specified in the MOU. Qualified sites are stratified into five groups to prioritize field inventory data collection efforts. Our approach to resource mapping, field data collection and documentation is discussed.
Identification of Candidate Spring and Seep Sites
Several sources of information were used to help focus efforts to locate potential springs and seeps in the Owens Valley. A list of candidate spring and seep sites was developed using a variety of information including, aerial photographs, satellite imagery, the "Green Book" vegetation mapping database, locations marked as springs on USGS 1:24,000 topographic maps, the wetlands delineation conducted for Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, and information from Inyo County Water Department, LADWP and several local experts (Table 1).
The "number of areas considered" column in Table 1 indicates the number of database records (vegetation polygons) or map locations or other existing information that were reviewed to determine if springs or seeps met the basic criteria (e.g., located on LADWP property and water supply source). Many of the areas provided from one source overlapped with information from one to several other sources. Some of the data, such as the Owens Lake data, were not evaluated, but simply viewed as an important component of the information base describing springs and seeps in the Owens Valley.
Imagery acquired through EOSAT is IRS-C panchromatic, Path 250 Row 44, dated 04/25/97. The scene covers an area from Olancha to just north of the aqueduct intake and has a pixel resolution of about 5 m. Spot satellite images, with a pixel resolution of about 25 m were used to get an overview of the Valley north of the intake. Imagery was used primarily to determine differences within vegetation types that were mapped as homogeneous units and digitized candidate sites. The 185 springs and seeps demarcated on the USGS 1:24,000 maps were combined with other information.
The Cooperative Vegetation Study (Green Book 1990) database was used to retrieve mapping parcels that have some of the characteristics that might indicate the presence of springs and seeps. The database was queried to identify parcels classified as eight different vegetation types and the presence of two plant species; Yerba Mansa and Alkali Cordgrass (Table 1).
Table 1. Information sources and initial number of candidate
seep/spring sites or areas considered and evaluated.
Green Book Vegetation Mapping Database Search
Criteria
| Search CriteriaName Code Considered | Code | No. Areas Considered |
| Permanent Lakes & Reservoirs | 13100 | 30 |
| Intermittent Ponds | 13200 | 9 |
| Alkali Seep | 45320 | 1 |
| Rush/Sedge Meadow | 45330 | 66 |
| Rabbitbrush Meadow | 45340 | 33 |
| Nevada Saltbush Meadow | 45350 | 51 |
| Transmontane Alkali Marsh | 52320 | 19 |
| Tamarisk Scrub | 63810 | 37 |
| Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica) | ANCA10 | 38 |
| Alkali Cordgrass (Spatrina gracilis) | SPGR | 25 |
Other Sources of
Information
No. Areas
Considered
Land parcels suggested by Inyo County
Water Department
(#1)
20
Land parcels suggested by Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power
(#2)
38
Natural color 1:12,000 scale aerial photographs,
spot satellite and IRS-C digital images to identify
potential areas with springs and seeps
(#3)
25
USGS 1:24,000 topographic mapped
springs
185
Information on the location, extent, community
characteristics and monitoring program for seeps
and springs associated with Owens Lake from the
Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District
Shoreline meadow
sites
135
Spring
mounds
315
Maps and descriptive information from the
wetlands delineation conducted for the Lahontan
Regional Water Quality Control
Board.
general
Information from Mr. Derham Giuliani (springs)
via Inyo County Water
Department
36
The Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) has collected a great deal of valuable data on the springs and seeps associated with Owens Lake. Transmontane Alkaline Meadow (Holland 1986) plant communities that occur along the margins of Owens Lake, have been delineated, mapped and characterized using several standard plant community descriptors such as biomass, cover and species composition (GBUAPCD 1995a). The extent of meadows and springs are being monitored using stakes positioned along the community boundary (GBUAPCD 1996a). A visual estimate of community change is evaluated using photo point monitoring techniques (GBUAPCD 1996d). Along with the standard assessment approaches, sites are classified and described using several site specific qualitative or "scaled descriptive data", to assess short term and long term seasonal trends (GBUAPCD 1996a). The District also conducts annual sensitive plant species surveys of the Owens Lake wetlands (GBUAPCD 1995d).
GBUAPCD (1996a) reports that there are approximately 315 spring mounds and another 135 shoreline meadows. Our springs database contains only 34 spring/seep locations, derived from USGS spring records.
Mr. Derham Giuliani, a naturalist from Big Pine, provided important information on the location of springs and presence/absence data on invertebrates and amphibians at several sites. This data was used to select spring sites and the natural history information will be included in the inventory database.
Three criteria were used to determine which candidate spring/seep sites qualify for this inventory: (1) sites must be located on land owned by LADWP; (2) sites must be located in Inyo County, and (3) "areas to be inventoried will be those areas naturally inundated or saturated by groundwater from springs and/or seeps at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions", i.e., the primary source of inundation or saturation sites should be from groundwater and not, from rivers, creeks, precipitation, ditches, and/or releases and discharges for irrigation, water spreading, or other management activities.
A total of 97 spring and seep sites meet the MOU criteria discussed above (Table 2 and Appendix maps). At least 12 of these locations are complex sites with from 2 to more than 7 springs. Many spring locations are composed of a mixture of springs, seeps, irrigated pasture and wet meadows, creeks, ditches and diversions. Thirty-four of these sites are associated with Owens Lake.
Qualified sites are stratified into five groups to prioritize field inventory data collection efforts. The highest priority sites (n=11) are located within the LORP. The second highest priority group (n=34) includes important sites in the Valley based on existing information, such as site complexity and size, presence of special status species, etc. The third tier sites (n=11) includes springs located within 10 km (6.25mi) of the LORP, except for the majority of spring/seeps located at Owens Lake. The fourth level includes all other sites (n=12) except the Owens Lake sites. The fifth priority group are the remaining 29 sites located on Lake Owens. Table 3 lists the seeps and springs which did not match the selection criteria and the principle reason for excluding them from the list.
Baseline Inventory Data Collection
Existing aerial photos will be registered to UTM coordinates in order to delineate the boundary of springs. Map features will include areas dominated by trees, shrubs, wet herbaceous, dry herbaceous, emergent, and open water. Map resolution will be a minimum of approximately 5 meters (25 m2).
Existing information on plant, invertebrate and wildlife occurrence will be used to supplement field data collection. Existing data sources will include interviews with knowledgeable local experts in the Owens Valley.
Vegetation Characterization Procedures
Systematic synecological surveys of vegetation structure and composition at each of the spring/seep inventory sites will be conducted using a rapid, reconnaissance survey method, the relev method (Franklin et al. 1971). This method of plotless stand survey, in which plant cover is estimated rather than measured, is an efficient way of gathering vegetation data over large areas (Mueller-Dombois and Ellenberg 1974).
The botanist will conduct an area wide reconnaissance to develop a complete list of plant species. This botanical reconnaissance will provide valuable information on plant diversity at springs and seeps and an understanding of species composition and community structure.
Sites for relev sampling will be selected to represent characteristic areas within seep and spring sites. Once an area has been identified for sampling, it will inspected for obvious anthropogenic disturbance (i.e., diversion structures, roads, etc.) that may have altered spring function. Highly altered sites may not necessarily be rejected from sampling, but will be designated as altered. All relev sites chosen for sampling will be homogeneous with respect to vegetation, as subjectively judged in the field. Sample size will be fixed by the width of the site and a species-area curve. Relev length will be determined by a species-area curve (Daubenmire 1968).
All vascular plant species observed within each relev will be
identified to species (taxonomic nomenclature will follow Hickman (1992).
Cover of each species will be estimated using the following scale of precision:
Observed Estimated
Cover Value to the Nearest
<1% 0.1%
1-10% 1.0%
>10% 5.0%
A reasonably complete list of plant species present at each spring site will be developed and reported. Special emphasis will be placed on locating and recording all potential special status plant species at the site. If necessary, the site will revisited up to two times at the appropriate times of the year to observe potential rare plants.
Photo-documentation will assist in the baseline characterization, provide a rapid assessment between sites and relative habitat values, and will permit a visual evaluation of changes occurring at the site over time. Several photo points will be established at each site. The location of photo points will be permanently marked using rebar and GPS coordinates will be recorded. Photographs will depict detail and broad perspective views. All camera settings, date, time, direction and other associated information will be recorded in a photo log.
Habitat Characterization and Assessment
Habitat information will be quantified using data generated in the mapping task and from on site observations. The presence, extent and structural characteristics of habitat will be characterized at each spring site. Percent cover, mean height or depth, and extent of each habitat layer or special habitat element will be estimated at each site. Habitat layers include aquatic, emergent vegetation, wet herbaceous, shrub, tree bole and tree canopy.
A list of wildlife species that could potentially occur at each site will be developed and reported. Any direct or indirect evidence of special status species such as the Owens Valley vole (Microtus californicus vallicola) will be noted along with a general wildlife species list.
Physical or geometric measurements taken at each site include maximum, minimum, and average depth, length and width of the surface water, and discharge.
Snorkeling or other underwater observation techniques will be used to determine the presence/absence of special status fish and invertebrates at each site.
Report Preparation and Documentation
Data relating to plant species, vegetation types, invertebrates, fish and wildlife resources will be assembled in GIS format. The data base will include field survey forms, vegetation type maps, bio-physio characteristics and occurrence of special status and LORP indicator species.
Priority one and two springs and seeps will be surveyed in 1998. Priority three and four springs and seeps will be surveyed in 1999. Owens Lake springs and seeps will not require surveying since a substantial body of data has been compiled by the GBUAPCD. The MOU requires that surveys be completed within 36 months of discharge of the writ and this schedule will be in compliance with the MOU. Photo interpretation and delineation of springs and seeps will begin in March. Field work will begin the first of May 1998.
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Appendix - Spring and Seep Location Maps
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