Foskett Speckled Dace
Foskett Speckled Dace Investigations
Foskett Speckled Dace is a unique evolutionary lineage of the widely distributed speckled dace, restricted to two sites, Foskett and Dace Springs, in the Coleman Lake subbasin in southeastern Oregon. Foskett Speckled Dace were listed as threatened in 1985, due to their limited range and the threat of modification or destruction of their habitat by cattle grazing. Efforts to protect the habitat of Foskett Speckled Dace, including the acquisition of the land where they are found and fencing of their habitat to exclude cattle, ameliorated the threats identified when the species was listed. Subsequently, the species was removed from the Endangered Species List in 2019.
As part of the delisting decision, a five-year Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan (PDM) was developed. This plan includes monitoring of population abundance in years 1, 3, and 5 of the PDM period. Year 1 sampling was conducted in 2019 and year 2 sampling was completed in 2021. Monitoring of Foskett Speckled Dace is also covered by a Cooperative Management Plan (CMP), entered into by ODFW, the BLM, and USFWS. The CMP outlines four actions to be conducted to provide for the long-term persistence of these populations, including 1) maintain habitat protection, 2) monitor Foskett Speckled Dace populations and habitats, 3) enhance habitat as needed, and 4) implement emergency contingency plans as needed to address potential threats. Thus, monitoring of Foskett Speckled Dace will continue beyond the end of the PDM.
For More Information
Project Contact: Fred Monzyk
Recent Reports:
- Monzyk, FR, JL Leal, SK Theall, and JT Peterson. 2020. 2019 Foskett Speckled Dace Investigations at Foskett Spring. ODFW Progress Reports. pdf
- Monzyk, Fred R., James T. Peterson, and Michael H. Meeuwig. 2018. Foskett Speckled Dace Investigations at Dace Spring. ODFW Progress Reports. pdf
Dace in Foskett Spring
Foskett Speckled Dace are a unique fish native to a single desert spring in Southeastern Oregon: Foskett Spring.
Finding Enough Water
Some of the areas where Foskett Speckled Dace are found have so little water it is difficult to find an area deep enough to set traps, yet this fish has persisted in these areas for thousands of years.
Foskett Speckled Dace
While Speckled Dace are found in many habitats across the American West, the Dace in Foskett Spring have long been recognized as a unique population deserving special protection from natural resource managers.
Dace Spring
Foskett Speckled Dace were considered at high risk of extinction in part because they occurred in a single spring system. To reduce the risk of extinction from a single catastrophic event, a portion of the population was moved to nearby Dace Spring, where they are thriving.
Collecting data on the population
By marking and recapturing fish, biologists are able to estimate the size of the populations in Foskett and Dace Springs. Regular monitoring is our early warning system to detect future threats to these populations.
Coleman Creek
Where did the Speckled Dace in Foskett Spring come from? Recent work suggests that Coleman Creek may contain a genetically similar population. Stay tuned, as this research is still in progress.