Tulsa District

ERDC TN-DOER-E17

September 2004

Rouge, LA. A one-time survey by the Corps' Engineer Research and Development Center

(ERDC) in 2000 on the Red River from Texarkana, TX to Shreveport, LA, recorded over 400

birds.

Tulsa District: The Tulsa District utilizes airboats during survey efforts. Surveys are conducted

along 150 miles of the Arkansas River (92 miles between Kaw Dam and Keystone Lake, and 58

miles between Tulsa and Muskogee, OK) from mid-June to early August by personnel from the

Corps, USFWS, and the Audubon Society. Data collected include productivity and counts of

nests. Over 500 individuals were counted in 2003.

Omaha District: The District has conducted population surveys, habitat restoration, habitat

mapping, water release modification, and some captive rearing since 1992. Small boat surveys

are conducted weekly from early May to late August, with focused adult surveys during mid- to

late-June, on eight separate reaches, covering approximately 750 miles of the Missouri River.

Albuquerque District: The District developed an ILT management plan to comply with a

USFWS Biological Opinion regarding the impacts of recreation activities on ILT populations.

Annual surveys have been conducted from mid-May through July for 15 years using a small boat

or on foot. Surveys have been conducted at John Martin Reservoir, Adobe Creek Reservoir, and

Neenoshe Reservoir. In 2003, 24 nesting pairs were observed, along with 33 nests (including re-

nests), and 76 eggs.

Little Rock District: The Little Rock District developed an ILT management plan for the

McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System in 1986. The plan provides details of efforts

to protect and create habitat, and conduct population surveys; however, no data were available

for the workshop.

Louisville District: The District contracts annual surveys of the Lower Ohio River with the

Kentucky State Nature Preserves. Recent efforts to use dredged material from the Ohio River to

create temporary mid-channel islands have been successful in providing significant nesting

habitat (> 100 nests/year).

Kansas City District: ILT surveys are conducted annually for the Kansas City District by Dr.

Roger Boyd, Baker University, using boat surveys along a 125-mile reach of the Kansas River.

These surveys identified new colonies and 34 nests in 2003.

Fort Worth District: Little information is available regarding surveys within the Fort Worth

District. Some survey information may be available from the Rio Grande, but was not available

during the workshop. No Corps reservoirs are present along the Lower Rio Grande, and no

efforts are being made by Corps personnel to conduct ILT surveys. However, ILT are known to

be nesting on a Corps-funded restoration project within this District.

Current Non-COE Survey and Monitoring Efforts (Eileen Kirsch, USGS): Non-Corps

efforts to monitor ILT populations are occurring in many states, but surveys are not entirely

comprehensive. Some examples include:

Montana: Yellowstone River, Fork Peck Reservoir.

Nebraska: Platte, Niobrara, and Loup Rivers.