Final Winter Wildlife Survey - Seward Highwaysewardhighway75to90.com/Documents/FinalWinterWildlife... · 2016. 11. 16. · Final Winter Wildlife Survey 2 1.0 Introduction This report

March 14, 2008

Final

Winter Wildlife Survey

Seward Highway MP 75-90 Road and Bridge Rehabilitation Project Final Winter Wildlife Survey

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Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................. 2 2.0 Study Objectives ......................................................................................................... 2 3.0 Project Area ................................................................................................................ 2 4.0 Scope of Work ............................................................................................................ 4 5.0 Methods....................................................................................................................... 4 6.0 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................... 5 7.0 Conclusions................................................................................................................. 16 6.0 References................................................................................................................... 17

List of Figures Figure 1. Project Area ......................................................................................................... 3 Figure 2. Moose Locations during Winter Wildlife Surveys……………………………...8 Figure 3. Moose Browse Locations……………………………………………………….9 List of Tables Table 1. Common and scientific names of avian species observed in the project area during winter surveys, November 2006 through April 2007………………………….…10 Table 2. Common and scientific names of mammal species observed in the project area during winter surveys, November 2006 through April 2007………………………….…10 Table 3. Species observed, location and numbers of birds and mammals observed during the winter surveys, November 2006 through April 2007………………………………11


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1.0 Introduction This report presents the findings from the 2006 and 2007 winter wildlife surveys conducted for the Seward Highway Milepost (MP) 75–90 proposed project. The winter wildlife surveys were conducted from November 1, 2006 to April 6, 2007. The principal species of interest in the project area during the winter months are moose and marine birds (for purposes of this report, the term “marine bird” will refer to seabirds, sea ducks and shorebirds). 2.0 Study Objectives The purpose of the winter wildlife survey was to characterize wildlife and habitat use in the project area during the winter months. The surveys focused on moose and marine birds in the project area but also documented all mammal and bird observations. Special emphasis was placed on the Turnagain Arm nearshore and open water habitat within the project area. These surveys were conducted in response to resource agency comments regarding the lack of information on marine bird use of the Upper Turnagain Arm during winter months and moose habitat use of the coastal flats during periods of deep snow. This survey data will fill data gaps on the use of the Upper Turnagain Arm by wintering marine birds, particularly those that could be affected by the construction of a causeway across the Turnagain Arm, a current alternative of this proposed project. Information obtained from these surveys will be used to evaluate potential impacts of the proposed project alternatives on wildlife and habitat in the project area. 3.0 Project Area The proposed project area is located at the southern boundary of the Municipality of Anchorage, approximately 30 to 40 miles south of the Anchorage Bowl. The Seward Highway parallels the coastline of Turnagain Arm and crosses Glacier Creek, Kern Creek, Peterson Creek, Twentymile River, Portage Creek, Placer River, Ingram Creek, and several unnamed streams between mileposts 75 and 90 (Figure 1). The project area is known for mud flats, extreme tides, strong winds, and heavy precipitation. The highway is located between the marine waters of Turnagain Arm and steep forested slopes and freshwater/brackish ponds. The Seward Highway serves as the only road connection between the Kenai Peninsula and the rest of the state and also provides the sole surface connection to Girdwood and Whittier. The Seward Highway has heavy truck, bus, recreational vehicle, and trailer traffic. The project area is located within the Upper Turnagain Arm, where three large valleys: the Twentymile, Portage, and Placer, meet. Consequently, this intersection of the three valleys and the Portage Valley are considered to be an important corridor for mainland and peninsular mammal populations to travel between the Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral Alaska. The Seward Highway transects this area, and may restrict or otherwise influence movement of wildlife, including moose, bears, lynx, wolves and wolverines (USDA Forest Service 2004). Deep snow in the Twentymile, Placer, and Portage valleys in the winter force moose down along the highway where they are

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F 0 0.5 10.25Mile

Printing Date: May 7, 2007Projection: Alaska State Plane Zone 4

Datum: NAD 83HDR Alaska

Sources: MOA GIS, USGS, AK DOT, AK DNR, Cook Inlet Keeper

LEGEND

FIGURE 1

This map represents a conceptual level of utility, detail, andaccuracy. The information displayed here is for planning purposesonly. Base information shown constitutes data from variousfederal, state, public, and private souces. These maps are forreview purposes only and are not intended for use in securingpermits, design or for construction purposes.

PROJECT AREA


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frequently observed crossing the highway to browse on the abundant willows in the coastal flats. Up to 50 moose have been documented browsing in the willow flats on the north side of the Seward Highway from Ingram Creek to Portage Creek after a heavy snowfall (Brown 2006). 4.0 Scope of Work The winter wildlife surveys were conducted between November 1, 2006 and April 6, 2007. The surveys were conducted by Sirena Brownlee and Lynn Spencer of HDR Alaska, Inc. These surveys were conducted as part of the environmental baseline studies to support the National Environmental Policy Act process for the proposed Seward Highway MP 75-90 project. The scope of work for the winter wildlife surveys included the following tasks:

• Reviewing literature and agency files to collect information on wildlife use of the project area during the winter months.

• Conducting weekly surveys in the project area for wildlife focusing on river mouths, Turnagain Arm marine water, and coastal flats.

• Conducting snow track surveys to identify mammal use in the project area. • Collecting information on marine bird and moose observations made incidentally

by other observers driving through the project area. 5.0 Methods HDR conducted weekly surveys of the coastal flats, intertidal, nearshore and open water habitats along the Turnagain Arm from milepost 75-90 from November 1, 2006 through April 6, 2007. The winter surveys consisted of two biologists slowly driving through the project area and stopping at all turnouts along the Seward Highway where observers have a clear view of Turnagain Arm and the coastal flats. A spotting scope was used to scan open water for marine birds and coastal flats for moose. Marine birds of particular interest that may occur in the Upper Turnagain Arm include rock sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) and harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus). The rock sandpiper is listed as a USFWS Bird of Conservation Concern that is known to winter in large numbers in the Cook Inlet. Harlequin ducks are a winter resident in nearshore marine waters of Prince William Sound and are listed as a vulnerable species by the Alaska Natural Heritage Program (2008). All species observed during the winter surveys were documented. For each bird or mammal observation the following data was collected: species, number of individuals, location (milepost), distance from highway, direction of travel, presence of human activity (snow machines, skiers, etc), and behavior. Other variables that were recorded included weather, time, tide stage, and ice cover percentages for the Turnagain Arm. Due to poor visibility in the project area during winter storms, surveys were generally not conducted in poor weather conditions. Observers conducted snow track surveys to describe mammal use in the project area. Snow tracking can be a very effective method for surveying wildlife populations and


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collecting new information on a species' distribution and habitat use. The snow track surveys were conducted after fresh snow (24-72 hours after fresh snow) when wildlife tracks are easily identified. Areas or landscape features that are typically associated with wildlife road crossings were documented as was any road killed wildlife. Locations that contained heavy moose browse on willows and other shrubs or trees were documented. All mammal sightings were recorded onto a topographic map or recorded with a GPS location. 6.0 Results and Discussion The winter surveys were conducted on a weekly basis for a total of twenty-one survey events from November 1, 2006 through April 6, 2007 for a total of 80 survey hours. Twenty-two species of birds were observed in the project area during the winter wildlife surveys (Table 1). Bird species and numbers were low (see below) in the project area during the winter months compared to spring and fall survey results (HDR Alaska 2007; HDR Alaska 2007a). The ponds and waterbodies in the project area were iced over during the winter survey which is a general winter condition. . At times, the only open water was the main channel in Turnagain Arm which was affected by the twice daily tide cycles. There were very few marine oriented bird observations in the project area during the winter surveys. Common and Red-breasted mergansers were observed in Turnagain Arm and Portage Creek on November 1, 2006 and one merganser was observed flying towards Whittier on February 10, 2007. No other marine birds were observed in the project area during the winter surveys. Two Mallards and one Green-winged teal were observed in the Twentymile River on November 1, 2006. No other waterbirds were observed during the winter surveys. Bald eagles were observed regularly in the project area over the winter survey period. Most bald eagle observations were of single or paired eagles; however, one group of 15 bald eagles was observed feeding on a road-killed moose near MP 80.5 on December 14, 2006. The only other raptor that was observed during the winter surveys was a single northern goshawk in the Hemlock-Spruce forest adjacent to Ingram Creek on December 14, 2006. Common ravens and black-billed magpies were common in the project area during the winter surveys. Several large flocks of resident songbirds were observed in the project area including common redpoll, white-winged crossbill, pine grosbeak, and pine siskin. Most of the songbird activity was observed in hemlock-spruce forest habitat where there are abundant seed sources for songbirds in the winter. Snow buntings were observed in the project area on March 25 and 30. A northern shrike was observed on two occasions near MP 76 (Table 3).

Turnagain Arm main channel surrounded by sea ice


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A total of seven mammal species were detected during the winter surveys. The most common mammals observed during the winter surveys were moose and snowshoe hare. A total of 70 moose were observed in the proposed Seward Highway MP 75-90 project area during the winter surveys (Figure 2). The majority of the moose observations were located between MP 75 and 82. Approximately 88% of all moose observed in the project area were within .25 miles of the Seward Highway. The majority of moose were observed in open tall scrub-willow habitat that is common on the coastal flats in the Upper Turnagain Arm. Moose numbers were highest during January 2007 when deep snow in the Twentymile, Placer and Portage valleys forced moose down along the coastal flats to browse on willow. In winters of normal snowfall, moose in the Upper Turnagain Arm generally remain higher up along the Twentymile, Placer, and Portage river drainages. Deep snow in the Twentymile, Placer, and Portage valleys force moose down along the highway where they will cross the highway to browse on the abundant willows in the coastal flats in between MP 75 and 81. Riparian willow stands can be critical winter forage for moose in years of prolonged deep snowfall in this area (Sinnott 2006). There was heavy moose browse on willows in the open tall scrub-willow habitat along the flats and in the riparian corridors adjacent to the Placer River and Portage Creek (Figure 3). Heavily traveled moose trails were observed in the hemlock-spruce habitat on the bluff west of the mouth of Ingram Creek. The trail appeared to travel along the bluff and then drop down into the coastal flats near the mouth of Ingram Creek. Approximately 47 moose pellets groups were located in the hemlock-spruce forest trail adjacent to Ingram Creek during a March 16 survey. Snowshoe hare signs were common in the coastal flats and hemlock-spruce forest habitat in the project area. Signs of snowshoe hare were documented during each survey event and included tracks, trails, scat, browse on willow and depressions at the base of willows or other shrubs. The open tall scrub-willow habitat in between MP 75 and 77 contained heavily traveled snowshoe hare trails that crisscrossed the willow flats. Evidence of snowshoe hare browse on willow included debarking and browsed willow twigs and buds. Sign of river otters, coyotes, red-backed vole, red squirrel, short-tailed weasel, red fox and coyote were also observed during the winter wildlife surveys. River otter tracks were observed near the mouth of the Twentymile River on March 16, 2007. Coyote and red fox tracks were observed near road-killed moose and on the coastal flats. Short-tailed

Cow and juvenile moose in between railroad tracks and highway near MP 81


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weasel and vole tracks were observed in the coastal flats. Red squirrel tracks, trails and middens were very common in hemlock-spruce forest habitat in the project area. Several road-killed mammals were documented in the project area during the winter surveys. These include one moose at MP 80.5 on the east side of the highway in the pullout on December 14, 2006; one snowshoe hare at MP 80.6 on January 10, 2007; and one moose at MP 85.3 on east side of highway on February 1, 2007. Winter recreation in the Upper Turnagain Arm may influence wildlife distribution in the area during winter. Snow machines are able to travel many miles into the backcountry from various access points along the Seward highway in the project area. There were several observations of snow machine and moose interactions in the project area. For example, on January 10, 2007, six snow machines were observed operating in the willow flats near MP 76 (north side of highway) where five moose were bedded down in the snow. The moose reacted to the snow machines by standing up and walking towards Ingram Creek away from the snow machines. The snow machines were operating in this area for about a half hour and made one attempt to get closer to the moose but then left the area. On January 20, 2007, the pullout at MP 75.5 was full of snow machine trailers and snow machines operating in the Ingram Pond and Ingram Creek area. No snow machines were operating on the willow flats (north side of highway) on this date. Snow machines were also observed traveling on Portage Creek, Placer River overflow channel, and Placer River. On March 16 and 25, 2007, the pullouts at Portage, Placer, and Ingram Creek were full of vehicles with trailers for snow machines and many vehicles were parked along the highway shoulder. Table 1 includes a complete list of the common and scientific names of all birds sighted during the winter surveys. Table 2 includes a list of the common and scientific names of mammal species observed in the project area during winter surveys. Species observed, location and numbers of birds and mammals observed during the winter surveys is located in Table 3.

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Moose Locations During WinterWildlife Surveys,

November 1, 2006 - April 6, 2007

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This map represents a conceptual level of utility, detail, and accuracy. The information displayed here is for planning purposes only. Base information shown constitutes data from various federal, state, public, and private souces. These maps are for review purposes only and are not intended for use in securing permits, design or for construction purposes.

F 0 0.5 10.25Mile

Printing Date: March 17, 2008Projection: Alaska State Plane Zone 4

Datum: NAD 83HDR Alaska

Sources: MOA GIS, USGS, AK DOT, AK DNR, Cook Inlet Keeper

Imagery: MOA 2006

LEGEND

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Numbers of Moose

1

2 - 3

4 - 6

7 - 9

Area Enlarged

(date; # of moose observed)