Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Feds Propose Protection for Six Texas Aquatic Invertebrates

Spring Habitats Threatened by Groundwater Pumping, Reduced Water Quality
Contact: Mark Salvo (503) 757-4221

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will propose to list six west Texas aquatic invertebrates as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and propose critical habitat designations for all six species. The six species are the Phantom Cave snail (Pyrgulopsis texana), Phantom springsnail (Tryonia cheatumi), diminutive amphipod (Gammarus hyalleloides), Diamond Y Spring snail (Pseudotryonia adamantina), Gonzales springsnail (Tryonia circumstriata), and Pecos amphipod (Gammarus pecos).

“The thirst for water in the American West has taken a heavy toll on freshwater springs, which are critical habitat for fish, wildlife, and plants,” said Mark Salvo, Wildlife Program Director for WildEarth Guardians. “Protecting these animals will help conserve spring systems in west Texas for dependent species and human communities.”

The current range for the Phantom Cave snail, Phantom springsnail and diminutive amphipod is limited to spring outflows in the San Solomon Springs system near Balmorhea in Reeves and Jeff Davis counties. The Diamond Y Spring snail, Gonzales springsnail, and Pecos amphipod are restricted to spring outflow areas within the Diamond Y Spring system north of Fort Stockton in Pecos County.

All six species are threatened by reduced spring flow, modification of spring channels, and water quality changes and contamination at the two spring complexes where they occur. In fact, spring flow at the San Solomon Spring has been maintained by a pump system since 2000 to support species conservation. The Service has is concerned that the risk of extirpation of the three invertebrates at that spring continues to be extremely high from the potential for a pump failure (as has occurred in the past).

Five of these species (Phantom Cave snail, Phantom springsnail, diminutive amphipod, Diamond Y Spring snail, Gonzales springsnail) were candidates for listing under the ESA and among more than 800 species covered in WildEarth Guardians’ species settlement agreement with the Fish and Wildlife Service, announced on May 10, 2011, and approved by a federal court on September 9, 2011. The agreement obligates the agency to make final listing determinations for 252 candidate species by September 2016. All five candidates have waited more than 20 years for proposed listing.

 WildEarth Guadians petitioned to list the sixth species (Pecos amphipod) under the ESA in 2007. The Fish and Wildlife Service announced it would not list the species under the act in 2009, but has now determined, upon further review, that the species does warrant federal protection.

“We knew the Pecos amphipod was imperiled; we’re glad the Service has finally come around to agree,” said Salvo. 

The pre-publication notice of the proposed rule is available at http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2012-19829_PI.pdf.