Notice of Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Marsh Sandwort (Arenaria paludicola) and Gambel's Watercress (Rorippa gambelii) for Review and Comment

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

Notice of Availability of Draft Recovery Plan for the Marsh

Sandwort (Arenaria paludicola) and Gambel's Watercress (Rorippa

gambelii) for Review and Comment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces the availability

for public review of a draft recovery plan for two wetland plants, the

marsh sandwort (Arenaria paludicola) and Gambel's watercress (Rorippa

gambelii). Only one marsh sandwort population, with fewer than 10

individuals, is known to exist; it occurs in San Luis Obispo County,

California. Four populations of Gambel's watercress are currently

known, one with about 500 individuals near the marsh sandwort

population, two others with about 300 individuals each, also in San

Luis Obispo County, and a fourth population of approximately 100 plants

on Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County. Both species are

threatened by encroaching native and alien vegetation associated with

lowered water tables, agricultural and residential development, and

off-road vehicle use. In addition, the very low numbers of individuals

and populations put these species at great risk of extinction due to

stochastic events. The Service solicits review and comment from the

public on this plan.

DATES: Comments on the draft recovery plan must be received on or

before August 22, 1997 to receive consideration by the Service.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft recovery plan are available for

inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the

following location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2140 Eastman

Avenue, Suite 100, Ventura, California 93003 (phone: 805/644-1766); and

the San Luis Obispo Public Library, 995 Palm St., San Luis Obispo,

California 93401. Requests for copies of the draft recovery plan and

written comments and materials regarding this plan should be addressed

to the Field Supervisor, at the above Ventura address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Constance Rutherford, Botanist, at the

above Ventura address, (805) 644-1766.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Restoring an endangered or threatened animal or plant to the point

where it is again a secure, self-sustaining member of its ecosystem is

a primary goal of the Service's endangered species program. To help

guide the recovery effort, the Service is working to prepare recovery

plans for most of the listed species native to the United States.

Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for conservation

of the species. They establish criteria for the recovery levels

necessary for downlisting or delisting the species. They also provide

an estimation of time and cost of implementing the recovery measures

needed.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (U.S.C. 1531 et

seq.) (Act) requires the development of recovery plans for listed

species, unless such a plan would not promote the conservation of a

particular species. Section 4(f) of the Act, as amended in 1988,

requires that public notice, to provide an opportunity for public

review and comment, be given during plan development. The Service will

consider all significant information presented during a public comment

period, prior to the approval of each new or revised Recovery Plan. The

Service and other Federal agencies also will take these comments into

account in the course of implementing approved recovery plans.

Marsh sandwort, a member of the pink family (Caryophyllaceae),

historically had a large range along the Pacific coast, extending from

southern California north to Washington. It occurred in San Bernardino,

San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco counties in California,

as well as in Pierce County, Washington. Recent searches of sites where

the species was previously reported in Washington have resulted in

negative findings. Of the seven historical populations in California,

only a single known extant population occurs today, in Black Lake

Canyon on the Nipomo Mesa in southern San Luis Obispo County.

Gambel's watercress was reported in the early 1900s from several

wetland locations in southern California, ranging from Los Angeles and

San Bernardino counties south to a disjunct population in the Valley of

Mexico near Mexico City. Three small populations of this species have

been reported in the 1980s, from Black Lake Canyon, Oso Flaco Lake, and

Little Oso Flaco Lake in San Luis Obispo County. These areas are

located within 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) of each other. The Black Lake

Canyon population, numbering about 500 individuals, is located

approximately 200 meters (656 feet) downstream of the marsh sandwort

plants.

Both the marsh sandwort and Gambel's watercress are found in

freshwater marshes, from sea level to about 450 meters (1,476 feet).

Wetland habitats have been disappearing from the Pacific Coast of North

America at a rapid rate since the early part of the century. The

conversion of wetland habitat to agriculture, ranching activities, and

increased urbanization, and the use of off-road vehicles for

recreation, have eliminated or degraded habitat. Additionally, the

groundwater table in the lower canyon has been dropping steadily in the

past few years, possibly due to water drawdown from well-drilling,

water uptake and transpiration from the many introduced eucalyptus

trees in the area, and the

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drought in California during the past decade. In addition to changes in

water levels, degradation of water quality may result from an increase

in development and agricultural use in the area.

Increased erosion from the steep sandy slopes of Black Lake Canyon,

both from development on the canyon rim and natural causes such as

landslides, could result in increased sedimentation into bottom

habitats. Such sedimentation could degrade bottom wetland habitats for

these two rare plants.

The conversion of pristine natural habitats to agriculture and

increased urbanization have resulted in the replacement of native

vegetation with exotic plant species. Both endangered plants therefore

have to compete for water, nutrients, light, and space with exotic

species, as well as with densely growing native vegetation surrounding

them.

The bottom and parts of the slopes of Black Lake Canyon have been

designated as a Sensitive Resource Area by San Luis Obispo County, so

that further development is restricted and subject to more careful

environmental review by the county. A new amendment that would expand

the Sensitive Resource Area boundary and increase erosion control on

surrounding lands has been proposed and is currently being reviewed by

the County Planning Department.

The main objective for the long-term management and recovery of the

marsh sandwort and Gambel's watercress is to secure viable, self-

sustaining populations of both species in their natural habitats. The

recovery strategy for these endangered plants involves six major steps:

protect, maintain, and enhance species' habitats; monitor and document

species' populations and habitat characteristics; conduct research on

the ecology and biology of the species; increase existing populations;

establish new populations; and evaluate progress and update management

and recovery guidelines.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service solicits written comments on the recovery plan

described. All significant comments received by the date specified

above will be considered prior to the approval of the plan.

Authority

The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered

Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1533(f)).

Dated: May 6, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1.

[FR Doc. 97-16327 Filed 6-20-97; 8:45 am]

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