Warmwater Stream Committee
Southern Division, American Fisheries Society
Meeting Minutes - February 22, 2001
Jacksonville, Florida

The meeting was called to order at 1:35 p.m. by Chris O’Bara, WWSC Chairman. Chris stated that the primary goal for this year was to complete the warmwater streams value video. He mentioned the conflict resolution workshop the committee sponsored that would be held the next day. It has a dual function – to provide continuing education and to raise funds.

A. Introduction of Committee Members & Guests

14 committee members (John Copeland - VA; Chris Thomason - SC; Chris O’Bara - WV; Dennis Riecke - MS; Christian Waters - NC; Al Surmont - KY; Duane Harrell - Duke Power Co.; Ed Scott - TVA; April Layher - AR; Kevin Mayes - TX; Henry Mealing - Kleinschmidt & Assoc.; Bruce Saul -Augusta State Univ.; Elise Irwin - USGS -ALCFWRS; and Fred Kinard Jr.- Westvaco, were in attendance along with Tucker Jones (Clemson Univ.) recipient of the 2001 Jimmie Pigg Student Travel Award.

B. Secretary’s Report and Approval of Minutes

Secretary-Treasurer Dennis Riecke (MS) read the WWSC meeting minutes from the June, 2000 meeting in Tennessee and the October 2000 informal meeting held at SEAFW in Baton Rouge, LA. Motion to approve minutes as read was passed.

C. Treasurer’s Report

Chris O’Bara (TN) reviewed checking account transactions for the February 2000 to February 2001 period. The highlights were:

 Motion to accept Treasurer’s report as presented passed.

D. Outreach Liaison

John Copeland (VA) encouraged members to review the committee website and thought we needed to update the membership list posted there. The site contains plenty useful links to state agencies and ichthyological web resources.

It was suggested that we add the capability to accept questions and this is simple to do. It was suggested that the site promote the values of warmwater streams. John is happy to accept comments and suggestions on revising the website. Chris O’Bara stated that the committee members need to network with the Instream Flow, Pollution and Reservoir Committees because their actions affect streams. He encouraged everyone to send suggestions to John.

E. Old Business

E1. Conflict Resolution Workshop

Lee Lamb (USGS, Ft. Collins) will lead the workshop. 40 registrants as of noon. Expended $ 517.00. Income - 40 x 40.00 = 1,600.00. Profit about 1,000 split equally between committee and host chapters. We should net $ 500.00.

E2. Jimmie Pigg Memorial Student Award

Tucker Jones of Clemson was this years recipient. There continues to be a problem of getting students to apply for this award. Elise Irwin (USGS, Auburn) said that it is a function of three things:

A. not much warmwater stream research is being conducted;

B. professor provides info but if student is not encouraged to apply, they won’t;

C. the amount we award may not be enough to entice them, but the prestige of the award should be enough to motivate them.

•  Award solicitation letters were sent to all the student chapters. Chris said he is not opposed to student award but he doesn’t want to beg people to apply. He asked for volunteers to review the award criteria and suggested Bruce Saul for undergraduates and Elise Irwin for graduates along with Tucker Jones. Elise suggested it may be helpful to put an article in Fisheries and pdf format and post it to the website. Chris suggested this be done by May 1, 2001 for review at our summer meeting.

E3. Mountain Top Removal

Issue has been shelved.

E4. Red River Chloride Resolution

The WWSC resolution has been through the SDAFS Resolution procedure. Kevin Mayes (TX) provided an update and stated the project lacked support from the Corps office in Washington, DC. In Texas a legislator demanded that the TX Parks & Wildlife Dept. write a letter to Washington, DC. Then the study was reformulated into a scaled-down version. Elevation of brine storage reservoirs was increased and flows were reduced to 3 tributaries.

• Draft EIS will be released in 2001. Then the Draft Fish & Wildlife Coordination Act report is released. Then TX Parks & Wildlife Department comments. Texoma sportsmen groups objected to decreasing chloride and base flows. Decreased turbidities in Lake Kemp may affect productivity. Selenium accumulation concerns exist in Turscott due to avian and waterfowl use.
• There have been no major changes since Barry Bolton’s report in October 2000. Project has been on the books for 50 years and the resolution was well received.
• Duane Harrell (Duke) sent info to Christine Moffet (AFS President) who told him to talk to Mary Gesner (USFWS, Chair of AFS Resolutions Comm.)for advice on how to proceed with resolution process. Due to regional nature of project AFS staff thought it may not be a suitable issue for the Parent Society to act on. For the Parent Society to act on it, the issue must be presented to the membership at a Parent Society Annual Meeting.
• Since status and scope of project have changed, how should the committee proceed? Kevin Mayes (TX) stated that the SDAFS resolution dealt with the original project. It raised concerns in TX (selenium increases) and OK (state park and natural area). If the focus now is on the Wichita, if built only pools will exist as inflatable weirs inflate during low flows and deflate at high flows. The ecosystem will be destroyed. Kevin believes that if this portion is done, the sponsors will advocate for the initiation of the original project. It will involve 3 reservoirs on the Brazos – home to 3 imperiled species (smallnose shiner, sharpnose shiner) and 1 reservoir on the Canadian river upstream of Lake Meredith (Arkansas shiner - threatened sp.).
• Elise Irwin suggested we review what resolutions have been passed thus far. Duane thought that for the Parent Society to accept any resolution, the focus needs to change from chloride levels to habitat destruction. Duane suggested that Elise discuss the matter with Mary Gesner.
• Elise Irwin, Duane Harrell and Chris O’Bara will check with Mike Meador (SDAFS President) on whether the Southern Division should send the resolution to the Parent Society.
• Chris O’Bara will speak with either Barry Bolton or Greg Summers in Oklahoma about the project. Dennis Riecke (MS) commented that the best time to provide input may be after the Draft EIS is published.

E5. WWSC Membership

Chris O’Bara sent letters and E-mails to everyone requesting if they wanted to remain as committee members. Mike Meador (SDAFS President) sent state fishery chiefs a letter requesting they appoint committee members. Only 5-6 responded.

• Ed Scott (TVA) agreed to be the TVA representative.
• Kelli Russell (USFS) agreed to be the USFS representative or she will appoint someone.
• Other names/entities suggested were US Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station fisheries biologists, Mike Eubanks (AL), Kelli Bipp or Robin Goodlow (USFWS, Atlanta). Everyone is to send names and contact info to Chris. Term of commitment is 2 years from appointment. Chris has drafted a WWSC activities letter, approved by Meador, that he can send them.

E6. Safety in the Workplace

Matter has been discussed at several WWSC meetings. Chris has received the safety manuals from some of the states. How do we want to proceed?

A. Compile a paper?

B. Have a safety workshop?

April Layher (AR) is the AR Game & Fish Comm. Safety Coordinator. She is to draft a safety program for all divisions.

We need to discuss this issue with the Fisheries Administrators and make a presentation to them at the North American Wildlife Resources Conference.

April suggested pursuing the idea of a workshop at the 2002 Midyear meeting in Arkansas. We still need to educate our colleagues about the importance of this issue. It’s a timely issue to present in Arkansas. Duane said that it is a top-down issue and we need to convince our administrators. Elise commented that an emphasis on safety can be a huge burden in terms of the time and effort required for safe boat operation etc.

E7. WWSC Streams Value Video

Chris Thomason (SC) related that the production crew will spend April editing the videotape and they plan to have a version for us to screen at our June 2001 meeting.

Ed Scott (TVA) said that he finally reached Bill Roston and he will send us videos of underwater scenes and fishes for us to use freely. He has longear spawning scenes.

Chris O’Bara wanted everyone to read the script and send him comments by March 2, 2001. Chris gave Chris Thomason and Dan Catchings (AL) final video script review responsibility.

Duane Harrell (Duke Power) expressed some serious reservations about the current version of video script relating to the effects of dams on streams. He said major changes have been made from the version decided upon at the February 2000 meeting in Columbia, SC. If the script remains as it is then Duke wishes that their name be removed from the sponsoring entities. Duane, Chris O’Bara and Gerrit Jobsis will discuss the problem and try to solve it. Chris will E-mail the script to the membership for review if major changes are made for a quick response.

Video fund cash donations have been about $ 15,000.00 and in-kind donations of $5,000.00

E8. Warmwater Streams Symposium

Members are still interested in doing this. Chris O’Bara believes the committee doesn’t need to put on our own symposium but hold it at another meeting. He will form a steering committee and told members if they are interested in helping, contact him.

F. New Business

F1. Workshop Sponsorship at SDAFS Midyear 2002

We need to decide upon a topic at our June 2001 meeting and reserve a room and time with the Arkansas Chapter. Suggested topics:

Functionality of Flood plains – as they relate to fishes. The Instream Flow Committee prefers this topic and believes more of their members would attend this workshop.

Fish Passage – lots of interest in riverine fish passage and movements. Duane commented that “fish” and “fishway” definitions have been proposed from the National Energy Act of 1992. Focus is moving from the biological need realm to the “passage for fish passage sake” to “a continuum of flow” concept.

F2. Summer 2001 Meeting Location

As usual we plan to have a 2-day meeting with an educational talk.

Ed Scott invited us to Norris Reservoir, TN. Canoes, free conference room at state park, cabins for lodging. Possible activities– tour of Conservation Fisheries Inc., visit a warmwater or coolwater tailwater.

Dennis Riecke suggested a state park in Northeast Mississippi - Tishomingo or J.P. Coleman.

Chris Thomason suggested Hickory Knobb State Park, SC which is about 45 minutes from Augusta. It is scenic and the Savannah River is close by.

A vote was taken and the result was a tie between Norris Reservoir and Hickory Knobb. Ed and Chris will check out lodging and meeting room availability and relay information to Chris O’Bara.

F3. Southeast Imperiled Fishes Plan

Elise Irwin informed the members that a group met in Chattanooga, TN in January 2001 to implement the plan. Southeast Fishes Council has supported the plan. Elise thinks the AFS should support the plan. She proposed that the Warmwater Streams Committee and the Nongame Aquatics Committee draft a resolution to support the plan. She will send a copy to Chris O’Bara.

 This effort was initiated by the USFWS but they did not want to draft the plan. The meeting’s result was a document that listed strategies to restore these fishes. Step 2 is how to accomplish those strategies. Formed an organization to implement the plan.

F4. Black Carp Resolution Issue

April Layher related that the Arkansas Chapter wanted to draft a resolution prohibiting the use of black carp. There were intense feelings on both sides of the issue. The black carp producers present urged the chapter to reexamine the resolution. No action was taken on the resolution.

F5. Roundtable Discussion

Refer to the separate handout.

Meeting adjourned at 5:07 p.m.