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Oregon
Chub
Oregon chub, Oregonichthys crameri, are endemic to the Willamette Valley
of western Oregon. This species was
formerly 
distributed throughout the Willamette Valley in off-channel habitats
such as beaver ponds, oxbows, stable backwater sloughs, and flooded
marshes. These habitats usually have little or no water flow, silty and
organic substrate, and considerable aquatic vegetation and cover for
hiding and spawning. In the last 100 years, these habitats have
disappeared because of changes in seasonal flows resulting from the
construction of dams throughout the basin, channelization, revetments,
diking, drainage of wetlands, and agricultural practices. This loss of
habitat combined with the introduction of nonnative species to the
Willamette Valley such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie,
bluegill, and western mosquitofish has resulted in a sharp decline in
Oregon chub abundance. The reduction of suitable habitat and the
restricted distribution of the Oregon chub resulted in a determination
of "endangered" status under the federal endangered species act in
1993. The species was downlisted to “threatened” status in 2010.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) conducted surveys
throughout the Willamette River Valley in 1991-present. The surveys
provide information on the distribution and abundance of Oregon chub,
life history characters, the distribution of native and nonnative
species, the characteristics of historic Oregon chub habitats, the
characteristics of potential reintroduction sites, and the status of
Oregon chub reintroductions.
 Historically,
Oregon chub were found throughout the Willamette River drainage from
Oregon City to Oakridge. The historical records note collections from
the Clackamas River, Molalla River, Mill Creek, Luckiamute River, North
Santiam River, South Santiam River, Calapooia River, Long Tom River,
Muddy Creek, McKenzie River, Coast Fork Willamette River, Middle Fork
Willamette River drainages, and the mainstem Willamette River. Current
distribution includes populations in the Santiam River, Marys River,
Muddy Creek, McKenzie River, Coast Fork Willamette River, and the Middle
Fork Willamette River drainages. The majority of the populations are
located in the Middle Fork Willamette River drainage.
The Oregon Chub Recovery Plan sets recovery goals for downlisting the
species to “threatened” and for delisting the species. The criteria for
downlisting the species to “threatened” are to establish and manage ten
populations of at least 500 adult fish. All populations must exhibit a
stable or increasing trend for five years and at least three populations
must be located in each of the three recovery areas: Middle Fork
Willamette River, Santiam River, and Mid-Willamette River tributaries.
The criteria for delisting the species to “threatened” are to establish
and manage 20 populations of at least 500 adult fish. All populations
must exhibit a stable or increasing trend for seven years and at least
four populations must be located in each of the three recovery areas.
Substantial progress has been made in the recovery of this species. In
2007, we met the downlisting criteria and the species was downlisted in
2010. When the species was listed in 1993, there were eight known
populations. In 2010, there were 50 known populations and 19 had stable
or increasing seven-year abundance trends. Much of this progress was
accomplished through the successful introduction of Oregon chub into new
locations within their historical range (16 locations) and the discovery
of new, previously-undocumented populations (28 locations).
A number of the introduced populations are on private lands. Prior to
conducting introductions on private lands, a “Safe Harbor” landowner
agreement is formalized. A Safe Harbor Agreement is a voluntary
agreement involving private or non-Federal property owners whose actions
contribute to the recovery of an ESA listed species. To expedite the
introduction of Oregon chub onto private properties, the USFWS completed
a “Programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement” with ODFW in 2009. In exchange
for their efforts, participating landowners receive formal assurances
from the USFWS that if they fulfill the conditions of the Safe Harbor
Agreement, the USFWS will not require any additional or different
management activities of the landowners without their consent. The
agreement allows ODFW to enroll landowners by issuing “Certificates of
Inclusion” under their permit (see link below), thus speeding up a
previously lengthy process.
In 2008, ODFW mapped critical habitat for Oregon chub and in 2009, the US
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) designated critical habitat for the
species.The USFWS included 25 Oregon chub sites in their designation. Habitats were
selected based on their physical and biological features, as well as
their ability to support large (>500) populations of Oregon chub.
In 2009, ODFW initiated floodplain monitoring investigations which
included initiating a study in the Middle Fork Willamette subbasin to
assess those factors that may allow Oregon chub to co-exist with
nonnative fishes in connected (non-isolated) habitats. In this study,
we will assess the effects of modified flow and temperature regimes on
the suitability of off-channel habitats for Oregon chub (availability of
aquatic vegetation and temperatures conducive for successful spawning)
and effects of the timing, frequency, magnitude and duration of site
connectivity on the composition of fish assemblages (native and
nonnative). We will attempt to determine the combination of flow,
temperature, and habitat modifications that favor native fishes,
including chub, over nonnative predatory fishes. During this multi-year
study, we will assess the effects of modified flow and temperature
regimes on the suitability of off-channel habitats for Oregon chub
(availability of aquatic vegetation and temperatures conducive for
successful spawning) and effects of the timing, frequency, magnitude and
duration of site connectivity on the composition of fish assemblages
(native and nonnative). We are also testing the feasibility of using
larval drift nets to assess movement patterns of larval chub and
micro-PIT tags to track movements of adult Oregon chub. The data we
acquire from these studies will also be used to assess the impacts of
proposed floodplain restoration and reconnection projects on Oregon chub
populations and their habitats. Ultimately, we hope to determine the
combination of flow, temperature, and habitat modifications that favor
native fishes, including chub, over nonnative predatory fishes.
Ideally, these data, when used by managers to enhance off-channel
habitat conditions for Oregon chub, will contribute to the delisting of
the species.
In 2010, the USFWS completed a genetics study of Oregon chub. The study
found populations were structured according to major tributary drainage
basins, found high levels of genetic variation at most locations, and
found introductions from multiple donor sources had higher variability
than those from single donor sources.
Annual Reports and Publications:
Bangs, B. L., P. D. Scheerer, S. Clements. 2012. 2012 Oregon Chub Investigations. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Fish Research Project EF-12, Annual Progress Report, Corvallis.
Bangs, B. L., P. D. Scheerer, B. J. Priz, B. L. Berger, P. Hayden, and R. L. Jacobsen. 2011.
2011 Oregon Chub Investigations. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fish Research Project EF-11, Annual Progress Report, Corvallis.
Bangs, B. L., P. D. Scheerer, S.A. Miller.
2011. Effects of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Willamette Project Operations on Oregon
chub and other floodplain fishes (2009-2010). Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Annual Progress Report, Corvallis.
Bangs, B. L., P. D. Scheerer, R. L. Jacobsen, and S. E. Jacobs. 2010.
2010 Oregon Chub Investigations. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fish Research Project EF-10, Annual Progress Report,
Corvallis.
DeHaan, P., P. Scheerer, and R. Rhew. 2010.
Analyses of
genetic variation in natural and re-introduced populations of Oregon chub (Oregonichthys crameri). Report submitted to US Fish and Wildlife Service,
Portland, OR.
Scheerer P. D., and T. A. O'Neill. 2010.
A
species crediting methodology that supports conservation banking for an
endangered floodplain minnow.
Fisheries 35(6):280-291
Bangs, B. L., P. D. Scheerer, and S.E. Jacobs. 2010.
Effects of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Willamette
Project Operations on Oregon chub and other floodplain fishes. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Progress Report, Corvallis, OR.
Bangs, B. L., P. Scheerer, S. Kramer, and S. Jacobs. 2009.
2009 Oregon Chub Investigations. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Fish Research Project EF-09, Annual Progress Report, Salem.
Bangs, B. L., P. Scheerer, S. Tippery, M. Weeber, and S. Jacobs. 2008.
2008 Oregon Chub Investigations. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Fish Research Project EF-08, Annual Progress Report, Salem.
Scheerer, P. D. 2007.
Improved Status of the Endangered Oregon Chub in
the Willamette River, Oregon. In: Status, distribution and conservation
of native freshwater fishes of Western North America: a symposium
proceedings. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society Symposium
53:91-102.
Scheerer, P. D., M. Terwilliger, and S. E. Jacobs. 2007.
Willamette Valley Projects-
Lookout Point- Oregon Chub (2007), Fish Research Project FW2007-01,
Annual Progress Report, Corvallis.
Scheerer, P. D., P.S. Kavanagh, B. Bangs, and S. E. Jacobs. 2007.
2007 Oregon Chub Investigations.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish Research Project EF-07,
Annual Progress Report, Salem.
Scheerer, P. D. 2007.
Threatened fishes of the world: Oregonichthys
crameri (Snyder, 1908) (Cyprinidae). Environmental Biology of
Fishes 80:493-494.
Scheerer, P.D., M. Terwilliger, and S. E. Jacobs. 2006. Willamette Valley Projects- Lookout
Point- Oregon Chub (2006), Fish Research Project FW2006-02,
Annual Progress Report, Corvallis.
Scheerer, P. D., P. S. Kavanagh, B. L. Bangs, and S. E. Jacobs. 2006.
2006 OPRD- Oregon Chub
Population Monitoring on Oregon State Parks Lands in the Willamette Valley
Scheerer, P. D., P. S. Kavanagh, B. L. Bangs, and S. E. Jacobs. 2006.
2006 Oregon
Chub Investigations. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish Research
Project EF-06, Annual Progress Report, Salem.
Scheerer, P. D., S. E. Jacobs, and M. Terwilliger. 2005.
Monitoring of Hospital Pond
(2005): Willamette Basin Oregon Chub Investigations, Monitoring, and
Management, Fish Research Project W66QKZ13304328, Annual Progress
Report, Corvallis.
Scheerer,
P. D., and M. Terwilliger. 2005.
Monitoring
of Hospital Pond (2004): Willamette basin Oregon chub investigations,
monitoring, and management, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife,
Fish Research Project W66QKZ13304328, Annual Progress Report, Corvallis.
Scheerer, P. D., P.S. Kavanagh, S. Davis, and
S. E. Jacobs. 2005.
2005 Oregon
chub investigations
Scheerer,
P. D. 2004. ODOT
Oregon chub surveys. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish
Research Project 20675, Annual Progress Report, Corvallis.
Scheerer,
P. D. 2004. Population
and habitat assessments for Oregon chub on the William L. Finley National
Wildlife Refuge (2004). Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife,
Fish Research Project 1448-13420-03-M194, Annual Progress Report, Corvallis.
Scheerer,
P. D. 2004. Management
Plan for Oregon Department of Transportation Properties that Support
Populations of the Endangered Oregon Chub. Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife, Fish Research Contract #1448-13420-03-M145, Annual
Progress Report, Corvallis.
Scheerer,
P. D., P. S. Kavanagh, and S. E. Jacobs. 2004. 2004
Oregon chub investigations. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife,
Fish Research Project EF-04, Annual Progress Report, Salem.
Scheerer,
P.D. 2003. Oregon Chub Investigations
2003 Progress Reportt. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife,
Fish Research Project E-2-34, Annual Progress Report,
Scheerer,
P. D., and P. J. McDonald. 2003. Age and growth and timing of spawning
of an endangered minnow, the Oregon chub (Oregonichthys crameri),
in the Willamette Basin, Oregon. Northwestern Naturalist 84:68-79.
Scheerer,
P. D. 2002. Implications
of Floodplain Isolation and Connectivity on the Conservation of an Endangered
Minnow, Oregon Chub, in the Willamette River, Oregon. Transactions
of the American Fisheries Society 131:1070-1080.
Scheerer, P.D. 1999. Oregon
Chub Research in the Willamette Valley 1991-99. Fish Research Project
Annual Progress Report EF-91 VII-1. Portland.
Relevant
Information:
Federal Register. 2010a. Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants; Reclassification of the Oregon Chub From Endangered
to Threatened; Final rule. 75:21, 179-21,189.
Federal Register. 2010b. Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Oregon chub
(Oregonichthys crameri); Final rule. 75:11, 010-11,067.
Federal Register. 2009. Proposed Programmatic Safe
harbor Agreement for Oregon Chub, Willamette Valley, OR. Notice of
availability; receipt of application. 74:23, 431-23,432.
U.
S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. Oregon
chub (Oregonichthys crameri) Recovery plan. Portland, OR: USDI
Fish and Wildlife Service.
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