Clayton D. Crowder

The objectives of the surveys conducted in 2013 were to 1) complete the inventory of perennial waters in the Devils Canyon and Mineral Creek drainages and document the presence of fish and aquatic species within stock tanks; 2) survey Mineral Creek to determine persistence of Longfin Dace, document occurrence of Gila Chub, and evaluate the suitability of habitat in Mineral Creek for the reintroduction of Gila Chub and other native species.

Gila chub Gila intermedia was federally listed as endangered with critical habitat in 2005 (Federal Register 2005). Upper Mineral Creek, the watershed immediately upstream of the ASARCO Ray Mine Big Box Dam, was designated as critical habitat for Gila chub at the time of listing. According to Robinson (2008a), Gila chub were last documented in upper Mineral Creek in 2000. Subsequent surveys completed in 2002, 2006 and 2008 were not able to document the presence of Gila chub, and the species is considered extirpated from upper Mineral Creek (Robinson 2008a).

Media Point of Contact

Susan Blake
susan.blake@usda.gov

Apache Leap Special Management Area
Apache Leap SMA website