Sturgeon Habitat Analysis and Restoration Consultation
Our client required fishery and aquatic habitat expertise to evaluate and document habitat suitability and use for the New York State-listed endangered lake sturgeon along a 12-kilometer river reach in upstate New York. Studies were conducted to assess potential impacts on lake sturgeon habitat from in-water construction activities (dredging, backfilling, and capping) associated with a remediation project to clean up PCB-contaminated sediment.
Kleinschmidt conducted larval drift, mesohabitat, and radio-telemetry studies to fill in data gaps related to juvenile and adult lake sturgeon life requisite needs. Kleinschmidt evaluated lake sturgeon habitat suitability through field work and used multiple spatial data sets by developing a Geographic Information System (GIS) model to identify potential spawning, nursery, refugia, foraging, and overwintering habitat as well as migration corridors. Kleinschmidt completed a year-long radio-telemetry study that documented use of the habitat types identified with the GIS modeling of juvenile and adult lake sturgeon. Kleinschmidt is currently assisting our client with completing a biological evaluation of potential adverse impacts on lake sturgeon as a result of the in-water construction. For this ongoing work, Kleinschmidt completed a GIS analysis that identified areas where construction activities may overlap with the areas where lake sturgeon were documented to use.
Kleinschmidt’s sturgeon study expertise provided our client credibility with the federal, state, and local regulators and other project stakeholders concerning the methods used and findings of the studies, reducing rework, and saving the client time and money. Kleinschmidt assisted the client with identifying conservation and mitigation measures (e.g., implementing biological windows to limit or restrict in-water construction) to minimize potential effects on lake sturgeon during the remediation project.