Distribution and Status of 
Tallapoosa River System Fauna 

Principal Investigators: James Peterson, Mary Freeman, Bud Freeman

Funding: U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division
                 US Fish and Wildlife Service

Graduate Student Support: Shane Hawthorne

Objective: Potential conservation and management strategies for aquatic species can only be effective if managers are informed as to the nature and extent of potential impacts associated with the construction and operation of the proposed West Georgia Regional Reservoir. This requires a credible assessment of the suitability of specific areas (habitats) to support each species, combined with accurate assessment of potential risks, such as extinction due to fragmentation and isolation of populations. Towards this end, this project will develop a fundamental understanding of the distribution and population status of the 11 listed and at-risk fish, mussel, crayfish and snail species. By quantifying these relationships and their associated uncertainty, models can be developed to assist biologists and managers in the assessment of listing needs and management strategies if the construction of the West Georgia Regional Reservoir is authorized.

Haralson County, Georgia has proposed construction of the 3490-acre West Georgia Regional Reservoir on the Tallapoosa River and its tributaries.  The 3490-acre reservoir, as proposed, would inundate 617 acres of wetlands and 25 miles of the Tallapoosa River and its tributaries.  The Piedmont portion of the Tallapoosa River system is home to at least 5 endemic fishes as well as a Federally listed freshwater mussel, an endemic mussel taxon, two endemic crayfish species and an endemic snail.  Stability of these species could be negatively affected by construction of the West Georgia Regional Reservoir, as well as by ongoing development activities associated with regional population growth.  Natural resource managers need data on distribution and population status these species in the Tallapoosa River system to identify management strategies and alleviate potential threats.

The Upper Tallapoosa River Basin is currently fragmented by several small reservoirs. Construction of the West Georgia Regional Reservoir will further fragment the Basin and will likely result in the isolation of upstream populations of many of the endemic aquatic fauna.  Fragmentation of suitable stream habitats could increase the extinction species by reducing the total amount of suitable habitat and connectivity. Smaller more isolated populations generally have a higher extinction risk through the loss of demographic support (e.g., eliminating immigration) and the effects of environmental stochasticity (Harrison and Taylor 1996). Hence, indirect impacts of the proposed reservoir could affect the viability of several of the species and should be taken into account when devising conservation and management strategies.

Project Status: Ongoing