Laramie, WY—The Endangered Species Act is a safety net for wildlife on the brink of extinction, and in response to a petition from scientists and conservationists, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced yesterday it would consider using this vital safety net to protect three clean water indicators: the Jackson Lake, Harney Lake, and Columbia springsnails.

The finding comes after a petition was submitted by scientists and conservationists last summer requesting the Fish and Wildlife Service extend protection to the Jackson Lake, Harney Lake, and Columbia springsnails. A recent study suggests the snails be the same as the Idaho springsnail, an endangered species found only in the Snake River of southern Idaho, which is already protected under the Endangered Species Act. Citing the petition, the Fish and Wildlife Service has agreed to consider extending protection for the snails, which scientists agree are all critically imperiled and on the brink of extinction.

“As clean water indicators, these springsnails are like the warning light on the dashboard of our environment,” said Jeremy Nichols, Endangered Species Program Director for Biodiversity Conservation Alliance. “For the sake of sustaining healthy watersheds, we’re pleased the Fish and Wildlife Service is using the best available science to move these species closer to endangered species protection.”

Once common in Jackson Lake in northwestern Wyoming, the Jackson Lake springsnail has declined by over 75% because of habitat loss and now lives at only one location. The Harney Lake springsnail was once found in springs throughout eastern Oregon, but has declined by over 60% because of habitat loss and is now found at only four locations. The Columbia springsnail was once widespread in the lower Columbia River, but has declined because of dams and is now found at only six locations.

The Jackson Lake, Harney Lake, Columbia, and Idaho springsnails are described as“indicator species,” meaning the health of their populations signals the health of freshwater habitats. The snails are dependent upon relatively undisturbed habitats, making them excellent indicators of natural watershed health.

“These springsnails are literally the writing on the wall,” said Noah Greenwald, Conservation Biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity in Portland. “Their decline is a clear sign that endangered species protection is needed to restore the health and sustainability of our watersheds for today’s and future generations.”

The Fish and Wildlife Service’s finding also concludes that the Idaho springsnail may no longer warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act because it may be the same as the Jackson Lake, Harney Lake, and Columbia, springsnails and thus, a different species. Based on a taxonomic study, the state of Idaho and Idaho Power Company last summer petitioned to remove the Idaho springsnail from the endangered species list, claiming the species was no longer threatened with extinction. Scientists, however, have found that whether the four species are considered separately or together, all four are at risk of extinction.

“The science clearly shows the Jackson Lake, Harney Lake, Columbia, and Idaho springsnails are all threatened with extinction,” said Jeremy Nichols. “Whether they’re all one species or four separate species, they need the safety net of the Endangered Species Act, and the Fish and Wildlife Service has recognized this.”

Scientific reports continue to indicate the Idaho springsnail is indeed threatened with extinction. While historically found at 10 locations, the snail is found at only 5 locations in the Middle Snake River in between Bancroft Springs and Weiser. The snail depends on relatively undisturbed areas of the Middle Snake River with cold, clean, flowing water and sand or gravel bottoms. Dams operated by the Idaho Power company, such as C.J. Strike, continue to restrict water flows and degrade water quality. A recent report by the Fish and Wildlife Service determined that Idaho Power dams will continue to harm the springsnail for the next 50 years. Agricultural runoff and overallocation of Snake River waters continue to pose hurdles to the species’ recovery. Recent surveys by scientists have also reported population declines.

The state of Idaho and Idaho Power Company’s petition claims populations of the Idaho springsnail are now more abundant and not threatened. At most, however, the study suggests an additional 11 populations exist, an extremely low number considering that populations of the Idaho springsnail were once widespread throughout the Middle Snake River. In addition, all of these populations face serious threats to their survival.

The petition also erroneously describes the current distribution of the Idaho springsnail. According to Dr. Peter Bowler, “The distribution map is extremely misleading and is riddled with errors. The species does not occur above Bliss Dam and is mostly dead below that. This is mostly a map of the now largely dead historic distribution.”

In 2002, the State of Idaho and Idaho Power also submitted a petition to delist the Idaho springsnail, but subsequently withdrew it because of numerous and significant errors.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will now undertaken a thorough review of the status of the Jackson Lake, Harney Lake, and Columbia springsnail and make a decide whether or not to protect the snails under the Endangered Species Act within nine months. Protection would ensure a valuable and integral part of the web of life in Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington is protected.

“Springsnails, like the Jackson Lake, Harney Lake, and Columbia springsnails and their relatives, are an integral part of the web of life wherever they are found,” said Scott Hoffman Black, Executive Director of The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. “They consume organic material in the water and recycle plant and animal waste. Fish, amphibians, birds, and insects also feed on springsnails, forming an important link in the food chain.”

The petitioners include Dr. Peter Bowler, a University of California ecologist and springsnail expert; Wyoming-based Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, a regional conservation group dedicated to protecting native species and their habitats; Western Watersheds Project, an Idaho group working to protect the health of western waters, the Center for Biological Diversity, a national species conservation group; The Xerces Society, an international nonprofit scientific organization dedicated to preserving the diversity of life through the conservation of invertebrates; and Center for Native Ecosystems, a group dedicated to protecting native species and their habitats in the Rocky Mountain Region.

For more information about the Jackson Lake, Harney Lake, Columbia, and Idaho springsnails, visit www.voiceforthewild.org/wildspecies/news/n28july04.html.