Topaz Lake
Grebe Survey Summary
- Max Adults: 120
- Year: 2007
- Most Recent Adults: presence
- Year: 2013
- Survey Type: Shore; Boat
- Most Common Threats Reported: Water too low; lack of/poor nesting habitat; drought/lack of water; water quality/contaminants/oil spill
- Lake name:
- Topaz Lake
- Location:
- California
- Latitude:
- 38.6808923
- Longitude:
- -119.5343007
- Basin type:
- reservoir
- Management agency:
- Mono County (CA); Douglas County (NV); Douglas County Parks and Recreation (NV)
- Region associations:
- Topaz Lake County Park; Topaz Lake Recreation Area; Eastern Sierra; Antelope Valley
- Designations:
- County Park; Recreation Area
- Comments:
- Part of Topaz Lake County Park and Topaz Lake Recreation Area, this is a man-made lake on the CA and NV border.
Surveys (4)
Survey Citation:
Ackerman, J. T., C. A. Hartman, C. A. Eagles-Smith, M. P. Herzog, J. Davis, G. Ichikawa, and A. Bonnema. 2015. Estimating mercury exposure of piscivorous birds and sport fish using prey fish monitoring. Environmental Science & Technology 49:13596–13604.
-
Type
boat -
Time period
April 2012, October 2013 -
Source
Peer-reviewed -
Both Western and Clarks?
N/A
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 1 to 100 | presence? | 2013 |
| Most Recent Adults | 1 to 100 | presence? | 2013 |
| Max Nests | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Most Recent Nests | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Max Chicks | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Most Recent Chicks | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Comments:
Not a survey but grebes were sampled at 25 lakes in CA from April to October of 2012 (13 lakes) and 2013 (12 lakes). An average of 14 grebes per lake (from 2 to 38 grebes) were captured at night with night-lights. No breakdown of actual numbers captured per lake was provided. Morphometry and molt data, along with blood was collected from each bird for mercury analysis, and sex determination via genetic analysis. From 7 out of the 25 lakes, an average of 14 grebe eggs (from 6 to 23 eggs) were collected. An egg from each randomly sampled nest was collected either from an active nest (random egg) or from an abandoned nest (abandoned egg). Prey fish and sport fish were also sampled an average of 11 days after grebe sampling. At Topaz Lake, no grebe eggs were collected in 2013 (Figure SI). 354 grebes were captured total from the 25 lakes, 71% were Western grebes, 29% were Clark's, 48% were female, 52% were male. 101 grebe eggs were collected from 7 lakes, of which 62% were Western grebes, 15% were Clark's grebes, 23% were unidentified which. Grebe blood, eggs, and sport fish mercury concentrations were strongly correlated to mercury concentrations in prey fish at the lakes. Grebe mercury concentrations were also strongly correlated with sport fish mercury concentrations. This study showed that prey fish monitoring can estimate mercury exposure of grebes and other piscivorous birds if these birds can't be sampled directly.
Survey Citation:
Feerer, J. L. and R. L. Garrett. 1977. Potential Western Grebe extiinction on California lakes. Cal-Neva Wildlife Transactions. 13(1):80-89.
-
Time period
1976 -
Source
Journal Article -
Both Western and Clarks?
N/A
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Most Recent Adults | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Max Nests | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Most Recent Nests | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Max Chicks | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Most Recent Chicks | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Comments:
This report presents survey data from spring 1976 of Clear Lake, Eagle Lake, Salton Sea NWR, Topaz Lake, Sacramento NWR, Lake Earl, and Tule Lake (Klamath Basin NWR) and compares to historical data with focus on Clear Lake issues so not much data on Topaz Lake. No info on how surveys were conducted. In 1976, spring population estimate is 75 (Table 1) but I didn't enter this because it's not during breeding season. 1976 productivity (# hatchlings) is a "?", didn't enter this. Historical breeding reference is Moffitt 1938. No other data provided nor description of lake. From Table 1, the colony is not protected, recreation is the main use, there is minimal shoreline development, and spring water level stability is stable depending on weather conditions.
Survey Citation:
Ivey, G. L. 2004. Conservation assessment and management plan for breeding Western and Clark’s Grebes in California. Unpublished technical report. American Trader Trustee Council, California. . Accessed 15 January 2020.
-
Time period
N/A -
Source
Conservation Assessment, Management Plan -
Both Western and Clarks?
N/A
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 1 to 100 | 75 | 1976 |
| Most Recent Adults | 1 to 100 | presence | 2002, 2003 |
| Max Nests | 1 to 100 | presence | 1938, 1963 |
| Most Recent Nests | 0 | 0 | 2003 |
| Max Chicks | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Most Recent Chicks | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Comments:
This entry to capture historical records and survey efforts of 2002. There were breeding grebes in about 1938 according to Moffitt 1938, nesting occuring in 1963 (no nest #s) according to S. Herman, pers. comm. and 75 adults in 1976 (entered here) according to Feerer and Garrett (1976). Small 1994 considered this a major area. On August 29, 2002, a reconnaissance effort was conducted on Topaz Lake but no information on what was found, if anything. No longer viable because of habitat loss, river water was diverted for alfalfa crops (Cooper 2004). No nesting 2002 nor 2003.
Survey Citation:
Robison, K., R. Weems, and D. Anderson. 2008. Western and Clark's Grebe conservation and management in California. Annual report for year three (2007). Report for American Trader and Kure/ Stuyvesant Trustee Councils and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, California.
-
Type
shore -
Time period
16 August 2007 -
Source
Report -
Both Western and Clarks?
Y
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 101 to 500 | 120 | 2007 |
| Most Recent Adults | 101 to 500 | 120 | 2007 |
| Max Nests | 0 | 0 | 2007 |
| Most Recent Nests | 0 | 0 | 2007 |
| Max Chicks | 0 | 0 | 2007 |
| Most Recent Chicks | 0 | 0 | 2007 |
Comments:
No emergent nor submergent vegetation was visible. No nests nor chicks were observed. Water levels looked low but there was no historical data to compare to. Subsequent reports have their own entries.