Hydroelectric production in the Lake Almanor basin continues to threaten our beloved grebes, Aechmophorus clarkii and Aechmophorus occidentalis. Western and Clark’s grebes are interbreeding colonial nesters that have historically nested at Lake Almanor numbering in the thousands. While adult populations are still found in the thousands, reproductive success has been hindered as the bird’s floating aquatic nests are continually beached as a result of reservoir operations. This presentation focuses on the water management decisions and the subsequent effects on grebe reproductive success.
Lindsay wood is an alumnus of Chico State and has ten years of environmental consulting experience with a special interest in water policy. She is a wildlife biologist and has conducted fisheries, avian, and herptile research throughout the Sacramento River watershed. Lindsay began studying Aechmophorus grebes in 2014 as a part of the Altacal Audubon’s project on Thermalito Afterbay in her hometown of Oroville. Since working with Plumas Audubon Society, she has observed the colony abandonment at Lake Almanor for the past three breeding seasons and is the primary author of Plumas Audubon Society’s 10 year report, “A multi-year analysis of Aechmophorus grebe breeding populations at four Northern California Lakes.
