Wood Storks of the Birdsville Colony and swamps of the Savannah River Site: General overview of research findings, 1983--1990
The population of Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) that breeds in the United States has decreased from an estimated 20,000 breeding pairs in 1930 to just under 5,000 pairs in 1980. Since 1980, the number has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 3,500 and 5,500 breeding pairs. The decline prompted the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to list the United States population of Wood Storks as endangered in 1984. When the US Department of Energy (USDOE) decided to restart L-Reactor on the Savannah River Site (SRS), there was concern that when the reactor was restarted, cooling water flowing into the Steel Creek Delta would raise the water level and the area would become too deep for foraging storks. The potential loss of this area to storks was important because storks had been observed foraging in the Steel Creek Delta. The USDOE began consultation with the USFWS in April, 1984, and the USDOE subsequently agreed to develop and maintain alternative foraging habitat to replace the potential loss. In order to design and manage the alternate foraging ponds as effectively as possible, it was necessary to understand aspects of the biology of the storks, the characteristics of their foraging sites and the patterns of their use of the SRSS. Results are described.
- Research Organization:
- Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC (United States). Wildlife Ecology and Toxicology Div.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-76SR00819
- OSTI ID:
- 6291304
- Report Number(s):
- SREL-42; ON: DE93013823
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Wood Storks of the Birdsville Colony and swamps of the Savannah River site
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Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BIRDS
POPULATIONS
L REACTOR
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
ENDANGERED SPECIES
FISHES
FOOD
HABITAT
PONDS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
HEAVY WATER MODERATED REACTORS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PRODUCTION REACTORS
REACTORS
SPECIAL PRODUCTION REACTORS
SURFACE WATERS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VERTEBRATES
540250* - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)
540210 - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-)
540310 - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (1990-)
540350 - Environment
Aquatic- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)
550100 - Behavioral Biology