Antelope Lake
- Lake name:
- Antelope Lake
- Location:
- California
- HydroLAKE ID:
- 112136
- GRanD ID:
- 137
- Latitude:
- 40.181680
- Longitude:
- -120.605896
- Surface area (km2):
- 3
- Basin type:
- reservoir
- Dam completion date:
- 1964
- Management agency:
- U.S. Forest Service; California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Lake use:
- recreation irrigation
- Region associations:
- Plumas National Forest; Antelope Lake Recreation Area; Upper River Feather Lakes
- Comments:
- The smallest of three lakes of the Upper Feathers River Lakes. The other lakes are Lake Davis and Frenchman Lake. From Loggins (2016), Antelope Lake is part of the six lakes study reported by a collaboration of California Audubon chapters. Has the highest reproduction of the six lakes except for 2015 when wind storms damaged nests. Tours have been conducted for viewing the grebe population on this lake. This lake is part of the State Water Project for which statewide water demand has an impact on reservoir levels.
Summary of Surveys (8)
Survey Citation:
Kyle, K., D. Arsenault, N. Lunder, M. Waits, F. Hayes, S. Overlock, J. Patten, and R. Martin. 2013. Conservation of Aechmophorus grebe colonies at six northern California lakes. Final Report. Oakland, California, USA.
-
Type
shore; boat -
Time period
June 2012, October 2013 -
Source
Report -
Both Western and Clarks?
N
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 1 to 100 | 82 | 2012 |
| Most Recent Adults | 1 to 100 | 62 | 2013 |
| Max Nests | 1 to 100 | 20 | 2013 |
| Most Recent Nests | 1 to 100 | 20 | 2013 |
| Max Chicks | 1 to 100 | 49 | 2013 |
| Most Recent Chicks | 1 to 100 | 22 | 2013 |
Comments:
Nest initiation (started June 1), nest monitoring, and disturbance surveys were weekly. Average of 65 surveys per year on the 6 lakes for adult grebes, nest attempts and young. One to two brood surveys per month starting mid-July to October. For adult count #, "All surveys include the grand total of adults counted on the lake" - not sure what that means.WEGR and CLGR were distinguished if possible but the breakdown not reported. No survey #s for 2010 and 2011. Water is drawn down for irrigation and water levels are considered more consistent.
Survey Citation:
Arsenault, D. 2015. Audubon's Aechmophorus grebe conservation project comprehensive monitoring report: 2010-2014. Final Report. Plumas Audubon Society, Plumas and Lassen Counties, California, USA.
-
Type
shore; boat -
Time period
June 2012, September 2014 -
Source
Report -
Both Western and Clarks?
N
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 1 to 100 | 82 | 2012 |
| Most Recent Adults | 1 to 100 | 68 | 2014 |
| Max Nests | 1 to 100 | 29 | 2014 |
| Most Recent Nests | 1 to 100 | 29 | 2014 |
| Max Chicks | 1 to 100 | 52 | 2014 |
| Most Recent Chicks | 1 to 100 | 52 | 2014 |
Comments:
See Kyle et al. 2013 for survey methods. 2 population/brood surveys per year. Despite ample shoreline with emergent vegetation and coves, nesting occurs in an area near a boat ramp 2012 to 2014. Potential for disturbance due to proximity to boat ramp but doesn't seem to have major effect. Some nests abandoned and stranded due to low water levels. Discrepency with Kyle et al. 2013 is that in 2012, number nests was 0 in that report, but 20 in this one. Slow rate (-0.055) of water drawdown, small number of nests, highest reproductive rate of the studied lakes. Entered Table 4 only but the adult #s might be counts in September or October (like Lake Almanor) and might have captured migration. Only Lake Almanor has a breakdown of adult count #s per date in the season but none for the other lakes and none in Kyle's report. Water level data at California Department of Water Resources (DWR) California Data Exchange Center (http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/mapper).
Survey Citation:
Loggins, D. 2015. Conservation of Aechmophorus grebe colonies at six northern California lakes. Semi-annual financial and programmatic report. Audubon California, Sacramento, California, USA.
-
Type
shore; boat -
Time period
2015 -
Source
Report -
Both Western and Clarks?
N/A
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 1 to 100 | presence | 2015 |
| Most Recent Adults | 1 to 100 | presence | 2015 |
| Max Nests | 1 to 100 | 13 | 2015 |
| Most Recent Nests | 1 to 100 | 13 | 2015 |
| Max Chicks | 0 | 0 | 2015 |
| Most Recent Chicks | 0 | 0 | 2015 |
Comments:
No adult numbers. Water level slightly higher than last year but only 13 nests at peak, none of which were successful. Modified Gericke et al. (2006) protocol similar to the last five breeding seasons and included nest initiation surveys (weekly), nest monitoring surveys, disturbance surveys (weekly), and population and brood surveys (1-2 times a month until October). No info on timing of surveys.
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 Antelope Lake, all tissues 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:
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
1990s -
Source
Conservation Assessment, Management Plan -
Both Western and Clarks?
Y
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 1 to 100 | presence | 1990s |
| Most Recent Adults | 1 to 100 | presence | 1990s |
| Max Nests | 1 to 100 | presence | 1990s |
| Most Recent Nests | 1 to 100 | presence | 1990s |
| Max Chicks | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Most Recent Chicks | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Comments:
This entry to capture historical record of breeding grebes in CA prior to 2002. There were breeding grebes and noted as colony site in Antelope Lake in the 1990s, no numbers or other details. Source is D. Shuford, pers. comm.
Survey Citation:
Rickard, A. 2017. Conservation of Aechmophorus grebe colonies at six northern California lakes. Interim report for year three submitted to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation October 31st, 2017. Audubon California, San Francisco, California.
-
Time period
2017 -
Source
Report -
Both Western and Clarks?
Y
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 1 to 100 | 56 | 2017 |
| Most Recent Adults | 1 to 100 | 56 | 2017 |
| Max Nests | 1 to 100 | 9 | 2017 |
| Most Recent Nests | 1 to 100 | 9 | 2017 |
| Max Chicks | 1 to 100 | 9 | 2017 |
| Most Recent Chicks | 1 to 100 | 9 | 2017 |
Comments:
Number of chicks was the lowest than any of the previous years of this study. No information on when survey(s) took place nor what methods in 2017. No information on species numbers between Western and Clark's grebes.
Survey Citation:
Plumas Audubon Society. 2016. Audubon’s Aechmophorus grebe conservation project comprehensive monitoring report: 2010-2016 Almanor, Antelope, Davis, and Eagle Lakes, Plumas and Lassen Counties, California.
-
Type
shore; boat -
Time period
2012, 2016 -
Source
Report -
Both Western and Clarks?
N
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 1 to 100 | 88 | 2016 |
| Most Recent Adults | 1 to 100 | 88 | 2016 |
| Max Nests | 1 to 100 | 29 | 2016 |
| Most Recent Nests | 1 to 100 | 29 | 2016 |
| Max Chicks | 1 to 100 | 68 | 2016 |
| Most Recent Chicks | 1 to 100 | 68 | 2016 |
Comments:
This entry is for the newest data of 2015 and 2016 because previous years' data is re-reported and already entered. Higher grebe reproductive rates is attributed to a slower rate of water level drop (-0.66 inches/day). However, no successful nesting in 2015 due to lack of fish food. There were only a few nests stranded due to water level drawdown. Observer for these two new years was Arsenault. Adult number counts reported in this report is the average of survey totals.
Survey Citation:
Loggins, D. 2016. Conservation of Aechmophorus grebe colonies at six northern California lakes: final financial and programmatic report for year one. Audubon California, Sacramento, California, USA.
-
Type
boat -
Time period
2015 -
Source
Report -
Both Western and Clarks?
N
| Count Type | Range | Max | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Adults | 1 to 100 | 99 | 2015 |
| Most Recent Adults | 1 to 100 | 99 | 2015 |
| Max Nests | 1 to 100 | 13 | 2015 |
| Most Recent Nests | 1 to 100 | 13 | 2015 |
| Max Chicks | 0 | 0 | 2015 |
| Most Recent Chicks | 0 | 0 | 2015 |
Comments:
No Clark's seen here. Slightly higher water level in 2015 but no chicks. A wind storm in July 2015 wiped away nests and resulted in low reproduction, otherwise this lake has high reproduction of the six lakes studied. Uncertain why the difference in survey numbers reported here and the ones reported in the Plumas Audubon report for the same year. For the six lakes studied, 2015 was the fourth year of severe drought and nest success was not high.
Sources of Information
- Messager, M. L., B. Lehner, G. Grill, I. Nedeva, and O. Schmitt. 2016. Estimating the volume and age of water stored in global lakes using a geo-statistical approach. Nature Communications 7:13603. Data is available at www.hydrosheds.org.; Lehner, B., C. Reidy Liermann, C. Revenga, C. Vorosmarty, B. Fekete, P. Crouzet, P. Doll, M. Endejan, K. Frenken, J. Magome, C. Nilsson, J.C. Robertson, R. Rodel, N. Sindorf, and D. Wisser. 2011. Global Reservoir and Dam Database, Version 1 (GRanDv1): Dams, Revision 01. Palisades, New York: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC).
- Lehner, B., C. Reidy Liermann, C. Revenga, C. Vorosmarty, B. Fekete, P. Crouzet, P. Doll, M. Endejan, K. Frenken, J. Magome, C. Nilsson, J.C. Robertson, R. Rodel, N. Sindorf, and D. Wisser. 2011. Global Reservoir and Dam Database, Version 1 (GRanDv1): Dams, Revision 01. Palisades, New York: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC).
- Antelope Lake Recreation Area - U.S. Forest Service
- Upper Feather River Lakes
- Loggins, D. 2016. Conservation of Aechmophorus Grebe Colonies at Six Northern California Lakes: Final Financial and Programmatic Report for Year One.