Millicoma Dace – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Photo Credit: Doug Markle, Oregon State University

Overview

Species Common Name Millicoma Dace
Species Scientific Name Rhinichthys cataractae ssp
Federal Listing Status Species of Concern
State Listing Status Sensitive

Ecoregions

Coast Range

Oregon’s Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Special needs

Cool, swift streams. Cobbles and gravel for rearing and spawning.

Limiting factors

Lack of cobble or gravel habitat. Limited distribution. Altered flow regimes (because of culverts, channelization). Altered sediment regimes, including changes in timing of input and ratio of particle size.

Data gaps

Distribution.

Conservation actions

Create and maintain gravel habitat. Maintain or restore flow and sediment regimes to improve habitat quality. Maintain or improve riparian conditions, including habitat for beavers.

Key reference or plan

Sheerer, P., J.T. Peterson, and S. Clements. 2014. Distribution and Abundance of Millicoma Dace in the Coos Basin, Oregon. ODFW Progress Report.

Strategy Spotlight: Millicoma Dace

Photo Credit: Doug Markle

Tiny but not Forgotten

Millicoma dace are tiny forage fish found only in the Coos and Millicoma rivers. It had been nearly 20 years since anyone checked in on this Oregon native, but in 2014 ODFW’s Native Fish Investigations Program (NFIP) and the Charleston Fish District partnered with Oregon State University to survey the fish.

Along with two OSU students and Bureau of Land Management biologists, ODFW surveyed the Coos and Millicoma rivers and found the dace in 16 of the 18 sites sampled.

Preliminary estimates suggest there were from 20 to 400 fish per location and the known distribution now covers approximately 40 stream miles including locations further upstream than previously thought.

Researchers believe the fact these tiny dace were found in reasonably large numbers indicates they’re healthy. Historically, they were probably more abundant, but what they found now doesn’t indicate the population is in any imminent danger.