Wildlife Crossing
Bishop’s famous “Mule Days” may have just passed this Memorial Day Weekend, but over here at Keep Long Valley Green, we are thinking about a different mule – the mule deer, so named for its large, mule-like ears.
Spring has finally sprung at higher elevations, and snow is melting out, opening up new opportunities for this foraging species. Caltrans’ highway signs along SR 203 and US 395 have finally switched from declaring “Chains required” to “Watch for deer migration.”
Right A mule deer crosses the road in front of a car. Photo by Joe Riis.
Local Nomads
Multiple mule deer herds cross Highway 395 twice per year during their annual migrations: from their winter range east of the highway, in the Casa Diablo and Round Valley areas, into their summer ranges throughout the Sierra in the spring and then back down come fall.
Migrating deer herds in Mono and Inyo counties migrate between their summer range and winter ranges twice a year, with corridors and holding areas, or "stopover sites," in between along their migration routes. Summer range is typically high elevation in the Sierra Nevada and utilized for its nutritious green forage and fawning areas. However, these high elevation areas are covered in snow during the winter, so prior to deep snow accumulation, deer migrate east to lower elevations for their wintering, such as in the Casa Diablo winter range in Long Valley and the Round Valley winter range. At these low elevations, deer are confined to relatively small areas, which, although less bleak than the snowy higher elevations, can sustain the herd for only so long with limited forage opportunities left from the summer and fall.
The Search for Water
This migration can be heavily affected by drought years and accompanying resource stress. Seasonal migration distances for all wildlife increase in years of drought, as wildlife must travel farther to seek out water sources, vegetation, and prey. The Eastern Sierra has, predictably, seen increased wildlife movement and, unfortunately, roadkill, in years of drought and wildfire. Movement of deer specifically is likely to be more frequent in Long Valley during drought years as they may spend more time in their summer holding area.
In times of drought, “mesic resources,” or sites with higher vegetative productivity during the late growing season (July 15 to September 30), become critical for foraging species. These sites include wetlands, wet meadows, riparian areas, high-elevation sagebrush uplands, and irrigated fields.
Long Valley has plenty of the above mesic resources: water and wet meadow habitat, with irrigation ditches coming off the Upper Owens River to provide flood irrigation. Once again, we see just how important it is to keep Long Valley from being dewatered in times of drought by the LADWP. It is actually more important for the people, habitat, and species of southern Mono County, including the mule deer, that Long Valley stays green even in times of drought, to mitigate further damage to the land and all those who rely upon it.
Right Creeks, wetlands, wet meadows, irrigated fields, and the Owens River: Long Valley is full of mesic resources for mule deer. Photo by EcoFlight.
Mule deer equipped with GPS collars were documented by CDFW crossing US 395 in Long Valley over 250 times to access food and water resources in just one drought stricken summer, relying on this area while higher elevation resources are dry.
As longer and worsening drought cycles are likely to continue, wildlife use of the area in Long Valley is anticipated to increase in response to diminishing mesic resources in outlying areas. Keeping Long Valley green is an investment in our communities’ health and economy, but it is also an investment in the long-term resilience of local wildlife.
Left A group of mule deer attentively watching photographer Tom Koerner.
The mule deer’s annual spring migration to Long Valley, where they remain for the summer during drought years, while enjoyable to witness, is fraught with dangers for both animals and motorists. Within Caltrans District 9, the highest frequency of wildlife vehicle collisions, or WVCs, are documented on Highways 395 and 203 in Mono County. This area, between the community of Crowley Lake and the town of Mammoth Lakes, is squarely in Long Valley.
Between 2002 and 2015, in Mono County alone, nearly 2,000 mule deer from the Round Valley and Casa Diablo herds were killed by vehicles, according to a 2016 Caltrans study. This number doesn’t even take into account near-collisions with deer, which can also result in vehicle accidents or other damage if a driver swerves or loses control while trying to avoid hitting migrating deer. When we take stock of 2,000 mule deer killed in just over a decade in light of the fact that the Round Valley mule deer herd is made up of only about 2,400 deer, we can see the long-term threat that these collisions pose to herd survival and human wellness. According to a 2017 study by the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis, the total annual cost of wildlife-vehicle collisions in California is at least $276 million and increasing each year, threatening human life and property.
Keep Long Valley Green coalition member Eastern Sierra Land Trust seeks to ease this tension between nature and machine with a unique piece of architecture: the wildlife crossing.
How does it work? Unlike in our school zones, there will not be someone with a stop sign guiding wildlife over the road, but it will be somewhat like that: The crossing will include both overcrossings and undercrossings paired with “exclusion fencing.” These are fences designed to push the animals not to jump over them or weasel through them, but rather down and away to the breaks in the fencing where they are able to cross safely over or under the highway, without going into the path of oncoming traffic. Updates on this proposed project can be found on Eastern Sierra Land Trust’s website.
Right A wildlife overcrossing bridge in Washington, photo courtesy the Washington Department of Transportation
More than the Mule
While mule deer are the species most often involved in collisions, providing a safe way for all wildlife to cross the highway will benefit many more living beings, including the humans behind the wheel. Mountain lions, black bears, bobcats, coyotes, and others can all benefit from being able to move through seasonal grounds in Long Valley and the surrounding areas without vehicle threats.
Management of wildlife vehicle collisions will hopefully make mule deer migration in Long Valley something to celebrate rather than fear. For now, as snow melts out in the higher elevations and a long awaited summer comes to the Eastern Sierra, be prepared to watch for deer and other species who might be relying on the springtime green bounty, migrating from the lower elevation areas of Long Valley. While out enjoying the hot springs and meadows of Long Valley, or joining us for a highway cleanup, for the safety of yourself and the wildlife we share these lands with, remember: Caution! Wildlife crossing!
-
Upcoming Events:
We will be tabling at Eastern Sierra Pride's open market this Saturday, June 3rd, alongside coalition member Friends of the Inyo. Stop by anytime from 11 AM to 4 PM to pick up some stickers and chat!
Keep Long Valley Clean
Join us for a trash cleanup in Long Valley this Sunday, June 4th, from 10AM - 1PM. Trash grabbers/bags, vests, refreshments, and sunscreen will be provided. Come give back to our local environment and community by keeping this stretch of road in scenic Long Valley clear of trash while enjoying beautiful views and good conversation.
Summer Solstice at Stellar Brew
We will be participating in Stellar Brew's Summer Solstice event on Wednesday June 21st from 11 AM to 9 PM. At this fusion event, local environmental groups and causes have been paired up with local artists to create art that speaks to the local environment and its threats. We will be tabling with Kooks Industries and will be teasing some Kooks Industries and Keep Long Valley Green collabs on our social media in the coming weeks leading up to the event! We hope to see you there.
May Wrap-Up:
-
The show did go on! Despite a sudden weather change, our bike tour of Long Valley on May 6th, with Hayley Fitzpatrick of the University of Oslo, was a success! While it snowed in nearby Mammoth, it was a brisk but beautiful day in Long Valley with a fun and involved group ready to discuss creative approaches to resilience in the Eastern Sierra. Thank you to all who showed up, despite the weather, and got involved with Hayley's research and this coalition. Couldn't join us this time? Stay tuned to this newsletter for similar events in the near future!
-
Without Water is Now Streaming Online!
Can't make it to a film festival showing Without Water? Good news: You can now watch our film for FREE, online, anytime!
Help us in a big way by doing something small: Spread the message of Keep Long Valley Green by simply sending people in your contacts (and especially Los Angeles residents) the link to Without Water: https://youtu.be/ThJ9HW9yf-w
