Topeka Shiner Monitoring in Minnesota: 2014

In response to a range-wide decline in abundance and distribution, the Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka) was designated as a federally endangered species in 1999. In 2004, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources began a presence/absence survey effort to monitor Minnesota populations of Topeka Shiners at randomly selected sites within the federally designated critical habitat for the species. Averaged over the first seven years of monitoring from 2004-2010, Topeka shiners were present at 76.4% of randomly selected reaches of streams. Monitoring surveys conducted in 2012, and 2013 fell below the overall average at 40% and 30% respectively. Herein, results are presented for Topeka shiner monitoring surveys conducted in 2014 in which Topeka shiners were found at 45% of randomly selected segments. Results from this and previous sampling efforts are indicative of a decline in Minnesota populations of Topeka shiners. Expanded monitoring and survey efforts are recommended