The oklahoma department of wildlife conservation will subaward this grant to the oklahoma conservation commission OCC

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $158,600.03 Formula Grant under the State Wildlife Grants (CFDA 15.634) program to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC). ODWC will subaward this grant to the Oklahoma Conservation Commission (OCC) to rank the top 30-50 road crossings that function as barriers for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in the Kiamichi River subbasin of southeastern Oklahoma. The project will utilize OCC's existing fish community database and SGCN species distribution modeling to target road crossings for assessment using the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership barrier prioritization tool. Approximately 100 random barrier assessments will be conducted, and the likelihood of the remaining unassessed crossings acting as barriers will be modeled. Follow-up barrier assessments, fish surveys, and genetic testing will validate the model's accuracy and quantify the barrier impacts on SGCN population dynamics and community composition. The project aims to identify and prioritize barrier crossings for replacement through OCC's unpaved roads program in collaboration with local stakeholders.

The goal of this project is to rank the top 30 to 50 road crossings that function as barriers for species of greatest conservation need sgcn in the kiamichi subbasin. This project will utilize and build on the extensive fish community database the oklahoma conservation commission has developed in tracking the extent and trend of non point source pollution. OCC plans to utilize existing fish community data and ongoing sgcn species distribution modeling to target road crossings for application of the southeast aquatic resources partnership sarp barrier prioritization tool. Due to the extensive number of road crossings in the study area we will complete approximately 100 random barrier assessments and model the likelihood the remaining unassessed crossings act as barriers. Model accuracy will be validated with follow up barrier assessments and fish surveys and genetic testing will be completed to quantify barrier impacts on population dynamics and community composition. Crossings identified as barriers for sgcns can be immediately prioritized and targeted for replacement through the OCC unpaved roads program in collaboration with county commissioners and other road managers. The study area includes the kiamichi river subbasin in southeast oklahoma.