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56 3. The status of Crenichthys nevadae and Railroad Valley petroleum exploration. Kurt Ballantyne reported as follows: BIM is in the process of updating the Railroad Valley Habitat Management Plan. Since the Plan was written in 1973, several problems have arisen: a. Oil exploration and development. Approximately 20 wells have been drilled since June, 1976, 10 of which are now producing 960,000 barrels per month. b. Discovery of 70 acres of fenced public lands at Lockes Ranch, on which 3 spring sources are located (North Spring and North and South Reynolds), all containing springfish. c. Elimination of a reservoir population of White River spinedace (Lepidomeda albivallis) owing to an introduction of Sacramento perch (Archoplites interruptus). Inasmuch as the spinedace are not indigenous to the Railroad Valley area, tk?eir loss is of no great concern. However, the existence of the exotic andtghly predaceous Archoplites is viewed with concern because of the likelihood of unauthorized transplants to waters containing Crenichthys and Gila. Oil exploration and development per se seem not to be a major problem at this time. Associated human disturbance appears to be the greatest threat. Council action relative to this subject includes the following proposals: a. A letter urging funding for taxonomic work on the Gila and Crenichthys populations should be directed to the Nevada State Director of BIM. This work could be done at U.N. Las Vegas or the University of Michigan. b. A letter will be sent to the BIM Battle Mountain District Manager endorsing the construction of fish barriers as necessary to protect the indigenous fishes of Railroad Valley and emphasizing the general policy opposing transplants out of natural drainage systems. The eradication of Sacramento perch and restocking of endemic Gila will be urged for Big Well Channel. c. The Council will support the purchase or exchange of Lockes Ranch through the BLM planning process. 4. Recent surveys of Ash Meadows Cyprinodon and R. o. nevadensis populations. Doug Selby's report follows: Under a cooperative agreement between UNLV and USFWS I have been conducting a survey of the Ash Meadows ichthyofauna. The survey is not yet complete; the following is a brief summary of progress to date. Since cessation of pumping from wells on Spring Meadows properties (recently purchased by Calvada developers) the springs have shown rapid recovery. All of the springs examined thus far have been full and flowing well. Unfortunately, the outlook is not so encouraging for the native fishes. Most of the springs contained large numbers of exotic species including crayfish, mollies, mosquitofish, and the Oriental snail, Melanoides. In spite of this