Terrestrial Turtle Habitats Potentially Impacted.

Abstract : Changing water levels or other operations at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) reservoirs may impact critical habitat parameters for terrestrial turtle species. This technical note identifies terrestrial turtle species and habitats potentially impacted by USACE reservoir or other water-control projects as reported by resource managers. Current state and/or Federal legal protection status as well as the distribution of USACE Districts and reservoir projects potentially impacted by terrestrial turtle conservation issues are summarized. Life-history summaries and habitat requirement descriptions are given for each terrestrial turtle species identified as potentially impacted at reservoir operations. This group includes the tortoises and box turtles with two species Federally threatened and three species having protection in at least one state. Three of these protected species are associated with environmental issues at 21 USACE projects from 5 USACE Districts.