Overview: The Bruneau hot springsnail was first discovered in 1952 in the lower reaches of Hot Spring, a tributary of the Bruneau River. It has since only been found in small (0.15 - 37 m2) thermal springs along a 5-mile portion of the Bruneau River, as well as the lower third of Hot Spring. The Bruneau snail is at home in waters ranging from 15 to 37oC (60 to 98.5o F), grazing on the algae and diatoms on the floor of the river-bed. This little snail has been in "hot water" politically as well. The Bruneau snail was first federally listed as endangered in January of 1993, but this ruling encountered fierce opposition from Idahoan farmers and ranchers who were, as a result, restricted from pumping the Bruneau River waters for irrigation purposes. In December of the same year, the Idaho District Court succeeded in delisting the snail. However, in 1995, the Court of Appeals overturned Idaho's ruling and tentatively re-listed the snail as endangered pending review of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's original decision to list the snail. On June 17, 1998, the listing of the Bruneau hot springsnail as endangered throughout its range was reconfirmed. The primary threat to this species continues to be agriculture-related ground-water withdrawal and pumping. As the Bruneau Valley Aquifer is depleted, the geo-thermal springs that are essential to the survival of this snail cease to flow and become filled with sediment. Many springs, including the area where the Bruneau hot springsnail was originally discovered, have since dried up and no longer provide suitable snail habitat. Recovery plans for the Bruneau hot springsnail include ground-water management and monitoring, which is outlined in the Snake River Recovery Plan. You can click on the following link to view this plan: http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/recplans/index.htm. For a detailed account of this snail's ecology and the legal battles fought on its behalf, check out the USFWS at http://endangered.fws.gov/r/fr93489.html.
