(Downingia Concoler Ssp, Brevior) at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
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Habitat Restoration and Enhancement for the Cuyamaca Lake Downingia (Downingia concoler ssp, brevior) at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Prepared by: Ellen T. Bauder, PhD Department of Biology San Diego State University San Diego, CA 92182-4614 Assisted by: David Bainbridge and Steven P. Netto Department of Biology San Diego State University San Diego, CA 92162-4614 Prepared for: California Department of Fish and Game Natural Heritage Division Endangered Plant Program 1416 Ninth Street Sacramento, CA 95814-2090 • Funded by: Emergency Drought Relief Project Contract # CA HER 022593 September 1994 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLES ............................................................................................................................................... i v FIGURES .............................................................................................................................................. Iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................................................... v ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................... vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ v iii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTIONAND PROJECTOBJECTIVES.................................................................. 1 1.1. PROJECT OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................... 1 1.2. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 2 1.2.1. The species Downingia concolor ssp. brevior ................................................................... 2 1.2.2. Meadow Characteristics ................................................................................. 2 _. 1,2.2.1. Hydrology and Vegetation ................................................................ 3 1.2.2.2. Factors Determining Meadow Hydrology ........................................ 4 1.2.2.2.1. Topography ...................................................................... 4 1.2.2.2.2. Precipitation ................................................................... 5 1.2.2.2.3. Soils................................................................................. 5 1.2.2.3. Meadow Hydrology-Summary ......................................................... 6 1.2.3. Cuyamaca Valley Meadows .............................................................................. 8 1.2.3.1. Hydrology ........................................................................................ 8 1.2.3.2. Downingia concolor ssp. brevior Distribution and the Hydrologic Regime ................................................................................................ 9 1.2.3.3. Soils in Cuyamaca Meadows ............................................................ 1 1 CHAPTER2. HABITAT DEGRADATIONAND LOSS................................................................................ 1 3 2.1. EROSION AND ARROYO FORMATION IN THE WEST ......................................................... 1 3 2.1.1. The Role of Weather Patterns and Climate Change ......................................... 1 4 2.1.2. Changes in Land Use........................................................................................ 1 5 2.2. HISTORICLAND USE AT CUYAMACA .................................................. i............................ 1 6 CHAPTER3. HABITAT RESTORATIONAND ENHANCEMENT................................................................ 1 9 3.!. MEADOW AND RIPARIAN RESTORATION METHODS............... i........................................1 9 3.1.1. Erosion Control Structures for Gullies ......................................................... 1 9 3.1.2. Ground Water Monitoring .............................................................................. 2 1 3.1.3. Restoration Projects in Areas Similar to Cuyamaca ..................................... 2 3 3.2. SELECTION OF RESTORATION SITES............................................................................... 2 5 ii 3.2.1. Little Stonewall Creek Watershed...:. .............. .......... i......-............... .. ............. 25 3.2.2. Minshall Drainage ................................................................... ....................... 28 3.2.3. Paso Picacho Meadow...................................................................................... 28 CHAPTER4. RESTORATION/ENHANCEMENTACTIONS....................................................................... 31 4.1. PASO PICACHO MEADOW................................................................................................ 31 4.1.1. Erosion Control-Design and Installation ....................................................... 31 4.1.2. Hydrology Monitoring Instruments ............................................................... 41 4.1.3. Seed Introduction ............................................................................................ 42 4.1.4. Trail Rehabilitation ........................................................ ............................... 42 4.2. MINSHALL DRAINAGE ..................................................................................................... 48 4.3. LITTLE STONEWALL CREEK WATERSHED ...................................................................... 48 CHAPTER5. GENERALRECOMMENDATIONS............. ......................................................................... 50 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................... i ......................................................... 51 iii T!L j TABLES TABLE 1. HYDROLOGICCLASSIFICATIONOF MEADOWSITESINTHE SIERRANEVADA, CAUFORNIA ........................................................................................................................... 7 TABLE 2. MAP INDEX WITH CHANNEL DIMENSIONS AND PLACEMENT OF TREATMENTS ................. 3 3 FIGURES FIGURE1. AERIALPHOTOGRAPHOFTHE PASOPICACHOMEADOW,CUYAMACARANCHO STATE PARK ............................................................................................................................ 1 0 FIGURE2. EROSION CONTROLSTRUCTURESA)SPACING,B) FF.ATURES........................................ 2 0 FIGURE3. DOWNINGIACONCOLORSSP.BREVIORHABITATAND LOCATIONOFRESORATION PROJECTS .............................................................................................................................. 2 6 FIGURE4. MAP OF MEADOWNORTH OFPASOPICACHOGROUPCAMP,CUYAMACARANCHO STATE PARK ............................................................................................................................ 3 0 FIGURE5. IN-CHANNELCROSS SECTIONSIN MEADOWNORTHOF PASOPICACHOGROUP CAMP, CUYAMACA RANCHO STATE PARK ................................................................................ 3 2 FIGURE6. PERPENDICULARCROSS SECTIONSOF CHANNELA-A' ................................................... 3 6 FIGURE 7. PERPENDICULAR CROSS SECTIONSOF CHANNELB-B' .................................................. 3 7 FIGURE8. PHOTOSOFTREATMENTSAT PASOPICACHOGROUPCAMP,CUYAMACARANCHO STATE PARK............................................................................................................................ 3 9 FIGURE9. PHOTOSOF TREATMENTSAT PASOPICACHOGROUPCAMP,CUYAMACARANCHO STATE PARK ............................................................................................................................ 4 0 FIGURE 10. PIEZOMETER DESIGN AT MAP LOCATIONS71 and 72................................................... 4 3 FIGURE 11. PIEZOMETER DESIGN AT MAP LOCATION 73 ................................................................. 4 4 FIGURE 12. PIEZOMETER DESIGN AT MAP LOCATION74................................................................. 4 5 FIGURE 13. PIEZOMETER NEST DESIGN AT MAP LOCATION75........................................................ 4 6 FIGURE 14. WELL DESIGN AND BOREHOLE LOGAT MAP LOCATION76 ........................................... 4 7 iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This restoration and enhancement project was funded by the Emergency Drought Relief Project. I would like to thank Mr. Michael Golden and Ms Diane Steeck, Administrators of the Drought Relief Project for The Nature Conservancy, for their support, attention to detail and e!ficiency. Ms Steeck was exceptionally patient and helpful. Mr. Jim Dice, Regional Plant Ecologist for the Department of Fish and Game, provided effective local oversight. The idea for this project was developed under his guidance as plant ecologist for the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Mr. Bill Tippets and Mr. Jack Shu, also with Parks and Recreation at that time, provided important input in the development stage. When the actual restoration efforts began, new personnel were overseeing Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. I appreciate the assistance of Mr. Greg Picard, Park Superintendent, and Mr. Paul Jorgensen, Resource Ecologist. The Helix Water District and Lake Cuyamaca Recreation and Park District allowed us access to Downingia habitat on their land so that we could make seed collections and map the species. Seed collection was done with a California Department of Fish and Game permit and California Department of Parks and Recreation collecting permit. Ms Ronilee Clark aided in the preparation and filing of CEQA documentation, and