Appendix I Focused Biological Surveys and Wetland Delineation

Focused Biological Surveys and Wetland Delineation for the Santa Maria Integrated Waste Management Facility, Los Flores Ranch, Santa Barbara County, California

Prepared for: City of Santa Maria

Prepared by: Rincon Consultants, Inc.

July 2009

Focused Biological Surveys and Wetland Delineation for the Santa Maria Integrated Waste Management Facility, Los Flores Ranch, Santa Barbara County, California

Submitted to:

City of Santa Maria Utilities Department 2065 East Main Street Santa Maria, CA 93454

Submitted by:

Rincon Consultants, Inc. 1530 Monterey Street, Suite D San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Contact: Susan V. Christopher Kevin Merk

July 2009 Rincon Project Number 06-91690

Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Rincon Consultants, Inc. conducted focused surveys for special status and common biological resources on the proposed Santa Maria Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) project site, hereafter referred to as the “site” or “property.” The 1,774-acre property is located within the Solomon Hills, approximately 6.5 miles southeast of the unincorporated community of Orcutt and immediately east of Highway 101 in northern Santa Barbara County. The project footprint of the proposed IWMF is comprised of approximately 617 acres that would include a landfill, soil stockpile areas, and associated infrastructure within the central eastern portion of the property. The remaining areas of the property would remain in ownership by the City of Santa Maria, and would be used for passive recreation and preserved as mitigation areas. Focused surveys were conducted for special status plant and animal species. Botanical surveys were conducted over two growing seasons, and the locations of special status plant species and habitat types were mapped. An oak tree inventory was conducted for all areas within the proposed IWMF project footprint, which included tagging, measuring and mapping individual coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) trees. A wetland delineation was conducted on the site to determine areas under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), and Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). A soils map was prepared using available data. One protocol upland survey for the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) was conducted at a topographic depression. Two protocol wet season surveys for listed branchiopod species, particularly the vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), was conducted at 12 pools on the property. Terrestrial amphibian and reptile surveys included focused visual surveys and searches of cover objects. Amphibians were also detected during the course of the vernal pool fairy shrimp surveys. Bird and mammal surveys were generally conducted concurrent to other surveys. Although the property has been disturbed by past oil exploration activities, a large proportion of the site containing natural habitats that support wildlife remained relatively intact and disturbed areas have undergone natural recovery. Moderately high levels of cattle grazing have resulted in degraded grassland and wetland habitats, poor oak regeneration, and likely contributed to erosion along drainages. Nevertheless, the property contained nine natural habitats including oak woodland, coastal scrub, maritime chaparral, riparian, wetland, valley needlegrass grassland, and mulefat scrub. Naturalized habitats included non-native grassland and eucalyptus, and areas with iceplant and ruderal habitat also were present. Three of these habitat types are considered to be special status by the DFG (maritime chaparral [central maritime chaparral], 58.5 acres; riparian [Central Coast arroyo willow riparian forest], 4.3 acres; and valley needlegrass grassland, 14.4 acres). Two additional habitats, mulefat scrub and wetland, are protected when other jurisdictional parameters are met. Five special status plant species and 11 special status animal species were detected on the property during the surveys. Five special status animal species are expected to occur on the property, but were not found during the surveys. Six animal species could potentially occur or are unlikely to occur, and were not detected during the surveys. Two of the species in the “unlikely” category include the California tiger salamander and the vernal pool fairy shrimp, both of which are federally listed species. Special status plant species observed on the site included the paniculate tarplant (Deinandra paniculata), mesa horkelia (Horkelia cuneata ssp. puberula), California spineflower (Mucronea californica), dune larkspur (Delphinium parryi ssp. blochmaniae), and La Purisima manzanita

City of Santa Maria i Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

(Arctostaphylos purissima). None of these species are federally listed; however, California spineflower and paniculate tarplant are identified as California Native Plant Society List 4 species, and the other species are identified as List 1B species. Mesa horkelia, dune larkspur, and La Purisima manzanita occurred only in the northern part of the property. The total number of individual oak trees inventoried was 3,181, and were represented by 5,595 trunks that were at least four inches diameter at breast height. A majority (51%) of the trees were large, mature individuals. Jurisdictional wetlands on the property were confined to drainages that were considered to be waters of the U.S. and state of California. There were approximately 12.23 acres of wetland waters (including riparian and mulefat scrub areas within drainages) and 4.18 acres (25,553 linear feet) of non-wetland waters that were determined to fall under the jurisdiction of the Corps, RWQCB, and DFG on the property. In addition, approximately 1.41 acres of isolated wetlands were identified that may fall under RWQCB jurisdiction under pending policy. The results of the present study suggest that California tiger salamanders are unlikely to occur on the property. The site is within the region occupied by this species, and therefore, the presence of occasional transient individuals cannot be ruled out at this time. No compelling evidence exists that California tiger salamanders use upland areas on the site. No California tiger salamanders were observed during the upland drift fence survey. The topographic depression did not fill with standing water at any time during 2006/2007, but rainfall was only 37% of normal this season. Because there was no standing water, aquatic sampling could not be performed. Common species of amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals were caught in the traps, as well as a western spadefoot (Spea hammondii), a California species of special concern toad species. Based on several years of study, suitable aquatic breeding sites for the California tiger salamander do not appear to exist on the property, with the possible exception of a detention basin in the southern portion of the property along Highway 101. This pond was sampled intensively for two years during the listed vernal pool branchiopod surveys, and California tiger salamanders were not present. There are a few recorded occurrences of the California tiger salamander within this species’ dispersal distance (1.2-miles) of the southern portion of the property, and this area is outside of the proposed landfill footprint. The property does not occur within the upland area that California tiger salamanders typically move from breeding ponds (2,034-feet) for these known locations. In addition, salamanders from these populations would need to cross Highway 101 to access the property, which further reduces the potential for this species to occur on-site. Furthermore, the topography of most of the site is probably too steep since California tiger salamanders generally occur in low-lying areas. There is a slight possibility that California tiger salamanders could inhabit other adjacent sites that have not been documented. Therefore, there is very low potential that California tiger salamanders could use eastern and southern portions of the site for upland refuge and dispersal. The focused survey results suggest that listed vernal pool branchiopods are unlikely to occur on-site. No vernal pool branchiopods were observed in any of the pools during the sampling that was conducted over two years. The surveys met the requirements under the protocol to be considered a full survey for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make a presence/absence determination. Although rainfall was below normal, five pools in 2008 and five pools in 2009 experienced inundation long enough for vernal pool fairy shrimp to complete their life cycle. Therefore, this species would have been detected during the surveys if they were present on-

City of Santa Maria ii Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

site. Invertebrate taxa observed included corixids, ostracods, rotifers, chironomids, dystiscid larvae and adult beetles, notonectids, midge larvae, and mosquito larvae. Eggs and larvae of the western spadefoot, were found at three pools. Both survey years had below normal precipitation, however, and no tadpoles survived to metamorphosis before the pools dried up. Northern Pacific treefrog (Pseudacris regilla) eggs and tadpoles also were detected in the pools. No listed vernal pool branchiopods are recorded from the vicinity of the site, and the nearest locations of vernal pool fairy shrimp are from Vandenberg Air Force Base and the Santa Maria Airport. Special status bird species that were observed on the property include: California horned lark (Eremophila alpestris), Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis), northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus), Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni), and white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus). Nests of these and most other bird species are protected under California Fish and Game Code, Bald Eagle Protection Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Wintering habitat of some of the special status species may also be protected. Other special status animal species observed on the site include Blainville’s horned lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii), and monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Since only winter roost sites of the monarch butterfly are considered sensitive, and these sites do not exist on the property, individual monarchs observed on the property would not be considered special status. The Blainville’s horned lizard appears to be fairly widely distributed on the property. Western spadefoot, larvae were found in three artificial pools on the site. Adults occupy burrows in upland habitats during dry periods, and they may disperse considerable distances away from breeding ponds to upland aestivation habitat. Therefore, this species is likely to be found throughout most areas of the site. Additional special status animal species that are likely to occur on the site, but were not detected during the surveys, include the California legless lizard (Anniella pulchra), burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), American badger (Taxidea taxus), pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus), Townsend’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii), and western red bat (Lasirus blossevilli).

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City of Santa Maria iv Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary ...... i

1.0 Introduction ...... 1 1.1 Study Area ...... 1 1.2 Project Background ...... 4 2.0 Habitat Types, Floristic Inventory, and Rare Plant Survey ...... 4 2.1 Methods ...... 4 2.2 Results ...... 5 2.2.1 Habitat Types ...... 5 2.2.2 Special Status Plant Species ...... 11 3.0 Oak Tree Inventory ...... 19 3.1 Methods ...... 19 3.2 Results ...... 19 4.0 Wetland Delineation ...... 19 4.1 Methods ...... 23 4.2 Results ...... 24 4.2.1 Soils ...... 24 4.2.2 Jurisdictional Delineation ...... 28 5.0 California Tiger Salamander Protocol Surveys ...... 37 5.1 Methods ...... 37 5.2 Results and Discussion ...... 39 5.3 Conclusions ...... 41 6.0 Listed Vernal Pool Branchiopod Protocol Surveys ...... 43 6.1 Methods ...... 43 6.2 Results ...... 43 6.3 Conclusions ...... 47 7.0 General Animal Species Surveys ...... 47 7.1 Methods ...... 47 7.2 Results ...... 48 8.0 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 63 9.0 Literature Cited ...... 66

Figures Figure 1-1 Project Vicinity Map ...... 2 Figure 1-2 Site Location Map ...... 3 Figure 2-1 Habitat Map ...... 7 Figure 2-2 Rare Plant Occurrences ...... 17 Figure 3-1 Oak Tree Inventory Map ...... 21 Figure 4-1 Soils Map ...... 25 Figure 4-2 Wetland Delineation Map ...... 31 Figure 5-1 CTS Drift Fence Location ...... 38 Figure 5-2 CTS Occurrences ...... 42 Figure 6-1 Vernal Pool Location Map ...... 45

City of Santa Maria v Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Figure 7-1 Sensitive Animal Species Map ...... 55

Tables Table 2-1 Special Status Plant Communities ...... 5 Table 2-2 Special Status Plant Species ...... 11 Table 4-1 Summary of Corps, RWQCB and DFG Jurisdictional Areas ...... 33 Table 4-2 Non-jurisdictional Isolated Wetlands ...... 33 Table 7-1 Special Status Animal Species ...... 48

Appendices Appendix A List of Plant and Animal Species Observed Appendix B Oak Tree Data Appendix C Wetlands Regulatory Overview and Definitions Appendix D Wetland Delineation Data Sheets Appendix E California Tiger Salamander Pitfall Trapping Data Sheets Appendix F Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp 90-day Report (J. Thomas) Appendix G Photo Plate Appendix H Rincon Consultants, Inc. (2004) Biological Resources Assessment Rincon Consultants (2006) Spring 2006 Site Inspection for Site 1 in the City of Santa Maria’s Landfill Siting Project

City of Santa Maria vi Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Study Area The study area for the proposed Santa Maria Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) project was 1,774 acres owned by the City of Santa Maria (City) within the Solomon Hills in northern Santa Barbara County (also referred to as “site” or “property”; Figure 1-1). The site is approximately 16 miles east of the Pacific Ocean, 5 miles southeast of the unincorporated community of Orcutt, and immediately east of Highway 101 (Figure 1-2). The property is represented by Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 101-030-010, 101-030-013, and 101-030-014. Four sites were identified by the City as potentially suitable locations for a future landfill in the Solomon Hills, and Rincon Consultants, Inc. (2004; Appendix H) evaluated the biological resources on these sites and the potential for impacts to these resources from the project. The selected location comprises areas previously referred to as Sites 1 and 3 (Rincon Consultants, Inc. 2004). The project footprint of the IWMF would be comprised of 617 acres that would include a landfill, soil stockpile areas, and associated infrastructure within the central eastern portion of the property. The site is on the Los Flores Ranch, which was purchased by the City from the Chevron Company. The property was part of the Cat Canyon Oil Field. The property is bordered to the north by undeveloped land, existing oil fields and Dominion Road; to the south by undeveloped land and existing oil fields; to the east by Dominion and Palmer Roads, undeveloped land and operating oil fields; and, to the west by Highway 101 with undeveloped land on the west side of Highway 101. The surrounding areas primarily support grassland, coastal scrub, oak woodland, riparian and wetland habitat types, and also contains ruderal or disturbed areas resulting from decades of oil and gas exploration as well as livestock grazing. Beginning approximately 2 miles to the northwest of the site is rural residential and suburban housing tracts, and further north is urban development within Orcutt and Santa Maria. Vineyards comprise a significant portion of the agricultural land use in the region, especially south of the property near the town of Los Alamos. The area is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Average annual precipitation in the Santa Maria Valley region and the Solomon Hills is approximately 15 inches, most of which falls between November and March (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2009). The topography of the property consists of gently rolling hills and low valleys. Elevations on the site range from 713 to 1260 feet above mean sea level. On-site soils include sand, loamy sand, loam, shaly loam, sandy loam, and clay loam (see Section 4.2.1). The habitat types on-site that include grassland, oak woodland, coastal scrub, maritime chaparral, riparian, wetland and ruderal (see Section 2.0). Several unnamed, ephemeral drainages occur within the project site, and discharge into Cat Canyon Creek, Bradley Canyon Creek, Orcutt Creek and Canada de las Flores (see Section 4.2.2). A small topographic depression was identified on a ridgeline in the center of the study area, and was assessed for potential vernal pool habitat. Review of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sisquoc, California 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle indicated that this area contained water seasonally; however, standing water greater than a few centimeters deep has not been observed over a period of five years (see Sections 5.2 and 6.2). Moreover, the depression is vegetated by upland grass species, and does not contain wetland vegetation (see Section 4.2.2). Unpaved roads and those that have been surfaced with oil provide access to much of the property. Two active oil transmission pipelines cross the property and are managed by an oil

City of Santa Maria 1 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Recources Study

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Base map source: U.S. Bureau of the Census Tiger 2000 data and ESRI, 2004.

Regional Location Figure 1-1 City of Santa Maria Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Base map source: National Geographic TOPO!, 2004.

010.25 0.5 0.75 Miles Project Boundary ±

Vicinity Map Figure 1-2 City of Santa Maria Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

production company. An area in the northernmost portion of the property is leased out for oil exploration and is currently in production. Most of the other former oil extraction facilities have been removed. Disturbance that is still evident from former oil extraction includes areas of hardened petroleum from oil spills down creeks and hillsides; old well pads with disturbed soils and ruderal vegetation; extensive areas of fill that have naturally undergone revegetation; old pipelines; and, eroded areas associated with roads and borrow sites. A natural gas line also crosses the northeastern portion of the property. Local cattle ranchers use the property for livestock grazing, and the property is fenced and contains a corral near Highway 101. Intensive cattle grazing has also contributed to erosion within drainages, degraded grassland and wetland habitats, and poor seedling survivorship in oak woodlands. The City of Santa Maria Department of Parks and Recreation has recently opened the property to public access for passive recreational use. Several related site improvements have been made, such as the installation of a modular building for an office/visitor’s center, road improvements, erosion control at culverts, signage, and the creation of a parking area at the Dominion Road gate. 1.2 Project Background Four sites in the Solomon Hills were identified by the City of Santa Maria (City) as potentially suitable locations for a future landfill. Rincon Consultants, Inc. (2004; Appendix H) evaluated the biological resource issues associated with these sites. The report identified the habitat types, drainages, and soils, and evaluated the potential for special status species to occur. Recommendations resulting from the study included performing focused surveys for special status species, and a wetland delineation to determine jurisdictional waters of the U.S. and state of California on the site. Subsequently, the City purchased Site 1, and requested that Rincon Consultants, Inc. (Rincon) to perform these focused studies on the site. This report details the methods and results of focused field surveys, including: 1) a floristic inventory and rare plant survey; 2) an oak tree inventory; 3) a wetland delineation; 4) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) protocol surveys for the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense); 5) USFWS protocol wet season surveys for listed vernal pool branchiopods; and 6) general and special status animal species surveys. Prior to conducting field surveys, Rincon biologists reviewed the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Sisquoc, California 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle, aerial photography of the study area provided by the City of Santa Maria (2004), the Web Soil Survey (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2008), and query results from the California Natural Diversity Data Base (CNDDB; California Department of Fish and Game 2008) for information on special status species occurrences within the Sisquoc, California and eight surrounding 7.5-minute quadrangles. Within this report, special status species are those plants and animals listed, proposed or candidates for listing as threatened or endangered by the USFWS under the federal Endangered Species Act; plants and animals listed as threatened, endangered or candidates by the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) under the California Endangered Species Act; rare plants listed by the DFG under the California Endangered Species Act (California Department of Fish and Game 2009a); plants listed on the California Native Plant Society’s (CNPS; 2008) Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California; animals designated as Species of Special Concern or Fully Protected by the California Department of Fish and Game (2009b); and bird species listed on the Watch List by the United States Bird Conservation (USBC) group (as included in California Department of Fish and Game 2009b).

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2.0 HABITAT TYPES, FLORISTIC INVENTORY, AND RARE PLANT SURVEY 2.1 Methods

The habitat type characterization, floristic inventory, and rare plant surveys were conducted by Rincon biologists Dr. Susan Christopher, Kevin Merk and John Davis, IV. Surveys were conducted by walking transects through representative areas of all plant communities and thoroughly covering the proposed landfill footprint area to evaluate the floristic composition of each particular area. Areas of special interest, such as wetlands, drainages, ravines, and areas containing special status plant communities were thoroughly searched. Rare plants and special status plant communities were mapped using a Trimble GeoXT Global Positioning System (GPS) unit with submeter accuracy. Point and polygon data were transferred to digital aerial photography through use of ArcGIS (ESRI). Habitat types were mapped in the field by ground- truthing vegetation signatures and boundaries evident on aerial photography and delineating the boundaries of habitat polygons onto field maps. The habitat polygons were digitized and acreages of these resources were estimated using ArcGIS. Classification of the on-site habitat types or plant communities was based on Holland (1986) and cross-referenced with Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995). The initial botanical surveys and habitat mapping were conducted on the following dates: 11 April, 17 April, 26 April, 4 May, 9 May, and 7 June 2007. During this time, Rincon biologists also conducted biological monitoring for a geologic investigation of the site, logging more than 300 hours onsite during which additional observations were recorded. Due to substantially below normal precipitation in 2006/2007, it was anticipated that some annual plant species may not have been detected during the 2007 surveys. Therefore, additional plant surveys and mapping were conducted the following year on 17 July, 24 July, and 11 September 2008. 2.2 Results 2.2.1 Habitat Types The habitat types identified within the study area include: non-native grassland, oak woodland, coastal scrub, maritime chaparral, riparian, wetland, ruderal (or disturbed), valley needlegrass grassland, mulefat scrub, eucalyptus, iceplant, and agriculture. Five of these habitat types are considered to be special status (Table 2-1). A habitat map of the study area showing the distribution of these plant communities is provided in Figure 2-1, and each habitat type is described in greater detail below.

Table 2-1. Special Status Plant Communities Observed at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility

Approx. Community Status1 Occurrence Acres Maritime Chaparral DFG Special Status Community Ridges in the northeastern (Central Maritime part of the site 58.5 Chaparral) Mulefat Scrub Corps, RWQCB and DFG Jurisdiction Associated with drainages; in when other wetland parameters are isolated scattered patches or 0.3 met adjacent to riparian Riparian DFG Special Status Community; Along drainages (Central Coast Arroyo Corps, RWQCB and DFG jurisdiction 4.3 Willow Riparian Forest) when in jurisdictional drainages

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Table 2-1. Special Status Plant Communities Observed at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility

Approx. Community Status1 Occurrence Acres Wetland Corps, RWQCB and DFG Jurisdiction Associated with drainages throughout the property, and also present in artificial 9.7 impoundments and isolated seeps Valley Needlegrass DFG Special Status Community Hillsides and mixed with Grassland coastal scrub in the central part and in areas recovering 14.4 from disturbance in the northeastern part of the property 1 DFG = California Department of Fish and Game; Corps = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; RWQCB = Regional Water Quality Control Board

Non-native Grassland Within the study area, the non-native grassland habitat type as described by Holland (1986) corresponds to the California annual grassland series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995). This habitat type consisted of non-native annual grasses, such as various species of bromes (Bromus diandrus, B. madritensis ssp. rubens, and B. hordeaceus), slender wild oats (Avena barbata), barnyard foxtail (Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum), and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum). Non-native broad-leaved plants such as filaree (Erodium spp.) and summer mustard (Hirschfeldia incana) were also common. Occasional native plants such as lupines (Lupinus spp.) and fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii ssp. intermedia) were also present. Tarplant species (Deinandra paniculata, D. fasciculata, and D. increscens ssp. increscens) were widespread in this habitat type throughout the summer and fall. Non-native grassland was the most widespread habitat type and occupied approximately 941.0 acres. Valley Needlegrass Grassland Valley needlegrass grassland was described as such by Holland (1986), and corresponds with the purple needlegrass series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995). Valley needlegrass grassland contains at least 10% cover by purple needlegrass (Nassella pulchra), and also has other native and non-native grasses and forbs that typically occur in the non-native grassland habitat type. Some areas of valley needlegrass grassland on-site were interspersed within coastal scrub habitat. Areas containing valley needlegrass grassland were not easily accessible to cattle, such as on hillsides or among coastal scrub shrubs. It was present along the hillside and ridgeline to the southeast of the current access road from Highway 101, and in disturbed areas in the northeastern corner of the property (Figure 2-1). Valley needlegrass grassland is considered a rare plant community by the DFG. It occupied approximately 14.4 acres on-site. Oak Woodland The oak woodland habitat type corresponds to coast live oak woodland as described by Holland (1986) and the coast live oak series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995). Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) was the only oak species present within this habitat type on-site. During the oak tree inventory described in Section 3.0, more than 3,100 oak trees greater than four inches diameter at breast height (DBH) were identified within the proposed IWMF site.

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Property Boundary Habitat Types Maritime Chaparral Active Lease Area Mapped Agriculture Mulefat Scrub from Aerial Photo Only Coastal Scrub Oak Woodland Drainage Eucalyptus Ruderal/Disturbed Non-Native Grassland Riparian ± Iceplant Valley Needlegrass Grassland 01,000500 Feet Wetland

Image Source: City of Santa Maria, 2004.

Habitat Map Figure 2-1 City of Santa Maria

Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Most oak woodland areas within the property had a mostly closed canopy, but isolated individuals and clusters of oak trees were also present throughout grassland areas. Most oak woodland areas lacked seedlings and saplings (i.e., young trees) likely due to impacts from cattle grazing. Coast live oaks were also a component of the maritime chaparral and riparian habitat types. The understory within the oak woodland habitat was composed primarily of non-native annual grasses (slender wild oats, bromes [Bromus spp.], etc.) and nettles (Stachys sp. and Urtica urens). This plant community was primarily distributed on north- and east-facing slopes of the project site, and in valleys with intermittent drainages. Oak woodland occupied approximately 157.9 acres on the property. Coastal Scrub The coastal scrub habitat type corresponds to central (Lucian) coastal scrub described by Holland (1986) and the coyote brush series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995). It was dominated by coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis var. consanguinea) and California sage brush (Artemisia californica). Occurrences of sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus), western poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), goldenbush (Isocoma menziesii), and California coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica) were also present. This habitat type intergraded with grassland and oak woodland habitats, and was most prevalent along the drier south-facing slopes. Coastal scrub was present on approximately 510.6 acres of the property. Maritime Chaparral Maritime chaparral observed in the project site corresponds to the central maritime chaparral vegetation community described by Holland (1986), and most closely corresponds to the woolly-leaf manzanita series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995). The on-site maritime chaparral habitat type was dominated by La Purisima manzanita (Arctostaphylos purissima), chamise (Adenostoma fasciculata), buckbrush (Ceanothus cuneatus), prickly phlox (Leptodactylon californicum) and California sagebrush. Sticky monkey flower, fuchsia-flowered gooseberry (Ribes speciosa), and scattered coast live oaks were also present. Native herbaceous plants observed within this habitat included narrow-leafed spineflower (Chorizanthe angustifolia), leather spineflower (Lastarriaea coriacea), rusty popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys nothofulvus), and California spineflower (Mucronea californica). This plant community is considered to be special status by the DFG. It occurred on mesas in the northeastern portion of the property (Figure 2- 1), and occupied approximately 58.5 acres on-site. Ruderal Ruderal or disturbed areas are not considered habitat types under Holland (1986), Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995), or the Wildlife Habitat Relationships System (Mayer and Laudenslayer 1988); however, ruderal is the most appropriate name to describe the vegetation in certain areas of the property. The ruderal habitat type supports many plant species that are present in the non-native grassland habitat type, with the addition of weedy non-native annual forbs such as tocalote (Centaurea melitensis) and common knotweed (Polygonum arenastrum), as well as scattered coyote brush shrubs. Ruderal habitats were observed along roads, former oil pumping pads, areas that had been filled or excavated, areas that had been heavily impacted by cattle, and eroded areas. Ruderal areas were scattered throughout the property and occupied approximately 57.3 acres.

City of Santa Maria 9 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Riparian The riparian habitat observed within the project site corresponds to several vegetation communities described by Holland (1986), including the Central Coast arroyo willow riparian forest, Central Coast riparian scrub and Central Coast live oak riparian forest. It most closely corresponds to the arroyo willow series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995). The vegetation within this habitat type is dominated by arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis). Plants found in the understory include rushes (Juncus spp.), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), and sticky baccharis (Baccharis douglasii). A single Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii) was seen in a riparian area in the northeastern corner of the property. Some riparian areas intergraded with oak woodland. Central Coast arroyo willow riparian forest is considered to be a special status plant community by the DFG. It occurred in small patches along drainages scattered throughout the property, and occupied approximately 4.3 acres. Mulefat Scrub Mulefat scrub is named as such by Holland (1986), and falls under the mulefat series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995). This habitat type is dominated by the shrub mulefat (Baccharis salicifolia), and generally occurs along intermittent stream channels or river floodplains. This habitat type often intergrades with riparian vegetation, but on-site patches of mulefat were usually separated from riparian areas. It occurred in isolated patches at the heads of drainages. The surrounding and understory habitats were non-native grassland and coastal scrub. Mulefat scrub was present on approximately 0.3 acre within the study area. Wetland The wetland habitat type observed on-site corresponds to the vernal marsh plant community described by Holland (1986). It most closely corresponds to the sedge series described by Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995), with the exception that the areas of wetland habitat observed on-site were dominated by rushes instead of sedges (Carex spp.). In the Central Coast region, this habitat type typically occurs along drainages and in seasonally moist grasslands. Native plant species observed in this habitat type included several species of rush (Juncus phaeocephalus, J. acutus, J. bufonius, J. effusus, J. tenuis and J. patens), spike rush (Eleocharis macrostachya), hyssop loosestrife (Lythrum hyssopifolia), and willow herb (Epilobium ciliatum). Jurisdictional wetland habitats are described in Section 4.0. Wetland habitats were generally present in patches along the upper portions of drainages scattered throughout the property, and occupied approximately 9.7 acres. Eucalyptus Eucalyptus is a non-native habitat type that is not described by Holland (1986) or Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995) but is widespread throughout California. It typically consists of monotypic stands of non-native blue gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) trees. Understory vegetation is sparse as a result of high canopy cover and allelopathic (growth-inhibiting) properties of the dense eucalyptus leaf and bark litter. Although eucalyptus woodlands are of limited value to most native plants and animals, they frequently provide nesting and roosting sites for many raptor species. Eucalyptus stands are also often used by over-wintering aggregations of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). Eucalyptus on-site occurred in an area that appears to be a prior home site and contained other non-native, ornamental plant species such as prickly- pear (Opuntia sp.), locust (Robinia sp.), and Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle). It occupied approximately 0.4 acre in the northeast part of the property.

City of Santa Maria 10 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Iceplant Iceplant is a non-native species that does not fall into a habitat type described by Holland (1986) or Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf (1995). It is dominated by coastal iceplant (Carpobrotus chilensis) and/or freeway iceplant (C. edulis). It typically competitively excludes native plants and replaces native plant communities. On-site, iceplant occupied approximately 2.4 acres. It was present on slopes adjacent to the freeway and on a disturbed hilltop in the northeastern part of the property. Agriculture Agriculture is an anthropogenic, frequently disturbed habitat type and includes irrigated and non-irrigated crops. This habitat type is not identified by Holland (1986) or Sawyer and Keeler- Wolf (1995), but is considered under the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (WHR) system (Mayer and Laudenslayer 1988). The agriculture areas on the property are classified as Irrigated Row and Field Crops under the WHR system (Mayer and Laudenslayer 1988). Agriculture was present on approximately 37.6 acres of the property, and occurred only within the southern end of the site. 2.2.2 Special Status Plant Species The plant surveys revealed the presence of the following special status species: paniculate tarplant (Deinandra paniculata), mesa horkelia (Horkelia cuneata ssp. puberula), California spineflower (Mucronea californica), dune larkspur (Delphinium parryi ssp. blochmaniae), and La Purisima manzanita (Arctostaphylos purissima). Table 2-2 lists special status plant species that could potentially occur in the study area and includes an evaluation of whether these species are likely to occur or were observed. The occurrences of special status plants are shown in Figure 2-2, and a complete list of the vascular plant species observed on-site is provided in Appendix A.

Table 2-2. Special Status Plant Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility Site

Status: Common Name Habitat and Blooming Federal/State/ Project Site Suitability Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Period CNPS1 Suitable habitat exists within maritime chaparral Coniferous forest, and coastal scrub chaparral, coastal scrub, habitats. Focused Black-flowered figwort coastal dunes, riparian --/--/1B.2 surveys were unable to NE (Scrophularia atrata) scrub from 32 to 820 feet locate this species, and elevation; blooms April therefore it is not through July expected to occur on- site. Coastal dune and coastal Blochman’s leafy daisy scrub habitats on sandy Found at elevations (Erigeron --/--/1B.2 soils from 10 to 150 feet lower than that of site NE blochmaniae) elevation; blooms May and closer to the ocean. through November

City of Santa Maria 11 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Table 2-2. Special Status Plant Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility Site

Status: Common Name Habitat and Blooming Federal/State/ Project Site Suitability Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Period CNPS1 Suitable habitat exists in wetland areas, but this Freshwater and alkaline species’ local distribution marshes and seeps from is extremely limited and California saw-grass --/--/2.2 197 to 1968 feet the nearest record is NE (Cladium californicum) elevation; blooms June from the vicinity of Los to September Alamos. Searches of suitable habitat did not locate this species. Observed during the Sandy soils in maritime surveys in open, sandy chaparral, oak woodland, areas within maritime California spineflower coastal scrub, and --/--/4.2 chaparral in the O (Mucronea californica) grassland from 0 to 4593 northeastern part of the feet elevation; blooms property and at the from March to August topographic depression. Suitable habitat exists Sandy soils on stabilized on-site within coastal dunes in coastal scrub scrub and maritime Dune larkspur and maritime chaparral chaparral areas, and it (Delphinium parryi ssp. --/--/1B.2 O from 0 to 656 feet was observed at one blochmaniae) elevation; blooms April to location in the May northeastern part of the property. Suitable habitat exists in maritime chaparral areas Eastwood’s brittle-leaf Sandy soils in maritime in the northeastern part manzanita chaparral from 295 to of the property, but this (Arctostaphylos --/--/1B.1 NE 1197 feet elevation; perennial species would tomentosa ssp. blooms in March have been observed eastwoodiana) during the surveys if present. Suitable habitat is present on-site, and it is Sandy soils in chaparral, known to occur in the cismontane woodland, Solomon Hills. Focused Hoover’s bent grass and valley and foothill --/--/1B.2 surveys were unable to NE (Agrostis hooveri) grassland from 200 to locate this species on- 2000 feet elevation; site, and therefore it is blooms April to July not expected to occur on the project site. Suitable habitat was identified in the marsh in the northeastern part of Marshy areas, seeps, the property and in some riparian scrub, and smaller wetland and La Graciosa thistle FE/ST/1B.1 wetland habitats from 13 riparian areas; it is NE (Cirsium loncholepis) to 722 elevation; blooms known from Las Flores May to August Ranch west of Hwy. 101, but focused searches of the property did not locate this species.

City of Santa Maria 12 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Table 2-2. Special Status Plant Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility Site

Status: Common Name Habitat and Blooming Federal/State/ Project Site Suitability Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Period CNPS1 Sandy soils or sandstone Suitable habitat on-site is outcrops in chaparral and La Purisima manzanita present in maritime coastal scrub from 197 to (Arctostaphylos --/--/1B.1 chaparral areas in the O 1280 feet elevation; purissima) northeastern part of the blooms November to property. May Suitable habitat exists throughout grassland habitats on-site, but local Sandy soils in grasslands Leafy tarplant known occurrences are from 984 to 1640 feet (Deinandra increscens --/--/1B.2 restricted to near NE elevation; blooms June ssp. foliosa) Guadalupe. Only D. i. to September ssp. increscens, a common taxon, was observed on-site. Suitable habitat exists in the northeastern part of Maritime chaparral and the property, and this coniferous forest from species is known from Lompoc yerba santa FE/SR/1B.2 197 to 2973 feet the Solomon Hills. NE (Eriodictyon capitatum) elevation; blooms May to Focused searches of on- August site maritime chaparral did not locate this species. Chaparral, cismontane woodland, and coastal Observed within coastal Mesa horkelia scrub on sandy or scrub and maritime (Horkelia cuneata ssp. --/--/1B.1 gravelly soils from 230 to chaparral throughout the O puberula) 2657 feet elevation; northeastern part of the blooms from February to property. September Miles’ milkvetch Clay soils in coastal Suitable soils do not exist (Astragalus scrub from 65 to 295 feet --/--/1B.2 on the site; not observed NE didymocarpus var. elevation; blooms March during the surveys. milesianus) to June Clay or alkaline soils in Suitable habitat is cismontane woodland, present on-site, but the coastal scrub, pinyon local distribution of this Pale-yellow layia and juniper woodland, species is extremely --/--/1B.1 NE (Layia heterotricha) and valley and foothill limited; it is known from grassland from 984 to the vicinity of Lompoc 5594 feet elevation; and further inland. Not blooms March to June observed during surveys. Suitable habitat exists Coastal scrub, valley and throughout grassland foothill grassland, and and coastal scrub areas Paniculate tarplant vernal pools from 82 to on-site, and this species --/--/4.2 O (Deinandra paniculata) 3084 feet elevation; has been observed in the blooms April to bowl-shaped canyon in November the central eastern part of the property.

City of Santa Maria 13 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Table 2-2. Special Status Plant Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility Site

Status: Common Name Habitat and Blooming Federal/State/ Project Site Suitability Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Period CNPS1 Suitable habitat is Coastal scrub and San Luis Obispo present on-site, and it is maritime chaparral from wallflower known from the Solomon --/--/4.2 197 to 1640 feet NE (Erysimum capitatum Hills to Nipomo Mesa; elevation; blooms ssp. lompocense) not observed during the February to May surveys. Suitable habitat is present on-site in Chaparral and coastal maritime chaparral areas scrub on sandy soils in the northeastern part Sand mesa manzanita --/--/1B.2 from 82 to 1056 feet of the property. Focused NE (Arctostaphylos rudis) elevation; blooms searches for this species November to February were unsuccessful, therefore it is not expected to occur. Suitable habitat is present on-site, but the Chaparral, woodland, Santa Barbara local distribution of this and coastal scrub from honeysuckle species is extremely --/--/1B.2 115 to 3280 feet NE (Lonicera subspicata limited; it is known from elevation; blooms March var. subspicata) the vicinity of Lompoc. through August Not observed during surveys. Sandy soils in chaparral The site has unsuitable and cismontane elevation and the species woodland (primarily in is known from only three Santa Ynez groundstar --/--/1B.1 the ecotone of these collections and appears NE (Ancistrocarphus keilii) habitats) from 131 to 427 to be confined to the feet elevation; blooms Santa Ynez River. Not from May to April observed during surveys. Sandy soils in closed- cone coniferous forest, Suitable habitat exists in maritime chaparral, coastal scrub and cismontane woodland, maritime chaparral Seaside bird’s-beak coastal dunes, coastal areas, and it is known (Cordylanthus rigidus --/SE/1B.1 NE scrub, and disturbed from the area from ssp. littoralis) habitat types from 0 to Lompoc to Buellton; not 1394 feet elevation; observed during the blooms May through surveys. October Suitable habitat exists, Rocky or sandy openings but it appears that the within chaparral, Straight-awned local distribution of this cismontane woodland, spineflower species is extremely --/--/1B.3 coastal scrub, and NE (Chorizanthe limited; it is known from grassland from 279 to rectispina) Vandenberg Village. 3396 feet elevation; Focused surveys did not blooms April to July locate this species. Mesic sites in cismontane woodland; The elevation at the Umbrella larkspur ranges from 1312 to project site is unsuitable (Delphinium --/--/1B.3 NE 5249 feet elevation; and it was not observed umbraculorum) blooms April through during the surveys. June

City of Santa Maria 14 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Table 2-2. Special Status Plant Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility Site

Status: Common Name Habitat and Blooming Federal/State/ Project Site Suitability Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Period CNPS1 Sandy soils that are often disturbed in maritime The elevation at the Vandenberg (Burton Mesa) chaparral, project site is unsuitable, monkeyflower cismontane woodland, --/--/1B.1 and the species was not NE (Mimulus fremontii var. and coastal dune scrub observed during focused vandenbergensis) from 246 to 384 feet botanical surveys. elevation; blooms April to June 1Status Federal FE = federally endangered State SE = state endangered ST = state threatened SR = state rare California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Status List 1B.1 = Rare or endangered in California and elsewhere; seriously endangered in California (over 80% of occurrences threatened/high degree and immediacy of threat); List 1B.2 = Rare or endangered in California and elsewhere; fairly endangered in California (20-80% occurrences threatened); List 1B.3 = Rare or endangered in California and elsewhere, not very endangered in California (<20% of occurrences threatened or no current threats known); List 4.2 = Plants of limited distribution (watch list), fairly endangered in California (20-80% occurrences threatened)

2Occurrence O = Observed by Rincon Consultants, Inc. (in preparation) NE = Not expected to occur due to unsuitable habitats, elevations, soils, species’ regional distribution or the likelihood that it would have been observed during the surveys

The distribution of La Purisima manzanita is generally west of Highway 101, with only one other record listed in the Consortium of California Herbaria (2008) east of the highway in the vicinity of Sisquoc. For this reason, the presence of this habitat type on the property is of high local importance. La Purisima manzanita is restricted to mesa areas on the property with Arnold and Marina sand soil types. Maritime chaparral, which is a DFG special status habitat, contains La Purisima manzanita. Mesa horkelia is also present throughout most of the maritime chaparral habitat areas on-site, and it also occurs in coastal scrub and non-native grassland areas in the northeastern part of the property (Figure 2-2). California spineflower and dune larkspur also occurred primarily in this area. There were no special status plant species that could potentially occur on-site, but were not seen during the surveys. Potentially suitable habitat was present on-site for the following species: Hoover’s bent grass (Agrostis hooveri), La Graciosa thistle (Cirsium loncholepis), San Luis Obispo wallflower (Erysimum capitatum ssp. lompocense), and straight-awned spineflower (Chorizanthe rectispina). However, since the property was surveyed in its entirety during the blooming periods of these species over a period of two years, it is likely that they would have been observed if they were present. Therefore, these species are not expected to occur. Other species listed in Table 2.2 as not expected to occur may also be known only from a few occurrences in the site vicinity and are not likely occur on the property due to microhabitat differences or other limitations to the species’ regional distribution.

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Not Included in Survey

Dune Larkspur

California Spineflower

¤£101

Property Boundary

Active Lease Area Drainage Special Status Plants Mesa Horkelia

California Spineflower

Dune Larkspur

Paniculate Tarplant

La Purisma Manzanita ± 01,000500 Feet

Image Source: City of Santa Maria, 2004.

Rare Plant Map Figure 2-2 City of Santa Maria

Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

3.0 OAK TREE INVENTORY 3.1 Methods Oak trees were inventoried in 2007/2008 within proposed landfill area, except the active lease area in the northern part of the property where health and safety concerns precluded working in this area. Therefore, the survey area did not encompass the entire property, but was based on project plans that showed the proposed area of disturbance for the landfill. In addition, oak trees occurring along the current access road where improvements may be made and in a buffer area adjacent to a proposed new access road were also included. Oak tree surveys were conducted by Rincon biologists Jared Bigler, Carie Wingert, Susan Christopher, and Wendy Knight. Each inventoried oak tree was marked with a tag containing a unique number, and its location was mapped using a GPS unit. Initially, data collected for each tree included: measurement of diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, crown size, trunk condition, and canopy condition. DBH was measured for each trunk at least 4 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet above ground height using a tree diameter measuring tape, and a trunk was considered to be a separate tree if not joined above ground. Tree height was measured using a laser rangefinder (Opti-Logic) with a height measurement feature. Crown size was measured using a measuring tape as the greatest linear measurement of the dripline diameter. Trunk condition was described qualitatively based upon the presence or lack of rot, scars, or cavities. Canopy condition was given a value of 1 to 3 based upon the amount of living/dead leaves or branches. Upon reassessment, it was determined that some of these data parameters were not necessary to meet the study goals of determining the number of oak trees that would be impacted by the proposed IWMF. Subsequently, all oak trees were tagged, mapped, and measured for DBH. In some cases, western poison oak prevented measuring and tagging, but the locations of all trees were mapped. Oak tree surveys took 35 days to complete, and were conducted from July 2007 to September 2008. 3.2 Results The only oak species on the site was the coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia). The total number of individual oak trees inventoried was 3,181, and were represented by 5,595 trunks that were at least four inches DBH. A majority of the trees were mature, stately individuals. Of the measured trunks, 2,880 (51%) were greater than 12 inches DBH. The mapped distribution of tagged oak trees on-site is shown in Figure 3-1. Oak tree data are provided in Appendix B.

4.0 WETLAND DELINEATION Rincon biologists conducted a delineation of waters of the United States and State of California and identified DFG jurisdictional areas within the entire site. The purpose of the delineation was to determine areas on the property that would be under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), and DFG. Any proposed development activities that would result in the discharge of dredged or fill material into areas identified as jurisdictional waters may be subject to the permit requirements of the Corps under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the RWQCB under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act and provisions of the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Act, and the DFG pursuant to Section 1600 et. seq. of the California Fish and Game Code. Actual jurisdictional areas are determined by the state and federal authorities at the time that permits are requested. Wetland protections through the County of Santa Barbara do not apply to the site because it is under the ownership of the City of Santa Maria, and the city does not have a wetlands policy.

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Not Included in Survey

¤£101

Tagged Oak Tree

Property Boundary Active Lease Area

Landfill Footprint

Drainage

± 01,000500 Feet

Image Source: City of Santa Maria, 2004.

Oak Tree Location Map Figure 3-1 City of Santa Maria

Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

4.1 Methods Waters and wetlands potentially subject to Corps jurisdiction were delineated in accordance with the Corp’s Wetlands Delineation Manual (Environmental Laboratory 1987), Guidelines for Jurisdictional Determinations for Waters of the United States in the Arid Southwest (Corps 2001), Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Arid West Region (Corps 2006), and Jurisdictional Determination Form Instructional Guidebook (Corps 2007). Wetland status of the plant species observed was determined using USFWS (1996). DFG jurisdiction was delineated in accordance with Section 1602(a) of the California Fish and Game Code. Appendix C contains a discussion of jurisdictional regulations and definitions pertaining to this delineation. Additionally, Rincon Consultants reviewed aerial photographs of the site, topographic maps, the Soil Survey for the Northern Santa Barbara Area, California (USDA Soil Conservation Service 1972), and the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database for Northern Santa Barbara County, California (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2008) to characterize the nature and extent of potential jurisdictional areas on the property. The National Wetlands Inventory (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2008) was also reviewed to determine if any wetlands had been previously documented and mapped on or in the vicinity of the site. Rincon Consultants’ biologists Kevin Merk and Susan Christopher conducted jurisdictional delineation field surveys within the project site in spring and summer of 2008. All potential jurisdictional features within the site were evaluated to determine existing conditions and to evaluate jurisdictional limits. Data points were taken in both wetland and upland areas to determine the wetland/upland boundary. Wetland Determination Data Forms – Arid West Region (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2006) were completed for each data point, and included an assessment of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology. Hydrophytic vegetation was determined by creating a plant species list, estimating percent cover by each species, and determining whether wetland plants (Reed 1988) dominated the area using the Dominance and Prevalence Tests (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2006). To establish whether hydric soils were present, a test pit approximately 16 inches deep was dug to determine presence/absence of positive field indicators for hydric soils. Soil color was determined using a Munsell® (2000) soil color chart. In areas that contained a predominance of Obligate Wetland or Facultative Wetland plant species, and/or had positive indicators of hydrology, the hydric soils criterion was presumed to be met. In addition, SSURGO soils data were consulted to determine the presence of hydric soils. Wetland hydrology was determined by the presence of indicators, such as surface water, sediment/drift deposits, or water marks. A data point was considered to be within a Corps-defined wetland if the area met the criteria for the presence of all three parameters (hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology). If one or more of the parameters were not met, the point was considered to be outside of a Corps-defined wetland. The assessment also included an evaluation of “normal circumstances”, “atypical situations”, and “problem areas”. Non-wetland waters (“other waters”) were drainages that lack hydrophytic vegetation but contained positive indicators of hydrology and hydric soils, and were delineated by the lateral extent of the Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM). DFG jurisdictional limits were measured laterally from bank to bank at the top of the channel, or to the outer drip-line of associated riparian vegetation, if present. A Trimble GeoXT GPS unit was used to map the extent of on-site wetlands and the locations of data points. Aerial photographs and topographic maps were used to map non-wetland waters and other drainages. Channel width and length data were recorded on the maps using ArcGIS.

City of Santa Maria 23 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

4.2 Results The National Wetlands Inventory did not contain records of wetlands on the property. A total of 44 data points was used to delineate potential waters of the U.S. and State of California, as well as DFG jurisdictional areas on the property. It was determined that conditions at most areas of the study site were considered to be “normal circumstances” because the site has been undisturbed by oil exploration activities for many years, and the current conditions are now considered normal for the site. The construction of pumping pads and roadways, including placement of fill have affected the site’s natural hydrology and wetland resources, but these impacts have been in place for many years and the site is under natural recovery. At the agricultural area in the southern corner of the site, atypical situations exist due to regular disking, which apparently has eliminated the channel of one drainage and affected natural vegetation. In addition, the presence of sandy soils on the site indicates that some locations are potential problem areas. Wetland delineation data sheets are contained in Appendix D. 4.2.1 Soils The soils present on-site are shown in Figure 4-1, and contain the following: Arnold sand, 15 to 45 percent slopes. This soil is representative of the series and contains well drained sands that developed over soft sandstone. Depth to soft sandstone is approximately 60 inches (Soil Conservation Service 1972). Arnold sand occurred throughout the northeastern part of the property and includes both the mesa areas containing maritime chaparral and the valleys surrounding drainages. Additional areas were within the agricultural area in the southern part of the property. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Betteravia loamy sand, dark variant, 0 to 5 percent slopes, eroded. This soil is nearly level to gently sloping and occurs in valleys. It experiences occasional runoff from adjacent hillsides, where deposits of alluvium are laid down and removed, and gullies may be present (Soil Conservation Service 1972). On the property, this soil occurred along the lower reaches of Drainage H and near the seasonal pool at Data Point 37 (Figure 4-1). This soil is identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Betteravia loamy sand, dark variant, 5 to 15 percent slopes, eroded. This soil is moderately to strongly sloping and occurs in small valleys (Soil Conservation Service 1972). It occurred on- site only in two small areas in the northern part of the property. One of these is a valley that contains a wetland and ephemeral drainage. The other area appears to have been altered through oil exploration activities. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Botella loam, 2 to 15 percent slopes, eroded. This soil is gently to strongly sloping and occurs in long, narrow valleys that are cut by gullies. The surface layer is loam and the subsoil is clay loam (Soil Conservation Service 1972). This soil occurred in Drainages C, D and E in the northern part of the property (Figure 4-1). It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Chamise shaly loam, 15 to 45 percent slopes. This soil is usually on moderately steep slopes and occurs on dissected old terraces (Soil Conservation Service 1972). This soil occurred throughout the northwestern part of the property over relatively large areas. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006).

City of Santa Maria 24 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

ArF BoD2 CtD ChG TrC ArF ChG BnD2 GaC2 LcF ChF MaE3 ChF BnD2 EdD2 RuG

ChF ArF

ChF TdF

RuG SfG ChG BoD2 BoD2 GuE

ChG

SfG

ChF ChF BoD2 EdC2

ChG

SfE

SfE BnB2 SfG

CtD ChG2

EdD2 ¤£101 GmG

SfG CuC CuC Legend

Property Boundary Drainage Soil Classification (ArF) Arnold sand, 15 to 45 percent slopes CtD (BnB2) Betteravia loamy sand, dark variant, 0 to 5 percent slopes, eroded ArF (BnD2) Betteravia loamy sand, dark variant, 5 to 15 percent slopes, eroded

(BoD2) Botella loam, 2 to 15 percent slopes, eroded GmG (ChF) Chamise shaly loam, 15 to 45 percent slopes (ChG2) Chamise shaly loam, 30 to 75 percent slopes, eroded (ChG) Chamise shaly loam, 45 to 75 percent slopes CuD (CuC) Corralitos loamy sand, 2 to 9 percent slopes (CuD) Corralitos loamy sand, 9 to 15 percent slopes (CtD) Corralitos sand, 2 to 15 percent slopes (EdC2) Elder sandy loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes, eroded EdC2 (EdD2) Elder sandy loam, 9 to 15 percent slopes, eroded SfG (GaC2) Garey sandy loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes, eroded (GmG) Gaviota sandy loam, 30 to 75 percent slopes (GuE) Gullied land (LcF) Linne clay loam, 30 to 45 percent slopes (MaE3) Marina sand, 9 to 30 percent slopes, severely eroded SfG (RuG) Rough broken land BnB2 (SfE) San Andreas-Tierra complex, 15 to 30 percent slopes (SfG) San Andreas-Tierra complex, 30 to 75 percent slopes (TdF) Terrace escarpments, loamy (TrC) Tierra loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes ± 0500 1,000 2,000 Feet

Base map source: City of Santa Maria, 2004, SSURGO, 2004.

Soils Map Figure 4-1 City of Santa Maria

Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Chamise shaly loam, 30 to 75 percent slopes, eroded. This soil is usually on steep to very steep slopes and occurs on sharply ridged and dissected terraces. It has been exposed to sheet erosion (Soil Conservation Service 1972). On-site, this soil had a limited distribution and occurred primarily on one ridge. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Chamise shaly loam, 45 to 75 percent slopes. This soil is usually on very steep slopes that occur on the sides of dissected terraces. The surface layer is 10 to 18 inches deep (Soil Conservation Service 1972). This soil occurred only in the northwestern portion of the site and was present on hillsides above Drainages D, E and G. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Corralitos loamy sand, 2 to 9 percent slopes. This soil is usually on gentle to moderate slopes within alluvial fans and valleys, and extends into uplands (Soil Conservation Service 1972). There were two occurrences of this soil type on the property in association with Drainage J. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Corralitos loamy sand, 9 to 15 percent slopes. This soil is usually on steep slopes in upper areas of alluvial fans and has little gully erosion (Soil Conservation Service 1972). On-site, however, it occurred in a valley bottom that is farmed along Drainage L. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Corralitos sand, 2 to 15 percent slopes. This soil is usually on gentle to steep slopes within alluvial fans and small valleys. This soil has sand throughout its profile (Soil Conservation Service 1972). This soil was associated with Drainage I and a small area in the northern part of the site. This soil is identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Elder sandy loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes, eroded. This soil usually occurs in narrow valley and sloping alluvial fans that are subject to runoff and may have long, deep gullies (Soil Conservation Service 1972). This soil was associated with Drainage L and an unlabeled drainage on-site. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Elder sandy loam, 9 to 15 percent slopes, eroded. This soil usually occupies narrow valleys and alluvial fans, and experiences runoff from surrounding hillsides. It is stratified with layers of loamy fine sand and coarse sandy loam (Soil Conservation Service 1972). It was present at Data Point 33 and in one location in the northern part of the property. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Garey sandy loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes, eroded. This soil usually is present on rounded, rolling terraces, and may have numerous shallow gullies (Soil Conservation Service 1972). It was restricted to one small area in the extreme northeastern corner of the property. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Gaviota sandy loam, 30 to 75 percent slopes. This soil usually occurs on steep to very steep hills and mountains. Depth to rock is approximately 10 to 16 inches (Soil Conservation Service 1972). This soil occurs on two ridges in the southern part of the property. It was not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Gullied land. This soil consists of areas with deep gullies on recent alluvial, terrace or upland soils. It can include nearly vertical banks along large streams, and be actively eroding or partially stabilized by shrubs (Soil Conservation Service 1972). On-site, this soil only occurred

City of Santa Maria 27 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

within Drainage E. This soil is identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Marina sand, 9 to 30 percent slopes, severely eroded. This soil usually is limited to small, scattered occurrences. It has deep gullies and numerous rills (Soil Conservation Service 1972). On-site, it was restricted to one localized area in the northeastern corner of the property. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Rough broken land. This soil type is usually present on steep to extremely steep (30 to 75 percent) slopes, and has shallow soil over soft sandstone or semiconsolidated gravelly sediments (Soil Conservation Service 1972). On-site this soil was restricted to two occurrences in the northeastern part of the property where mesas are present, but in this area the topography is of low slope. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). San Andreas-Tierra complex, 15 to 30 percent slopes. This soil usually occurs on moderately steep hills (Soil Conservation Service 1972). On-site, this soil was distributed on ridges and moderate hillsides in the central portion of the property. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). San Andreas-Tierra complex, 30 to 75 percent slopes. This soil occurs on steep to very steep slopes (Soil Conservation Service 1972). This soil was widely distributed throughout the property, and occurred within rolling hills as well as within drainages (Drainages H and I). It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Terrace escarpments, loamy. This soil type is present on the steep (40 percent) side slopes of terraces, and some areas may be deeply gullied by runoff (Soil Conservation Service 1972). On- site, this soil type was present only in a small area in the eastern portion of the property where slopes are gradual above Drainage A. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Tierra loam, 2 to 9 percent slopes. This soil usually occurs on gentle to moderate slopes on terraces. Depth to the clay subsoil is 12 to 26 inches (Soil Conservation Service 1972). This soil type was restricted to one small area in the northern part of the property. It is not identified as a hydric soil (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006). Of the 22 soils present, three are listed as hydric by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (2006). These soils were present at Drainages E, G, H and I, as well as Data Point 37, which may be within the location of the former channel for Drainage L. Based on soil pit data from the field surveys, hydric soil indicators were present within the wetland areas discussed below in Section 4.2.2. The sampled soils contained redox concentrations, a low-chroma matrix, and/or depletions exceeding the required thickness measurements. 4.2.2 Jurisdictional Delineation The delineation of waters of the U.S. and state within the property identified three categories of jurisdictional non-wetland waters and wetland waters, as detailed below. • Non-wetland Waters. Non-wetland waters are drainages that have a defined bed and bank, and lack hydrophytic plants growing within the bed and bank. These areas are considered to be riverine habitats within the Cowardin et al. (1979) system when they are contained within a channel and are not dominated by trees, shrubs, persistent emergent plants, emergent mosses or lichens. Riverine systems usually, but not always,

City of Santa Maria 28 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

contain flowing water. This category does not meet the Corps’ definition of a wetland because of the lack of hydrophytic vegetation within the OHWM of the drainage. These areas were classified as non-wetland waters of the U.S., and are under Corps, DFG and RWQCB jurisdiction in instances where a hydrologic connection to other jurisdictional waters was present. Jurisdictional areas were determined to be the width of the drainage at the OHWM. Non-wetland waters were present in Drainages A, B, C, E, G, H, and I (Figure 4-2). • Persistent Emergent Wetlands. Persistent emergent wetlands, a type of wetland waters, contain a predominance of emergent monocots, such as sedges, spike rushes (Eleocharis spp.), rushes, bulrushes (Scirpus spp.), bur-reed (Sparganium eurycarpum), and cattails (Typha spp.) (Ferren et al. 1996). These habitats are contained within the palustrine system as described by Ferren et al. (1996), and are characterized by temporary or seasonal flooding, or by seasonally or permanently high water tables with little or no surface flooding. Persistent emergent wetlands occur in drainage channels, seeps and springs, floodplains, margins of lakes and rivers, and various basins such as pools, ponds, palustrine lakes, montane meadows, and dune swales (Ferren et al. 1996). These areas are typically under the jurisdiction of the Corps, RWQCB, and DFG when hydrologically connected to jurisdictional drainages or wetlands. Most of these areas, which were present in Drainages A, B, C, G, and H, were at the heads of drainages associated with seeps (Table 4-1). Persistent emergent wetlands that were isolated from jurisdictional areas were considered to not be under Corps or DFG jurisdiction, and were documented at Data Points 30, 35, 37, 40, 43 and 44 (Figure 4-2, Table 4-2). These areas, however, may be under RWQCB jurisdiction under pending legislation. • Riparian Wetlands. Riparian wetlands, another type of wetland waters, are contained within the palustrine system and the shrub-scrub class and the woodland and forested wetland class as described by Ferren et al. (1996). Riparian wetlands are characterized by temporary or seasonal flooding, or by seasonally or permanently high water tables with little or no surface flooding. These areas are dominated by woody vegetation including true shrubs, young trees, and trees or shrubs that are stunted because of environmental conditions (Cowardin et al. 1979). Typical species are willows (Salix spp.) and mulefat, and associated species along the boundary include many species representative of coastal scrub and chaparral habitats (Ferren et al. 1996). Riparian wetlands can occur at seeps, along streams and rivers, floodplains, terraces, bottomlands, and lake and reservoir margins (Ferren et al. 1996). Riparian wetlands under Corps, DFG, and RWQCB jurisdiction contained arroyo willow, Fremont cottonwood, and mulefat as well as indicators of wetland hydrology and hydric soils. Areas within Drainages A, B, C, E, lower H, and I met these criteria. Riparian wetlands isolated from jurisdictional areas were determined not to be under Corps or DFG jurisdiction and were documented at Data Points 17, 20, and 40 (Table 4-2). These areas, however, may be under RWQCB jurisdiction under pending legislation. There were approximately 4.18 acres (25,553 linear feet) of non-wetland waters of the U.S. and State and 12.23 acres of wetland waters of the U.S. and State on the site (Table 4-1). All of these areas are also under DFG jurisdiction.

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City of Santa Maria 30 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

¬42 · 5'/65' 5'/117' D ·¬19

10'/2458' Not Included ·¬14 ·¬15 in Survey 5'/1670' ·¬18 ·¬13

2'/481' 20'/242' 5'/570' ·¬12 C ·¬24 25'/138' ·¬17 ·¬38 10'/493' 1'/1055' ·¬11 7'/594' E ¬10 B ·¬41 ·

#

#

# 3/153 ·¬9 ature 7 Fe ·¬40 2'/550' ·¬ sion Ero ¬20 ¬21 · ¬8 · 10'/3004' ·¬6 ·

·¬16

# # 5'/1253'

# 3'/379' F 3'/446' ¬44 ·¬26 · ·¬43 ·¬39 3'/594' 3'/112' 3'/261' ·¬25 5'/234' ·¬22 2'/942' 2'/175' ¬27 2'/299' 10'/1199' G · O 5'/260' rcut 12'/610' t Cr. 7'/426' 10'/2266' 10'/584' 3 A ·¬ 3'/561' Erosion Feature 29 15'/601' ·¬ ·¬28 3'/587' ·¬4 10'/539' 3'/110' 3'/100' ·¬23 5'/343' 15'/291' H ·¬5 3'/321' 20'/308' ·¬2 3'/323' 1 10'/316' ·¬

2'/286' ·¬30 1'/286' 10'/326' 21'/382' Erosion Feature ·¬31 I 3'/681' ¬32 Sediment · Deposition 41'/121' 3'/1290'

·¬33 5'/560' J

10'/595' ·¬34

K

·¬35

¬36 · L

·¬37

Base map source: City of Santa Maria, 2004. Property Boundary Data Point Non-wetland Waters ( 4.18 Acres/25,553 linear feet) Erosion Feature Width / Length - (#'/##') In Feet 01,0002,000500 Feet Active Lease Area Wetland Waters (12.23 Acres) Culvert ± L Drainage Identification Wetland Delineation Map Figure 4-2 City of Santa Maria

Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Table 4-1. Summary of Corps, RWQCB and DFG Jurisdictional Areas

Non-wetland Waters Wetland Waters Total Drainage (Approximate Acres/ (Approximate Acres) Acres Linear Feet) A 0.46/3,494 0.94 1.40 B 0.07/4,763 8.85 8.92 C 0.34/570 0.58 0.92 D 0.56/2,458 0.05 0.61 E 0.00/0 0.00 0.00 F 0.00/0 0.00 0.00 G 0.74/4,109 0.17 0.91 H 1.27/5,632 1.29 2.56 I 0.44/2,082 0.36 0.80 J 0.29/2,445 0.00 0.29 K 0.00/0 0.00 0.00 L 0.00/0 0.00 0.00 TOTAL 4.18/25,553 12.23 16.41

Table 4-2. Non-jurisdictional Isolated Wetlands

Data Point Approximate Acres 17 0.23 20 0.74 30 0.11 35 0.07 37 0.34 40 0.33 43 0.05 44 0.03 Total 1.41

Data Points 17, 20 and 40 were riparian wetlands that were isolated from jurisdictional areas. A persistent emergent wetland at Data Point 30 was formed by a seep on a hillside and met all three Corps wetland criteria, but since it was isolated from other jurisdictional areas it was not considered to be under Corps or DFG jurisdiction. The wetlands at Data Points 35 and 37 met the Corps criteria, but occurred in impoundments within ephemeral drainages that did not contain a definable bed and bank and there was no hydrologic connection to other jurisdictional waterways. Data Point 40 was located at a former oil well pad, where there is a natural seep on a hillside supporting arroyo willows and an adjacent persistent emergent wetland that has formed as a result of a berm across a road. There was another small wetland just east of Data Point 40 that formed on the side of a road to the well pad, and this area also is not jurisdictional due to isolation from a jurisdictional area. A hillside seep that had been excavated for cattle watering but has subsequently filled in (Data Point 44) met all three criteria, but was not considered to be under Corps or DFG jurisdiction due to being isolated. These areas may be considered to be under the jurisdiction of the RWQCB in the future if provisions of the Wetlands and Riparian Protection Policy that include isolated wetlands are accepted. The topographic depression at Data Point 39 did not meet Corps criteria for all three parameters. A small seep (Data Point 43) that had been enlarged into two basins for cattle watering and was on the north slope of the ridge containing the topographic depression contained a

City of Santa Maria 33 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

predominance of hydrophytic vegetation and positive indicators of wetland hydrology, but did not have hydric soils. The Drainages A, B, C, D, G, H, I, and J on-site were determined to fall under Corps jurisdiction due to connection to waters of the U.S. off-site and the presence of a distinct channel with an OHWM. The following descriptions summarize the on-site drainages: Drainage A. Drainage A originates in the “bowl” in the central, eastern portion of the project site (Figure 4-2). There is a wetland at Data Point 1 that occurs at grade level, and a headcut erosion feature immediately below the wetland. Continuing downstream, the drainage has a defined bed and bank as it passes through non-native grassland and oak woodland. At Data Point 3, there is a small impoundment that has been breached, and a small patch of riparian vegetation. The northern tributary to this drainage begins at a hillside where a patch of riparian vegetation indicated the presence of moist conditions. Portions of the creek channel and the area between the two branches of the drainage have been disturbed during the use of the site for oil exploration. The drainage passes out of the property, and crosses back into the property in the northeastern corner. In this area, the channel is incised and shows evidence of disturbance from oil exploration activities. There are wetlands on the hillside to the west of the channel that have developed at seeps, and one of these contains a mature Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii ssp. fremontii). Patches of wetland vegetation occupy the channel bottom. The channel substrate in this lower reach is unconsolidated sand and riverwash. Drainage A discharges into Cat Canyon, and then into the Sisquoc River, which is tributary to the Santa Maria River. The Santa Maria River flows into the Pacific Ocean northwest of the City of Santa Maria. Drainage B. Drainage B originates at a seep on a hillside in oak woodland habitat. It appears that the seep had formerly been enlarged and impounded, but the basin currently only has standing water in cattle hoof prints. The portion of Drainage B in the vicinity of Data Points 6 through 10 consists of a moderately to severely disturbed wetland. Much of this area has been altered during use of the site for oil exploration, and because this area remains wet throughout much of the year, it is intensively disturbed by cattle grazing. An ephemeral pond is shown on the USGS Sisquoc, California 7.5-minute quadrangle within this area, but depressions that would support ponding water are no longer present. Stands of basket rush (Juncus textilis) were scattered throughout the area, and may be remnants of the former pond. Thereafter, the drainage passes out of the property and re-enters the property in an area densely vegetated by coastal scrub. Wetlands consisting of patches of brown-headed rush (Juncus phaeocephalus var. phaeocephalus), willows, and mulefat are present in this area. Downstream from Data Point 12, the drainage is a persistent emergent wetland vegetated by bog rush, brown-headed rush, toad rush (Juncus bufonius), willow dock (Rumex salicifolius), meadow barley (Hordeum brachyantherum), and saltgrass (Distichlis spicata). Willows and mulefat occur on the southern edge. Seeps that remain wet throughout the summer are present around the edges of the valley, and several have been excavated for cattle watering. Evidence of feral pig wallows was present throughout the lower areas of this drainage. This drainage is not shown as a “blue line” stream on the topographic map; however, it joins Drainage C and Bradley Canyon, and eventually flows into the Santa Maria River near the Pacific Ocean. Drainage C. Drainage C originates in an oak-covered hillside and two tributaries converge to form a small wetland that did not meet Corps criteria (Data Point 16). Thereafter, the drainage passes through dense coastal scrub before entering a jurisdictional wetland area at

City of Santa Maria 34 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Data Point 41. This wetland has been modified by the creation of a raised roadway around its southern and western edges. Downstream, the drainage channel is poorly defined and has been disturbed by oil exploration activities. An area of hardened petroleum covered the drainage bottom in the vicinity of Data Point 18. The drainage passes through mixed oak woodland and riparian woodland before passing out of the property at Dominion Road. It joins Drainage B and Bradley Canyon, and eventually flows into the Santa Maria River near the Pacific Ocean. Drainage D. Drainage D originates at the base of steep hillsides that are densely vegetated by coastal scrub. The upper portion of the drainage is greatly eroded. Dense oak woodland occurs along the drainage. A tributary to Drainage D at Data Point 42 contains a jurisdictional wetland on a hillside swale. A patch of arroyo willow is present at the confluence of the tributary and Drainage D. Drainage D discharges to Orcutt Creek (in Solomon Canyon), and the regulatory status of Orcutt Creek is discussed below under Orcutt Creek. Drainage E. Drainage E occurs at the bottom of a steep canyon. An area of riparian vegetation is present at Data Point 20, which is against the toe of the slope and slightly up the hillside. Thereafter, the drainage passes through coastal scrub and site conditions are relatively dry. Gullied land, which is a hydric soil, is present in the upper two-thirds of the drainage within the property. Drainage E spreads out into a fan near the western boundary of the property. It is not jurisdictional because there is no defined channel that connects it with a jurisdictional waterway, the nearest of which is Orcutt Creek. A vineyard has recently been installed off-site between the drainage and Orcutt Creek, and no channel is present in this area or on-site just east of the property line. Drainage F. Drainage F occurs in a small area in the western edge of the property. It contains an eroded headcut, and the channel becomes indistinct as it spreads out before leaving the property. A patch of mulefat is present at the base of the eroded channel. It is not shown as a blue line stream on the topographic map, but it does not have a defined channel that connects to Orcutt Creek. Downstream of Data Point 21, it spreads out into an alluvial fan in which a large amount of sand has been deposited. Due to the lack of defined channel connecting it to a jurisdictional waterway, Drainage F is not jurisdictional. Drainage G. Drainage G contains a small wetland at the confluence of three tributaries. This drainage is surrounded by steep hillsides. Coastal scrub and other upland plants present in the bottom of the drainage suggest relatively dry conditions. Drainage G joins upper Orcutt Creek near the freeway in an area of hydric soils (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2008) before passing under the freeway in a culvert. It is not shown as a blue line stream on the topographic map. Drainage H. Drainage H is surrounded by steep hillsides. Small patches of wetland habitat exist at the headwaters, which are located most of the way up the hillsides. Thereafter, the drainage passes through an incised channel vegetated by coastal scrub. A tributary that originates from the southeast contains large eroded headcuts at its origin and directly downstream of the present entrance road. Patches of riparian vegetation and oak woodland are present in the drainage bottom along the lower stretch of the drainage. It parallels the frontage road and Highway 101 northbound onramp, where it joins upper Orcutt Creek. The lower part of the drainage contains hydric soils (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2008). It is not a blue line stream on the topographic map.

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Orcutt Creek. Upper Orcutt Creek runs parallel to Hwy. 101, and is joined by the tributaries Drainage G and H on-site. It contains patches of riparian vegetation and has a low flow channel that meanders through a wider channel containing an OHWM. Deep sand deposits are present in the channel bottom. Evidence of flow in the channel was observed after a minor rain event, and this stream is ephemeral. It has hydric soils (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2008), and passes under the freeway in a culvert. The federal jurisdictional status of Orcutt Creek has been disputed, and currently is not resolved. The creek is not considered to be a Traditional Navigable Waterway (TNW) because it is not in fact navigable and has no significant nexus with a TNW since it historically terminated in the Betteravia Lakes area without reaching the Pacific Ocean. Currently, agricultural practices move water mechanically from Orcutt Creek to the Santa Maria River, which is a TNW, through pumps, canals and surface water storage features. This artificial connection to the River has been used to establish the federal jurisdictional status of Orcutt Creek in a court-supported determination (United States of America vs. Adam Brothers Farming). The case was settled, and thus the determination was not formalized. For the purposes of this report, it is assumed that the Corps considers Orcutt Creek a waters of the U.S. Since the RWQCB also has jurisdiction of natural drainages that fall under Corps jurisdiction, it is considered to be a waters of the state of California. Orcutt Creek is also under DFG jurisdiction because it has a clearly defined bed and bank. Drainage I. Drainage I occupies an incised channel within a gradual valley surrounded by hills. A short stretch of the drainage contains riparian vegetation. Immediately upstream from the ranch frontage road, an impoundment is present that is currently drained by a culvert. In the winter 2007/2008, apparent blockage of the culvert resulted in the creation of a seasonal pond at Pool 4 (Figure 6-1), which lasted less than two weeks. The lower part of the drainage just above the freeway has hydric soils (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2008). The drainage passes through a culvert under Highway 101. Drainage I joins Canada de las Flores, which discharges into San Antonio Creek. San Antonio Creek flows into the Pacific Ocean at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Drainage J. Drainage J originates at a large erosion feature that is present below a road at the top of the drainage basin. Sediment has been deposited in the valley in an area where the drainage lacks a defined bed and bank (Figure 4-2). Thereafter, the drainage has a defined bed and bank and passes through non-native grassland habitat. It crosses under Highway 101 in a culvert. It is not a blue line stream on the topographic map, and it discharges into Canada de las Flores. Drainage K. Drainage K did not contain an OHWM or a defined bed and bank, and therefore is non-jurisdictional. The upper areas of the drainage on the property consist of a gradual valley that is vegetated by non-native grassland and is impacted by cattle grazing. Surface runoff from a ranch road collects in an impoundment at Data Point 35, which held water for at least 13 weeks in winter 2007/2008. Wetland plants were dominant at the impoundment, although much of the area was bare soils. It is not a blue line stream on the topographic map, and it discharges into Canada de las Flores. Drainage L. Drainage L did not contain an OHWM or a defined bed and bank, and therefore is non-jurisdictional. It is possible that a channel had formerly been present in this area, but it is currently in agricultural production and no channel was present. The lower part of this area, in the vicinity of Data Point 37, contains hydric soils (Natural Resources

City of Santa Maria 36 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Conservation Service 2008). Wetland plants were present at an impoundment at Data Point 37. This impoundment is drained by a culvert and contained standing water for several weeks in the winter of 2007/2008. It is a blue line stream on the topographic map, and it discharges into Canada de las Flores.

5.0 CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDER PROTOCOL SURVEYS 5.1 Methods Upland drift fence surveys were conducted during winter 2006/2007 by Rincon biologists Wendy Knight and Susan V. Christopher, Ph.D., and Lawrence E. Hunt (Hunt and Associates Biological Consulting Services). The surveys followed the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (2003) protocol for upland habitat surveys. A drift fence was installed in upland areas around the edge of the topographic depression (Figure 5-1). The site selected for the surveys was based upon conversations with Ms. Katie Drexhage (formerly of the USFWS Ventura Field Office; June 21, 2003 meeting), and was in part due to this site being shown as an ephemeral pond on the USGS Sisquoc, California 7.5-minute quadrangle. A trenching machine was used to dig the trench for the drift fence, and a bobcat with a 20-inch diameter auger was used to dig holes for the bucket pitfall traps. Approximately 493 linear feet of drift fence was installed in sections that were a maximum of 66-feet long. A total of 40 pitfall traps were paired with one trap on the inside and one on the outside of the fence, at intervals of approximately 33-feet along the fence. A gap of two feet in length between each section of fence allowed passage of non-target animals. Given the need for the gaps in the fence, it encircled approximately 90% of the perimeter of the topographic depression. A solar powered electric fence was erected around the drift fence to ensure that cattle did not damage the fence or traps. Three-foot tall woven silt fence was buried at least three inches under ground and extended at least two feet above the ground. Pitfall traps consisted of two-gallon, cylindrical plastic buckets that were 8.5-inches deep and nine inches in diameter. A piece of twine extended into the traps to assist non-target species in escaping. The bucket lids had wooden slats that elevated the lids 3.5-inches above the buckets when the lids were inverted, and allowed animals to pass under the lids and fall into the buckets. Within one month from the start of surveys, it became clear that the rigid plastic bucket lids did not seal tightly when the traps were closed since small animals were found in the buckets when the lids were on. New lids were used when traps were closed beginning on January 28, 2007, and consisted of plywood squares (10.5-inches) that were anchored closed with bricks. This enabled a tighter seal, and no animals were found in closed buckets after the lids were replaced. Other modifications that were made to the traps included drilling small holes in the bottom of the buckets to facilitate drainage. In addition, it was determined that sponges would not be used in the traps (Katherine Drexhage, USFWS Biologist, personal communication), as stated in the protocol to prevent desiccation of amphibians. Fence installation was completed by December 18, 2006, and trapping was conducted until March 26, 2007. Traps were opened if there was any rain during the day or if by 1400 hours rain was forecast for the remainder of the day or subsequent night with 70% or greater probability. Traps were opened before sunset and checked each morning. Traps were then left open until no rain had fallen within the preceding 24 hours. This protocol was to be followed until at least 20 nights of trapping under the proper conditions was conducted. Due to below average rainfall this year, trapping was conducted only during 13 nights. The following data were collected: species, sex, age class, reproductive status, total length, snout-vent length, trap

City of Santa Maria 37 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

^

¤£101

Topographic Depression

Image source: City of Santa Maria, 2004. Legend Property Boundary ± 0250 500 Feet Drift Fence Drainages Location of Drift Fence Figure 5-1 City of Santa Maria Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

number, type and location of release point, and comments. During periods in which the traps were not open for at least seven consecutive days, weekly trap checks were performed to ensure no animals may have entered the traps and to maintain the array. Six aquatic protocol surveys were scheduled to be conducted in spring 2007; however, the topographic depression did not contain standing water during this season. Vernal pool fairy shrimp sampling conducted in 2008 and 2009 utilized aquatic sampling techniques that were equivalent, if not more intensive, than the protocol California tiger salamander aquatic surveys. All sites that held water at least 3 centimeters deep for the first two weeks after filling were thoroughly sampled using dip nets (see Section 6.0). California tiger salamander surveys were conducted under USFWS Permit No. TE 105545-0 issued to Wendy M.F. Knight; Permit No. TE 025732-3, amended November 8, 2004, issued to Samuel Sweet and covering Susan Christopher; and, Permit No. TE023892-4 issued to Lawrence E. Hunt. Jared Bigler assisted with trap opening and maintenance checks. Authorizations to begin the upland surveys for this study under the various permits were obtained from the USFWS on November 20, 2006, December 26, 2006, and February 5, 2007 (Chris Dellith, Steve Henry and Julie Vanderwier, personal communications). 5.2 Results and Discussion No California tiger salamanders were observed during the surveys. The topographic depression did not fill with standing water at any time during 2006/2007. Vertebrate species caught in the traps included the ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii), Northern Pacific treefrog (Pseudacris regilla), western toad (Bufo boreas), western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), side- blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana), and one western spadefoot (Spea hammondii), a toad species that is a California species of special concern. A dead arboreal salamander (Aneides lugubris) and a dead California vole (Microtus californicus) were found in pitfall traps during a weekly maintenance check and rain event, respectively. Capture data are provided in Appendix E. Seasonal precipitation in 2006/2007 within the proposed project vicinity was substantially below average. Total seasonal rainfall in Santa Maria for 2006/2007 was 37% of normal (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2009). Other aquatic sites in the area known to support California tiger salamander breeding populations either failed to fill (e.g., SISQ-4, SISQ-6, or SISQ-2) or only partially filled in winter 2006/2007 (Lawrence Hunt, personal communication). These sites did not hold water long enough to allow successful California tiger salamander larval development and metamorphosis. Only one California tiger salamander breeding event was documented during the 2006/2007 season at ORCU-3 on 25 March 2007 (Lawrence Hunt, personal communication). During years with less than normal precipitation, California tiger salamanders may not emerge from their burrows or migrate to ponds to breed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2003) states the results of surveys conducted in years with less than 70% of normal precipitation are less reliable to support a negative finding, but studies conducted under those conditions will be considered. At sites that contain both upland habitat and potential breeding habitat (i.e., pools that contain standing water continuously for at least 10 weeks, extending into April), the USFWS and DFG recommend two consecutive seasons of aquatic surveys and an upland drift fence study in the intervening fall/winter in order to accept a negative finding (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2003). At sites with no suitable aquatic breeding habitat, but where suitable upland habitat exists, the USFWS recommends two consecutive seasons of upland drift fence studies to

City of Santa Maria 39 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

support a negative finding (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2003). Although six aquatic surveys of the study site were scheduled to be conducted in spring 2007, these surveys could not be conducted because the topographic depression as well as other potential aquatic sites did not contain sufficient water. In addition, due to precipitation less than 70% of normal, the upland survey results from 2006/2007 may not be used to support a negative finding. Therefore, other factors such as those detailed below should be considered in the evaluation of whether this species is likely to be present on the property. Based on our observations, suitable aquatic breeding sites for the California tiger salamander do not appear to exist on the property. It appears that the topographic depression identified in the Biological Resources Assessment (Rincon Consultants, Inc. 2004) would not be suitable for California tiger salamander breeding even during years with normal seasonal rainfall. The topographic depression did not fill with water greater than 3 centimeters deep in the winters of 2006/2007, 2007/2008, or 2008/2009. During our prior surveys of the site, it also lacked insufficient water for California tiger salamanders from 2004 to 2006 (Rincon Consultants, Inc. 2004, 2006; Appendix H). Only one aquatic site on the property, Pool 3 (Figure 6-1), held water long enough during one of the survey years for California tiger salamanders to complete their larval period. The minimum reported time for the salamanders to complete metamorphosis is 10 weeks; the normal range is three to six months; and, the average is four to five months. In 2008, Pool 3 was inundated for approximately 13 weeks (early January through early April). Pool 3 held water for approximately five weeks in 2009. This pond was sampled intensively for vernal pool fairy shrimp during two years, and California tiger salamanders would have been found if they were present since it was possible to sample it completely with dip nets, especially when it had dried down to a small puddle. Western spadefoot tadpoles were extremely abundant in this pool, but none were able to successfully complete metamorphosis before the pond dried up. Western spadefoots have been known to complete their larval period in as little as three weeks (discussed in further detail in Section 7.2). Western spadefoots often co-occur with California tiger salamanders at breeding sites, but since they can reproduce in aquatic sites that hold water for a much shorter amount of time, their presence does not necessarily indicate site suitability for California tiger salamanders. California tiger salamanders are known from several occurrences within two miles from the southern portion of the property, and there are known occurrences to the north and west of the property (Figure 5-2). The maximum dispersal distance from breeding ponds is thought to be 1.2-miles (6,336 feet). Trenham and Shaffer (2005) showed that 95% of adults and juveniles utilized upland habitats within 2,034-feet (620 meters) and 2,067-feet (630 meters) of breeding ponds, respectively. Only the southern occurrences are within 1.2-miles of the property, and this area is outside of the proposed landfill footprint. Salamanders from these populations would need to cross Highway 101 to access the property (Figure 5-2). A review of aerial photography identified several topographic features on adjacent properties that could potentially be suitable for California tiger salamander breeding in years of normal or above- average precipitation, but in which protocol surveys have not been performed. There are also two permanent agricultural ponds adjacent to the property, but it is not known whether these sites contain predatory fish that would eliminate California tiger salamander larvae. Nonetheless, they appear to be devoid of vegetation and are likely intensively managed agricultural ponds. Therefore, there is a very low possibility that California tiger salamanders could inhabit other adjacent sites that have not been documented.

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The site topography does not appear to meet the characteristics of areas occupied by this species. The project site is located along the crest of the Solomon Hills in the upper reaches of three watersheds, Orcutt Creek/Solomon Canyon, Canada de los Flores/San Antonio Creek, and Cat Canyon. California tiger salamanders are considered to be a lowland species (Jennings and Hayes 1994). The known breeding sites in the vicinity are mostly surrounded by steep hillsides, with vineyards present in most areas of lower slopes. Furthermore, the California tiger salamander habitat map (Santa Barbara County 2001) omitted most of the Solomon Hills, including a portion of the project’s initial conceptual phase area, as potentially suitable habitat based upon steep topography. Highway 101 also forms a substantial barrier to amphibian movement in this area. 5.3 Conclusions Suitable breeding habitat for the California tiger salamander does not appear to be present on the property. The only natural basin was the topographic depression observed along a ridgeline in the central portion of the site, and the current topography and direct observation of hydrology in this area indicates that this site does not possess sufficient depth and hydroperiod for suitable California tiger salamander breeding habitat. The fact that the topographic depression appears on the U.S. Geological Survey Sisquoc 7.5-minute topographic map suggests that this feature may have been more substantial in that past, and may have filled in with sediment as a result of cattle grazing. The only other potentially suitable aquatic sites on the property are human-made, such as the detention basin identified as Pool 3 in the southern portion of the property. Pool 3 is outside of the proposed landfill footprint. This site was intensively sampled during the 2008 and 2009 listed branchiopod surveys, and California tiger salamanders were not present. California tiger salamanders breed in artificial ponds when they are within dispersal distance of other breeding ponds, and therefore there is a slight possibility that Pool 3 could be used at some point in the future. There is very low potential that California tiger salamanders could use southern and eastern portions of the site for upland refuge and dispersal. Since the property does not fall within 2,034-feet of any known breeding ponds (Figure 5-2) and salamanders would need to cross Highway 101, it is unlikely that salamanders from these populations would use upland areas on the subject property. However, because a few of these populations are within the 1.2-mile dispersal distance of known breeding ponds of the southern end of the property, the presence of a limited number of individuals on an occasional basis cannot be ruled out. Whether California tiger salamanders could be present in additional breeding ponds that are in closer proximity to the site is unknown. Two constructed agricultural ponds are evident on aerial imagery to the east of the southern portion of the site, and additional ephemeral ponds observed on aerial photography are present off-site. Due to lack of information regarding these sites, conclusions about the potential for California tiger salamanders to occur in these areas would be speculative. The results of the present study suggest that California tiger salamanders are unlikely to occur on the property. The site is within the region occupied by this species, and therefore, the presence of occasional transient individuals cannot be completely ruled out. Based on the years of study on-site, no compelling evidence exists that California tiger salamanders use upland areas on the site, and aquatic breeding habitat does not appear to be present. Moreover, the site topography is probably too steep, and Highway 101 creates a barrier to dispersal from known occupied habitat further south of the study area.

City of Santa Maria 41 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

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OCC #241 y OCC #533 OCC #240 y y OCC #239 y Sources: California Natural Diversity Database, June 2008a, Legend U.S. Bureau of the Census TIGER 2000 data, and ESRI, 2002. y California tiger salamander Property Boundary Note: Markers represent approximate locations where species reported. occurrence number Critical habitat per U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, November 24, 2004. Critical Habitat Buffer from known California California Tiger Salamander tiger salamander occurrence critical habitat 2,200 Foot Buffer 0 0.5 1 Mile

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California Tiger Salamander Occurrences Figure 5-2 City of Santa M! aria Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

6.0 LISTED VERNAL POOL BRANCHIOPOD PROTOCOL SURVEYS

6.1 Methods Water levels and duration at seasonal wetlands were monitored throughout the 2006/2007 winter season. Due to below normal precipitation in 2006/2007, listed vernal pool branchiopod protocol surveys were postponed until spring 2008. Eleven aquatic sites were identified for sampling in 2008, and an additional pool was identified for sampling in 2009, for a total of 12 pools (Figure 6-1). Dip netting was conducted by Julie Thomas (federal Section 10(a)(1)(A) permit TE834492-3, effective February 19, 2007 and expiring February 18, 2011) and Dr. Susan Christopher. Sampling was conducted on the following dates: February 4, February 19, March 2, March 14, and April 1, 2008; and, January 3, February 22, and March 9, 2009. Sampling followed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1996) protocol. All pools were sampled when they were filled to at least 3 centimeters deep. Sampling ceased when the sites dried up, and did not refill and retain water for a minimum of eight days, as specified in the protocol. During each visit in which pools were inundated, sampling was conducted by sweeping multiple representative areas of the pool with aquarium nets that had mesh size less than 1/8 inch. Nets were emptied into a dish, and a hand lens was used to aid in the identification of captures. Invertebrates were identified to phylum (rotifers), class (ostracods), order (Coleoptera, Diptera) or family (Culicidae, Corixidae). Amphibian larvae were identified to species and the presence of amphibian eggs was noted as part of the general wildlife surveys. Other information collected during each visit included air and water temperatures, weather conditions, and maximum water depth. Photographs were taken of the sites during each survey. Additional information gathered for each site was the dominant plant species, soil characteristics, presence of algae, maximum water depth when completely inundated, water clarity, site disturbance, and unusual observations such as an oil sheen on the surface. The boundaries of the inundated areas were recorded using a Trimble GeoXT GPS unit, and ArcGIS was used to map the locations and calculate pond surface area. 6.2 Results No branchiopod species were found during the surveys in either 2008 or 2009. Invertebrate taxa observed included corixids, ostracods, rotifers, chironomids, dystiscid larvae and adult beetles, notonectids, midge larvae, and mosquito larvae. Eggs and larvae of the western spadefoot (Spea hammondii), a toad species that is listed as a California Species of Special Concern, were found in Pools 1, 3 and 6 in 2008. In 2009, spadefoot tadpoles were found in Pools 1 and 3. All of these pools dried before the tadpoles could complete metamorphosis. In 2008, spadefoot tadpoles at Pool 3 reached relatively large size (up to 45 millimeters total length) and the 13 weeks that it held water was within the range of days needed for this species to complete metamorphosis (see Western Spadefoot under Section 3.6). However, as the pond dried up no tadpoles had transformed to a stage where they could have survived without standing water. The basin was visited shortly after the pond dried, and cracks in the mud were searched for metamorphs (recently transformed toads). No metamorphs were found, and dead tadpoles were present in the lower areas of the basin. Similarly in 2009, no spadefoot larvae reached metamorphosis before the ponds dried up. Northern Pacific treefrog tadpoles were observed in Pools 3, 6 and 11 in 2008 and in Pool 3 in 2009. One tadpole that was too small to identify was seen in Pool 12 in 2009, and likely was a northern Pacific treefrog. It appeared that no treefrog tadpoles were able to complete metamorphosis before the ponds dried in either year.

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Image Source: City of Santa Maria, 2004. Legend Property Boundary ± 01,000500 Feet Active Lease Area Drainages Vernal Pool Vernal Pool Location Map Figure 6-1 City of Santa Maria

Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Rainfall in Santa Maria during the 2007/2008 season was 82% of normal, and for 2008/2009 it was 67% of normal (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2009). Due to the low amount of rainfall, sampling at many sites could only be performed once or twice per season. For the 2008 sampling season, Pools 4, 7, 8 and 9 had dried up by the second sampling session (February 19, 2008). By the fourth sampling session (March 14, 2008), only Pool 3 had water. Pool 9, the topographic depression, only had a maximum of 3 centimeters of water on the first sampling date in 2008, and was dry on subsequent dates. For the 2009 sampling season, two pools had water on the first sampling session (Pools 1 and 12 on January 3, 2009), all had sufficient water for sampling on the second session except Pool 9 (topographic depression), and five had water on the third and last sampling session (Pools 1, 3, 5, 7, and 12 on March 3, 2009). All pools dried out following the March 9, 2009 sampling session, and did not refill this year. Thomas’ (2008, 2009) 90-day survey reports that have been submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as required by the protocol are contained in Appendix F. 6.3 Conclusions No vernal pool branchiopods were observed in any of the pools during the sampling conducted over two years. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1996) protocol states that a complete survey consists of either “two full wet season surveys done within a 5-year period, or one dry season survey and one full wet season survey”. In this study, two full wet season surveys were conducted. While the protocol does not contain a clause regarding surveys conducted in years with lower than normal rainfall, it is prudent to consider the effects of seasonal rainfall on the conclusions of the study. Although rainfall was below normal, in 2008 Pools 3, 5, 6, 10, and 11 experienced inundation long enough for vernal pool fairy shrimp to complete their life cycle (minimum 18 days; Helm 1998). In 2009, Pools 1, 3, 5, 7 and 12 held water long enough for vernal pool fairy shrimp to complete their life cycle. Therefore, it is likely that this species would have been detected during the surveys if they were present on-site. In addition, no listed vernal pool branchiopods are recorded from the vicinity of the site. The nearest locations of vernal pool fairy shrimp are from Vandenberg Air Force Base and the Santa Maria Airport.

7.0 GENERAL ANIMAL SPECIES SURVEYS 7.1 Methods The CNDDB was searched for special status animal species observations reported within the USGS Sisquoc, California 7.5-minute and eight surrounding quadrangles. Other published and online sources containing species distribution information were also searched (Mayer and Laudenslayer 1988, Jennings and Hayes 1994, California Department of Fish and Game 2003, eBird 2008). The results were compiled to generate a list of species that potentially could occur on-site based upon an evaluation of habitat suitability and local distribution patterns. Focused surveys for terrestrial amphibians and reptiles were conducted by overturning cover objects such as logs and boards, as well as through visual encounter surveys while walking through representative suitable habitats. These focused terrestrial herpetological surveys were conducted by Dr. Susan Christopher on December 11 and 18, 2006, and March 12, 2008. Because there were very few areas with standing water in 2006/2007, aquatic herpetological surveys were not conducted. All aquatic habitats with standing water in 2008 and 2009 were surveyed during the vernal pool fairy shrimp surveys, and the presence of amphibian larvae was noted. Additional amphibian and reptile species information was gained during the California tiger salamander upland survey effort and incidental observations during other field work. City of Santa Maria 47 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Bird and raptor surveys were generally conducted during the course of other site visits. For example, Dr. Susan Christopher, Wendy Knight, and Jared Bigler were present on-site for geotechnical monitoring on an almost daily to weekly basis from December 7, 2006 through May 31, 2007. Other observations took place during the oak tree inventory, which was conducted over 35 field days. Additional bird and raptor species data was provided by Lawrence Hunt. Similarly, surveys for mammals were mainly conducted during the course of other work and many species were observed while driving. No trapping or night surveys were performed. 7.2 Results Table 7-1 lists special status animal species that are documented to occur in the vicinity of the study area, the species that were observed during the surveys, and an evaluation the likelihood of occurrence for species that were not seen. The following special status animal species were detected during the surveys: Blainville’s horned lizard, western spadefoot, California horned lark, Cooper’s hawk, golden eagle, ferruginous hawk, northern harrier, prairie falcon, Swainson’s hawk, white-tailed kite, and monarch butterfly. Individual monarch butterflies were observed, but only winter roost sites are considered sensitive and are not present on-site. Burrows that could be used by the burrowing owl and American badger were observed, but no individuals of these species were seen. Detailed species accounts for species observations and species that potentially could occur on-site follow Table 7-1. The on-site occurrences of non- avian species observed are shown in Figure 7-1, and a complete list of the animal species observed on-site is provided in Appendix A.

Table 7-1. Special Status Animal Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility

Common Name Status: Project Site Habitat Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Federal/State1 Suitability REPTILES Dune scrub, coastal scrub, Suitable habitat exists chaparral, pine-oak throughout most of woodland, oak woodland, the site and the site is and riparian woodland; within this species’ requires loose soil for range; cover objects California legless lizard --/Special burrowing, moisture, were searched during E (Anniella pulchra) Concern warmth, and plant cover; the appropriate time burrows in washes, dune of year and the sand, loose soil near bases species was not of slopes, and near found, however, it can permanent or temporary be difficult to detect streams Grasslands, coniferous Suitable habitat forests, sandy washes, occurs throughout Blainville’s (=coast) woodlands, chaparral and most areas of the horned lizard coastal scrub; requires site; this species was --/Special (Phrynosoma blainvillii open areas for sunning, observed in the O Concern [= P. coronatum shrubs for cover; patches topographic frontale]) of loose soil for burial and depression and in the abundance of native ants northeast portion of and other insects the site

City of Santa Maria 48 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Table 7-1. Special Status Animal Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility

Common Name Status: Project Site Habitat Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Federal/State1 Suitability Suitable permanent Rivers, ponds, and or semi-permanent freshwater marshes; nests aquatic habitat does Southern Pacific pond in upland areas such as not exist on the site; turtle --/Special oak woodland, chaparral, not likely to use NE (Actinemys marmorata Concern coastal scrub and terrestrial habitats on- pallida) grassland or in drier parts site because off-site of riparian habitats aquatic habitats are probably too far away AMPHIBIANS Occupies rivers and streams and adjacent riparian, oak woodland, chaparral, grassland and Suitable habitat is not coastal scrub where there Endangered/ present on-site, and Arroyo toad are sandy terraces with Special this species does not NE (Anaxyrus californicus) friable soils; breeding Concern occur in the site occurs in shallow pools in vicinity secondary channels with sand or gravel bars, low current speeds and minimal vegetation Suitable permanent Semi-permanent or or semi-permanent permanent water at least aquatic habitat does California red-legged Threatened/ 0.5 meter deep, bordered not exist on the site; frog Special by emergent or riparian not likely to use NE (Rana draytonii) Concern vegetation, and upland terrestrial habitats on- habitat for refugia and site because off-site dispersal aquatic habitats are probably too far away Suitable aquatic habitat was not present on the site during the study and this species was not Breeds in vernal and captured during one seasonal pools, and uses year of upland associated grasslands, oak surveys at the Endangered/ savanna, woodland, and topographic California tiger Candidate coastal scrub during dry depression conducted salamander Endangered periods; requires during a dry year; U (Ambystoma Special underground refuge sites there is a possibility californiense) Concern (i.e., small mammal this species may use burrows, pipes) in upland terrestrial habitats on- areas such as grassland site that are adjacent and scrub habitats to off-site aquatic habitats, and several localities are known from within 2 miles of the southern part of the property

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Table 7-1. Special Status Animal Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility

Common Name Status: Project Site Habitat Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Federal/State1 Suitability Adults and tadpoles were found on-site; Breeds in vernal pools and suitable breeding ephemeral stock ponds in habitat is present in Western spadefoot --/Special grasslands and valley artificial O (Spea hammondii) Concern foothill woodlands; outside impoundments and of breeding season they suitable terrestrial burrow in upland areas habitat is present throughout the site FISH Unarmored threespine Streams with clear, flowing, Endangered/ stickleback well-oxygenated water with Suitable habitat is not Endangered, NE (Gasterosteus pools, eddies and areas of present on-site Fully Protected aculeatus williamsoni) dense vegetation or debris Breeds in fast flowing, Southern California Endangered/ highly oxygenated, clear, steelhead Suitable habitat is not Special cool streams and rivers NE (Oncorhynchus mykiss present on-site Concern with gravel substrate; irideus) migrates to the ocean BIRDS Suitable foraging and burrow habitat is present throughout Burrow sites are in open the grassland and dry annual or perennial scrub areas on-site, grasslands, deserts and --/Special and ground squirrel scrublands characterized Concern burrows that could be Burrowing owl by low growing vegetation; (burrowing and used by this species U (Athene cunicularia) also inhabits anthropogenic some wintering were common; the habitats such as sites) site is at the edge of campuses, golf courses, the species’ known cemeteries, airports, and winter range and they grazed pastures may no longer breed in Santa Barbara County Marginally suitable foraging habitat is Forages in open present in portions of California condor Endangered/ grasslands; nests in the site, but presence (Gymnogyps NE Endangered chaparral and montane would probably be californianus) regions with cliffs limited to flyovers; nesting habitat is not present on the site Suitable nesting and Open dry grasslands, foraging habitat is sparse scrublands and present in agricultural California horned lark other areas with minimal fields and grasslands, (Eremophila alpestris --/Watch List vegetative cover such as O and this species was actia) agricultural fields; uses abundant in areas with bare ground and grasslands during the short grasses surveys Suitable nesting and Nests and forages in Cooper’s hawk --/Watch List foraging habitat is riparian and coast live oak O (Accipiter cooperii) (nesting) present throughout forests the site

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Table 7-1. Special Status Animal Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility

Common Name Status: Project Site Habitat Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Federal/State1 Suitability Suitable foraging Forages in open habitat is present in grasslands, sagebrush grassland areas, and flats, desert scrub, and they may roost in Ferruginous hawk --/Watch List pinyon-juniper; nests on woodland habitats; O (Buteo regalis) (Wintering) low cliffs, steep banks, does not nest in shrubs, trees, and human- California and only made structures occurs in the state in the winter Bird of Conservation Suitable foraging Concern/ Nests in cliffs and rocky Golden eagle habitat is present on- Fully Protected, ledges, and forages in O (Aquila chrysaetos) site, but nesting Watch List grasslands and open areas habitat is not present (nesting, wintering) Riparian habitat on- Endangered, site is not well- Bird of Riparian forest near established enough to Least Bell’s vireo (Vireo Conservation permanent water or in dry support this species, NE bellii pusillus) Concern/ river bottoms below 2000 and riverine habitats Endangered feet elevation occupied by this (nesting) species are not present Nests in coastal scrub, Bird of Suitable foraging riparian scrub, and riparian Conservation habitat is present on- Loggerhead shrike forest and forages in Concern/Specie site and this species E (Lanius ludovicianus) grasslands and other semi- s of Concern is present year-round open habitats such as (nesting) in the area agricultural fields Open coniferous woodland, Suitable foraging Merlin --/Watch List grassland, agricultural habitat is present on- E (Falco columbarius) (wintering) areas, marshes, estuaries, site; nesting does not seacoasts occur in this region Forages in open areas such as grasslands, wet meadows, marshes, Suitable foraging and pastures, agricultural nesting habitat is --/Special Northern harrier areas, as well as riparian present on most of Concern O (Circus cyaneus) woodland; nests on the the site, and it was (nesting) ground in wetland, treeless observed flying over upland habitats, or ridges agricultural fields such as those in hay production Bird of Dry grasslands and Suitable foraging Conservation prairies, tundra, lake Prairie falcon habitat is present on- Concern/Watch shores, and agricultural O (Falco mexicanus) site, but nesting List fields; nests are usually on habitat is not present (nesting) cliffs Forages and nests in open Suitable foraging and Sharp-shinned hawk --/Watch List woodlands, riparian forests, nesting habitat is E (Accipiter striatus) (nesting) and the margins of present on most of woodlands the site

City of Santa Maria 51 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Table 7-1. Special Status Animal Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility

Common Name Status: Project Site Habitat Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Federal/State1 Suitability Suitable foraging and nesting habitat is Bird of Nests in juniper-sage flats, present on-site, Conservation riparian, oak savannah, Swainson’s hawk however, this species Concern/ and eucalyptus groves; O (Buteo swainsoni) is not usually found in Threatened forages in grasslands and this area; single (nesting) agricultural fields observation by Lawrence Hunt Suitable habitat is not present on-site due to Bird of Prefers riparian habitat, lack of permanent or Conservation ponds, and other wetland semi-permanent Tricolored blackbird Concern/Specia habitats; colonial nester in aquatic sites with NE (Agelaius tricolor) l Concern emergent vegetation dense emergent (nesting colony) surrounding open water vegetation and/or well-established riparian habitat Grassland, sparse scrub, Suitable foraging and marshes or open woodland nesting habitat is --/Fully White-tailed kite habitats often near present throughout Protected O (Elanus leucurus) agricultural areas; nests most of the site; (nesting) are in isolated trees or single observation by forests Lawrence Hunt Inhabits riparian areas and Suitable habitat is not nests in trees and shrubs present and this Yellow warbler --/Special along overgrown fields, species does not (Dendroica petechia Concern pastures, shorelines, usually occur in this NE brewsteri) (nesting) cultivated fields, orchards, region; a single roadsides, and suburban record exists from the parks Sisquoc River MAMMALS Suitable habitat is present and enlarged Open grasslands and the burrows that edge of scrub and appeared to have American badger --/Special woodland habitats; requires been excavated by E (Taxidea taxus) Concern dry, loose soils for badgers were burrowing and shelter observed in grassland areas throughout the site Forages in deserts, Foraging habitat is grasslands, shrublands, present on-site, and E and forests; roosts are in roosting in on-site oak Pallid bat --/Special (bat surveys rocky areas with crevasses tree cavities is (Antrozous pallidus) Concern were not and caves and occasionally possible; this species conducted) in deep hollows of trees or is present year-round buildings in the site vicinity Potential foraging Townsend’s big-eared Uses a variety of habitats habitat is present on- E bat --/Special and prefers wet areas; site, but roosting is (bat surveys (Corynorhinus Concern roosts in caves, mines and unlikely; this species were not townsendii) buildings is present year-round conducted) in the site vicinity

City of Santa Maria 52 Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

Table 7-1. Special Status Animal Species Potentially or Actually Occurring at the Proposed Integrated Waste Management Facility

Common Name Status: Project Site Habitat Occurrence2 (Scientific Name) Federal/State1 Suitability Foraging and roosting Grasslands, shrublands, E habitat is present on- Western red bat --/Special open woodlands, and (bat surveys site and this species (Lasiurus blossevillii) Concern agricultural areas; roosts in were not is present year-round woodlands conducted) in the site vicinity INVERTEBRATES Winter roost sites would not be present --/LC Wind-protected groves of on-site due to the Monarch butterfly (winter roost trees near water and nectar inland location of the O (Danaus plexippus) sites) sources along the coast site; transient individuals have been observed on-site Potential habitat may exist in artificial pools Vernal pools, ephemeral and impoundments, ponds, grass- or mud- but no natural Vernal pool fairy shrimp bottomed swales, and habitats suitable for Threatened/-- U (Branchinecta lynchi) ponded water in vehicle tire this species were ruts that lasts at least 18 found on-site; one days year of wet season surveys was conducted 1LC = Local Concern 2Occurrence: O = Observed by Rincon Consultants’ biologists E = Expected to occur P = Potentially could occur but was not found during the surveys U = Unlikely to occur, but there is a slight possibility it could occur NE = Not expected to occur

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Property Boundary Western Spadefoot Breeding Pond z 0500 1,000 2,000 Feet Active Lease Area Western Spadefoot Adult ± Drainage z Coast Horned Lizard y Sensitive Animal Species Map Figure 7-1 City of Santa Maria

Integrated Waste Management Facility Biological Resources Study

The following accounts summarize information on the special status animal species that were observed during the surveys, as well as those that potentially could occur, and those that are unlikely to occur but a possibility that they could occur exists. • The California legless lizard occurs in a wide variety of habitat types throughout central and southern California, except for the Sierra Nevada and desert areas (Jennings and Hayes 1994). It is a fossorial species that burrows in loose sand and loamy soils. They appear to be active just below the soil surface in the morning and evening, and occasionally they may be found at night above the surface (Miller 1944). Due to these habits, this species is difficult to detect. They can be found under cover objects such as boards, logs and rocks during the spring. Cover object surveys were conducted during the spring of 2007 and 2008, but this species was not found. There were no records in the CNDDB within the site vicinity, but Jennings and Hayes (1994) and the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration (formerly the Museum of Systematics and Ecology) contain records of verified localities surrounding the site. Since suitable habitat is present on-site and this species is relatively common in this region, it is possible that they occur on-site but were not detected during the surveys. They could be present in most habitat types present on-site. • The Blainville’s horned lizard was formerly known as the coast or California horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum), and the name change was based upon molecular work by Montanucci (2004). The CNDDB has yet to update this change. This species occurs in grasslands, coniferous forests, sandy washes, woodlands, chaparral and coastal scrub. They are found in sandy areas with scattered bushes or other low-growing vegetation with open areas for sunning such as dirt roads. This species requires shrubs for cover, patches of loose soil for burial and an abundant supply of native ant species and insects. This species has been observed in the Solomon Hills and in the vicinity in the Sisquoc River (California Department of Fish and Game 2008). Two individuals were seen on- site in 2007 in the vicinity of the topographic depression within grassland habitat, and another individual was seen in 2008 in the northwestern corner of the site within a mixture of riparian, chaparral and coastal scrub habitats. Three hatchlings were seen in the maritime chaparral in the northern part of the property in 2008 (Figure 7-1). It is likely that this species occurs throughout the site. • The California tiger salamander is discussed in detail in Section 5.0. • The western spadefoot is a toad species that occurs primarily in grassland habitat types and requires temporary ponds (vernal pools, stock ponds, or isolated pools in drainages) for breeding and larval development. This species spends most of the year in underground burrows up to 0.9 m (36 in.) under the surface, which they construct themselves, although some individuals also use small mammal burrows. This species is relatively common and widely distributed in the vicinity of the study site. The CNDDB contains records of this species from Rancho Los Flores, on the east and west sides of Highway 101, 3.5 to 6 miles northwest of Los Alamos. Other localities include Cat Canyon, Long Canyon Road and the Sisquoc River, all of which are east of the study site. Suitable breeding habitat is present in the artificial impoundments in the southern end of the property, and tadpoles were found in two of these basins in both 2008 and 2009 (Pools 1 and 3 in Figure 6-1; also see Figure 7-1). One western spadefoot tadpole was found in 2008 in a small impoundment at the end of a roadside ditch in the central

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portion of the property within the proposed first landfill cell (Pool 6 in Figure 6-1). As discussed in Section 6.2, all of these pools dried prior to the tadpoles reaching metamorphosis in both 2008 and 2009. Rainfall in Santa Maria for the 2007/2008 season was 82% of the normal average yearly rainfall, and in 2008/2009 it was 67% of normal (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2009). Pool 3 held water for at least 13 weeks in 2008, and it is reported that the larval period for this species is generally 3 to 11 weeks (Jennings and Hayes 1994). The tadpoles in Pool 3 had reached relatively large size (to 45 millimeters total length), but failed to transform to a stage where they could live without standing water. It is possible that they could survive to metamorphosis at Pool 3 and at other pools on-site during years with higher amounts of precipitation. In addition, they could breed in ponded water at former well pads on the site, such as two pools in the northern portion of the site (Pools 11 and 12 in Figure 6-1) that were identified to hold water for several weeks. A small adult western spadefoot was found during pitfall trapping at the topographic depression (Pool 9 in Figure 6-1). This feature may have formerly been suitable breeding habitat, but presently it does not appear that the topographic depression could have sufficient water for western species breeding. • The burrowing owl occurs in grasslands, scrubland, deserts, some agricultural areas (particularly those with water conveyance canals), and anthropogenic sites such as airports, campuses and golf courses. Specific requirements for this species include sparse vegetation and the presence of small mammal burrows that are used for nesting and as roost sites. They primarily use ground squirrel burrows, which they reshape to accommodate their activities, and have also been found to nest or roost in badger and skunk holes, coyote dens, cavities in sand dunes under iceplant, drift wood piles, culverts, concrete rubble piles, rock outcrops, and near pipes (California Department of Fish and Game 2003). They frequently form social aggregations or “colonies” within suitable burrowing habitat. Foraging takes place in grasslands and agricultural areas usually within close proximity of their nest burrows, but they may make night time foraging excursions of up to several miles. Burrowing owls that breed in California are thought to be mostly non-migratory, although individuals from other areas may migrate to California in the winter. It is believed that they no longer breed in coastal portions of Santa Barbara County, and relatively few individuals winter in the northern part of the County (California Department of Fish and Game 2003). Burrowing owls have been observed northwest of the Santa Maria Airport (California Department of Fish and Game 2008) and on Vandenberg Air Force Base (Susan Christopher, personal observation). Although no burrowing owls were observed during field reconnaissance, suitable ground squirrel burrows in grassland habitat were present on-site. There is a possibility that this species could occur as a rare to common transient, but it is unlikely to occur. • The California horned lark is found in agricultural fields, grasslands, and mowed areas such as airstrips. They appear to prefer areas with bare soil and short grasses. Nests are on the ground in small cavities or depressions. They occur from Sonoma County to San Diego County and are present year-round in central and southern California. No records exist in the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008) nine quadrangle area, but they were observed during the surveys on the site. In addition, one nest was observed near the topographic depression.

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• The Cooper’s hawk is found in riparian and coast live oak woodlands. They breed in southern Canada, the United States and central Mexico. They winter in the United States and Mexico, and are found year-round in California. Nests are in trees and often are on top of old crow, squirrel or hawk nests. No records exist in the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008), but they are known to occur in the vicinity of the site (eBird 2008). This species was observed on-site, and is expected to use on-site riparian and oak woodland areas for nesting and foraging. • The ferruginous hawk occurs in grasslands, sagebrush flats, desert scrub, and pinyon- juniper. Nests are on low cliffs, steep banks, shrubs, trees, and human-made structures. They breed from eastern Washington and southern Alberta through the midwestern United States through Arizona and Texas. They winter in California, the southwestern states, and to central Mexico. No records exist in the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008), but they are known to occur in coastal and inland areas of northern Santa Barbara County (eBird 2008). This species was observed on-site, and is expected to use on-site grassland habitats for foraging and could potentially nest in oak or eucalyptus trees. • The golden eagle occurs in grasslands, other open areas, and open coniferous forest. They nest in cliffs and rock ledges. They breed from Alaska to central Mexico, and winter from southern Canada to central Mexico. They are present year-round in northern Santa Barbara County. No records exist in the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008), but they are known to occur in northern Santa Barbara County in coastal and inland areas (eBird 2008). This species was observed on-site, and is expected to use the grassland habitats for foraging. Nesting is not expected to occur on- site. • The loggerhead shrike forages in grasslands, agricultural areas, and other semi-open habitats. Nesting is in coastal scrub and riparian habitats. They breed in southern Canada, and throughout the United States and Mexico. They winter in southern Oregon eastward to Virginia and into southern Mexico. They are present year-round in Santa Barbara County. No records exist in the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008), but they are known to occur in coastal areas of northern Santa Barbara County (eBird 2008). This species has not been observed on-site, but suitable habitat exists and they are expected to occur in grassland and oak savannah habitats. It is possible that they could use the site for foraging and nesting, and it is expected to occur. • The merlin occurs in open coniferous woodlands, grasslands, agricultural areas, marshes, estuaries and seacoasts. They breed throughout Alaska and Canada, and into Washington and Idaho. They winter from southern Canada to northern South America. They are present in California only in the winter; therefore they do not breed in the state. No records exist in the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008), but they are known to occur in coastal and inner-coastal areas of northern Santa Barbara County (eBird 2008). This species has not been observed on-site, but suitable wintering habitat exists and they are expected to occur in grassland habitats. It is possible that they could use the site for foraging and on a transitory basis, and it is expected to occur. • The northern harrier forages in open habitats such as grasslands, wet meadows, marshes, desert sinks, pastures, agricultural areas and riparian woodland. They usually nest on the ground in shrubs adjacent to wetlands or rivers, and occasionally in some

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agricultural fields or grasslands. They breed in Alaska, Canada, and the northern two- thirds of the United States. They are present year-round in the vicinity of the site. No records exist in the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008), but they are known to occur in coastal and inner-coastal areas of northern Santa Barbara County (eBird 2008). This species has been observed on-site, and is expected to forage in the grassland areas on-site. It is possible, but unlikely, that they would nest on-site due to insufficient aquatic habitats. • The prairie falcon occurs in grasslands, alpine meadows, savannahs, rangelands, desert scrub and some agricultural areas. Nests are in cliffs, bluffs or rock outcrops on ledges. They breed and nest from southwestern Canada throughout the western United States and into Mexico. Individuals are present in the site vicinity throughout the year, and the site falls within this species’ winter range. No records exist in the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008), but they are known to occur in coastal of northern Santa Barbara County (eBird 2008). This species was observed on-site and it is expected to forage within the grassland and oak savannah habitats. They are not expected to nest on-site because suitable nesting habitat is not present and nesting is probably rare in this area. • The sharp-shinned hawk prefers riparian habitats, and nests in coniferous, black oak, and riparian habitats. Wintering can occur in suburban habitats, where they can be found along the coast of southern Alaska, Canada and most of the United States. Breeding is in central Alaska, most of Canada, the northeastern states through the Appalachians to Alabama, the western states, central Mexico, Central America, and South America. In winter this species is found throughout most of California except for areas with deep snow. Breeding in California is in the Coast Ranges to northern Santa Barbara County, and in the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges. No records exist in the CNDDB from the vicinity of the site (California Department of Fish and Game 2008), but they have been documented from a locality near the site (eBird 2008). There is a possibility that this species could occur as a rare transient, but it is unlikely that the species would nest on-site due to the lack of sufficiently developed riparian habitat and because the site is at the edge of this species’ summer range. It is expected that this species may occur on-site on a temporary basis. • The Swainson’s hawk occurs in grasslands, shrubland, and agricultural areas. They nest in juniper-sage flats, riparian, oak savannah, and eucalyptus groves. In winter they occur in central and South America. They breed from British Columbia through parts of California, across the west and Midwest to Texas and central Mexico. Zeiner et al. (1988) lists them as not occurring in Santa Barbara County, and they are not listed as occurring in the site vicinity by the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008). There are no records of this species in the vicinity of the site in eBird (2008), although they have been observed in other locations within the county. Lawrence Hunt, a subcontractor conducting biological surveys, observed this species on-site. They are expected to be a rare transient on-site, and even though suitable nesting habitat exists, they are not expected to nest on-site due to being outside of this species’ range. • The white-tailed kite occurs in grassland, sparse scrubland, marshes, open woodland, and agricultural areas. They nest in dense woodlands that are usually adjacent to foraging areas. They are found year-round in California, southern Texas, and scattered

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locations in Washington, Oregon, Florida, Mexico and South America. They occur year- round throughout Santa Barbara County. This species was not listed in the CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008) from the site vicinity, but this species was observed on-site by Lawrence Hunt. This species was not observed during other surveys. Suitable nesting, roosting and foraging habitat is found throughout the site, but it appears that they may only be transient at the site. • The American badger occurs in grassland, shrubland, and forest habitats with friable soils and adequate rodent prey base. They dig burrows for cover and as maternal dens. They occur throughout the western United States and east to Ohio, Missouri, Oklahoma and eastern Texas. They are also present in parts of Canada, and throughout California except for the northwestern coast. They breed in summer and early fall, and young are born in March and April. The young are weaned in June and disperse from the maternal den in the late summer. They are active throughout the year and are diurnal and nocturnal. The CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008) contained many records from the site vicinity, including areas surrounding Los Alamos and south of Orcutt and Santa Maria. Burrows and dens that were the appropriate size and shape for the American badger were seen throughout grassland and open oak woodland habitats throughout the site. No individual badgers were seen, but it is likely that they occur on the site. • The pallid bat occurs in grasslands, shrublands, woodlands and forests, and is most common in open, dry habitats with rocky areas for roosting. They may also roost during the day in caves, crevices, mines, tree cavities, and buildings, and at night in more open areas such as porches and the sides of buildings. They occur throughout most of the western United States, including parts of Washington and Oregon, and extend eastward to Wyoming, western Colorado and parts of Texas. They also occur throughout Baja California and northern Mexico. They are present year-round in most of California except the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada, and they hibernate in winter near their summer day roosts. Maternal colonies form in early April and may have 12 to 100 individuals. They are nocturnal and have an activity peak 90 to 190 minutes after sunset and a second peak shortly before dawn. This species has been recorded from the Sisquoc River, Lompoc and Vandenberg Air Force Base. It is possible that they could forage throughout most habitats on-site and could roost in tree cavities. Bat surveys employing an acoustic detector or netting would be needed to determine whether this species is present on-site. • The Townsend’s big-eared bat inhabits scrubland and coniferous forests, and they prefer wet areas. Maternal colonies are in mines, caves, tunnels and buildings and the males roost individually. They hibernate in the winter (October through April) in caves and mines. Breeding is in the winter and young are born in May and June. They occur throughout the western United States, western British Columbia, and throughout central Mexico. They are found throughout California except for the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada. They are recorded in the CNDDB from Zaca Creek and Vandenberg Air Force Base (California Department of Fish and Game 2008). It is possible that they could forage in most habitats on-site, but the lack of large aquatic habitats indicates the habitat on-site may only be marginally suitable. Roosting is unlikely, but they could roost in highway underpasses near the site. Bat surveys employing an acoustic detector or netting would be needed to determine whether this species is present on-site.

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• The western red bat forages over grasslands, shrublands, open woodlands, agricultural areas, and around street lights. They roost in trees (occasionally shrubs) in forests and woodlands that often are near streams, fields, or urban areas. Individuals are solitary and aggregate only during mating and migration. They are found throughout the coast of central and southern California, the Central Valley, Baja California, desert areas of the southwestern states, and Mexico. They migrate between summer and winter ranges (March-May and September-October). In California, their winter range is along the coast south of San Francisco Bay. Mating is in August and September, and young are born May through early July. This species has been recorded at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Suitable roosting and foraging habitat exists in oak woodland, coastal scrub, maritime chaparral, and grassland habitats at the study site, and they are expected to occur. Bat surveys employing an acoustic detector or netting would be needed to determine whether this species is present on-site. • The monarch butterfly occurs in grasslands with milkweed, the host plant, in the spring and summer. They occur in North America from the Hudson Bay south to South America, and are absent in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. They also now occur in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Monarch butterfly migration and overwintering occur in two distinct patterns in North America: individuals west of the Rocky Mountains migrate to the coast of California from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and individuals east of the Rocky Mountains migrate to Michoacán, Mexico. Monarch butterflies that overwinter in Santa Barbara County emigrate from Idaho, Canada and other areas in California, or are reared in Santa Barbara County. In winter they roost along the coast of central and southern California and at high altitudes of central Mexico. Along the coast of California, monarch butterflies roost from October through February in dense groves of trees such as eucalyptus, pines and cypress. The monarch butterfly aggregates in large numbers for safety from weather and predators. Santa Barbara County has over 100 monarch butterfly aggregation sites. The CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008) contains records of winter roost sites in Santa Maria, and near Lompoc. Individual monarch butterflies have been found on-site, but they are not expected to roost on-site due to distance from the coast. • The vernal pool fairy shrimp occur in vernal pools, ephemeral ponds, swales, and ponded water in tire ruts or other anthropogenic areas. Ponded water must last at least 18 days for the species to complete their lifecycle (Helm 1998), and must lack fish. In California, they occurred historically throughout the Central Valley, and at scattered locations in the Salinas Valley, Coast Ranges, eastern Riverside County and San Diego County. They are currently also known to occur in Oregon. Vernal pool fairy shrimp eggs can be dormant in the soil for up to hundreds of years. They hatch when pools fill, usually in December to early May. Most vernal pool fairy shrimp mature in approximately 41 days. The CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008) did not contain any records from the site vicinity, but they are known to occur near the Santa Maria Airport and on Vandenberg Air Force Base. Two years of protocol wet season surveys were completed on-site for this species, and they were not detected (see Section 6.0). Potential habitat exists in man-made detention basins and anthropogenic depressions, but no suitable natural habitats exist on-site. It is possible that they could occur on the site, but occurrence is unlikely due to not finding them during a complete

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set of protocol surveys, the lack of natural habitats on-site, and the absence of localities from the site vicinity. The CNDDB (California Department of Fish and Game 2008) contains a number of recorded occurrences of special status animal species in the vicinity of the site that are not expected to occur due to the lack of specific habitat types that are not present on the property. Special status fish species, such as the unarmored threespine stickleback and southern California steelhead, require perennial creeks and no suitable habitat for these species is present on-site. Similarly, other species that are dependent on permanent or semi-permanent aquatic habitats for part of their life cycles, such as the California red-legged frog, southern Pacific pond turtle and arroyo toad are not expected to occur. Several special status birds included in the CNDDB as occurring in the region are also not expected to occur within the study area, and include the California condor, least Bell’s vireo, tricolored blackbird, and yellow warbler. The least Bell’s vireo and yellow warbler typically nest in riparian habitat consisting of dense willows in the vicinity of open water. Sufficient areas of established riparian vegetation are not present on-site. The tricolored blackbird is a highly colonial species that nests in dense cattails and bulrushes growing along the margins of perennial aquatic sites such as agricultural irrigation ponds, stock ponds and streams. While this species is known to occur throughout the Santa Maria Valley region, no suitable habitat for this species was observed on-site and therefore it is not expected to occur on the property. The California condor could potentially fly over the site, and suitable foraging habitat exists on-site. Zeiner et al. (1988) depicts their year-round range to border on the study site. However, it is unlikely that this species would forage on the site and nesting habitat is not present.

8.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Although the property has been disturbed by past oil exploration activities, a large proportion of the site containing natural habitats that support wildlife remained relatively intact. Following the decommissioning of the oil operations, disturbed areas have undergone natural recolonization by many native plant and animal species. The low levels of development surrounding the site also probably contributed to site recovery since native plant and animal species occurring in adjacent areas could disperse into recovering areas. Moderately high levels of cattle grazing have resulted in degraded grassland and wetland habitats, poor oak regeneration, and likely contributed to erosion along drainages. Nevertheless, the property contains nine natural (or naturalized, as in the case of non-native grassland and eucalyptus woodland) habitats, including oak woodland, coastal scrub, maritime chaparral, riparian, wetland, valley needlegrass grassland, and mulefat scrub. Three of these habitat types are considered to be special status by the DFG (maritime chaparral [central maritime chaparral], riparian [Central Coast arroyo willow riparian forest], and valley needlegrass grassland). Many wetland, mulefat scrub and riparian areas are also under the jurisdiction of the Corps, RWQCB, and DFG. Of these habitat types, the existence of the oak woodland, valley needlegrass grassland and maritime chaparral on-site are probably the most significant in a regional context. During the oak tree inventory, 3,181 individual coast live oak trees were identified within the proposed landfill footprint, excluding the area within the active lease which was not surveyed. Fifty-one percent of the trunks measured exceeded 12 inches DBH, and only 11% were less than 6 inches DBH, indicating the majority of oak trees on the site were mature, stately individuals. There was approximately 14.4 acres of valley needlegrass

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grassland identified on the site. In these areas, purple needlegrass exceeded 10% cover. Considering the high levels of grazing that the site has experienced over the past several years, the existence of this considerable area of valley needlegrass grassland is noteworthy. The potential exists to expand this habitat type on areas of the property outside of the proposed project footprint through restoration and enhancement efforts. The existence of approximately 58.5 acres of maritime chaparral on the property is also of interest due to the distance of the site from the coast. La Purisima manzanita, a major component of maritime chaparral, reaches its eastern extent in the Solomon Hills (Smith 1998). For this reason, the presence of this habitat type on the property is of high local importance. Maritime chaparral is restricted to the northern part of the site on Arnold sand, Garey sandy loam, and Marina sand soil types. Restoration and enhancement efforts for maritime chaparral may be restricted to these areas with suitable soil types. Jurisdictional waters on the property were confined to or abutting drainages, and were considered to be waters of the U.S. and state as well as under DFG jurisdiction. There were approximately 12.23 acres of wetland waters (including riparian and mulefat scrub areas within drainages) and 4.18 acres (25,553 linear feet) of non-wetland waters that were determined to fall under the jurisdiction of the Corps, RWQCB and DFG on the property. In addition, approximately 1.41 acres of isolated wetlands were identified that may fall under RWQCB jurisdiction under pending policy. Most wetland areas were heavily impacted by cattle grazing, but due to the presence of suitable hydrology, these areas have the potential to be restored. In particular, the approximately 8.85 acres of wetland habitat present in Drainage B represents a significant biological resource that could be vastly improved by grazing management methods. There were five special status plant species and 11 special status animal species detected on the property during the surveys. Focused botanical surveys were conducted of the entire property over two years and therefore, it is likely that all special status plant species occur on the property were detected during the surveys. There were five special status animal species that are expected to occur on the property but were not found during the surveys, and six animal species that potentially could occur or are unlikely to occur with a slight possibility that they could occur, but were not detected during the surveys. Two of the species in the “unlikely” category include the California tiger salamander and the vernal pool fairy shrimp, both of which are federally listed species. One season of protocol upland surveys for the California tiger salamander was conducted at the topographic depression, and additional aquatic sites were sampled over two years during the listed vernal pool branchiopod surveys, but this species was not detected. Since upland surveys were conducted in a year with less than 70% of normal rainfall, the USFWS will need to consider other factors to support a negative determination. The California tiger salamander is known to occur in the vicinity of the site, and there is a low potential that they could use portions of the site as upland and dispersal habitat. Since the nearest known breeding locations are south of the site, the southern portion of the site is considered to be the most likely area that could be used by the salamander. However, salamanders would need to cross Highway 101 in order to access the property, and the highway may be a barrier to dispersal. It does not appear that suitable breeding sites for the salamander exist on the property, and most of the site topography is too steep for this lowland species. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that the California tiger salamander is unlikely to occur on-site. However, due to known populations in the site vicinity, the occasional occurrence of transient individuals cannot be ruled out entirely.

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Listed vernal pool branchiopod species are unlikely to occur on-site. Two wet season surveys were conducted fulfilling the protocol requirements, and no special status invertebrate species were found. Although sampling was conducted in relatively dry years, the pools with the most suitable habitat held water long enough for vernal pool fairy shrimp to complete their life cycle. Therefore, it is likely that they would have been detected during the surveys if they were present. The vernal pool fairy shrimp is known to occur in the Santa Maria and Vandenberg Air Force Base areas, but no records exist from the Solomon Hills. Special status bird species that were observed on the property include: California horned lark, Cooper’s hawk, golden eagle, ferruginous hawk, northern harrier, prairie falcon, Swainson’s hawk, and white-tailed kite. Many of these species are listed by the DFG for particular habitat uses, such as wintering or nesting (Table 7-1). In addition, nesting sites for raptors and migratory birds that are not otherwise listed as special status species are protected by the Fish and Game Code of California (F&G Code) and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). In practice, abiding by the F&G Code and the MBTA usually means to avoid removal of trees with active nests until adults and young are no longer reliant on the nest site. Special status plant species observed on the site include the paniculate tarplant, mesa horkelia, California spineflower, dune larkspur, and La Purisima manzanita. None of these species is federally listed. California spineflower and paniculate tarplant are CNPS List 4 species, which are not considered rare or endangered under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Mesa horkelia, dune larkspur and La Purisima manzanita are CNPS List 1B species, which are generally considered rare or endangered under the CEQA and therefore, implementation of avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures are likely to be required as appropriate in relation to proposed activities and locations of these plants. Special status animal species observed on the site, excluding bird species discussed above, include: Blainville’s horned lizard, western spadefoot, and monarch butterfly. Since only winter roost sites of the monarch butterfly are considered sensitive, and these sites do not exist on the property, individual monarchs observed on the property would not be considered to be special status. The Blainville’s horned lizard appears to be fairly widely distributed on the property, but this species probably does not occur in high densities as is the case for this species in general. The western spadefoot breeds in ephemeral ponds, and can readily use artificial impoundments. Western spadefoot larvae were found in three artificial pools on the site. Adults occupy burrows in upland habitats during dry periods, and they may disperse considerable distances away from breeding ponds to upland aestivation habitat. Therefore, this species is likely to be found throughout most areas of the site. Additional special status animal species that are likely to occur on the site, but were not detected during the surveys, include the California legless lizard, burrowing owl, American badger, pallid bat, Townsend’s big-eared bat, and western red bat.

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9.0 LITERATURE CITED

California Department of Fish and Game. 2003. Petition Evaluation for Western Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea). August 2003.

California Department of Fish and Game. 2008. California Natural Diversity Data Base (RareFind 3.1.0). Updated June 2008.

California Department of Fish and Game. 2009a. Special Vascular Plants, Bryophytes and Lichens List. California Natural Diversity Database. April 2009.

California Department of Fish and Game. 2009b. Special Animals. Biogeographic Data Branch, California Natural Diversity Database. March 2009.

California Native Plant Society. 2006. Inventory of rare and endangered plants. Retrieved October 2006, from http://cnps.web.aplus.net/cgi-bin/inv/inventory.cgi

Consortium of California Herbaria. 2008. Online database of California vascular plant specimens housed at herbaria. Accessed via: ucjeps.berkeley.edu/consortium/.

Cowardin, L. M., V. Carter, F. C. Golet, and E. T. LaRoe. 1979. Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States.

Crother, B.I. (chair). 2008. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 6th edition. J. J. Moriarty (ed.). Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular No. 37 (January 2008). eBird. 2008. Online database for avian records managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon. Accessed from http://ebird.org/content/ebird/.

Environmental Laboratory. 1987. Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi. Technical Report Y-87-1.

Ferren, W. R., Jr., P. L. Fieldler, and R. A. Leidy. 1996. Wetlands of the central and southern California coast and coastal watersheds; a methodology for their classification and description. August 1996. Final report prepared for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, San Francisco, CA.

Gretag/Macbeth. 2000. Munsell® Color. New Windsor, New York.

Helm, B. 1998. Biogeography of eight large branchiopods endemic to California. Pages 124-139 in Ecology, Conservation, and Management of Vernal Pool Ecosystems – Proceedings from a 1996 conference. C.W. Witham, E.T. Bauder, D. Belk, W.R. Ferren, Jr., and R. Ornduff, eds. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, California. 285 pp.

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Holland, R.F. 1986. Preliminary Descriptions of the Terrestrial Natural Communities of California. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, California.

Jennings, M. R., and M. P. Hayes. 1994. Amphibian and reptile species of special concern in California, 1 November 1994. California Department of Fish and Game, Inland Fisheries Division, Rancho Cordova, California. 255 pp.

Mayer, K.E., and W.F. Laudenslayer, Jr. (eds.). 1988. A guide to wildlife habitats of California. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, California. 166 pp. Updated online at: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cwhr/wildlife_habitats.asp

Miller, C.M. 1944. Ecological relations and adaptations of the limbless lizards of the genus Anniella. Ecological Monographs 14(3):271-289.

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