DRAFT City of Santa Cruz Habitat Conservation Plan Conservation

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DRAFT City of Santa Cruz Habitat Conservation Plan Conservation DRAFT City of Santa Cruz Habitat Conservation Plan Conservation Strategy for Steelhead and Coho Salmon August 10, 2011 DRAFT HCP Fisheries Conservation Strategy Page 2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 9 2. Approach to the Conservation Strategy .................................................................................... 10 3. Biological Goals and Objectives .................................................................................................. 13 4. Avoidance and Minimization Measures ..................................................................................... 15 4.1. Water Supply Operations ...................................................................................................... 15 4.1.1. Water Diversions ............................................................................................................ 15 4.1.1.1. Minimizing the effects of City Diversions ............................................................. 16 4.1.1.2. Rationale for Developing Instream Flow Targets ............................................... 18 4.1.1.3. Liddell Spring Diversion .......................................................................................... 21 4.1.1.4. Reggiardo Creek Diversion .................................................................................... 24 4.1.1.5. Laguna Creek Diversion ......................................................................................... 24 4.1.1.6. Majors Creek Diversion .......................................................................................... 27 4.1.1.7. Newell Creek Diversion .......................................................................................... 30 4.1.1.8. San Lorenzo River Diversion at Felton ................................................................. 32 4.1.1.9. San Lorenzo River Diversion at Tait and San Lorenzo River Wells ................. 35 4.1.2. Reservoir Operations ...................................................................................................... 39 4.1.2.1. Chemical Algaecide Treatment of the Reservoir ................................................. 39 4.1.2.2. Testing Deluge and Gate Valves ........................................................................... 41 4.1.2.3. Woody Debris Removal on the Dam Face ........................................................... 41 4.2. Water System Operations and Maintenance ..................................................................... 42 4.2.1. Sediment Management .................................................................................................. 42 4.2.2. Fish Ladder and Screen Maintenance .......................................................................... 43 4.2.3. Pipeline Operations and Maintenance ......................................................................... 43 4.2.3.1. Conveyance Pipeline System Inspection and Repairs ....................................... 43 4.2.3.2. Finished Water Pipeline System Flushing and Repairs ...................................... 44 4.2.3.3. Pumping Well Return to San Lorenzo River ........................................................ 45 4.2.3.4. North Coast Valve Blow Off to San Lorenzo River ............................................. 45 4.3. Municipal Facility Operations and Maintenance ................................................................ 45 4.3.1. Flood Control Maintenance ........................................................................................... 45 4.3.1.1. Debris/Obstruction Removal .................................................................................. 46 4.3.1.2. Sediment Management/Removal .......................................................................... 46 4.3.1.3. Vegetation Management ........................................................................................ 47 4.3.2. Stormwater Maintenance .............................................................................................. 48 4.3.2.1. Best Management Practices .................................................................................. 48 4.3.2.2. Storm Drain Inspection and Cleaning .................................................................. 49 4.3.2.3. Structural Retrofits and Storm Drain Inlets and Basins .................................... 50 4.3.2.4. Sanitary Landfill Stormwater Management ......................................................... 51 4.3.3. Emergency Operations and Response ......................................................................... 52 4.3.4. Vegetation Management ............................................................................................... 52 4.4. Land Management ................................................................................................................. 53 4.4.1. Recreation ........................................................................................................................ 53 4.4.2. Facility Maintenance and Management ....................................................................... 53 DRAFT HCP Fisheries Conservation Strategy Page 3 4.4.2.1. Facility Repair .......................................................................................................... 53 4.4.2.2. Trail Maintenance and Management .................................................................... 53 4.4.2.3. Road Maintenance and Decommissioning ........................................................... 54 4.4.3. Habitat Management ...................................................................................................... 56 4.4.3.1. Aquatic Habitat Management ................................................................................ 56 4.4.3.2. Terrestrial Habitat Management ........................................................................... 57 4.5. Summary of Avoidance and Minimization Measures ........................................................ 57 5. Assessment of Impacts and Level of Take ................................................................................ 63 5.1. Steelhead .................................................................................................................................. 63 5.1.1. Water Diversions .............................................................................................................. 63 5.1.1.1. Steelhead Adult Migration ....................................................................................... 63 5.1.1.2. Steelhead Spawning and Incubation ..................................................................... 69 5.1.1.3. Steelhead Rearing .................................................................................................... 75 5.1.1.4. Steelhead Smolt Migration ...................................................................................... 86 5.1.1.5. Summary of Diversion Effects on Steelhead ........................................................ 90 5.1.2. Newell Large Woody Debris (LWD) .............................................................................. 90 5.1.3. Newell Sediment Transport ............................................................................................ 91 5.1.4. Flood Control Management ............................................................................................ 91 5.2. Coho Salmon ............................................................................................................................ 91 5.2.1. Water Diversions .............................................................................................................. 91 5.2.1.1. Coho Salmon Adult Migration ................................................................................. 92 5.2.1.2. Coho Salmon Spawning and Incubation ............................................................... 95 5.2.1.3. Coho Salmon Rearing .............................................................................................. 97 5.2.1.4. Coho Salmon Smolt Migration .............................................................................. 104 5.2.1.5. Summary of Diversion Effects on Coho Salmon ................................................ 104 5.2.2. Newell LWD .................................................................................................................... 105 5.2.3. Newell Sediment Transport .......................................................................................... 105 5.2.4. Flood Control Management .......................................................................................... 105 6. Mitigation Measures .................................................................................................................... 106 7. Monitoring and Adaptive Management .................................................................................... 111 7.1. Compliance Monitoring ........................................................................................................ 113 7.2. Goals and Objectives Monitoring ....................................................................................... 114 7.2.1. Steelhead and coho salmon population abundance................................................ 114 7.2.2. Steelhead and coho salmon habitat quality ............................................................. 115 7.3. Mitigation Effectiveness
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