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Elkhorn Slough Estuarine Research Reserve Boundary Change Draft Environmental Assessment Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Boundary Change Watsonville, California U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management 1305 East West Hwy, N/OCM Silver Spring, MD 20910 October 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ................................................................ 1 1.1 Historical Context for Boundary Change ...................................................................... 3 1.2 The National Estuarine Research Reserve System ...................................................... 4 1.3 The Elkhorn Slough Region ......................................................................................... 6 1.4 Summary of Proposed Action ........................................................................................... 7 Chapter 2 PURPOSE AND NEED ........................................................................................14 2.1 Purpose ......................................................................................................................14 2.2 Need ...........................................................................................................................14 Chapter 3 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................16 3.1 Alternative 1- No Action ..............................................................................................16 3.2 Alternative 2 - Preferred Alternative ............................................................................16 Chapter 4 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ..............................................................................20 4.1 Physical Environment .................................................................................................20 4.1.1 Air Quality and Climate ............................................................................................20 4.1.2 Wetlands .................................................................................................................21 4.1.3 Hydrology and Hydrography ....................................................................................23 4.1.4 Geology and Substrates ..........................................................................................24 4.2 Biological Environment ...............................................................................................24 4.2.1 Plants ......................................................................................................................25 4.2.2 Invertebrates ...........................................................................................................28 4.2.3 Fish .........................................................................................................................31 4.2.4 Birds and Mammals .................................................................................................34 4.2.5 Threatened and Endangered Species ..........................................................................37 4.3 Cultural and Historic Resources ..................................................................................43 4.3.1 Cultural History ........................................................................................................43 4.3.2 Public Use ...............................................................................................................44 4.3.4 Socioeconomic Conditions ......................................................................................44 Chapter 5 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ..............................................................46 5.1 Alternative 1- No Action ..............................................................................................47 5. 2 Alternative 2- Preferred Alternative .............................................................................48 5.2.1 Physical Resources .................................................................................................49 5.2.2 Biological Resources ...............................................................................................50 5.2.3 Wildlife and Marine Resources ................................................................................51 5.2.4 Protected Species ...................................................................................................52 5.2.6 Cultural and Historic Resources ..............................................................................53 5.2.7 Socioeconomic Resources ......................................................................................53 5.3 Unavoidable Adverse Environmental Effects...............................................................55 ii 5.4 Relationship Between Short Term Uses of Man’s Environment and the Maintenance of Long-Term Productivity .........................................................................................................55 5.5 Irreversible or Irretrievable Commitments of Resources ..............................................55 5.6 Cumulative Effect Analysis and Conclusion ................................................................56 Chapter 6 OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW REQUIREMENTS .....................................60 .................................................................................................................................................60 Chapter 7 LIST OF PREPARERS .......................................................................................63 Chapter 8 REFERENCES .................................................................................................64 APPENDIX A – AGENCY CORRESPONDENCE .....................................................................68 List of Figures Figure 1.1 Current ESNERR Boundary Figure 1.2 Map of Existing and Proposed NERRs Figure 1.3 Map of ESNERR and Proposed Expansion Parcels Figure 4.1 Air Quality Index within the Elkhorn Slough Region Figure 4.2 Elkhorn Slough National Wetlands Inventory Figure 4.3 Elkhorn Slough NERR Habitats List of Tables Table 3.1 Description of Proposed Expansion Parcels Table 3.2 Summary of Action Alternatives Table 4.1 Listed Species by Parcel Table 5.1 Projects Considered for Cumulative Impacts iii List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ACOE – US Army Corps of Engineers CAA – Clean Air Act CAFWS – California Fish and Wildlife Service CAPP – Conceptual Area Protection Plan CDFW – California Department of Fish and Wildlife CELCP – Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program CEQ – Council on Environmental Quality CEQA – California Environmental Quality Act CFR – Code of Federal Regulations CWA – Clean Water Act CZMA – Coastal Zone Management Act EA – Environmental Assessment ECOS – Environmental Conservation Online System EFH – Essential Fish Habitat EPA – Environmental Protection Agency ESA – Endangered Species Act ESF – Elkhorn Slough Foundation ESNERR – Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve FEIS – Final Environmental Impact Statement LCP – Local Coastal Planning MMPA – Marine Mammal Protection Act MOU – Memorandum of Understanding NAAQS – National Ambient Air Quality Standards NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act NERRS – National Estuarine Research Reserve System NHPA – National Historic Preservation Act NMFS – National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOS – National Ocean Service OCM – Office for Coastal Management SHPO – State Historic Preservation Office SWMP – System-wide Monitoring Program TWP – Tidal Wetland Project USACE – United States Army Corps of Engineers USFWS – United States Fish and Wildlife Service WCB – Wildlife Conservation Board iv Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (Reserve or ESNERR) is a component of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS), a federal-state partnership of protected research and education sites administered by the NOAA, as authorized under Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) (16 U.S.C. § 1461). Pursuant to 15 C.F.R. §§ 921.13, 921.33, the Elkhorn Slough NERR has a NOAA-approved management plan that is to be updated every five years. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) designated the ESNERR in 1979 in an area located adjacent to Monterey Bay in California. The land parcels comprising the Reserve are owned and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and are cooperatively managed by NOAA, CDFW, and the California State Coastal Conservancy (Conservancy), as described below. CDFW operates the Reserve in partnership with NOAA, as well as the local non-profit, Elkhorn Slough Foundation (ESF or Foundation). NOAA, CDFW, and the Conservancy operate under a Memorandum of Understanding through which the CDFW manages operations of the Reserve, and the Conservancy serves as fiscal agent, on behalf of CDFW, for NOAA’s funding. The Conservancy sub-awards funds to ESF to support Reserve staff and programs. At the State level, the Reserve is administered through CDFW’s Central Regional Office (Region 4) located in Fresno, California. CDFW maintains native fish, wildlife, plant species and natural communities for their intrinsic and ecological value and their benefits to people. This includes habitat protection, maintenance, and quality to ensure the survival of all species and natural communities. The CDFW also is responsible for managing diversified use of fish and
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