Biological Assessment Newtown Road at South Fork Weber Creek Bridge Replacement Project El Dorado County, CA District 3—El Dorado County—Newtown Road

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Biological Assessment Newtown Road at South Fork Weber Creek Bridge Replacement Project El Dorado County, CA District 3—El Dorado County—Newtown Road Newtown Road Bridge (25C0033) at South Fork Weber Creek Replacement Project BA Biological Assessment Newtown Road at South Fork Weber Creek Bridge Replacement Project El Dorado County, CA District 3—El Dorado County—Newtown Road BRLS 5925 (086) FWS File #08ESMF00-2017-E-01693 February 2018 [This page intentionally blank] [This page intentionally blank] BRLS 5925 (086) Newtown Road Bridge at South Fork Weber Creek BA 2/26/2018 iv Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. v List of Figures .................................................................................................................................. vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... vi Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................v Acronym List vii Executive Summary ........................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 1.1. Purpose and Need of the Proposed Action ............................................................. 1 1.2. Threatened, Endangered, Proposed Threatened or Proposed Endangered Species, Critical Habitat .................................................................................................................. 1 1.3. Consultation History ............................................................................................... 3 1.4. Description of the Proposed Action ........................................................................ 4 1.4.1. Project Summary ............................................................................................. 4 1.4.2. Authorities and Discretion ............................................................................... 7 1.4.3. Project Location .............................................................................................. 8 1.4.4. Action Area ....................................................................................................13 1.4.5. Conservation Measures .................................................................................13 1.4.6. Interrelated and interdependent Actions .........................................................25 Chapter 2. Study Methods .........................................................................................27 2.1. Summary ...............................................................................................................27 2.2. Personnel and Survey Dates .................................................................................27 2.3. Resource Agency Coordination and Professional Contacts ...................................28 2.4. Limitations and Assumptions that may Influence Results ......................................29 Chapter 3. Environmental Baseline ...........................................................................31 3.1. Habitat Conditions in the Action Area ....................................................................31 3.2. Summary of Environmental Baseline .....................................................................31 3.3. Action Area ...........................................................................................................32 3.3.1. Physical Conditions ........................................................................................32 3.3.2. Biological Communities/Habitat Types ...........................................................32 3.3.3. Aquatic Resources .........................................................................................37 3.3.4. Invasive Species ............................................................................................38 3.3.5. Common Wildlife Species ..............................................................................40 3.3.6. Movement Corridors .......................................................................................40 Chapter 4. Federally-Listed/Proposed Species and Designated Critical Habitat within Action Area ..............................................................................................43 4.1. Federally-Listed/Proposed Species .......................................................................43 4.2. Discussion of California Red-Legged Frog (CRLF; Rana draytonii) .......................43 4.3. Survey Results ......................................................................................................46 4.4. Status of Designated Critical Habitat in the Action Area for CRLF .........................49 Chapter 5. Effects of the Project on the Action Area ..................................................51 5.1. Deconstruct Action ................................................................................................51 5.1.1. Construction Scenario (summary) ..................................................................52 5.1.2. Sequencing and Schedule..............................................................................54 5.1.3. Stressors from Project Actions .......................................................................55 5.1.4. Project Operation and Maintenance ...............................................................61 5.2. Exposure to Stressors from the Action ..................................................................62 BRLS 5925 (086) Newtown Road Bridge at South Fork Weber Creek BA 2/26/2018 v Table of Contents 5.3. Response to the Exposure ....................................................................................63 5.4. Effects of the Action ..............................................................................................63 5.5. Conservation Measures and Compensation Proposal ...........................................64 5.5.1. Conservation Measures .................................................................................64 5.5.2. Compensation ................................................................................................64 5.6. Effects of Interrelated and Interdependent Actions/Conclusions and Determination64 5.7. Cumulative Effects ................................................................................................64 5.8. Determination ........................................................................................................64 5.8.1. Species and critical habitat determination ......................................................64 5.8.2. Discussion supporting determination ..............................................................65 Chapter 6. References ..............................................................................................67 Appendix A USFWS Letter Appendix B NMFS List Appendix C California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) Summary List Appendix D California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Plant List Appendix E Photographs Appendix F Regional Species and Habitats of Concern Appendix G Plant and Wildlife Species Observed Appendix H Revegetation Planting and Erosion Control Specifications Appendix I Replanting Plan Appendix J Glossary List of Figures Figure 1. Project Location Map ............................................................................................ 9 Figure 2. Aerial Photograph ................................................................................................11 Figure 3. Project Impact Maps ............................................................................................15 Figure 4. Biological Resources Map ...................................................................................33 Figure 5. Tree Impact Maps................................................................................................57 List of Tables Table 1. Threatened, Endangered, Proposed Threatened or Proposed Endangered Species, and Critical Habitat with Potential to Occur in the Action Area ................................. 2 Table 2. Summary of Biological Fieldwork ..........................................................................28 Table 3. Biological Communities within the Action Area .....................................................35 Table 4. Project Impacts to Natural Communities (Alternative 1) ........................................51 Table 5. Project Impacts to Natural Communities (Alternative 2) ........................................52 Table 6. RSP Placement in South Fork Weber Creek, Perennial Channel, and Riparian Habitat (Oregon Ash Groves Community) in the Action Area. .................................61 BRLS 5925 (086) Newtown Road Bridge at South Fork Weber Creek BA 2/26/2018 vi Acronym List Acronym List AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ADT Average Daily Traffic BA Biological Assessment BMP Best Management Practice Cal-IPC California Invasive Plant Council Caltrans California Department of Transportation CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife CESA California Endangered Species Act CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CFR Code of Federal Regulations cfs cubic feet per second CMPA Corrugated Metal Pipe Arch CNDDB California Natural Diversity Database CNPS California Native Plant Society CRLF California red-legged frog DPS Distinct Population
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