Suisun Marsh Plan-Chap 6
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Chapter 6 Biological Environment This chapter provides environmental analyses relative to biological parameters of the project area. Components of this study include a setting discussion, impact analysis criteria, project effects and significance, and applicable mitigation measures. This chapter is organized as follows: Section 6.1, “Fish”; Section 6.2, “Vegetation and Wetlands”; and Section 6.3, “Wildlife.” Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, November 2011 Preservation, and Restoration Plan 6-1 Final EIS/EIR ICF 06888.06 Section 6.1 Fish Introduction This section describes the existing environmental conditions and the consequences of implementing tidal wetland restoration and managed wetland activities on fisheries resources. The Affected Environment discussion below describes the current setting of the plan area. The purpose of this information is to establish the existing environmental context against which the reader can understand the environmental changes caused by the action. This information is intended to be directly or indirectly relevant to the subsequent discussion of impacts. The environmental changes associated with the alternatives are discussed under Impact Analysis. This section identifies impacts, describes how they would occur, and prescribes mitigation measures to reduce significant impacts, if necessary. Summary of Impacts Implementation of the SMP would include breaching levees to restore tidal wetlands, and increased frequency of implementation of some managed wetland activities such as repairing and upgrading existing levees, replacing infrastructure, installing fish screens, and new activities such as dredging. These actions could affect fish and fish habitat in Suisun Marsh. Repair and breaching of levees would result in less than significant impacts because environmental commitments (Chapter 2, “Environmental Commitments”) including avoidance and minimization measures, such as construction work windows, will be implemented to reduce impacts on water quality and fish in the immediate construction area. Dredging would affect fish habitat by increasing channel depth and temporarily removing benthic organisms. Additional risks to fish from dredging include injury or mortality by the dredger or benthic disturbance (especially through mobilization of fine sediments) during the dredging process itself. Creation of subtidal and low intertidal wetland habitat, through tidal restoration, will provide resting and foraging habitat for special-status fish species and possibly spawning habitat for delta smelt and Sacramento splittail. Special-status fish species will derive indirect benefits from exported primary and secondary pelagic production in low, mid and high marsh areas. Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, November 2011 Preservation, and Restoration Plan 6.1-1 Final EIS/EIR ICF 06888.06 California Department of Fish and Game, 6.1 Fish U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation Table 6.1-1 presents a summary of the impacts on fish and any associated mitigation measures for each plan alternative. In most instances, environmental commitments will be implemented to reduce the aggregate impacts to less-than- significant levels. Table 6.1-1. Summary of Fish Impacts Significance Mitigation Significance Impact Alternative before Mitigation Measures after Mitigation Restoration Impacts FISH-1: Construction-Related Temporary Impairment of A, B, C Less than None – Fish Survival, Growth, and Reproduction by Accidental significant required Spills or Runoff of Contaminants (Heavy Metals) FISH-2: Construction-Related Temporary Reduction of A, B, C Less than None – Special-Status Fish Rearing Habitat Quality or Quantity significant required through Increased Input and Mobilization of Sediment FISH-3: Short-Term Impairment of Delta Smelt Passage A, B, C Less than None – and Reduced Availability of Spawning and Rearing significant required Habitat Resulting from Changes in Channel Morphology and Hydraulics Attributable to Restoration Activities FISH-4: Short-Term Impairment of Chinook Salmon A, B, C Less than None – Passage and Reduced Availability of Rearing Habitat significant required Resulting from Changes in Channel Morphology and Hydraulics Attributable to Restoration Activities FISH-5: Short-Term Impairment of Steelhead Passage A, B, C Less than None – and Reduced Availability of Rearing Habitat Resulting significant required from Changes in Channel Morphology and Hydraulics Attributable to Restoration Activities FISH-6: Short-Term Impairment of Green Sturgeon A, B, C Less than None – Passage and Reduced Availability of Holding and significant required Rearing Habitat Resulting from Changes in Channel Morphology and Hydraulics Attributable to Restoration Activities FISH-7: Short-Term Impairment of Sacramento Splittail A, B, C Less than None – Passage and Reduced Availability of Rearing Habitat significant required Resulting from Changes in Velocity Attributable to Restoration Activities FISH-8: Short-Term Impairment of Longfin Smelt A, B, C Less than None – Passage and Reduced Availability of Rearing Habitat significant required Resulting from Changes in Velocity Attributable to Restoration Activities FISH-9: Temporary Reduction of Delta Smelt Habitat A, B, C Less than None – Quantity or Quality through Removal and Destruction of significant required Cover Attributable to Restoration Activities FISH-10: Temporary Reduction of Chinook Salmon A, B, C Less than None – Habitat Quantity or Quality through Removal and significant required Destruction of Cover as a Result of Restoration Activities Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, November 2011 Preservation, and Restoration Plan 6.1-2 Final EIS/EIR ICF 06888.06 California Department of Fish and Game, 6.1 Fish U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation Significance Mitigation Significance Impact Alternative before Mitigation Measures after Mitigation FISH-11: Temporary Reduction of Steelhead Habitat A, B, C Less than None – Quantity or Quality through Removal and Destruction of significant required Cover as a Result of Restoration Activities FISH-12: Temporary Reduction of Green Sturgeon A, B, C Less than None – Habitat Quantity or Quality as a Result of Restoration significant required Activities FISH-13: Temporary Reduction of Sacramento Splittail A, B, C Less than None – Habitat Quantity or Quality through Removal and significant required Destruction of Cover as a Result of Restoration Activities FISH-14: Temporary Reduction of Longfin Smelt A, B, C Less than None – Habitat Quantity or Quality through Removal and significant required Destruction of Cover as a Result of Restoration Activities FISH-15: Improved Fish Habitat Due to Increased A, B, C Beneficial None – Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations in Tidal Channels required Attributable to Restoration Activities FISH-16: Salinity–Related Reduction of Delta Smelt A, B, C Less than None – Survival, Growth, Movement, or Reproduction significant required Attributable to Restoration Activities FISH-17: Salinity–Related Reduction of Chinook A, B, C Less than None – Salmon Survival, Growth, or Movement as a Result of significant required Restoration Activities FISH-18: Salinity–Related Reduction of Steelhead A, B, C Less than None – Survival, Growth, or Movement as a Result of significant required Restoration Activities FISH-19: Salinity–Related Reduction of Green Sturgeon A, B, C Less than None – Survival, Growth, or Movement as a Result of significant required Restoration Activities FISH-20: Salinity–Related Reduction of Sacramento A, B, C Less than None – Splittail Survival, Growth, Movement, or Reproduction significant required as a Result of Restoration Activities FISH-21: Salinity–Related Reduction of Longfin Smelt A, B, C Less than None – Survival, Growth, Movement, or Reproduction as a significant required Result of Restoration Activities FISH-22: Disturbance, Injury, or Mortality of Individual A, B, C Less than None – Fish Resulting from Work Adjacent to Bodies of Water significant required FISH-23: Change in Fish Species Composition A, B, C Less than None – Attributable to Changes in Salinity or Water Quality significant required from Managed or Natural Wetland Modifications FISH-24: Change in Benthic Macroinvertebrate A, B, C Less than None – Composition Attributable to Changes in Channel significant required Morphology and Hydraulics as a Result of Tidal Restoration FISH-25: Change in Primary Productivity as a Result of A, B, C Beneficial – – Tidal Restoration Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, November 2011 Preservation, and Restoration Plan 6.1-3 Final EIS/EIR ICF 06888.06 California Department of Fish and Game, 6.1 Fish U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation Significance Mitigation Significance Impact Alternative before Mitigation Measures after Mitigation Managed Wetland Activities Impacts FISH-26: Construction-Related Temporary Impairment A, B, C Less than None – of Fish Survival, Growth, and Reproduction by significant required Accidental Spills or Runoff of Contaminants (Heavy Metals) FISH-27: Construction-Related Temporary Reduction of A, B, C Less than None – Fish Rearing Habitat Quality or Quantity through significant required Increased Input and Mobilization of Sediment FISH-28: Construction-Related Mortality of Fish from A, B, C Less than None – Stranding significant required FISH-29: Temporary Reduction of Delta Smelt, Chinook A, B, C Less than None – Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Quantity or Quality significant required Attributable to Management Activities