4.8 Ecosystem Resources

Chapter 4 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences • Coastal Zone Management Act 4.8 Ecosystem Resources • Shoreline Management Act (SMA)/local agency Shoreline Master Programs (SMPs) 4.8.1 Introduction to Resources and Regulatory Requirements Sound Transit has prepared the Ecosystem Technical Report (Appendix H3) covering federal and state An ecosystem is the interaction between plants, threatened, endangered, and species of concern; animals, and microorganisms, and the physical wildlife and vegetation; wetlands; and aquatic environment in which they live, all of which function resources. When a preferred alternative is identified together as a unit. Ecosystems are made up of living and a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is organisms, including humans, and the environment prepared for the East Link Project, a Biological they inhabit. Understanding this relationship is basic Assessment will be prepared to meet ESA to the environmental review process and the requirements. This section summarizes the findings in assessment of impacts on ecosystems. Sound Transit the Ecosystems Technical Report (Appendix H3) and is identified high-quality upland vegetation, wetlands, based on literature research, communication with and aquatic habitat in the study area that would regulatory agencies, and preliminary field support sensitive wildlife and aquatic resources. reconnaissance of resources. The habitat types studied High-quality upland habitat generally is made up of are defined as follows: moderately to mostly vegetated areas consisting of • Upland vegetation. The area within 100 feet of shrubs, forest, and other habitat known to support either side of the project alternatives. sensitive wildlife species. Areas that qualify as high- quality wetland habitat were identified using a variety • Wetlands and wetland buffers. The area within of accepted tools, including the U.S. Department of 200 feet of either side of the project alternatives. Ecology’s (Ecology’s) Western Washington Rating • Aquatic habitat. A distance extending 100 feet Form, to determine the categories of each wetland. upstream to 300 feet downstream from where High-quality aquatic habitat was identified based on project limits cross the stream, and the entire the quality of the riparian habitat, in-stream habitat, stretch of any stream paralleling the project within and water, and changes in habitat caused by humans. 200 feet of the edge of the alternative (in Ecosystems are protected by federal, state, and local accordance with Washington Administrative Code regulations. Such regulations govern the planning, (WAC) 173-201A-400 for the length of streams and land use, and management activities that have the rivers and as agreed to by the National Marine potential to affect and influence fish and wildlife Fisheries Service [NMFS] and U.S. Fish and species and their habitats within the project vicinity. Wildlife Service [USFWS] for ESA consultations). Key regulations include the following: 4.8.2 Affected Environment • Sections 404, 402, and 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) The ecosystem evaluation was based on literature reviews; consultation with federal, state, and local • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) agencies and their web sites; field surveys; and aerial • International Migratory Bird Treaty Act mapping. Habitats in the project vicinity have been modified considerably from pre-settlement conditions • Endangered Species Act (ESA) by human activities. Wildlife species present in these • Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and modified habitats have adapted to smaller habitat Management Act (MSA) patches and are tolerant of moderate to high human activity. Areas with lower levels of human activity and • Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (Eagle Act) larger patches of relatively undisturbed habitat • Washington State Hydraulic codes generally support the largest number and highest diversity of wildlife species in the project vicinity. The • Washington State Water Pollution Control Act areas in the project vicinity that have the largest • Critical Area Ordinances for the cities of Bellevue, habitat patches and that support the most wildlife are Mercer Island, Redmond, and Seattle Lake Washington, Mercer Slough Nature Park, aquatic and terrestrial habitats associated with streams • Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife described in Section 4.8.2.3, and larger patches of (WDFW) Priority Habitats and Species (PHS) deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests that occur Management Recommendations along Segments B, D, and E. A number of these East Link Project Draft EIS 4.8-1 4.8 Ecosystem Resources December 2008 Chapter 4 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences forested areas border the study area and extend for • Urban with patches of coniferous and deciduous several hundred feet parallel and perpendicular to the forests alternatives. • Riparian forest, including big-leaf maple, black The following subsections describe the habitat types cottonwood, red alder, and Pacific madrone, that are found in the study area in addition to a located adjacent to water bodies discussion by project segment. These habitat types • Open waters, including lakes, ponds, and streams were assessed by applying classification systems specific to the habitat type and as they relate to the These higher-quality upland habitats and/or the likely presence of one or more threatened and/or species they support are often regulated by local endangered species or species protected by a local critical areas ordinances and state and federal laws Critical Areas Ordinances. This section describes and regulations habitats that are considered to be high-quality habitat types in terms of upland vegetation (areas that are 4.8.2.2 Wetlands outside of the normal high water line), wetlands, and Wetlands are defined by soil characteristics, presence aquatic habitat. or absence of hydrology, and dominance of vegetation adapted to wet environments. Many wetlands and 4.8.2.1 Upland Vegetation aquatic habitats in the study area are considered Ecosystems typically are defined by vegetation types. jurisdictional waters, including wetlands, of the The study area passes through highly United States by the U.S. Army Corps urbanized environments with some Habitat Value of Engineers (USACE) and are key pockets of natural vegetation and Terrestrial plant communities, protected under the CWA Section 404. water bodies (i.e., ecosystems). Pockets wetlands, and aquatic systems These wetlands require a permit from such as streams provide a variety of vegetation/ habitat types in the of functions in the environment. the USACE for any discharge of study area were classified following a The value of these functions is dredged or fill material into waters of system that was used for Sound determined by the habitat’s ability the United States. to support the needs of biological Transit’s Central Link Project. This species. High-value habitats are Generally, wetlands provide wildlife system was modified from the King those that support or may support habitat, but they can be further County (1987) Wildlife Habitat Profile threatened, endangered, and/or sensitive species as determined classified in terms of the level of (Sound Transit, 1999) and categorizes by the federal, state, and local wildlife/biological habitat, hydrologic, vegetation in terms of high, medium, jurisdictions. For instance, and water quality function they and low value as wildlife habitat. wetlands generally offer high habitat value because they provide. Sound Transit characterized the provide many functions, such as water quality improvement, Sound Transit categorized and higher-value vegetation/wildlife groundwater recharge, nutrient classified wetlands using a variety of habitat types in the upland vegetation and sediment filtering, habitat for accepted sources and methods: study area (Exhibits 4.8-1 a variety of animals, and education and recreation through 4.8-4). These vegetation types opportunities for people. • 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetland are also designated by WDFW as Delineation Manual (USACE, 1987) priority habitats and are known to support federal and state threatened and endangered • 1997 Washington State Wetlands Identification species. Segment A is not included in the exhibits and Delineation Manual (Ecology publication #96- because the only high-value habitat in that segment is 94) (Ecology, 1997) Lake Washington. Lower-value habitat types are not • 2004 Washington State Wetland Rating System for shown because the habitats are either too narrow to Western Washington Manual (Ecology publication sustain wildlife species or the vegetation types do not #04-06-025) (Ecology, 2004) readily support federal or state priority species. • The following vegetation types with the highest value The hydrogeomorphic classification (HGM) are found in the study area: (Brinson, 1993), determined using guidance found in the Washington State Wetland Rating System • Wetlands (wetland values are defined below) for Western Washington, Revised (Hruby, 2004) • Coniferous forests, typically containing Douglas • The Cowardin system (Cowardin, et al., 1979), fir, pines, and red cedar used to define and describe the physical attributes • Deciduous forests, including big-leaf maple, black of wetlands in the study area cottonwood, red alder, and Pacific madrone 4.8 Ecosystem Resources 4.8-2 East Link Project Draft EIS December 2008 !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! WR3 ! ! Sturtevant ! Segment C SE 6TH ST Creek Wetland S LAKE HILLS CONNECTOR RD t u Segment

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