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Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys

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Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys PRESENTATION TO THE OFFICE OF THE NEVADA STATE ENGINEER Prepared by November 2007 Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys CONTENTS List of Figures. ii List of Tables. iii List of Acronyms and Abbreviations . iv 1.0 Introduction. 1 2.0 Groundwater Project Federal Environmental Compliance. 2 3.0 Biological Studies . 3 4.0 Environmental Setting . 6 4.1 Cave Valley. 6 4.1.1 Federal and State Sensitive Species and Sensitive Habitats. 8 4.2 Dry Lake Valley . 10 4.2.1 Federal and State Sensitive Species and Sensitive Habitats. 11 4.3 Delamar Valley . 13 4.3.1 Federal and State Sensitive Species and Sensitive Habitats. 15 5.0 Potential Effects to Sensitive Species and Habitats from Groundwater Pumping . 16 5.1 Cave Valley. 16 5.2 Dry Lake Valley . 17 5.3 Delamar Valley . 17 6.0 Conclusion . 19 7.0 References. 20 i Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys FIGURES NUMBER TITLE PAGE 1 Overview of Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys . 7 2 Cave Valley . 9 3 Cave Spring . 10 4 Dry Lake Valley . 12 5 Coyote Spring Trough . 13 6 Delamar Valley. 14 7 Grassy Spring . 15 ii Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys TABLES NUMBER TITLE PAGE 5-1 Sensitive Environmental Areas, Listed by Valley . 16 iii Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys ACRONYMS BA Biological Assessment BLM Bureau of Land Management BO Biological Opinion DRI Desert Research Institute EIS Environmental Impact Statement ESA Endangered Species Act GBBO Great Basin Bird Observatory GWD Groundwater Development HA hydrographic area NDOW Nevada Department of Wildlife NEPA National Environmental Impact Statement NNHP Nevada Natural Heritage Program POD point of diversion ROW right-of-way SNWA Southern Nevada Water Authority USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service UTM Universal Transverse Mercator ABBREVIATIONS afy acre-feet per year amsl above mean sea level bgs below ground surface cm centimeter ft foot in. inch m meter mi mi iv Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report provides an overview of the ongoing Federal environmental compliance and associated biological studies for the Clark, Lincoln and White Pine Counties Groundwater Development (GWD) Project, and an evaluation of potential effects on Sensitive Biological Resources from the development of Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) applications 53987 through 53992, inclusive, in Cave (Hydrographic Area [HA] 180), Dry Lake (HA 181) and Delamar (HA 182) Valleys. Sensitive Biological Resources, as considered by this report, include sensitive species, big game species, and the groundwater dependent habitats they rely upon. These resources have been identified through Federal environmental compliance processes (i.e., National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 [NEPA] public scoping comments), coordination with Federal and state agencies via technical workshops, and extensive literature review and use of databases such as the Nevada Natural Heritage Program sensitive species database. Furthermore, sensitive species are defined as species recognized by federal or state agencies to have endangered, threatened or sensitive status. This includes, but is not limited to, all federally endangered, threatened and candidate species as identified under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, State of Nevada protected species, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sensitive species. Evaluating effects from groundwater pumping to Sensitive Biological Resources was based upon the following criteria: (1) whether or not a Sensitive Biological Resource is groundwater dependant and present within the area of effect; (2) the level of effect to a Sensitive Biological Resource predicted by the hydrologic analysis in Part C; (3) the relative range in distribution and/or overall status of an affected species; and, (4) the manner in which a particular species utilizes an affected habitat. Section 1.0 1 Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys 2.0 GROUNDWATER PROJECT FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE SNWA submitted an application for permanent and temporary rights-of-way (ROW) to the BLM for the GWD Project in August, 2004 (Case File No. N-78803). The GWD Project includes the construction and operation of groundwater production, conveyance and treatment facilities, and power facilities (SNWA, 2007a). This project would convey up to 200,000 afy of water, including up to 167,000 afy of groundwater developed by SNWA and the remaining capacity provided for Lincoln County. BLM is currently working to develop an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Biological Assessment (BA), pursuant to the NEPA and the ESA of 1973, respectively. The EIS will assess the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of the GWD Project on the physical, biological, and human environment, and the BA will evaluate direct, indirect and cumulative effects on Federal candidate and listed species and designated critical habitat. These Federal environmental compliance processes will ensure a thorough analysis of potential effects on environmental resources that may result from both the construction and operation of this project. The documents being prepared and the procedures being followed are intended to help public officials make decisions that are based on an understanding of environmental consequences. They are also intended to direct public officials on how to take actions that will protect, restore, and enhance the biological and human environment. To ensure that the best available information is utilized for the EIS, the BLM has gathered a group of 14 Cooperating Agencies and one Technical Advisory Agency, which are assisting in the development of the EIS. A final EIS, Record of Decision and Biological Opinion (BO) are anticipated in mid-2009. The BLM is required by Section 505 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to “minimize damage” to scenic and aesthetic values and fish and wildlife habitat, and “otherwise protect” the environment by including Terms and Conditions in any Right of Way that it grants. Furthermore, BLM is precluded by the ESA from taking actions that will jeopardize Federal listed species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat for such species (Endangered Species Act, 1973). Given the existing Federal environmental laws, the BLM and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will require appropriate monitoring and mitigation measures, based on the final analysis in the EIS and BO, which will ensure conservation of biological resources in the GWD Project area. Section 2.0 2 Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys 3.0 BIOLOGICAL STUDIES As part of the analysis for the GWD Project EIS and BA, a number of biological investigations were conducted by SNWA and other organizations between 2005 and 2007. These research efforts included both terrestrial and aquatic biological surveys in and around the GWD Project area, including Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys. Research efforts were either focused on the proposed ROW alignment or on habitats that were thought to be potentially connected to and dependent upon groundwater at or below the alluvial fan/mountain block interface. The emphasis of these studies was to further characterize the baseline condition of biological resources in both project and adjacent valleys. Biological resource investigations conducted within Delamar, Dry Lake and/or Cave Valleys consist of the following: Ecological Evaluation of Aquatic Ecosystems This study included characterization of the physical habitat, including water quality, and qualitative documentation of submergent vegetation, fish, amphibians, springsnails and aquatic macroinvertebrates. In addition, emergent and terrestrial vegetation were mapped in the adjacent riparian and wetland areas. A total of seven (7) springs were studied across Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys (BIO-WEST, Inc., 2007). This project was coordinated with Federal and state resource agencies, Desert Research Institute (DRI), U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, and representatives of the University of Nevada, Reno. Amphibian Surveys In addition to the BIO-WEST effort, nocturnal amphibian surveys were conducted at accessible springs in Dry Lake and Delamar Valleys. Access to springs in Cave Valley was not granted by the private land owners. This effort was coordinated with Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). Bat Surveys Acoustic surveys for bats, using AnaBat technology, and/or mist netting were conducted seasonally at six (6) total sites in Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys between April 2005 and July 2006 (O’Farrell, 2006). This effort was coordinated with NDOW. Breeding Bird Surveys The Great Basin Bird Observatory (GBBO) coordinated breeding bird surveys in Cave Valley in the 2005 through 2007 breeding seasons. The intent of this effort was to document bird species that utilize phreatophytic and wetland habitats for breeding (GBBO, 2007). No transects were sampled in Dry Lake and Delamar Valleys due to the absence of suitable habitat. This effort was coordinated with Nevada Partners in Flight, which include state and Federal resource agencies. Section 3.0 3 Biological Resources for Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys Pygmy Rabbit Surveys BLM protocol surveys were conducted from November 2005 to May 2006 in suitable habitats along the proposed facility alignment in northern Cave and Dry Lake Valleys
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