INITIAL STUDY/ NEGATIVE DECLARATION PESCADERO LAGOON INTERIM MANAGEMENT PROJECT August 2014 CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE Bay Delta Region 7329 Silverado Trail Napa, CA 94558 NEGATIVE DECLARATION PROJECT: PESCADERO LAGOON INTERIM MANAGEMENT PROJECT LEAD AGENCY: California Department of Fish and Wildlife AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS: The Initial Study/Negative Declaration is available for review at: California Department of Fish and Wildlife Bay Delta Region 7329 Silverado Trail Napa, CA 945589 California Department of Fish and Wildlife website: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/ Project Description: This Initial Study/Negative Declaration (IS/ND) has been prepared by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to evaluate the potential environmental effects of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Restoration Center's proposed Pescadero Lagoon Interim Management Project (Project) located at the Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve (Preserve; Figure 1) within the Pescadero State Beach. Pescadero State Beach is located in the town of Pescadero, San Mateo County, California. The NOAA Restoration Center proposes to manually breach the Pescadero Lagoon sandbar two to three times per year for approximately two to three years and potentially up to five years. The work will consist of excavating a channel through the sandbar at the mouth of Pescadero Creek (Figure 1). The Project is designed to reduce Delta-Butano Marsh inundation prior to a natural breach event to avoid decreased water quality within Pescadero Lagoon and reduce the likelihood of a fish kill upon opening of the lagoon. The Project will excavate a shallow channel across the sandbar at the mouth of Pescadero Creek approximately 300 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 3 to 4 feet below the lagoon water surface elevation. The channel will extend from the edge of the lagoon to the ocean. Excavated sand (approximately 200-800 cubic yards) will be deposited on the beach. Since the location and timing of sandbar formation varies year-to-year, specific excavation locations, sizes and volumes may vary and will be determined following a site-specific evaluation of conditions (size and volume of the lagoon, water quality levels in the lagoon, marsh inundation, fish migration needs, and inflow and tidal regimes) prior to implementation. Historically, the sandbar has formed anywhere from 200 feet west to 100 feet east of the Highway 1 Bridge and Project activities will occur within that area (Figure 1). A copy of the Initial Study is attached. Questions or comments regarding this IS/ND may be addressed to: Scott Wilson, Bay Delta Regional Manager California Department of Fish and Wildlife 7329 Silverado Trail Napa, CA 945589 Telephone: (707) 944-5500 Fax: (707) 944-5563 Pursuant to Section 21082.1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has independently reviewed and analyzed the Initial Study and Negative Declaration for the proposed Project and finds that these documents reflect the independent judgment of CDFW. CDFW, as the State lead agency for this federal Project, also confirms that the Project requirements and avoidance measures detailed in these documents are feasible and will be implemented as stated in the Negative Regional Manager, Bay Delta Region Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND REGULATORY GUIDANCE............................................................................................. 2 1.2 LEAD AGENCY .......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 PURPOSE AND DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION ................................................................................................. 3 1.4 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS ............................................................................................................................. 4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................................................. 5 2.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 PROJECT LOCATION .................................................................................................................................. 5 2.3 BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR THE PROJECT ............................................................................................. 5 2.4 PROJECT OBJECTIVES .............................................................................................................................. 6 2.5 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.6 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................................................................................... 10 2.7 VISITATION TO PESCADERO STATE BEACH ............................................................................................... 10 2.8 CONSISTENCY WITH LOCAL PLANS AND POLICIES ..................................................................................... 10 2.9 DISCRETIONARY APPROVALS ................................................................................................................... 11 2.10 RELATED PROJECTS ............................................................................................................................... 11 ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST .................................................................................................................................... 12 I. AESTHETICS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 15 II. AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................................. 16 III. AIR QUALITY ........................................................................................................................................................................... 17 IV. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES .................................................................................................................................................... 20 V. CULTURAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................................................................................... 60 VI. GEOLOGY AND SOILS ........................................................................................................................................................... 63 VII. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 65 VIII. HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS............................................................................................................................ 66 IX. HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY .................................................................................................................................... 67 X. LAND USE AND PLANNING .................................................................................................................................................... 70 XI. MINERAL RESOURCES .......................................................................................................................................................... 72 XII. NOISE ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 73 XIII. POPULATION AND HOUSING ................................................................................................................................................ 74 XIV. PUBLIC SERVICES ................................................................................................................................................................. 75 XV. RECREATION .......................................................................................................................................................................... 76 XVI. TRANSPORTATION/TRAFFIC ................................................................................................................................................ 77 XVII. UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS...................................................................................................................................... 79 MANDATORY FINDINGS OF SIGNIFICANCE .................................................................................................................. 81 SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 82 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................................... 88 REPORT PREPARATION ..........................................................................................................................................