Prepared by: December 2011 Stanford University Land Use and Environmental Planning Office i TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................3 1.1 STANFORD UNIVERSITY – A UNIQUE LANDOWNER ........................3 1.1.1 History and the Founding Grant .........................................................3 1.1.2 Site Description .......................................................................4 1.1.3 Land Use at Stanford University .........................................................4 1.1.4 Operating Stanford University ...........................................................4 1.2 REGULATORY CONTEXT .....................................................6 1.2.1 Federal Endangered Species Act ..........................................................6 1.2.2 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ...............................................6 1.2.3 Five-Point Policy Guidance ..............................................................6 1.3 COVERED SPECIES ...........................................................11 1.4 COVERED ACTIVITIES ......................................................11 1.5 HCP GOALS ..................................................................12 1.5.1 Stanford’s Institutional Goals .......................................................... 12 1.5.2 Stanford’s Biological Goals and Objectives ............................................... 13 1.6 SUMMARY OF STANFORD HCP APPROACH .................................13 2.0 PHYSICAL/BIOLOGICAL SETTING, INCLUDING COVERED SPECIES ...19 2.1 SIGNIFICANT HYDROLOGIC FEATURES ....................................19 2.1.1 San Francisquito Creek Watershed ..................................................... 19 2.1.2 Matadero Creek Watershed ........................................................... 20 2.2 SIGNIFICANT LAND FORMS .................................................20 2.2.1 Santa Cruz Mountains (Jasper Ridge) .................................................. 20 2.2.2 Foothills ............................................................................ 20 2.2.3 Alluvial Plain ........................................................................ 20 2.3 BIOLOGICAL SETTING ......................................................23 2.3.1 Annual Grassland. 23 2.3.2 Oak Woodland/Savanna .............................................................. 23 2.3.3 Riparian Woodland and Creeks ........................................................ 24 2.3.4 Serpentine Grasslands. 25 2.3.5 Chaparral and scrub. 26 2.3.6 Seasonal Wetlands ................................................................... 26 2.3.7 Perennial Standing Water ............................................................. 27 2.3.8 Urban/Suburban .................................................................... 27 2.3.9 Plant Species ........................................................................ 27 iii 2.3.10 Animal Species ...................................................................... 28 2.4 COVERED SPECIES ...........................................................28 2.4.1 California red-legged frog ............................................................. 28 2.4.2 Steelhead ........................................................................... 32 2.4.3 California tiger salamander ............................................................ 35 2.4.4 Western pond turtle. 39 2.4.5 San Francisco garter snake ............................................................ 43 3.0 COVERED ACTIVITIES AND THEIR IMPACTS .........................49 3.1 LOCAL WATER FACILITIES ..................................................49 3.1.1 Water Diversions . 49 3.1.2 Creek Monitoring Facilities ............................................................ 54 3.1.3 Open-Water Reservoirs. 55 3.1.4 Distribution System .................................................................. 58 3.1.5 Wells ............................................................................... 59 3.1.6 Non-operating Lagunita Diversion ..................................................... 59 3.2 CREEK MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES ........................................60 3.2.1 Potential Effects of the Creek Maintenance Activities on the Covered Species ................. 61 3.3 FIELD ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES ..............................................61 3.3.1 Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve ........................................................ 61 3.3.2 Creeks .............................................................................. 61 3.3.3 Foothills and Alluvial Plain. 62 3.3.4 Lagunita ............................................................................ 62 3.3.5 Potential Effects of the Field Academic Activities on the Covered Species .................... 62 3.4 UTILITY INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE .............................63 3.4.1 Potential Effects of Utilities on the Covered Species ....................................... 63 3.5 GENERAL INFRASTRUCTURE ...............................................63 3.5.1 Roads and Bridges ................................................................... 63 3.5.2 Fences .............................................................................. 64 3.5.3 Detention Basins .................................................................... 65 3.5.4 Isolated Private Residences ............................................................ 65 3.5.5 Academic Buildings .................................................................. 65 3.6 RECREATION AND ATHLETICS. .66 3.6.1 Stanford Golf Course, Practice Facility, and Driving Range ................................. 66 3.6.2 Lagunita and Felt Reservoir-Related Recreation .......................................... 69 3.6.3 Recreational Routes .................................................................. 69 3.7 GROUNDS AND VEGETATION ...............................................70 3.7.1 Fire Control and Public Safety ......................................................... 70 3.7.2 Grounds Maintenance ................................................................ 70 iv 3.8 AGRICULTURAL AND EQUESTRIAN Leaseholders ......................71 3.8.1 Intensive Agriculture ................................................................. 71 3.8.2 Equestrian .......................................................................... 72 3.8.3 Grazing. 72 3.9 COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL Leaseholders .....................75 3.9.1 SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory ................................................. 75 3.9.2 Independent Research Institutions ..................................................... 75 3.9.3 Commercial Leases. 75 3.10 FUTURE CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT ..........................................75 3.10.1 Development Associated with Santa Clara County 2000 GUP ............................. 76 3.10.2 Development Beyond the Santa Clara County 2000 GUP ................................. 76 3.11 HABITAT MANAGEMENT, MONITORING, AND ENHANCEMENT ...........79 3.11.1 Potential Effects of Habitat Management, Monitoring, and Enhancement on the Covered Species ............................................... 80 4.0 CONSERVATION PROGRAM ...........................................89 4.1 CREATION OF MANAGEMENT ZONES ......................................89 4.2 MEASURES TO MINIMIZE THE POTENTIALLY ADVERSE Effects of THE COVERED SPECIES .............................93 4.2.1 Water Management .................................................................. 93 4.2.2 Creek Maintenance Activities .......................................................... 95 4.2.3 Academic Activities .................................................................. 96 4.2.4 Utility Installation and Maintenance .................................................... 96 4.2.5 General Infrastructure ................................................................ 98 4.2.6 Recreation and Athletics .............................................................100 4.2.7 Grounds and Vegetation .............................................................101 4.2.8 Agriculture and Equestrian Leaseholds .................................................102 4.2.9 Commercial and Institutional Leaseholds ...............................................102 4.2.10 Future Development ................................................................103 4.3 ESTABLISHMENT OF MITIGATION ACCOUNTS ............................104 4.3.1 San Francisquito/Los Trancos Riparian Account ........................................106 4.3.2 Matadero/Deer Riparian Account .....................................................114 4.3.3 CTS Account ......................................................................115 4.4 USE OF MITIGATION ACCOUNT CREDITS .................................119 4.5 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT .................................................120 4.5.1 Adaptive Approach ..................................................................120 4.5.2 Role of Monitoring in Adaptive Managements ..........................................120 4.5.3 Modification to the Conservation Program .............................................120 4.5.4 Revisions to the Conservation Measures ................................................121 v 4.5.5 Revisions to the Monitoring and Management Plans .....................................121 4.5.6 Experimental Techniques ............................................................122 4.5.7 Introduction of Threatened or Endangered Species ......................................122