BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT GALINDO CREEK FIELD STATION CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY EAST BAY CONCORD, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA JULY 2019 Prepared for Kathy Cutting Campus Support Coordinator California State University East Bay 4700 Ygnacio Valley Road Concord, CA 94521 Prepared by 822 MAIN STREET MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA 94553 (925) 228-1027 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 Section 2. Study Methods ............................................................................................... 2 2.1. Data Resources ............................................................................................................. 2 2.2. Regulatory Framework ................................................................................................... 3 2.2.1 Sensitive Natural Communities ....................................................................... 3 2.2.2 Special-Status Species ................................................................................... 3 2.3. Personnel and Field Investigation .................................................................................. 4 2.4. Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 4 Section 3. Study Area Description ................................................................................. 6 3.1. Regional Setting ............................................................................................................. 6 3.1.1 East Bay Hills – Mount Diablo ......................................................................... 6 3.2. Local Setting .................................................................................................................. 6 3.2.1 Land Use ......................................................................................................... 7 3.2.2 Topography ..................................................................................................... 7 3.2.3 Climate ............................................................................................................ 7 3.2.4 Geology and Soils ........................................................................................... 7 3.1. Hydrology Characteristics .............................................................................................. 8 3.2. Vegetation Communities ................................................................................................ 8 3.2.1 Ruderal ............................................................................................................ 9 3.2.2 Non-Native Grassland ................................................................................... 10 3.2.3 Freshwater Marsh/Seep ................................................................................ 11 3.2.4 Northern Coyote Brush Scrub ....................................................................... 12 3.2.5 Great Valley Valley Oak Riparian Forest ....................................................... 12 3.3. Invasive Weeds ............................................................................................................ 13 3.4. Movement Corridors and Habitat Fragmentation ......................................................... 17 Section 4. Sensitive Natural Communities and Special-Status Species .................. 18 4.1. Sensitive Natural Communities .................................................................................... 18 4.2. Special-Status Plants ................................................................................................... 18 4.2.1 Federal and/or State Listed and California Rare Plant Species .................... 18 4.2.2 California Native Plant Society Listed Plant Species .................................... 18 4.3. Special-Status Wildlife ................................................................................................. 19 4.3.1 Amphibians .................................................................................................... 19 4.3.2 Reptiles ......................................................................................................... 20 4.3.3 Birds .............................................................................................................. 21 4.3.4 Mammals ....................................................................................................... 21 Section 5. Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................ 23 5.1. Conclusions .................................................................................................................. 23 5.1.1 Sensitive Natural Communities ..................................................................... 23 5.1.2 Special-Status Plants .................................................................................... 23 5.1.3 Noxious/Invasive Weeds ............................................................................... 23 5.1.4 Wildlife ........................................................................................................... 24 Section 6. References ................................................................................................... 25 Biological Resource Assessment – Galindo Creek Field Station, CSU East Bay, Concord, California i Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Soil Mapping Unit Characteristics in the Study Area ...................................................... 7 Table 2. Vegetation Communities in the Study Area .................................................................... 8 Table 3. Vegetation Community Classification Systems Comparisons ........................................ 9 Table 4. Invasive Weeds Observed in the Study Area ............................................................... 14 Table 5. Potentially Occurring Special Status Plant Species in the Study Area ......................... 19 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Study Area Vicinity Map ............................................................................................. A-2 Figure 2. Study Area on USGS Topographic Map .................................................................... A-3 Figure 3. Study Area shown on Aerial Photo ............................................................................ A-4 Figure 4. Soil Mapping Units in the Study Area ........................................................................ A-5 Figure 5. Vegetation Types in the Study Area .......................................................................... A-6 Figure 6. California Natural Diversity Database Special-Status Plant Species Occurrences within 5 Miles of the Study Area ............................................................ A-7 Figure 7. California Natural Diversity Database Special-Status Wildlife Species Occurrences within 5 Miles of the Study Area ............................................................ A-8 Figure 8. Invasive Weeds in the Study Area ............................................................................. A-9 LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A Figures ........................................................................................................ A-1 APPENDIX B List of Plant Species Observed During April 2019 Site Visit ....................... B-1 APPENDIX C List of Wildlife Species Observed During April 2019 Site Visit .................... C-1 APPENDIX D Photos ......................................................................................................... D-1 Biological Resource Assessment – Galindo Creek Field Station, CSU East Bay, Concord, California ii Section 1 Introduction Section 1. INTRODUCTION Nomad Ecology, LLC (Nomad) prepared this Biological Resource Assessment for California State University (CSU) East Bay’s 54.45-acre Galindo Creek Field Station located in Concord, Contra Costa County, California. This biological resource assessment documents the biological resources found on the field station during a single reconnaissance visit conducted in 2019. The report discusses (1) methodologies used for background literature search and the biological reconnaissance survey; (2) results of the background literature search and field reconnaissance survey; (3) existing biological conditions including vegetation communities and invasive weeds present on site; (4) the location, extent, and habitat requirements of any sensitive biological resources, or wetlands that occur, or will likely occur, in the study area; (5) recommendations for further focused species surveys; (6) a map of vegetation communities (including invasive weed species) within the study area; (7) a list of plant species observed; and (8) a list of animal species observed. Biological Resource Assessment – Galindo Creek Field Station, CSU East Bay, Concord, California 1 Section 2 Study Methods Section 2. STUDY METHODS 2.1. DATA RESOURCES Background information for listed and special-status plant and wildlife species, and sensitive natural communities was compiled through a review of the following resources: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): Federal Endangered and Threatened Species that Occur in or may be Affected by Projects in Contra Costa County (USFWS 2019a) National Wetland Inventory for the Clayton Quadrangle (USFWS 2019b) California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW): List of California Vegetation Alliances and