Bushy Lake Restoration, Monitoring, and Adaptive Management on the American River, Sacramento, California Professor Michelle Stevens, PhD California State University Sacramento With funding from Sacramento County Department of Regional Parks * February 6, 2017 Table of Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................. iv Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. v Chapter 1 – Introduction Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................ 1-2 Public Engagement ............................................................................................... 1-7 Project Unveiling.................................................................................................... 1-7 Unveiling Event Feedback .................................................................................... 1-9 Follow Up ............................................................................................................... 1-9 Chapter 2 – Bushy Lake Project Area ............................................................. 2-1 Chapter 3 – Physical Resources 3.1 Geology and Soils – Background ................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Soils at Bushy Lake ......................................................................................... 3-1 3.3 Methods for Analysis of Soils .......................................................................... 3-2 3.4 Soils and Carbon Sequestration ..................................................................... 3-3 3.5 Results and Discussion ................................................................................... 3-4 3.5.1 Total and Labile Soil C ................................................................................. 3-4 3.5.2 Estimates of Soil C Sequestration ............................................................... 3-5 Chapter 4 – California Rapid Assessment Method 4.1 Bushy Lake CRAM Ambient Monitoring ......................................................... 4-1 4.2 CRAM Assessment Methodology ................................................................... 4-3 4.3 CRAM Results ................................................................................................. 4-3 4.4 Attribute 1: Buffer and Landscape Context .................................................... 4-4 4.5 Attribute 2: Hydrology...................................................................................... 4-5 4.6 Attribute 3: Physical Structure ........................................................................ 4-6 4.7 Attribute 4: Biotic Structure ............................................................................. 4-6 Chapter 5 – Biological Environment 5.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Project Goal ..................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Bird Habitat at Bushy Lake ............................................................................. 5-1 5.3 Wildlife Sighted while Monitoring at Bushy Lake ........................................... 5-2 5.3.1 Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata) ............................................ 5-2 5.3.2 North American River Otter (Lontra Canadensis) ....................................... 5-2 5.3.3 Elderberry (Sambucus Mexicana) .............................................................. 5-2 5.3.4 Nesting Red-Tailed Hawks ......................................................................... 5-2 5.3.5 Willow Flycatcher ......................................................................................... 5-2 5.4 Methods for avian and vegetation sampling................................................... 5-3 5.4.1 Point Bird Count ........................................................................................... 5-3 5.5 Avian Biodiversity ............................................................................................ 5-3 - i - 5.5.1 Avian Species and Breeding Evidence at Bushy Lake ............................... 5-3 Chapter 6 – Riparian Restoration Experiment 6.1 Native Fire-Resistant and Drought-Tolerant Plant Species ........................... 6-1 6.2 Methods – Restoration Experimental Design and Implementation ............... 6-3 6.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management........................................................... 6-4 6.4 Results and Discussion ................................................................................... 6-4 6.4.1 Monitoring Plant Survival over Time (Weekly Basis) .................................. 6-4 6.4.2 Absolute Cover and Survival by Density and Plant Species ...................... 6-5 6.4.3 Two-Way ANOVA ........................................................................................ 6-8 6.5 Experiment B Herbicide vs. Umbrella Species Treatment............................. 6-9 6.5.1 Experiment B Hypotheses ........................................................................... 6-9 6.5.2 Experiment B Methods................................................................................. 6-9 6.5.3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ..................................................... 6-10 6.5.4 Experiment B Results and Discussion ...................................................... 6-10 6.6 Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 6-14 Chapter 7 – Future Adaptive Management and Monitoring Recommendations 7.1 Facilitation/Companion Planting Experimental Design and Implementation ......................................................................................... 7-1 7.2 Replanting and Adaptive Management .......................................................... 7-1 7.3 Carbon sequestration in riparian communities and soils ............................... 7-1 7.4 Monitoring Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata) ............................. 7-2 7.5 Monitoring Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle (Desmocerus Californicus dimorphus) and Post-Fire Blue Elderberry (Sambucus Mexicana) Survival ..................................................................... 7-2 7.6 Adaptive Management of Invasive Species ................................................... 7-3 7.6.1 Poison Hemlock ........................................................................................... 7-3 7.6.2 Perennial Pepperweed (Tall Whitetop) ....................................................... 7-4 7.6.3 Himalayan Blackberry .................................................................................. 7-5 7.6.4 Monitoring Recommendations ..................................................................... 7-5 References .......................................................................................................... R-1 Appendices ......................................................................................................... A-1 - ii - Tables and Figures Tables Table 3-1 Soils – Total and Labile Soil Carbon ................................................. 3-4 Table 3-2 Estimated Soil Carbon Stocks ........................................................... 3-6 Table 4-1 Bushy Lake Summary Assessment: CRAM Index Scores ............... 4-4 Table 4-2 CRAM Attribute, Metric, and Index Scores ....................................... 4-4 Table 5-1 Point 1 Avian Observations ............................................................... 5-5 Table 5-2 Point 2 Avian Observations ............................................................... 5-5 Table 5-3 Point 3 Avian Observations ............................................................... 5-6 Table 5-4 Point 4 Avian Observations ............................................................... 5-7 Table 5-5 Point 5 Avian Observations ............................................................... 5-8 Table 6-1 Restoration Experiment - Tests of Between-Subjects Effects.......... 6-8 Table A-1 Plant Species at Bushy Lake ............................................................ A-1 Table A-2 Common Species List for the Sacramento Region.......................... A-2 Figures Figure 1 Map of the American River Parkway along the Lower American River ....................................................... 2-1 Figure 2 Map of Bushy Lake and its Boundary Lines within the American River Parkway ............................................................. 2-2 Figure 3 Outlet Pipe into Bushy Lake from Cal Expo ...................................... 2-3 Figure 4 Bushy Lake Soil Survey Map............................................................. 3-2 Figure 4.1 Soil Pits Profile ................................................................................... 3-5 Figure 5 Bushy Lake CRAM Assessment Area Map ...................................... 4-2 Figure 6 Restoration Experimental Block Design ............................................ 6-3 Figure 7 Plant Survival by Treatment of Carex barbarae and Elymus triticoides for 30 Weeks ........................................................ 6-5 Figure 8 Week 30: Absolute Percent Cover .................................................... 6-5 Figure 9 Plant Survival by Cover of Carex barbarae and Elymus triticoides for 30 Weeks .......................................................