APPENDIX A Biological Survey Report This page intentionally left blank BIOLOGICAL SURVEY REPORT EL CENTRO FENCE REPLACEMENT PROJECT Task Order 27 (Biological Portion) FME Contract: GS10F0070W March 2020 Prepared For: Paul Enriquez Acquisition, Real Estate, and Environmental Director Infrastructure Program Program Management Office Directorate U.S. Customs and Border Protection [email protected] This Page Left Intentionally Blank Table of Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 2. Project Description ............................................................................................................................................. 1 3. Survey Methods ................................................................................................................................................. 1 3.1. Background ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 4. Site Assessments............................................................................................................................................... 2 5. Environmental Setting ........................................................................................................................................ 3 6. Biological Resources.......................................................................................................................................... 3 6.1. Vegetation Community Classification..............................................................................................................3 6.1.1. Vegetation Community Descriptions ........................................................................................................ 3 6.2. Non-native Species ......................................................................................................................................... 5 6.3. Special-Status Plants ...................................................................................................................................... 5 6.4. Special-Status Wildlife .................................................................................................................................... 6 6.4.1. Reptiles .................................................................................................................................................... 6 6.4.2. Birds ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 6.4.3. Mammals.................................................................................................................................................. 8 6.5. Hydrology ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 6.5.1. Field Evaluation Summary ....................................................................................................................... 9 6.5.2. Non-wetland Waters ............................................................................................................................... 10 6.5.3. Manmade or Relict Features Not Mapped as Potentially Jurisdictional Features .................................10 7. Impact Discussion ............................................................................................................................................ 12 7.1. Vegetation Communities ............................................................................................................................... 12 7.2. Special-Status Plant Species ........................................................................................................................ 12 7.3. Special-Status Wildlife Species .................................................................................................................... 13 7.4. Critical Habitat ............................................................................................................................................... 13 7.5. Hydrology ...................................................................................................................................................... 13 8. Best Management Practices and Mitigation ...................................................................................................... 13 8.1. General Design and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) BMPs ............................................14 8.2. Recommended Biological Resource BMPs .................................................................................................. 16 8.3. Best Management Practices for Sensitive Species ...................................................................................... 17 8.3.1. Flat-tailed Horned Lizard ........................................................................................................................ 17 8.3.2. Barefoot Banded Gecko ......................................................................................................................... 17 8.3.3. Burrowing Owl ........................................................................................................................................ 18 8.3.4. Peninsular Bighorn Sheep ..................................................................................................................... 18 8.4. Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act ................................................................................................................. 18 8.5. Protection of Special-Status Plants ............................................................................................................... 18 9. List of Preparers ............................................................................................................................................... 20 10. References..................................................................................................................................................... 21 Tables Table 1. Summary of Potential CWA Section 404 Jurisdictional Features ........................................................ 10 Table 2. Vegetation Community Anticipated Impacts ....................................................................................... 12 Table 3. Summary of Potential CWA Section 404 Jurisdictional Features ........................................................ 13 Appendices Appendix A: Figures Appendix B: Description of Special-Status Plant Species Appendix C: Description of Special-Status Wildlife Species Appendix D: Table of Potential Special-Status Plant Species Appendix E: Table of Potential Special-Status Wildlife Species Appendix F: Observed Plant Species Appendix G: Observed Wildlife Species Abbreviations AOR Area of Responsibility BLM Bureau of Land Management BMP Best Management Practices Cal-IPC California Invasive Plant Council CBP Customs and Border Protection CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife CFR Code of Federal Regulations CNDDB California Natural Diversity Database CWA Clean Water Act DHS Department of Homeland Security ESA Endangered Species Act FTHL Flat-tailed Horned Lizard OHWM Ordinary High-Water Mark PBS Peninsular Bighorn Sheep POE Port of Entry USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers USGS United States Geological Survey 1 1. Introduction Bio-Studies has prepared this Biological Survey Report in support of Northland Research Inc. to provide the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with a summary of information collected from a variety of literature sources and field surveys to describe the biological resources present and potentially present along the El Centro Fence Replacement Project (Project) in Imperial County, California. This report provides the necessary current conditions information for an evaluation of the potential impacts of the Project and associated activities on the area’s biological resources and provides recommendations for avoidance or reduction of these impacts, including best management practices. 2. Project Description Customs and Border Protection propose to replace existing vehicle and pedestrian fence totaling approximately 15 miles with new bollard fence in the Calexico Station Area of Responsibility (AOR) within the CBP El Centro Sector. The proposed construction corridor will be 60 feet wide and within the Roosevelt Reservation. The replacement fence will be bollard style fence comprised of 6-inch diameter steel bollards, spaced 4-inches apart and will be 30 feet high. The Project will include repairs and improvements to the existing patrol road, installation of a fiber optic cable for communications, installation of LED lighting, and installation of electrical utilities to supply power to the lighting and communications cable. The Project is located along the southern edge of the U.S Portion of the Yuha Desert in Imperial County, California. The eastern terminus of the Project is 9.70 miles west of the Calexico West Port of Entry (POE) and extends west to the base of the Jacumba Mountains (Figures 1 and 2). The Survey Area for this Project consists of a 60-foot corridor extending north from the existing vehicle and pedestrian fence along the entirety of the Project. The