United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Mother Lode Field Office 5152 Hillsdale Circle El Dorado Hills, CA 95762-5713 www.blm.gov/ca/motherlode EA Number: CA-180-16-22 Proposed Action: Michigan Bluff California Red-legged Frog Restoration Project Location: MDM, T. 14 N., R. 11 E., Section 21 (see attached project area maps) 1.0 Purpose of and Need for Action 1.1 Need for Action The BLM is interested in establishing naturally appearing and functioning wetlands to benefit the California red-legged frog and other species. The California red-legged frog is listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The California red-legged frog is particularly scarce in the Sierra Nevada with fewer than a dozen known populations. The building of ephemeral ponds a little over a mile from a robust California red-legged frog population which occurs on private lands will potentially allow expansion of the population from private lands onto public lands. The ephemeral nature of the pond will allow for California red-legged frog breeding without exposing the eggs and larvae to predatory fish and bullfrogs. These low-maintenance wetlands will also provide habitat for birds, bats, other amphibians, aquatic reptiles, aquatic insects, and drinking water for a variety of wildlife. Returning wetlands to the landscape would have other ecological benefits such as reducing erosion and improving water quality. The wetlands would be built so that most dry in the fall season. This way they would not support bullfrogs or fish, known predators/competitors of California red-legged frog. The wetlands would be built to contain water for varying lengths of time, so that in wet or dry years, at least one of the wetlands would provide conditions suitable for successful breeding of California red-legged frogs. The wetlands are likely to benefit the California red-legged frog, which can successfully breed in wetlands that contain water seasonally. These seasonal wetlands are called ephemeral wetlands and are some of the rarest habitats in California. Project Objectives Implementing the Michigan Bluff California Red-legged Frog Restoration Project would help meet these objectives: 1. Increase breeding habitat for the California red-legged frog. 2. Increase habitat for a diversity of animals and plants. 3. Establish ephemeral wetlands 4. Establish wetlands on the landscape that would function in times of drought 5. Increase opportunities to view and hunt wildlife 6. Clean runoff 7. Establish naturally appearing and functioning wetlands that require little, if any maintenance 1.2 Conformance with Applicable Land Use Plans The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Mother Lode Field Office, operates under the direction of the Sierra Resource Management Plan approved in February 2008. Current BLM policy is to manage 1 BLM lands so as to conserve and/or recover ESA-listed species and the ecosystems on which they depend so that ESA protections are no longer needed for these species, and to initiate proactive conservation measures that reduce or eliminate threats to Bureau sensitive species to minimize the likelihood of and need for listing of these species under the ESA (BLM Manual 6840 Special Status Species Management, 2008). The Sierra Resource Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (U.S. Bureau of Land Management 2008) provides direction for the management of threatened and endangered species. Within this plan the goal for Water Resources is to: Restore and maintain the ecological health of watersheds and aquatic ecosytems on BLM lands, and to the extent possible, partner with other landowners and stakeholders to coordinate restoration efforts across watersheds. Within this plan the goals for Fish and Wildlife are to: Maintain, improve, or enhance native fish and wildlife populations and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Maintain the ecological integrity of foothill ecosystems in the face of urban growth and residential development through protection or improvement of habitat connectivity. Provide opportunities for research and education. Within this plan the goals for Special Status Species are to: Ensure that all management activities and BLM authorizations are consistent with the conservation needs for special status species. Manage special status species habitat to assist in the recovery of listed species. Within this plan the objective of the California Red-legged Frog and Foothill Yellow-legged frog Conservation Strategy (jointly developed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) is: To sustain and manage viable populations of the California red-legged frog and foothill yellow- legged frog in the planning area. Stabilize and manage the California red-legged frog population at Spivey Pond. Repatriate the California red-legged frog to suitable habitat on BLM lands. 2.0 Proposed Action and Alternatives 2.1 Proposed Action The proposed action is a restoration project to increase available pond habitat on BLM land for an existing Federally threatened California red-legged frog population located on private land in the watershed, near Michigan Bluff. The expected timeframe for pond construction is from September 29th to September 30th, 2016. The proposed project is to build two ponds outside of stream channel drainages. The ponds will be located approximately 4 miles northeast of Foresthill, California (T14NR11E Section 21 MDM). Access is gained off of Michigan Bluff Road and Gorman Ranch Road. Site 1 - Propose digging a depression (50 x 40 x 3 ft) for an ephemeral wetland with an excavator just south of Gorman Ranch Road. Remove and save plants within the area. No trees would need to be removed. Install a one-piece 30 mil PVC fish-grade liner in a created depression and removed soil will be placed back onto the liner up to a level of 8 inches deep. Reseed with adjacent native vegetation. 2 Site 2 - Propose digging a depression for an ephemeral/emergent wetland (40 x 40 x 3 ft) with an excavator. No trees would need to be removed. Install a one-piece 30 mil PVC fish grade liner and removed soil will be placed back onto the liner up to 8 inches deep. Reseed with adjacent native vegetation. 2.2 Project Design Features A Service-approved biologist will survey the project area for the California red-legged frog prior to project actions commencing, including vegetation removal and ground disturbance. Additionally, a Service- approved biologist will be on site during all project actions. If any listed or proposed species is discovered near proposed pond creation sites, the Bureau of Land Management will immediately notify the Service ([email protected] or [email protected]) and all construction will cease. Construction of ponds will occur during the driest period of late summer and fall, between August and September, when California red-legged frogs are least likely to be dispersing through the project area. Use of heavy equipment will occur no more than 2 days, and will occur prior to fall rains. Equipment use will be postponed if standing water is present at the project site, and the Service will be notified of new construction dates. All heavy equipment and motorized vehicles will be stored and fueled away from the project area and any potential aquatic habitat for the California red-legged frog, on already existing road ways or clearings. All heavy equipment and motorized vehicles will have a spill kit to contain leaks or spills at the project location. All heavy equipment and motorized vehicles will be checked daily for leaks. If intermittent waterways near the project have standing water creating potential summer dispersal habitat for the California red-legged frog, amphibian exclusion fencing will be erected to exclude frogs from entering the project area. Any steep-walled holes of trenches, pipes or similar materials more than one foot deep that may entrap wildlife will be covered or an escape ramp will be constructed with wooden planks or earthen fill at the end of each work day. All potential areas of entrapment will be inspected by the Service-approved biologist for presence of wildlife prior to beginning of work each day. All impacted areas will be revegetated with native plants removed from the site and mulched to promote seeding of native vegetation. All debris and equipment from construction will be removed from the project area immediately following completion. Each pond shall be monitored for implementation and effectiveness of riparian vegetation success, erosional issues, and use by the California red-legged frog. The sites shall be surveyed at least twice during the first year following construction (in winter and after spring runoff) and at least once annually thereafter, for seven additional years. Photos shall be taken and remedial measures taken for any erosional concerns. Findings of surveys will be submitted to the Service (([email protected] or [email protected]) no later than December 31st of year. 3 2.3 No Action Under the no action alternative, BLM will not build two ephemeral ponds. 2.4 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis Additional pond sites were considered but eliminated from detailed analysis due to archaeological concerns. 3.0 Affected Environment The proposed project is in Placer County, four miles east of the city of Foresthill. The project sites range in elevation from 3,400-3,600 feet. The sites are within North Fork American River watershed. The nearest streams to the proposed project area are in Skunk Canyon, an intermittent stream in the vicinity of Gorman Ranch Road. The area is primarily second growth mixed conifer forest that has historically been mined for gold and mining occurred, at a smaller scale, more recently. Additionally, the project area burned in a large wildfire in the 1960’s. The area is not managed for grazing or recreational use. The slopes above the ponds are moderately steep and densely forested with Douglas fir, incense-cedar, madrone, and black oak.