USIBWC Rio Grande Canalization Project River Management Plan International Boundary and Water Commission, U.S. Section Last Updated November 12, 2014 USIBWC Canalization River Management Plan River Management Plan USIBWC Rio Grande Canalization Project TABLE OF CONTENTS RIVER MANAGEMENT PLAN, DRAFT ....................................................................................................... II ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................................................... VII COLLABORATORS ....................................................................................................................... VIII PART 1 ‐ INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ...................................................................................... 1 1.1 RIO GRANDE CANALIZATION PROJECT (RGCP) ................................................................................ 1 1.1.1 STATUTORY AUTHORITY ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1.2 RGCP RECORD OF DECISION ................................................................................................. 1 1.1.3 RGCP ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSULTATION .......................................................................... 3 1.2 RIVER MANAGEMENT PLAN OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................... 3 1.3 UPDATING THE RMP ................................................................................................................... 4 PART 2 ‐ FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT PLAN .................................................................................. 1 APPROVAL SIGNATURES ..................................................................................................................... 1 2.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1 2.2 LEVEES ...................................................................................................................................... 1 2.2.1 LEVEE MAINTENANCE ........................................................................................................... 2 2.2.2 LEVEE REHABILITATION AND CONSTRUCTION ............................................................................ 2 2.2.3 MITIGATION FOR CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES ........................................................................... 2 2.3 VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................ 3 2.3.1 BIRD BREEDING SEASON ....................................................................................................... 4 2.3.2 BIRD NESTING SURVEYS ........................................................................................................ 4 2.3.3 BIRD NESTING SURVEY TRAINING AND MATERIALS .................................................................... 5 2.3.4 ROD AND BIOLOGICAL OPINION REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................... 6 2.3.5 MOW ZONES ...................................................................................................................... 6 2.3.6 USIBWC NO‐MOW ZONES .................................................................................................. 7 2.3.7 EXCEPTIONS TO NO‐MOW ZONES .......................................................................................... 8 2.3.8 SALTCEDAR MANAGEMENT IN NO‐MOW ZONES ...................................................................... 8 2.3.9 MARKING OF NO MOW ZONES .............................................................................................. 9 2.3.10 NO‐MOW ZONE CALCULATIONS METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 9 2.3.11 HYDRAULIC ANALYSIS OF NO‐MOW ZONES ......................................................................... 10 2.4 INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................ 11 2.4.1 CHEMICAL METHODS ......................................................................................................... 11 2.4.2 HERBICIDE TREATMENT ...................................................................................................... 13 2.4.3 HERBICIDE TREATMENT SAFETY AND TRAINING ....................................................................... 15 2.4.4 MECHANICAL TREATMENT .................................................................................................. 15 ii ii USIBWC Canalization River Management Plan 2.5 PRESCRIBED BURNS ................................................................................................................... 17 2.6 RESTORATION SITES .................................................................................................................. 18 2.6.1 RESTORATION SITES ........................................................................................................... 18 2.6.2 GROUNDWATER MONITORING WELLS .................................................................................. 20 2.7 MONITORING OF RESTORATION SITES .......................................................................................... 20 2.8 WATER RIGHTS FOR RESTORATION SITES ...................................................................................... 21 2.9. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ......................................................................................................... 23 2.9.1 ALLOWED ACTIVITIES ......................................................................................................... 23 2.9.2 PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND ENFORCEMENT .......................................................................... 23 2.9.3 HUNTING ......................................................................................................................... 23 2.10 LEASED AREAS/ AREAS MAINTAINED BY NON‐USIBWC ENTITIES ................................................... 23 2.10.1 GRAZING LEASE PROGRAM ................................................................................................ 24 2.10.2 LEASES FOR RECREATIONAL USE AREAS ............................................................................... 24 2.11 ACCESS TO LEVEE ROADS AND GATES ......................................................................................... 25 2.12 ADOPT‐A‐RIVER PROGRAM ...................................................................................................... 25 2.13 OTHER ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN ................................................................................ 25 2.13.1 TREE DEBRIS ................................................................................................................... 25 2.13.2 SEDIMENT EXCAVATION AND DISPOSAL WITHIN THE ROW ..................................................... 25 2.14 COORDINATING WITH EMD ..................................................................................................... 26 2.15 STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT AND ROD IMPLEMENTATION GROUP ................................................ 26 2.16 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................ 26 2.17 LONG TERM RIVER MANAGEMENT OF RESTORATION SITES ............................................................ 26 PART 3 ‐ ENDANGERED SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN ................................................................... 1 APPROVAL SIGNATURES ..................................................................................................................... 1 SUBPART 3.1 FLYCATCHER MANAGEMENT PLAN ....................................................................................... 2 3.1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 2 3.1.1.1 BIOLOGICAL OPINION ........................................................................................................ 2 3.1.1.2 USIBWC GOALS TO PROTECT FLYCATCHERS ......................................................................... 2 3.1.2 SPECIES INFORMATION ............................................................................................................. 5 3.1.2.1 SPECIES DESCRIPTION AND LISTING HISTORY ......................................................................... 5 3.1.2.2 NESTING HABITAT DESCRIPTION.......................................................................................... 5 3.1.2.3 MIGRATORY HABITAT ........................................................................................................ 7 3.1.2.3 BREEDING BIOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 7 3.1.2.3 THREATS ......................................................................................................................... 8 3.1.3 ESTABLISHMENT OF HABITAT ..................................................................................................... 9 3.1.4 RESTORATION SITES FOR FLYCATCHER HABITAT .......................................................................... 10 3.1.5 ENVIRONMENTAL WATER TRANSACTION PROGRAM .................................................................... 11 3.1.6 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR HABITAT ESTABLISHMENT ...........................................