APPENDIX D.1 Biological Resources Technical Report BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES TECHNICAL REPORT ATHOS RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Prepared for Aspen Environmental Group 5020 Chesebro Rd. Suite 200 Agoura Hills, CA Prepared by: IRONWOOD CONSULTING INC. 370 Alabama Street, Suite A Redlands, CA 92373 January 2019 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.3 Site Location..................................................................................................................... 1 1.4 Project Summary ............................................................................................................. 3 2 SITE CHARACTERISTICS ......................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Regional Setting ............................................................................................................. 11 2.2 Hydrology ....................................................................................................................... 14 2.3 Soils ................................................................................................................................ 17 2.4 Sand Transport System .................................................................................................. 17 2.6 Vegetation...................................................................................................................... 20 2.6.1 Natural Communities ......................................................................................... 20 2.5.2 Invasive Weeds ................................................................................................... 29 2.5.3 Cacti, Yucca, and Native Trees ........................................................................... 31 3 DATA COLLECTION METHODS ............................................................................ 32 3.1 Special Status Species Definition .................................................................................. 32 3.2 Wildlife Surveys ............................................................................................................. 32 3.2.1 Desert Tortoise ................................................................................................... 33 3.2.2 Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard ................................................................................. 34 3.2.3 Couch’s Spadefoot Toad ..................................................................................... 34 3.2.3 Avian Species ...................................................................................................... 34 3.2.4 Special Status Bat Species .................................................................................. 35 3.2.5 Other Special Status Wildlife Species ................................................................ 35 3.3 Special Status Plants ...................................................................................................... 35 4 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................ 40 4.1 Special Status Wildlife ................................................................................................... 40 Athos BRTR Page | i 4.1.1 Desert Tortoise: ST, FT ........................................................................................ 40 4.1.2 Mojave Fringe-Toed Lizard: SSC, BLMS .............................................................. 47 4.1.3 Couch’s Spadefoot Toad: SSC, BLMS .................................................................. 48 4.1.4 American Badger: SSC ......................................................................................... 51 4.1.5 Desert Kit Fox: CPF .............................................................................................. 51 4.1.6 Desert Bighorn Sheep BLMS ............................................................................... 56 4.1.7 Burro Deer: CPGS ................................................................................................ 56 4.1.9 Western Burrowing Owl: SSC, BCC, BLMS .......................................................... 61 4.1.10 Golden Eagle: CFP, WL, BCC, BLMS ..................................................................... 64 4.1.11 Loggerhead Shrike: SSC (nesting), BCC ............................................................... 69 4.1.12 Le Conte’s Thrasher: SSC .................................................................................... 70 4.1.13 California Horned Lark: WL ................................................................................ 70 4.1.14 Prairie Falcon: WL, BCC ....................................................................................... 70 4.1.15 Gila Woodpecker: CE, BLMS, BCC ....................................................................... 71 4.1.16 Black-tailed Gnatcatcher: WL ............................................................................. 71 4.1.17 Sonora Yellow Warbler: SSC, BCC ....................................................................... 71 4.1.18 Short Eared Owl: SSC .......................................................................................... 72 4.1.19 Ferruginous Hawk: WL, BCC ............................................................................... 72 4.1.20 Swainson’s Hawk: ST, BBC .................................................................................. 72 4.1.21 American Peregrine Falcon: FP, BCC .................................................................. 73 4.1.22 Vaux’s Swift: SSC ................................................................................................. 73 4.1.23 Mountain Plover: SSC, BCC ................................................................................. 73 4.1.24 Northern Harrier: SSC ......................................................................................... 73 4.1.25 Yellow-breasted Chat: SSC ................................................................................. 74 4.1.26 Crissal Thrasher: SSC ........................................................................................... 74 4.1.27 Elf Owl: BLMS, BCC .............................................................................................. 74 4.1.28 Other listed Avian Species .................................................................................. 75 4.2 Wildlife Movement ........................................................................................................ 76 4.3 Special Status Plant Species .......................................................................................... 79 Athos BRTR Page | ii 4.3.1 Chaparral sand verbena: BLMS, CRPR 1B.1 ........................................................ 82 4.3.2 Harwood’s Milkvetch: CRPR 2B.2 ....................................................................... 82 4.3.3 Crucifixion Thorn: CRPR 2B.2 .............................................................................. 82 4.3.4 Abram’s Spurge: CRPR 2B.2 ................................................................................ 83 4.3.5 Ribbed Cryptantha: CRPR 4.3 ............................................................................. 83 4.3.6 Glandular Ditaxis: CRPR 2B.2 .............................................................................. 83 4.3.7 California Ditaxis: CRPR 3.2 ................................................................................ 83 4.3.8 Harwood’s Eriastrum: CRPR 1B.2, BLMS ............................................................ 84 4.3.9 Utah Milkvine: CRPR 4.2 ..................................................................................... 84 4.3.10 Desert Unicorn Plant: CRPR 4.3 .......................................................................... 84 4.3.11 Jackass Clover: CRPR 2B.2 ................................................................................... 84 4.3.12 Palmer’s Jackass Clover: CRPR 2B.2 ................................................................... 85 4.3.13 Creosote Bush Rings ........................................................................................... 85 5.0 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................... 86 List of Photos Photo 1. Sonoran creosote bush scrub vegetation ...................................................................... 22 Photo 2. Desert Dry Wash Woodland vegetation ........................................................................ 23 Photo 3. Desert Pavement ............................................................................................................ 24 Photo 4. Recovering Desert Saltbush Scrub ................................................................................. 25 Photo 5. Active Agriculture habitat – date palm farm ................................................................. 26 Photo 6. Fallow Agriculture Habitat - abandoned citrus groves .................................................. 26 Photo 7. Developed/Disturbed land cover ..................................................................................