BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT FOR THE 1,095-ACRE NEWBRIDGE SPECIFIC PLAN STUDY AREA SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Prepared for: East Sacramento Ranch, LLC 11350 Kiefer Boulevard Sacramento, California 95830 Prepared by: 12240 Herdal Dr., Ste. 14, Auburn, California 95603 (530) 888‐0130 April 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Project Location.................................................................................................................................... 1 Setting .................................................................................................................................................... 1 Proposed Project Description ............................................................................................................. 4 Objectives of Biological Resource Assessment ................................................................................ 4 METHODS .................................................................................................................................................... 4 Literature Review ................................................................................................................................ 4 Special-Status Species Database Queries ......................................................................................... 6 Field Surveys ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Plants............................................................................................................................................... 6 Wildlife ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Water Resources ............................................................................................................................ 7 Limitations of the Assessment ........................................................................................................... 7 SURVEY AND LITERATURE SEARCH RESULTS ......................................................................................... 7 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................................................ 7 Hydrology .......................................................................................................................................... 10 Biological Communities .................................................................................................................... 10 Annual Grassland ....................................................................................................................... 10 Developed/Disturbed ................................................................................................................ 14 Wastewater Ponds ...................................................................................................................... 14 Irrigated Pasture .......................................................................................................................... 14 Canal ............................................................................................................................................. 14 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................................ 14 Waters of the United States .............................................................................................................. 16 Wetlands ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Vernal Pool ............................................................................................................................................... 16 Seasonal Wetland .................................................................................................................................... 17 Wetland Swale ......................................................................................................................................... 17 Other Waters ................................................................................................................................ 17 Intermittent Stream ................................................................................................................................. 17 Pond (Seasonal Wetland) ....................................................................................................................... 18 Canal ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 Non-Regulated Waters ..................................................................................................................... 18 Industrial Ponds .......................................................................................................................... 18 Special-Status Species ....................................................................................................................... 18 Plants............................................................................................................................................. 22 Wildlife ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Vernal pool crustaceans .......................................................................................................................... 24 Other Invertebrates ................................................................................................................................. 26 Amphibians .............................................................................................................................................. 26 Reptiles ...................................................................................................................................................... 28 i Birds .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 Mammals .................................................................................................................................................. 31 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................... 31 Waters of the United States .............................................................................................................. 31 Streams, Pond, and Riparian Habitat ............................................................................................. 32 Tree Conservation ............................................................................................................................. 32 Special-Status Plants ......................................................................................................................... 32 Special-Status Wildlife ...................................................................................................................... 32 REFERENCES AND OTHER RESOURCES ................................................................................................... 35 FIGURES Insert Figure 1. Site and Vicinity ............................................................................................................. 2 Insert Figure 2. Aerial Photograph ......................................................................................................... 3 Insert Figure 3. Land Use Plan ................................................................................................................ 5 Insert Figure 4. Wetland Delineation ..................................................................................................... 8 Insert Figure 5. Soils Map ........................................................................................................................ 9 Insert Figure 6. Habitat Map ................................................................................................................. 11 Insert Figure 7A. Site Photos ................................................................................................................. 12 Insert Figure 7B. Site photos .................................................................................................................. 13 Insert Figure 8. CNDDB Special-Status Species Occurrence Map ................................................... 19 TABLES Table 1. Biological Communities within NewBridge Study Area ................................................... 10 Table 2. Waters of the United States within NewBridge Study Area .............................................. 16 Table 3. Special-Status Species That Could Occur Within NewBridge Study Area ..................... 20 APPENDICES Appendix A. Plant Species Observed Within the NewBridge Study Area Appendix B. Wildlife Species Observed Within the NewBridge Study Area Appendix C. Special-Status Plant Species Known to Occur in the Region of the NewBridge Study Area Appendix D. Special-Status