BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES REPORT CITY OF FORT BRAGG WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE 101 West Cypress Street (APN 008-020-07) Fort Bragg Mendocino County, California prepared by: William Maslach [email protected] August 2016 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES REPORT CITY OF FORT BRAGG WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE 101 WEST CYPRESS STREET (APN 008-020-07) FORT BRAGG MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA PREPARED FOR: Scott Perkins Associate Planner City of Fort Bragg 416 North Franklin Street Fort Bragg, California PREPARED BY: William Maslach 32915 Nameless Lane Fort Bragg, California (707) 732-3287 [email protected] Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... iv 1 Introduction and Background ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Scope of Work ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Location & Environmental Setting ................................................................................................ 1 1.4 Land Use ........................................................................................................................................ 2 1.5 Site Directions ............................................................................................................................... 2 1.6 Project Description ........................................................................................................................ 2 2 Regulatory Background ......................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 California Coastal Act .................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA) ........................................................................... 6 2.2.1 Rarity ..................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2.2 Especially Valuable ................................................................................................................ 8 2.2.3 Disturbance ........................................................................................................................... 9 3 Types of ESHA’s ..................................................................................................................................... 9 3.1 Wetlands and Aquatic Features .................................................................................................... 9 3.1.1 Wetlands ............................................................................................................................... 9 3.1.2 Watercourses (Streams and Rivers) .................................................................................... 11 3.1.3 Estuaries .............................................................................................................................. 12 3.1.4 Lakes .................................................................................................................................... 12 3.1.5 Open Coastal Waters and Coastal Waters .......................................................................... 13 3.2 Vegetation Communities ............................................................................................................ 13 3.2.1 Natural Communities .......................................................................................................... 13 3.2.2 Riparian Habitat .................................................................................................................. 13 3.3 Special-Status Species ................................................................................................................. 14 3.3.1 Special-Status Plants ........................................................................................................... 14 3.3.2 Special-Status Animals ........................................................................................................ 15 4 Methods .............................................................................................................................................. 16 4.1 Historical Landscape ................................................................................................................... 16 4.2 Wetlands ..................................................................................................................................... 16 4.2.1 Hydrophytic Vegetation ...................................................................................................... 17 4.2.2 Hydric Soils .......................................................................................................................... 17 4.2.3 Wetland Hydrology ............................................................................................................. 18 4.3 Watercourses .............................................................................................................................. 18 4.4 Natural Communities .................................................................................................................. 18 4.5 Botanical Resources .................................................................................................................... 18 i | Biological Resources Report • City Fort Bragg WTP Upgrade William Maslach • August 2016 4.6 Wildlife Resources ....................................................................................................................... 20 5 Results ................................................................................................................................................. 21 5.1 Historical Landscape ................................................................................................................... 21 5.1 Wetlands and Aquatic Features .................................................................................................. 21 5.1.1 Hydrophytic Vegetation ...................................................................................................... 25 5.1.2 Hydric Soils .......................................................................................................................... 26 5.1.1 Wetland Hydrology ............................................................................................................. 27 5.2 Natural Communities .................................................................................................................. 28 5.3 Botanical Resources .................................................................................................................... 33 5.3.1 Documented Occurrences .................................................................................................. 34 5.3.2 Potential Occurrence .......................................................................................................... 34 5.4 Wildlife Resources ....................................................................................................................... 34 5.4.1 Documented Occurrences .................................................................................................. 34 5.4.1 Potential Occurrences ......................................................................................................... 35 6 ESHA Summary and Impact Analysis ................................................................................................... 38 7 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................................... 43 8 References .......................................................................................................................................... 44 Tables Table 1. Wetland Indicator Status Groups .................................................................................................. 17 Table 2. Target List of Special Status Plans Potentially Occurring in the Study Area. ................................ 19 Table 3. Target List of Special Status Animals Potentially Occurring in the Study Area. ............................ 20 Table 4. Summary of Wetlands and Potential Wetlands in the Study Area ............................................... 25 Table 5. Vegetation Communities in the Study Area .................................................................................. 28 Table 6. ESHA Element Summary within the Study Area ............................................................................ 38 Table 7. ESHA Impact Analysis .................................................................................................................... 40 Figures Figure 1. Regional and Vicinity Map of Study Area ....................................................................................... 3 Figure 2. USGS Topographic Map of Study Area: Fort Bragg Quad ............................................................. 4 Figure 3. Base Map and Site Plan ................................................................................................................