U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Proposed Expansion San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Assessment, Land Protection Plan, and Conceptual Management Plan San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin Counties, California This page intentionally left blank. Table of Contents Table of Contents 1. Purpose and Need for Action ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Need to Expand the Refuge ....................................................................................................... 1 1.4 Purpose of Expanding the Refuge ............................................................................................. 1 1.5 Project Area ................................................................................................................................. 2 1.6 Decisions to be Made ................................................................................................................... 3 1.7 Public Involvement and Issue Identification ............................................................................. 5 1.8 Relationship to Other Conservation Plans and Programs ....................................................... 5 1.8.1 Landscape Level Plans ................................................................................................... 6 1.8.2 County Plans ..................................................................................................................10 1.8.3 Habitat Conservation Plans ..........................................................................................11 1.8.4 Related Actions ..............................................................................................................12 1.8.5 Other Protected Areas Near the Proposed Expansion Area .....................................12 1.9 Conserving Wildlife and Serving People: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service .....................13 1.10 The National Wildlife Refuge System ..................................................................................14 1.11 San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge .......................................................................15 1.11.1 Goals of the Refuge ........................................................................................................16 1.12 Habitat Protection and Land Acquisition Process...............................................................16 1.12.1 Fee Title Acquisition and Refuge Revenue Sharing ..................................................16 1.12.2 Easement Acquisition ....................................................................................................17 1.12.3 Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperative Agreements ...............................18 1.13 Possible Delayed Restoration ................................................................................................18 1.14 Lands Subject to the Public Trust Doctrine.........................................................................18 2. Alternatives ......................................................................................................................................19 2.1 Alternatives Development .........................................................................................................19 2.2 Alternatives Considered but Determined to be Impractical ..................................................20 2.3 Description of Alternatives ........................................................................................................20 2.3.1 Alternative 1: No Action ................................................................................................20 2.3.2 Alternative 2: Southern Expansion ..............................................................................20 2.3.3 Alternative 3: Northern and Southern Expansion (Preferred Alternative) .............21 2.4 Habitat Restoration ....................................................................................................................23 3. Affected Environment ....................................................................................................................24 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................24 3.2 Physical Environment ................................................................................................................25 3.2.1 Climate ............................................................................................................................25 3.2.2 Climate Change ..............................................................................................................25 3.2.3 Soils and Geology ...........................................................................................................27 3.2.4 Topography and River Geomorphology .......................................................................28 Proposed Expansion San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Assessment i Table of Contents 3.2.5 Surface Water Quality ...................................................................................................29 3.2.6 Flood Management ........................................................................................................33 3.2.7 Groundwater Quantity ..................................................................................................35 3.2.8 Groundwater Quality .....................................................................................................35 3.3 Biological Environment ..............................................................................................................36 3.3.1 Plant Communities ........................................................................................................36 3.3.2 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................39 3.3.3 Invertebrates .................................................................................................................40 3.3.4 Reptiles and Amphibians ..............................................................................................40 3.3.5 Fish .................................................................................................................................40 3.3.6 Mammals ........................................................................................................................47 3.3.7 Birds ................................................................................................................................47 3.3.8 Special Status Species ...................................................................................................49 3.4 Social and Economic Environment ...........................................................................................60 3.4.1 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................60 3.4.2 Economic Environment .................................................................................................64 3.4.3 Relationship to County Plans .......................................................................................69 3.5 Recreation ...................................................................................................................................70 3.5.1 Outdoor Recreation Activity Participation and Demand ...........................................71 3.5.2 San Joaquin River Blueway Vision ..............................................................................71 3.5.3 Commercial/Private Recreational Facilities ...............................................................72 3.5.4 County Parks..................................................................................................................72 3.5.5 State Facilities ...............................................................................................................73 3.5.6 National Wildlife Refuges .............................................................................................74 4. Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................................76 4.1 Alternative 1: No Action.............................................................................................................76 4.1.1 Soils and Geology ...........................................................................................................76 4.1.2 Surface Water Quality ...................................................................................................77 4.1.3 Flood Management ........................................................................................................77 4.1.4 Groundwater ..................................................................................................................77 4.1.5 Climate Change ..............................................................................................................77 4.1.6 Biological