Office of Planning and County Executive Environmental Review Navdeep S. Gill Leighann Moffitt, Director Mitigated Negative Declaration Pursuant to Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, Article 6, Sections 15070 and 15071 of the California Code of Regulations and pursuant to the Procedures for Preparation and Processing of Environmental Documents adopted by the County of Sacramento pursuant to Sacramento County Ordinance No. SCC-116, the Environmental Coordinator of Sacramento County, State of California, does prepare, make, declare, publish, and cause to be filed with the County Clerk of Sacramento County, State of California, this Mitigated Negative Declaration re: The Project described as follows: 1. Control Number: PLER2017-00050 2. Title and Short Description of Project: Restoration of Priority Freshwater Wetlands for Endangered Species at the Cosumnes River Preserve In 2015 the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Sacramento County (County), and the Nature Conservancy (TNC) implemented the Badger Creek Restoration Project. The project was intended to be phase I of a larger restoration effort within Horseshoe Lake Unit, the neighboring Bjelland Unit to the east, and other Cosumnes River Preserve (Preserve) owned lands along Badger Creek. The Horseshoe Lake portion of the 2015 project involved the construction of a 5-acre perennial wetland by removing highly invasive, non-native Uruguayan water primrose (Ludwigia hexapetala) and its associated biomass, and the enhancement of approximately 2.5 acres of upland aestivation habitat. The Bjelland portion of the project involved the restoration of 25 acres of ruderal agricultural land adjacent and a channelized section of Badger Creek to a more natural floodplain and adjacent upland configuration. The proposed project would continue the collaboration between the County, BLM, and USFWS within the Horseshoe Lake Unit, Assessor Parcel 134-0280-084. The BLM is the land managing partner for County owned lands at the Preserve and therefore would be the lead agency for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance. The BLM would also act as the Project Manager throughout both the implementation and pre- and post-monitoring phases of the project. Sacramento County would be the lead agency for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance and would act as the Grant Manager for funding secured for project implementation and monitoring. The USFWS has contributed to the project via grant funding from the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. The proposed project would be, in essence, phase II of the restoration and enhancement of aquatic and upland habitat for the federally and state-listed “threatened” giant garter snake (GGS) (Thamnophis gigas), and other native California species within the Unit. This parcel is located immediately to the east of California Highway 99 at Dillard Road, and is hydrologically connected by Badger Creek to a documented population of GGS. The project area is located less than 1,200 meters from this existing population. The proposed project would expand upon the 2015 restoration by creating a 10-acre perennial wetland and a 20-acre seasonal wetland to the east of the 2015 restoration site, using the same methodologies as those successfully implemented in the previous project. Additionally, herbicidal treatments would be used to control the primrose infestation in the rest of the 110-acre lakebed. The proposed improvements to Horseshoe Lake and the surrounding uplands within the project area (along with the 2015 5-acre perennial wetland) would create approximately 110 acres of protected, wetland habitat suitable for GGS, along with 10 to 15 acres of enhanced upland habitat. Many other species would also benefit from the restoration project including federal trust species of migratory waterfowl and waterbirds, and state listed species like the western pond turtle (Emys marmorata), and greater sandhill crane (Grus canadensis tabida). Excavators, self-propelled belly scrapers, and/or tractors equipped with tow-behind scrapers would be used to remove approximately 88,000 cubic yards (cy) of primrose biomass from the 20-acre seasonal wetland and the 10-acre perennial wetland in order to restore the open-water habitat required by GGS for their survival and recovery. A temporary access road would be mowed from Dillard Road south to the project site to facilitate access for the heavy equipment, and ensure adherence to seasonal fire restriction policies. The access road would be approximately 12 to 15 feet wide, and would only be mowed, not graded, to minimize ground disturbance. The spoils (i.e., the primrose biomass) that are removed from the open-water foraging areas would be deposited in areas adjacent to the lake to the north and east, in order to create additional upland aestivation and hibernaculum sites for GGS. These spoil piles would be left in place to create micro-habitat sites for GGS and 827 7th Street, Room 225 • Sacramento, California 95814 • phone (916) 874-6141 • fax (916) 874-7499 Document Released 7/31 www.per.saccounty.net other species that may utilize the project site (e.g., western pond turtles) The goal for the proposed herbicidal treatment of primrose throughout the 110-acre lakebed, in the areas surrounding the newly constructed wetlands, would not be complete eradication; rather, the goal would be to gain control of the primrose infestation so that it can be managed and maintained at more biologically and ecologically relevant levels. In order to accomplish this while reducing staff time and chemical inputs into the lake and surrounding watershed, no more than 1/3 of the lakebed would be treated per year, and then in subsequent years only maintenance treatments would be required. If full funding is received, herbicide treatments would also be applied on portions of the surrounding uplands to control infestations of yellow star- thistle (Centaurea solstitialis) and other upland weed species. These treatments would be conducted in accordance with the BLM’s March 2015 Environmental Assessment for the Integrated Weed Management Program at the Cosumnes River Preserve. If grant funding is not received, the project partners would modify the project by reducing the depth, area, and/or cubic yardage of primrose biomass to be removed from the lakebed in proportion to the funding already secured. 3. Assessor’s Parcel Number: 134-0280-084 4. Location of Project: The proposed project area is located at the Horseshoe Lake Unit east of Highway 99 and south of Dillard Road, within the Cosumnes River Preserve. Horseshoe Lake is a section of Badger Creek located roughly six miles north of Galt, California, adjacent to California Highway 99. The project area spans across the south ½ of section 28, T6N, R6E, and the south ½ of section 27, T6N, R6E, of the MDM on the 7.5-minute Galt, CA USGS quadrangle. The latitude and longitude of the approximate center of the project area are 38°20’ 29.42” N, and 121° 19’36.00”W. 5. Project Applicant: Sacramento County Department of Regional Parks 6. Said project will not have a significant effect on the environment for the following reasons: a. It will not have the potential to degrade the quality of the environment, substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below self-sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, reduce the number or restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or animal or eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory. b. It will not have the potential to achieve short-term, to the disadvantage of long-term, environmental goals. c. It will not have impacts, which are individually limited, but cumulatively considerable. d. It will not have environmental effects, which will cause substantial adverse effects on human beings, either directly or indirectly. 7. As a result thereof, the preparation of an environmental impact report pursuant to the Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 of the Public Resources Code of the State of California) is not required. 8. The attached Initial Study has been prepared by the Sacramento County Planning and Environmental Review Division in support of this Negative Declaration. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Planning and Environmental Review Division at 827 Seventh Street, Room 225, Sacramento, California, 95814, or phone (916) 874-6141. [Original Signature on File] Todd Smith Interim Environmental Coordinator County of Sacramento, State of California Restoration of Priority Freshwater Wetlands for Endangered Species at the Cosumnes River Preserve COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO OFFICE OF PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW & BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT MOTHER LODE FIELD OFFICE INITIAL STUDY/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROJECT INFORMATION CONTROL NUMBER: PLER2017-00050 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT NUMBER: CA-180-17-023 NAME: Restoration of Priority Freshwater Wetlands for Endangered Species at the Cosumnes River Preserve LOCATION: The proposed project area is located at the Horseshoe Lake Unit east of Highway 99 and south of Dillard Road, within the Cosumnes River Preserve (Plate IS/EA-1). Horseshoe Lake is a section of Badger Creek located roughly six miles north of Galt, California, adjacent to California Highway 99. The project area spans across the south ½ of section 28, T6N, R6E, and the south ½ of section 27, T6N, R6E, of the MDM on the 7.5-minute Galt, CA USGS quadrangle. The latitude and longitude of the approximate center of the project area are 38°20’ 29.42” N, and 121° 19’36.00”W. ASSESSOR’S PARCEL NUMBER: 134-0280-084 OWNER/APPLICANT: Sacramento County Department of Regional Parks PROJECT MANAGER: U.S. Bureau of Land Management Cosumnes River Preserve 13501 Franklin Boulevard Galt, CA 95632 PROJECT DESCRIPTION/PROPOSED ACTION In 2015 the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Sacramento County (County), and the Nature Conservancy (TNC) implemented the Badger Creek Restoration Project.