BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT TRAILS SYSTEM MASTER PLAN AND PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN TOWN OF MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA PCR JUNE 2011 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT TRAILS SYSTEM MASTER PLAN AND PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN TOWN OF MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA Prepared For: Town of Mammoth Lakes P.O. Box 1609 Mammoth Lakes, California 93546 Contact: Ellen Clark, Senior Planner Prepared By: PCR Services Corporation One Venture, Suite 150 Irvine, California 92618 Contact: Steve Nelson, Director of Biological Services JUNE 2011 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background .................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Project Area Location .............................................................................................................................................................. 2 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Trails System Master Plan ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 2.1.1 Paved Multi‐Use Path Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 2 2.1.2 Crossing Improvement Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 2 2.1.3 On‐Street Bikeways Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 2 2.1.4 Soft‐Surface Trails........................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.5 Recreational Node Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 10 2.1.6 Soft‐Surface Trails Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 10 2.2 Sherwin Area Recreation Plan .......................................................................................................................................... 10 2.3 Priority Projects ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12 2.4 Parks and Recreation Master Plan .................................................................................................................................. 14 3. METHODS OF STUDY ............................................................................................................................................. 17 3.1 Approach ................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 3.2 Literature Review .................................................................................................................................................................. 17 3.3 Field Investigations ............................................................................................................................................................... 18 3.3.1 Plant Community Mapping....................................................................................................................................... 19 3.3.2 General Plant Inventory ............................................................................................................................................ 19 3.3.3 Sensitive Plant Surveys .............................................................................................................................................. 19 3.3.4 General Wildlife Inventory ....................................................................................................................................... 19 3.3.5 Sensitive Wildlife Species ......................................................................................................................................... 19 3.3.6 Jurisdictional Waters .................................................................................................................................................. 19 3.3.7 Regional Connectivity/Wildlife Movement Corridor Assessment ........................................................... 20 4. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING ................................................................................................................................ 20 4.1 Regulatory Framework ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 4.1.1 Migratory Bird Treaty Act ........................................................................................................................................ 20 4.1.2 State of California Fish and Game Code, Section 1602 ................................................................................. 20 4.1.3 Federal Clean Water Act, Section 404 ................................................................................................................. 21 4.1.4 Federal Clean Water Act, Section 401 ................................................................................................................. 21 4.1.5 California Native Plant Society ................................................................................................................................ 22 4.1.6 California’s Endangered Species Act (CESA) ..................................................................................................... 23 4.1.7 Federal Protection and Classifications ................................................................................................................ 23 4.1.8 USDA Forest Service Sensitive Species ............................................................................................................... 24 4.1.9 Inyo National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) .................................................... 24 4.1.10 The Town of Mammoth Lakes Ordinance ....................................................................................................... 26 4.1.11 The Town of Mammoth Lakes General Plan (2007) ................................................................................... 26 4.1.12 The Mono County General Plan ........................................................................................................................... 27 4.1.13 Upper Owens River Watershed Management Plan ..................................................................................... 27 Town of Mammoth Lakes TSMP Project PCR Services Corporation. i Table of Contents June 2011 4.1.14 Special Interest Species ........................................................................................................................................... 28 4.1.15 Protected Bird Species ............................................................................................................................................ 28 4.2 Vegetation and Wildlife ....................................................................................................................................................... 28 4.2.1 Vegetation Communities ............................................................................................................................................ 28 4.2.2 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................................................................. 33 4.2.3 Wildlife Movement ...................................................................................................................................................... 35 4.2.4 Jurisdictional Waters and Wetlands ..................................................................................................................... 41 4.2.5 Sensitive Species and Habitats ............................................................................................................................... 41 5. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ............................................................................................................................... 80 5.1. Thresholds of Significance................................................................................................................................................. 80 5.2 Methodology/Approach ...................................................................................................................................................... 80 5.3 Impact Analysis ....................................................................................................................................................................... 82 5.3.1 Potential Direct and Indirect Impacts ................................................................................................................. 82 5.3.2 Parks and Recreation Master