CALIFORNIA VEGETATION MAP IN SUPPORT OF THE DESERT RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSERVATION PLAN (2014-2016 ADDITIONS) John Menke, Edward Reyes, Anne Hepburn, Deborah Johnson, and Janet Reyes Aerial Information Systems, Inc. Prepared for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Renewable Energy Program and the California Energy Commission Final Report May 2016 Prepared by: Primary Authors John Menke Edward Reyes Anne Hepburn Deborah Johnson Janet Reyes Report Graphics Ben Johnson Cover Page Photo Credits: Joshua Tree: John Fulton Blue Palo Verde: Ed Reyes Mojave Yucca: John Fulton Kingston Range, Pinyon: Arin Glass Aerial Information Systems, Inc. 112 First Street Redlands, CA 92373 (909) 793-9493 [email protected] in collaboration with California Department of Fish and Wildlife Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program 1807 13th Street, Suite 202 Sacramento, CA 95811 and California Native Plant Society 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Sacramento, CA 95816 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Funding for this project was provided by: California Energy Commission US Bureau of Land Management California Wildlife Conservation Board California Department of Fish and Wildlife Personnel involved in developing the methodology and implementing this project included: Aerial Information Systems: Lisa Cotterman, Mark Fox, John Fulton, Arin Glass, Anne Hepburn, Ben Johnson, Debbie Johnson, John Menke, Lisa Morse, Mike Nelson, Ed Reyes, Janet Reyes, Patrick Yiu California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Diana Hickson, Todd Keeler‐Wolf, Anne Klein, Aicha Ougzin, Rosalie Yacoub California Native Plant Society: Catherine Curley, Joslyn Curtis, Julie Evens, Daniel Hastings, Jaime Ratchford We thank the following public land managers and resource experts for permitting and facilitating the field data collection visits and for help with the project overall: Aspen Environmental Group: Elise Camacho, Tom Murphy California Energy Commission: Kristi Chew, Scott Flint, Roger Johnson, Misa Milliron, Paul Richens Desert Studies Center (ZZYZX), California State University, Fullerton; Norma Charest, Robert Fulton, and Jason Wallace US Bureau of Land Management, California State Office: Christina Lund Palm Springs‐South Coast Field Office: Mark Massar We apologize to anyone we may have left off of this list. ii ABSTRACT Aerial Information Systems (AIS) with assistance from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP), and the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) created a fine‐scale vegetation map of portions of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts in California. Approximately 2,195,415 acres spanning desert portions of Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial Counties were mapped between 2014 and 2016. The primary purpose was to develop an accurate vegetation map for the California desert as it pertains to renewable energy sources and conservation opportunities, helping planners identify high quality habitat and rare communities. The vegetation classification follows Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and National Vegetation Classification Standards (NVCS). The classification is based on previous survey and classification work. The map was produced applying heads‐up digitizing techniques using a base of 2014 true‐color and color infrared one‐meter National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery in conjunction with ancillary data and imagery sources. Map polygons are assessed for Vegetation Type, Percent Cover, Exotics, Development Disturbance, and other attributes. The minimum mapping unit (MMU) is 10 acres; exceptions are made for wetlands and certain wash types (which were mapped to a 1 or 5 acre MMU, depending on type) and areas characterized as Land Use polygons (which were mapped to a 2.5 acre MMU). Field reconnaissance and accuracy assessment enhanced map quality. A total of 88 vegetation classes were mapped. The overall accuracy assessment rating for the final vegetation map was 91.90 percent. Keywords: California Energy Commission, vegetation, desert, renewable energy, photointerpretation Please use the following citation for this report: Menke, J., E. Reyes, A. Hepburn, D. Johnson, and J. Reyes. 2016. California Vegetation Map in Support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (2014‐2016 Additions). Final Report. Prepared for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Renewable Energy Program and the California Energy Commission. Aerial Information Systems, Inc., Redlands, CA. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements ….…………………………………………………………………….…… ii Abstract ..…………………………………………………………………………………….………. iii Figures …….……………………………………………………..………………………….……….. iv Tables ..…………………………………………………………..…………….…………………….. v Chapter 1: Introduction ……………………………………………………………………… 1 1.1 The Mapping Program …………………………………………………………….. 1 1.2 General Study Area .………………………………………………………………… 1 1.3 Ecological Regions in the Study Area …..………………………………….. 5 Chapter 2: Methodology ………………………………………………………………….…. 20 2.1 Overview …………………………………………………………………………………. 20 2.2 Project Materials .……………………………………………………………………. 20 2.3 Mapping Classification ………………………………………………………….…. 22 2.4 Field Reconnaissance ..………………………………………………………….…. 23 2.5 Photointerpretation Mapping Procedures ……………………….……... 25 2.6 Accuracy Assessment ……………………………..………..………………….…. 42 Chapter 3: Map Unit Descriptions ……………………………………………….……… 45 References ………………………………………………………………………………….………. 265 Glossary ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 269 List of Acronyms …………………………………………………………………………………. 272 Appendices Appendix A: Mapping Classification Appendix B: Summaries of Acreage and Polygon Count by Map Unit Appendix C: Vegetation Miscellaneous Classes and Land Use Mapping Criteria Appendix D: Cover Classes iv FIGURES Page Figure 1 Location of the Study Area ..…………..……………………………………. 2 Figure 2 The Mojave and Sonoran Deserts within the DRECP Study Area in Southern California ..……………………………………………………………….. 6 Figure 3 Location of Portions of the Central Mojave Desert Region within the Study Area ..……………………………………………………………………….. 10 Figure 4 Location of Portions of the Eastern Mojave Desert Region within the Study Area …………………………………………………………………………. 11 Figure 5 Location of Portions of the Whipple Mountains Zone within the Study Area …………………………………………………………………………………….. 13 Figure 6 Location of Portions of the Colorado River Floodplain Zone within the Study Area …………………………………………………………………………. 14 Figure 7 Location of Portions of the Salton Sea Trough Zone within the Study Area …………………………………………………………………………………….. 16 Figure 8 Location of Portions of the Chuckwalla Mountains and Chocolate Mountains Zone within the Study Area ………………………………. 17 Figure 9 Location of Portions of the Rice and Vidal Valleys Zone within the Study Area ………………………………………………………….…………………………. 19 Figure 10 2014 NAIP Imagery vs. 2015 Google Earth Imagery ….…….…… 21 Figure 11 Location of Reconnaissance Observation Points ..…..………….. 25 Figure 12 Example of Polygons with the Altered Hydrologic Regime Modifier ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 38 Figure 13 Example of Polygon with OLTE_PAFL Modifier …………….……. 39 TABLES Page Table 1 Summary of Field Reconnaissance Trips ..……………………………... 23 Table 2 Minimum Mapping Units ……………………….…………………..…………. 29 Table 3 Map Classes for Exotics …………………….………………………..…………. 33 Table 4 Map Classes for Roadedness Disturbance ……….……………………. 35 Table 5 Map Classes for Development Disturbance ………………..…………. 36 Table 6 Map Classes for Anthropogenically Altered Disturbance …...…. 37 Table 7 Map Classes for Altered Hydrologic Regime Modifier …….……… 38 Table 8 Map Classes for OLTE_PAFL Modifier …………….……..………………. 39 Table 9 Accuracy Assessment Scoring Criteria ……………..……………………. 43 v CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1.1 The Mapping Program In 2011‐2012 Aerial Information Systems (AIS) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP) created a fine‐ scale vegetation map covering approximately six million acres of portions of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts in southern California (Menke et al., 2013). In addition, mapping of 95,981 acres within a portion of Rice and Vidal Valleys in the Colorado Desert portion of the Sonoran Desert was completed by AIS in 2013‐2014. The maps were primarily produced to support the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) by helping planners more accurately identify high quality habitat and rare communities as they consider renewable energy sources and conservation opportunities. Previous vegetation maps of the area were either large scale and generalized or they were detailed but covered a limited extent. Between 2014 and 2016, as an extension to supplement those mapping efforts, AIS was tasked to create a fine‐scale vegetation map of 2,195,415 acres of desert in Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial Counties in southern California. Areas mapped include the eastern and central portions of the Mojave Desert as well as the Lower Colorado Valley, also referred to as the Colorado Desert, and the Arizona Upland subdivisions of the Sonoran Desert. The vegetation classification, which follows Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and National Vegetation Classification Standards (NVCS), is based on previous surveys and classifications. Non‐vegetative classes such as water bodies and land use are included. Field reconnaissance was conducted by staff from AIS, accompanied on a few trips by VegCAMP staff. AIS photointerpreters then created a map representing Vegetation Types (vegetation Alliances) and Percent