Minor Amendment to California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2009-001-03 (ITP)

Minor Amendment to California Endangered Species Act Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2009-001-03 (ITP)

The discretionary approval by CDFW is the issuance of the ITP amendment identified above. The ongoing operations of the State Water Project in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh as approved by the lead agency is expected to result in incidental take and impacts to habitat of longfins melt which is designated as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act. The amendment to the ITP 1) changed the expiration date to December 31 , 2019 and 20 allows operation of the Suisun Marsh Salinity Control Gates may be operated during the time period of July 1, 2019 through October 1 2019 based on the tide. Boat locks will also be operational to allow summary report of findings from its passage. If DWR intends to operate the SMSCG during this time it will submit a summary report of findings from 2018 Pilot Study and operations and monitoring plan to CDFW by May 1, 2019. Proposed operation of the SMSCG will not commence unless the operations and monitorizing plan is approved in writing by CDFW. The ITP referenced above as issued and amended by CDFW authorizes incidental take of longfin smelt that may occur as a result of ongoing operated of the State Water Project facilities, as is more specifically described in the ITP.

Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Yolo