California Red Legged From (CRLF) Enhancement Project
Summary
SCH Number
2009078073
Public Agency
Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District
Document Title
California Red Legged From (CRLF) Enhancement Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/13/2009
Document Description
The proposed project is located adjacent to Watsonville Slough on the Harkins Slough Unity owned by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County near the Pajaro Valley High School in Watsonville, CA. The overlap of wetlands, marsh and grasslands in the area creates a diverse ecosystem that provides important foraging, dispersal, and breeding habitats for five (5) federally-listed species and sixteen (16) State-listed species of special concern, including the California red-legged frog, the tri-colored blackbird, and the California brown pelican. The Harkins Slough Unit hosts the only current known breeding pond for the California red-legged frog in the Watsonville Sloughs system. The goal of this multi-phase restoration project is to improve habitat for these species by increasing basking sites and upland mobility, improving habitat structure, and addressing runoff and soil erosion. Phase 1 entails the hand removal of poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) from a 40,000 ft^2 wet swale situated between two ponds, the lower of which is known to support California red-legged frog tadpoles. Subsequent revegetation will take place with a diversity of low stature native plants, including native bunch grasses, rushes and sedges to create a wet meadow habitat and increase woody structure within the five-acre pond complex. Wood structure will be established with native trees, including willow (Salix laseiolepis) and elderberry (Sambucus Mexicana). Additionally, the existing 300-foot long farm road, which currently runs along the east side of this five-acre complex, will be decommissioned. The road will be gently tilled to reduce compaction and revegetated with appropriate natives, including some woody vegetation to increase habitat complexity and nesting sites for birds.
Contact Information
Name
james McKenna
Agency Name
Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Watsonville
Counties
Santa Cruz
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 33; Sec 15333
Reasons for Exemption
The project meets all of the criteria listed under CEQA Section 15333, Small Habitat Restoration Projects. The project footprint is less than 1.5 acres and the purpose of this project is to improve habitat for native species, particularly for the California red-legged frog and migratory birds. None of the construction related activities will have a significant impact on any sensitive habitat area or resource. The project will not have a negative effect on the protected species or their habitats. The majority of the project activities will take place in a degraded swale area, which is eroding due to lack of deep-rooted native perennials. A 48-hour pre-construction survey and one-site monitoring will be completed to ensure protection of amphibian species and all work will be completed after August 15 to prevent impact to nesting birds. The proposed project is to provide long term significant benefit to enhancing habitat to protected and enhance resources for a host of other riparian and wetland species. As such, this project will not have a significant effect on the environment and therefore is exempt from the provision of CEQA under Section 15333.
Disclaimer: The document was originally posted before CEQAnet had the capability to host attachments for the public. To obtain the original attachments for this document, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. You may also contact the OPR via email at state.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov or via phone at (916) 445-0613.