Apple Road Vernal Pool Establishment Project

Apple Road Vernal Pool Establishment Project

The proposed project consists of a request for a Grading Permit to allow land grading to establish (create or construct) approx. 295 vernal pools, totaling 5.20 acres, within an approx. 239-acre vernal pool establishment area (project area) on land zoned AG 80. The total number of established vernal pools may change slightly as the final design is fitted to field conditions during project construction. The project includes removal of soil from upland areas designated for vernal pool establishment , and transport of soil to designated stockpiling areas on site. The purpose of the vernal pool establishment is to provide compensatory mitigation for impacts resulting from an unrelated project. Within the project area, a total of 22.83 acres of existing Wetlands and Waters of the United States occurs, including 3.93 acres of vernal pools, 11.20 acres of tailing area vernal pools, 0.62 acre of ponds/lakes, 2.64 acres of wetland swales, and 4.44 acres of wet clay scopes. No grading activity will occur within existing wetlands, ponds or other water features. Existing wetland features will be clearly marked in the field by a qualified biologist, and avoided during construction. Access and haul routes will be restricted to upland areas to the maximum extent possible. Where crossing of existing wetlands and drainages for haul route access is unavoidable, existing farm roads will be used where possible, and crossing will only occur when wetlands are dry. The location of the crossings will be determined in the field by a biologist.

Sacramento