Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback (LEBLS) (Project) (California Endangered Species Act Amended Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2019-063-03-A2 (ITP)).

Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback (LEBLS) (Project) (California Endangered Species Act Amended Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2019-063-03-A2 (ITP)).

The Project is located within the Sacramento Bypass and East Levee of the Yolo Bypass, in the County of Yolo, State of California, located in portions of Townships 9 North and 10 North, Ranges 3 East and 4 East, U.S. Geological Survey maps Sacramento West, Taylor Monument, and Gray’s Bend, Mt. Diablo Meridian. The Amended ITP (Amendment No. 2) amends the ITP executed on May 19, 2020, to include a small amount of the impacts associated with design refinements addressed in Amendment No.1 that were inadvertently excluded from the first amendment and revises the implementation schedule for conditions of approval. This Project involves the set back of levees protecting the Lower Elkhorn Basin, including the Sacramento Bypass North Levee and a portion of the Yolo Bypass East Levee, thereby increasing the capacity of the Yolo and Sacramento Bypasses and reducing flood risk on the upper Yolo Bypass and Sacramento River. The first amendment included design refinements that changed the Project description and slightly expanded the Project footprint. Most of the impacts associated with the design refinements were addressed in Amendment 1; however, a small amount of the impacts associated with these changes were inadvertently excluded from the first amendment. The second amendment accounts for the excluded impacts. Additionally, the project implementation schedule has been refined extending the project construction period by one year affecting the timeframe for compliance with ITP conditions of approval. This amendment updates the direct impacts of the Project based on the refined Project description, Project footprint, and assessment of Covered Species habitat impacts provided for the first amendment and revises the implementation schedule for conditions of approval. The Project will also implement several ecosystem elements that have been designed to offset effects to biological resources resulting from the LEBLS Project activities through the enhancement of features for sensitive species. The Amended ITP updates the direct impacts of the Project based on the refined Project description, Project footprint, and an updated assessment of Covered Species habitat impacts. The Amended Project will result in permanent impacts to 12.82 acres, conversion of 4.17 acres from canal to rice, and temporary impacts to 325.56 acres of giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas) habitat and may result in the abandonment of one Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni) nest. The Project is expected to result in incidental take of giant garter snake and Swainson’s hawk, which are designated as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). The Amended ITP referenced above as issued by CDFW authorizes incidental take of species listed under CESA that may occur as a result of Project implementation.

Yolo

Northern California

Yolo