Soquel Creek Bridge Scour Project (EA 04-1H480) [California Endangered Species Act (CESA) Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2021-003-03 (ITP)]

Soquel Creek Bridge Scour Project (EA 04-1H480) [California Endangered Species Act (CESA) Incidental Take Permit No. 2081-2021-003-03 (ITP)]

The California Department of Transportation (Permittee) proposes the removal of existing sacked concrete at Bent 12 of the previously existing Soquel Creek Bridge and the installation of 1,470 cubic yards of rock slope protection (RSP) to an area 148 feet long, 5.5 feet deep and varying widths from 26 to 66 feet at Bent 12 of the Soquel Creek Bridge. Heavy equipment such as excavators, backhoes and bulldozers as well as on foot-personnel utilizing hand-tools such as jack-hammers, shall be employed to remove the existing sacked concrete (burlap sacks of hardened concrete) from an area of 2,459 square feet over 109 linear feet surrounding arch column 3 and 4. The RSP will be placed utilizing Caltrans Method “A” placement. Method “A” placement shall place the RSP in lifts, backfilling voids and compacting each layer before the next layer is placed. RSP fabric shall be utilized and installed above the ordinary high-water mark of the creek flow line and plant tubes shall be placed in the RSP layers below the ordinary high-water mark of the creek flow line. The Project has a 1.89-acre Biological Study Area (BSA) that encompasses the Soquel Creek Bridge, temporary access roads and easements and all of the Caltrans Right-of-Way (ROW) associated with State Route 1, collectively, the Project Area. The Project is expected to cause the permanent loss of 0.035 acres, the temporary loss of 0.143 acres of habitat for the Covered Species, for a total of 0.178 acres of impact. Project activities and their resulting impacts are expected to result in the incidental take of individuals of the Covered Species. The activities that are expected to result in incidental take of individuals of the Covered Species include initial site setup, equipment and material delivery, clearing and grubbing, site preparation, exclusionary fencing installations, environmentally sensitive area fencing installations, de-watering, soil compaction, grading work, heavy equipment operation, trenching, general vehicle traffic and personnel on foot. The project is expected to result in incidental take of Covered Species, take as defined by Fish and Game Code in the form of adverse impacts from excessive sedimentation in the creek from the operation of heavy equipment within the channel bed and encroachment from individuals on foot that may result in the the loss of Covered Species, or in the form of capture and relocate or recover and transport injured Covered Species to care facilities of Covered Species, both designated as Endangered species under CESA. The ITP referenced above as issued by CDFW authorizes incidental take of species listed under CESA that may occur as a result of Project implementation.

Santa Cruz

Southern California

Santa Cruz