Càkawì ódiknonà Spring Restoration and Blue Oak Enhancement
Summary
SCH Number
2023110586
Public Agency
Butte County Resource Conservation District
(BCRCD)
Document Title
Càkawì ódiknonà Spring Restoration and Blue Oak Enhancement
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
11/22/2023
Document Description
The project site is located at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER), a diverse landscape of canyon and ridge habitats. The objectives of this project are to 1) restore the spring ecosystems, 2) enhance the blue oak woodland, and 3) remove and replace hazard fencing. To achieve these goals, project activities include: native plantings; invasive species removal; installation of water troughs outside of cattle exclosures; barbed wire fencing removal and replacement with wildlife friendly fencing; and brush piling.
Contact Information
Name
Faith Churchill
Agency Name
Butte County Resource Conservation District
Job Title
Shared Stewardship Coordinator
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Unincorporated area
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
About 8 miles NNE of Chico, near Richardson Springs
Zip
95973
Parcel #
056-030-021 & -023; 056-060-005, -006, and -019; among others
State Highways
n/a
Railways
n/a
Airports
n/a
Schools
n/a
Waterways
Mud Creek and tributaries; Big Chico Creek and tributaries
Township
23N
Range
02E
Section
28-30
Base
MDBM
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4: Minor Alterations to Land (§15304)
Reasons for Exemption
The project is non-ground disturbing except for the minor disturbance of: planting native species as a mix of seeds and pots; fencing removal/replacement, and installation work; invasive species removal, and water trough installation. All work related to removing existing fencing and replacing it with wildlife friendly fencing will occur outside of the ground-nesting season (April 15th-August 15th) or will occur after pre-implementation surveys have been completed. For species such as burrowing owls and the western spadefoot toad, known burrowing sites will be avoided during installation work. Botany surveys have been completed for two of the five springs and the remaining springs are required to be surveyed before implementation. Fencing installation will target rocky areas where the area's sensitive species are unlikely to be present. The land managers have had Mechoopda Tribal members out to the property for unofficial cultural resource surveys and will notify the Tribe before any work so they can have a monitor on-site. Prior to the underground pipe installation, an archeologist will visit the site to complete pre-implementation surveys. Project implementation, as designed, would have less than significant impact in each resource area, and an exemption pursuant to §15304 is indicated.
County Clerk
Butte
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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