Willow Creek Remote Site Incubator Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024081272
Public Agency
California Department of Parks and Recreation
Document Title
Willow Creek Remote Site Incubator Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/29/2024
Document Description
Project proposes to install two (2) Remote Site Incubators (RSI), adjacent to Willow Creek in Sonoma Coast State Park in January 2025, to augment existing efforts to maintain a viable population of Coho salmon in Willow Creek. Each RSI, fabricated from 55gallon plastic drums and PVC piping, will be installed on pallets and will contain approximately 7,500 Coho Salmon eggs from the Warm Springs Hatchery. The incubators will use gravity flow to circulate creek water through the eggs. When the fish have absorbed their yolk sacs, they will be released directly into the creek as fry. A second incubator operation with the same number of eggs and process will occur in February 2025, for a total year’s release of 30,000 fry. The project is planned for three (3) years, for a total incubation and release of approximately 90,000 Coho Salmon eggs/fry.
No disturbance to vegetation or soil resources will result from this project. This project augments existing efforts to maintain a viable population of Coho salmon in Willow Creek and this technique has proven successful in similar applications with an egg to fry survival rate of over 90%.
Contact Information
Name
Christopher Heintzelman
Agency Name
California Department of Parks and Recreation, Sonoma-Mendocino Coast District
Job Title
Environmental Scientist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Counties
Sonoma
Regions
Statewide
State Highways
Highway 1
Waterways
Willow Creek
Other Location Info
Project is located within the boundaries of Sonoma Coast State Park.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class: 1, 3, and 7 Section: 15301, 15303, and 15307
Reasons for Exemption
Project consists of operation, repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of current levels; construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; and actions taken by regulatory agencies as authorized by state law or local ordinance to assure the maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of a natural resource where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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