Little Mill Creek (Navarro River) Groundwater Recharge Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025030450
Public Agency
Mendocino County Resource Conservation District
Document Title
Little Mill Creek (Navarro River) Groundwater Recharge Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/12/2025
Document Description
The purpose and primary goal of the proposed project is to improve groundwater recharge to augment dry season streamflow in the Little Mill Creek watershed. Little Mill Creek, a tributary to Mill Creek and then the Navarro River, plays a critical role in providing streamflow to support valuable habitat for coho salmon and steelhead trout within Mill Creek. Due to legacy impacts from land management practices and ongoing water diversions, the streams of the Navarro watershed are impaired and often do not provide sufficient habitat for these populations. The project proposed to enhance coho salmon juvenile rearing habitat by increasing dry-season streamflow via restoration of a deeply incised gully that lowers the local water table. Installation of log and rock grade control structures, raising the elevation of the channel bed, and increasing floodplain connectivity would enhance groundwater recharge and retention times to increase dry season streamflow. The total disturbed area includes approximately 610 linear feet along unnamed tributary to Little Mill Creek. To accomplish project goals, construction activities would include heavy equipment work in the degraded channel to install log and rock grade control structures. The project strives to achieve a cut and fill balance to reduce the need to haul soil to and from the site.
Contact Information
Name
Joe Scriven
Agency Name
Mendocino County Resource Conservation District
Job Title
Assistant Executive Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Booneville
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Countywide, Unincorporated
Zip
95466
Total Acres
5
Jobs
7
State Highways
Highway 128
Waterways
Mill Creek (Navarro)
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
§15333: Small Habitat Restoration Projects
Reasons for Exemption
The MCRCD has reviewed the project along with its environmental setting and has determined it to be categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under the following section(s) of the California Administrative Code: Section §15333: Small Habitat Restoration Projects. The proposed project provides stream restoration to increase dry season streamflow and restore critical aquatic habitat. Improving groundwater recharge is expected to result in net beneficial effects to Coho Salmon and Steelhead Trout habitats. The total area would not exceed 5 acres in size. Implementation of the proposed project would not result in significant adverse impacts on endangered, rare or threatened species or their habitat. There are no hazardous materials at or around the project site that may be disturbed or removed. Implementation of the proposed project would not affect scenic resources, historical buildings, rock outcroppings, scenic highways, or result in o significant effect to the environment duo to unusual circumstances. The project does not exhibit potential for cumulative impacts. The proposal does not include work impacting culturally or historically significant resources.
County Clerk
Mendocino
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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