Stanislaus River Basin and Calaveras River Water Use Program
Threatened and Endangered Species Report - March 1995
Bay Delta and Special Water Projects Division, CA Dept. of Fish and Game
1.2 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES SURVEYS
Project permitting and approval requires compliance with the 1970 California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the 1984 California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
CESA authorizes the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) to designate
endangered, threatened, and rare plant species and to regulate the taking of these species. In
addition to recognizing these levels, the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) can
afford interim protection to candidate species while they are being reviewed by the
Commission. The CDFG also maintains a list of animal "species of special concern (SCS)".
This category is a CDFG administrative designation used for those species that appear to be
declining. Although these species have no legal status, CDFG recommends consideration of
them during analysis of the impacts of a proposed project.
Early in 1993 a Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) team was established and was
comprised of member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), DWR, and CDFG.
HEP is a habitat-based evaluation methodology used to quantify baseline wildlife habitat values
and assess how these values are affected by proposed projects. It was developed by USFWS
in the early 1970s. A reconnaissance-level trip was needed before the HEP began. This
involved all participants and covered the entire length of the river by canoe or raft enabling the
HEP team to determine what habitat types existed along the river and to aid model selection.
Although this was not a formal wildlife survey, all sightings were recorded. Additionally,
sightings during the HEP data collection phase were also recorded.
Late in 1993, DWR contracted with CDFG to conduct surveys for determining the
presence and distribution of listed and candidate species including amphibians, reptiles, birds,
and mammals along the Stanislaus River. The study area is the same used by the HEP team
and is described in section 2.0. Threatened and endangered species surveys were needed to
determine the baseline environmental conditions of the Stanislaus River. This baseline
information will be used to evaluate environmental affects by a proposed project or alternative
and would be included in any future Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact
Statement. The contract for the threatened and endangered species work was signed 4 October
1994 by DWR and CDFG, and formal surveys began in early November 1994. This report
describes the study area; the methodology used for CDFG surveys; and those listed and
candidate species, their range and the potential for occurrence along the Stanislaus River, and
possible impacts. This report could also be used as a basis for a Biological Assessment for the
CESA and the Federal Endangered Species Act.
An Interdisciplinary Team (IDTeam) was established and met regularly during 1993 and
1994, prior to the commencement of any HEP work. At a meeting of the IDTeam held on
20 December 1994 DWR announced that it was reviewing its participation in this project and
would make a decision at the end of the month regarding further involvement on their part. In
early December 1994, prior to the meeting on the 20th of December, CDFG biologists were
directed to suspend activities related to this project until DWR reaches a decision. Due to the
early suspension of wildlife surveys, the information contained within this report is the result
of a literature search and a limited survey effort.
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