United States Department of the Interior

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1 United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Mother Lode Field Office 5152 Hillsdale Circle El Dorado Hills, CA Red Hills Roach Fish Rescue (CA ) Finding of No Significant Impact September 2015 It is my determination that this decision will not result in significant impacts to the quality of the human environment. Anticipated impacts are within the range of impacts addressed by the Sierra Resource Management Plan (RMP). Thus, the proposed action does not constitute a major federal action having a significant effect on the human environment; therefore, an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not necessary and will not be prepared. This conclusion is based on my consideration of CEQ s following criteria for significance (40 CFR ), regarding the context and intensity of the impacts described in the EA and based on my understanding of the project: 1. Impacts can be both beneficial and adverse and a significant effect may exist regardless of the perceived balance of effects. Potentially, a small number of Red Hills roach will die during the process of capture, translocation, and rearing in a hatchery. Several project design features are designed to reduce the risk of injury and mortality of Red Hills roach. Red Hills roach habitat will be improved with the addition of water to streams and pools that have largely dried up. In addition, Red Hills roach will be rescued from further reduction in their numbers with an overall net benefit to the species. 2. The degree of the impact on public health or safety. No aspects of the proposed action have been identified as having the potential to significantly and adversely impact public health or safety. 3. Unique characteristics of the geographic area. The project is located within the Red Hills Area of Critical Environmental Concern which was designated for the protection of Delpiedra soils derived from dunite and serpentine, two federally listed plant species (Verbena californica and Packera layneae), four BLM sensitive plant species (Allium tuolumnense, Chlorogalum grandiflorum, Lomatium congdonii, and Packera clevelandii heterophyllus), and the serpentine buckbrush chaparral plant community. No adverse impacts to the soils, plants, or serpentine community will occur, and thus no adverse impacts to the ACEC values were identified. 4. The degree to which the effects on the quality of the human environment are likely to be highly controversial. No anticipated effects have been identified that are scientifically controversial. As a factor for determining within the meaning of 40 C.F.R (b)(4) whether or not to prepare a detailed environmental impact statement, controversy is not equated with the existence of opposition to a use. Northwest Environmental Defense Center v. Bonneville Power Administration, 117 F.3d 1520, 1536 (9th Cir. 1997). The term highly controversial refers to instances in which a substantial dispute exists as to the size, nature, or effect of the major federal action rather than the mere existence of opposition to a use. Hells Canyon Preservation Council v. Jacoby, 9 F.Supp.2d 1216, 1242 (D. Or. 1998). 1

2 5. The degree to which the possible effects on the human environment are likely to be highly uncertain or involve unique or unknown risks. The analysis does not show that the proposed action would involve any unique or unknown risks. 6. The degree to which the action may establish a precedent for future actions with significant effects or represents a decision in principle about a future consideration. The proposed action is not precedent setting. 7. Whether the action is related to other actions with individually insignificant but cumulatively significant impacts. No significant site-specific impacts have been identified. The proposed action has low potential to cause adverse cumulative impacts, and is consistent with the Sierra RMP. 8. The degree to which the action may adversely affect National Historic Register listed or eligible to be listed sites or may cause loss or destruction of significant scientific, cultural, or historical resources. The proposed action would not adversely affect cultural properties listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. 9. The degree to which the action may adversely ESA listed species or critical habitat. California verbena, Verbena californica, a Federally threatened plant species, occurs within the project area. Implementation of Project Design Features would result in no effect to California verbena. 10. Whether the action threatens a violation of environmental protection law or requirements. There is no indication that the proposed action will result in actions that will threaten such a violation. William S. Haigh, Field Manager Date 2

3 EA Number: CA United States Department of the Interior Proposed Action: Red Hills Roach Fish Rescue BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Mother Lode Field Office 5152 Hillsdale Circle El Dorado Hills, CA Location: MDM, T. 1 S., R. 14 E., Section 8, 17, and 22 (see attached project area maps) 1.0 Purpose of and Need for Action 1.1 Need for Action The California Department of Fish & Wildlife (Department) has developed a rescue plan to be used as a guideline for fish rescue in the event that the extant aquatic habitat for Red Hills roach (Lavinia symmetricus) dries up or the remaining fish are not in good condition. The Red Hills roach, a BLM sensitive species and a California Species of Special Concern, is a highly distinctive form of California roach found in a few small streams located within the Red Hills Area of Critical Environmental Concern (Moyle, 2002). Water years 2013 and 2014 were two of the driest years on record in California (DWR, 2014). California declared a state of emergency due to the extended drought and established water conservation and monitoring measures. Currently water year 2015 is being classified as another critical dry year and may have significant impacts on the Red Hills roach population. 1.2 Conformance with Applicable Land Use Plans The proposed action is consistent with the Sierra Resource Management Plan Record of Decision (ROD), approved in February On page 12 of the ROD, a goal of the Fish and Wildlife section is to Maintain, improve or enhance native fish and wildlife populations and the ecosystems upon which they depend. On Page 13 of the ROD, an objective relating to fish and wildlife is to Maintain or improve numbers of native fish, macroinvertebrates and other aquatic species. On page 14 of the ROD, an objective for special status species is to Maintain or improve habitat for special status species and a management action related to special status species is to Preserve and protect species (and their habitats) that have been given special status by either BLM or the State of California. BLM will coordinate as often as possible with CDFG and other state and local government agencies to accomplish this action. On page 60 of the ROD the objective of the Red Hills roach conservation strategy is To sustain and manage viable populations of the Red Hills roach by managing factors affecting the distribution, abundance, and quality of habitat of this species, and by minimizing adverse impacts to the species. 2.0 Proposed Action and Alternatives 2.1 Proposed Action The proposed action is to implement a step-wise approach for the rescue of Red Hills roach, should certain triggers be met that indicate that the fish have reached a state that imminent rescue is necessary for their immediate and prolonged survival. The actions and triggers summarized below are based on the 2015 Red Hills Roach Rescue Plan developed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. 1

4 Action 1 would be for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to continue monitoring five separate aquatic habitats (Figure 2). Monitoring will consist of taking depth and wetted width measurements at the same locations in each aquatic habitat. Total linear length of wetted areas will also be measured. Visual Estimation Surveys will be conducted to determine fish abundance. Temperature loggers will be deployed at all the monitoring locations. Logger data will be downloaded during monitoring activities along with manual temperature readings (handheld thermometer). Photographs will be taken at each monitoring location to document changes in hydrology. GPS points will be taken at the beginning and end of each monitoring location. Other water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen (DO) and ph will be measured to provide an index of water quality data. Monitoring will be conducted on a bi-monthly basis. The frequency of monitoring may be increased (weekly or bi-weekly) if the triggers for an action become apparent. During monitoring, algal mats will be removed with a dip net to help reduce dissolved oxygen depletion. If during monitoring activities, it is apparent that fish are not in good condition (stressed, lethargic, showing disease, mortalities, etc.) then more frequent monitoring will likely be warranted. Additional water quality measurements will be obtained (ph and DO) and a subset of fish may be collected and sent to pathology to help determine the cause of the stress. Action 2 would occur if any of the springs dry up and the aquatic habitat has diminished by more than 40 percent, and/or the number of Red Hills roach has been reduced by more than 40 percent. Once the triggers are met, then water would be delivered to the needed areas. Water will be pumped from two existing wells on the Andrew s Creek parcel (Figure 4). The pumping equipment and hoses will be brought, by hand, to the two wells. Motorized vehicles used to transport pumping equipment and water will not leave existing roads. This water is free of contaminants and closely matches the water quality parameters of the monitoring sites. The water will be placed into five gallon polymer tanks. The tanks will be placed in the upstream portion of the monitoring locations, out of riparian habitat (Figure 4). Motorized vehicles used during tank placement (and later removal when the project is complete) will not leave existing roads. Water will continue to be delivered on a regular basis as necessary to maintain adequate habitat conditions for the Red Hills roach. Water will be released at a rate that does not cause erosion or additional turbidity. Water releases will be monitored and will be stopped if pool habitats overflow and water is flowing into recently dried areas. Action 3 would occur if any of the monitoring locations begin exhibiting disconnected portions and fish are becoming isolated, then fish will be translocated to the pool portions of these aquatic habitats. Action 4 would occur if water delivery does not result in improved conditions for the fish. If Monitoring Locations 1, 2, and 4 are not able to support fish after water deliveries are made, then fish from these locations will be translocated to the pools in Monitoring Location 3. Monitoring Location 3 has two pools that are each significantly larger than the pools in monitoring locations 1, 2, and 4, and therefore may be able to sustain roach for a longer period. Action 5 would occur if the fish are not in good condition and aquatic habitat is insufficient, despite water deliveries and translocation to Monitoring Location 3. Fish will be translocated to either Monitoring Location 5, located on private land (Figure 2) or to Six Bit Gulch Hydrologic Area (Figure 3), or possibly both areas will be used. During translocation, fish will be released into the stream portion of this site. Prior to translocation, a fish removal effort will be conducted within the pool portion of this site to reduce the number of large predatory fish (green sunfish), mosquito fish, and bullfrog larvae and adults. Backpack electro-fishing, gill netting, and hook and line sampling will be utilized for the non-native animal removal. 2

5 Action 6 would occur only as a final attempt at fish rescue and only if all other actions fail. This action is for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to capture as many individuals as possible out of out of all of the sites and transport them to a CDFW facility where they will be reared and maintained in a self-contained rearing system. Once habitat conditions are suitable enough for the fish to remain in good condition, all healthy roach will be released back into the aquatic habitats from which they were originally rescued. During all Red Hills roach translocation operations for any of the actions specified above, small seines and dip nets will be used to collect fish. If it becomes too difficult collecting fish by these methods (typically resulting from the presence of undercut banks, rocky substrate and overhanging vegetation), then CDFW will use backpack electro-shockers. During all translocation activities, motorized vehicles will not drive off of existing roads. The Six Bit Gulch Hydrologic area will be accessed via the Mitigation Road. Vehicles will park at the Six Bit Gulch crossing on this road. 2.2 Project Design Features Water Deliveries Water will be released at a rate that does not cause erosion or additional turbidity. Water releases will be monitored and will be stopped if pool habitats overflow and water is flowing into recently dried areas. Fish Capture Electro-shockers will be operated using low settings to minimize additional stress and mortality to fish. Fish will not be anesthetized or measured. Fish Translocation Fish will only be translocated to Monitoring Site 5 with the express written permission of the landowner allowing California Department of Fish and Wildlife to translocate the fish to the private property. Fish Transport Aerated coolers\buckets will be used to transport captured fish to an aerated and oxygenated fish transporter. Water in the coolers\buckets and fish transporter will be tempered to replicate the aquatic habitat temperature from which the fish are taken. Fish Rearing in hatchery CDFW will prepare a Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points Plan (HACCP) for the rescued Red Hills roach prior to fish being relocated to Silverado Fisheries Base. The HACCP will contain information regarding all aspects of rearing rescued fish (i.e. bio-security, biofiltration, water chemistry, fish health evaluations, feeding etc.). In summary, the HACCP plan will contain detailed information regarding the animal husbandry components/conditions of the rearing element of the Fish Rescue Plan. It will address questions such as: i) how and what the fish will be fed, ii) how they will be reacclimated (i.e. both temperature and feeding) upon release to the drainage and iii) how the fish will be contained while at the rearing facility (i.e. rearing densities and age/size segregation). 3

6 Fish Release After Hatchery Rearing Unhealthy fish will not be released back into the streams. Special Status Plant Species CDFW personnel will be trained to recognize and avoid California verbena and Red Hills ragwort. Water tanks will be placed in upland vegetation (such as buckbrush) and not on riparian vegetation to avoid compaction and crushing of riparian vegetation and special status plants. General Vehicles will be confined to existing roads during all aspects of the project. Roads will not be brushed to allow easier access. 2.3 No Action Under the no action alternative, the Red Hills Fish Rescue Plan would not be implemented. 2.4 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Analysis None 3.0 Affected Environment The project area is located at approximately 1000 feet elevation in the west-central Sierra Nevada foothills in western Tuolumne County immediately southwest of Chinese Camp, California. The project area is within the Upper Tuolumne River watershed. Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) The project area is within the 10,008-acre Red Hills ACEC (Figure 1). Relevant and important values of the ACEC include: Delpiedra soils derived from dunite and serpentine, two federally listed plant species (Verbena californica and Packera layneae), four BLM sensitive plant species (Allium tuolumnense, Chlorogalum grandiflorum, Lomatium congdonii, and Packera clevelandii heterophyllus), and the serpentine buckbrush chaparral plant community. Vegetation and invasive non-native species - The riparian areas within the project contain willows (Salix spp.), coffeeberry (Rhamnus tomentella), spicebush (Calycanthus occidentalis), sedges (Carex spp.) and two special status plant species, California verbena (Verbena californica) and Red Hills ragwort (Packera clevelandii var heterophyllus). California verbena was found to be directly adjacent to the pools at Sites 2, 3, 4 and 5 in varying quantities. Red Hills ragwort was predominantly found around Site 3. Wildlife - The 5 monitoring sites (Figure 2) and Six Bit Hydrologic Area (Figure 3) where actions would occur are all within stream and pool habitat that support Red Hills roach, a BLM sensitive species and California State Species of Special Concern. The Red Hills roach is a small minnow found in a few small streams in the Red Hills ACEC. The aquatic habitats in monitoring sites 1-4 are all spring fed and currently do not have a hydrologic connection. Monitoring site 5 appears to have hydrological connection with the other monitoring sites during wet years. The 5 monitoring sites range from 50 feet to 850 feet in length. Six Bit Gulch Hydrologic Area is another spring fed area. It is located downstream of the current monitoring locations and upstream of where Six Bit enters Don Pedro Reservoir (Figure 3). This hydrologic area, which appears to have hydrologic connectivity during wet years, is approximately 650 feet long with a large (300 foot long) pool in the downstream portion. The riparian areas are in properly functioning condition. 4

7 Recreation Only non motorized recreation is allowed in the Red Hills. Horseback riding is popular and limited facilities have been provided. Equestrian use is confined to designated trails. Dispersed camping is not allowed. The Red Hills is designated for day use only. A nature trail was installed in (after informal consultation). It was designed to minimize impacts to special status species, while still affording opportunities for the public to view these species and for the public to become informed about their significance. 4.0 Environmental Effects The following critical elements have been considered for this environmental assessment, and unless specifically mentioned later in this EA, have been determined to be unaffected by the proposed project, as well as, the no action alternative: air quality, essential fish habitat, prime/unique farmlands, floodplains, hazardous waste, social and economic values, soils, wild horse and burro herds, wild and scenic rivers, wilderness, and environmental justice. 4.1 Impacts of the Proposed Action and Alternatives Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) The Red Hills ACEC was expanded in 2008 for the protection of Delpiedra soils derived from dunite and serpentine, two federally listed species (Verbena californica and Packera layneae), four BLM sensitive species (Allium tuolumnense, Chlorogalum grandiflorum, Lomatium congdonii, and Senecio clevelandii heterophyllus), and the serpentine buckbrush chaparral plant community. Two special status plant species are located in the project area; however, with implementation of the Project Design Features developed for special status plant species, no impacts to ACEC values are expected to occur. Vegetation and invasive/non-native species The BLM botanist analyzed the impacts of the proposed action on botanical resources, especially special status plants. The analysis was designed to help BLM meet its obligations under the Endangered Species Act and other special status species policy. Field surveys of the project area were conducted in August 2015 by the BLM botanist. California verbena and Red Hills ragwort, both special status species, were found to be present in the project area. Project Design Features would result in avoidance of special status plant species by training CDFW personnel to recognize and avoid California verbena and Red Hills ragwort and by placing water tanks in upland vegetation, out of the riparian habitat. Implementation of the Project Design Features would result in a No Effect determination for the California verbena, a Federally threatened species. The botanist recommends that the proposed action would not affect any other threatened and endangered plants or BLM special status plants. Wildlife The BLM wildlife biologist analyzed the impacts of the proposed action on wildlife, especially on special status wildlife. Her analysis was designed to help BLM meet its obligations under the Endangered Species Act and other special status policy. Potentially, a small number of Red Hills roach will die during the process of capture, translocation, and rearing in a hatchery. Several project design features elaborated on above are designed to reduce the risk of injury and mortality of Red Hills roach. Red Hills roach habitat will be improved with the addition of water to streams and pools that have largely dried up. In addition, Red Hills roach will be rescued from further reduction in their numbers with an overall net benefit to the species. Cultural The BLM archaeologist analyzed the proposed action to determine whether it would affect significant cultural resources, in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Motorized vehicles used during the proposed action (for monitoring, water transport, and fish 5

8 translocation) would not be allowed to drive off-road. Vehicles would stay on existing roads. Pumping equipment and hoses would be moved to the two well locations by hand. The five tank locations have been inventoried previously for cultural resources. Prehistoric site TM-137 near Tank 4-1 would be avoided. The proposed action would not affect significant cultural resources. Riparian habitat The riparian and pool habitat will be improved by the project, with the addition of water to habitat that is no longer available as fish habitat. Water quality should not be impaired by the addition of ground water from nearby wells. The water has been tested and found to free of contaminants, and the water quality parameters of the well water are very similar to the water quality parameters in the streams. Recreation The project will have no impact to recreational activities. 4.2 Impacts of the No Action Alternative The project is designed to rescue Red Hills roach that will expire in the pools if action is not taken. The no-action alternative may result in the elimination of a large number of roach, possibly the majority of the wild population. In the worst case scenario, the species could be extirpated. In addition, the riparian areas will not benefit from the additional water deliveries if no action is taken. 4.3 Cumulative Impacts Negative cumulative impacts on the larger watershed scale are not anticipated. The proposed action would have a negligible negative impact on fish, with possible mortality of some individuals due to electroshocking, capture, and translocation. Actions will only be taken if natural mortality of individuals is occurring already. The mortality of individuals from a fish rescue will be fewer than fish mortality should the pools dry up and no action is taken. The proposed project will have a beneficial cumulative impact to riparian habitat and Red Hills roach, since Red Hills roach will be rescued from possible extirpation of the species. 5.0 Agencies and Persons Consulted California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Region Authors Peggy Cranston, Wildlife Biologist 6

9 5.2 BLM Interdisciplinary Team Reviewers: /s/ James Barnes 8/27/15 Cultural Resources Specialist /s/ Jeff Horn 8/29/15 Outdoor recreation planner/vrm Specialist /s/ Beth Brenneman 8/28/15 Botanist/NEPA coordinator /s/ Peggy Cranston 8/27/15 Wildlife biologist 5.2 Availability of Document and Comment Procedures This EA, posted on Mother Lode Field Office s website ( under Information, NEPA (or available upon request), will be available for a 15-day public review period. Comments should be sent to the Mother Lode Field Office, 5152 Hillsdale Circle, El Dorado Hills, CA or ed to hdaniels@blm.gov or pcransto@blm.gov. 6.0 References California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Red Hills Roach Rescue Plan. Unpubl. Rep. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fresno. 13 pp. California Department of Water Resources California Data Exchange Center. Moyle, P.B Inland Fishes of California. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California. Pages

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