HomeMy WebLinkAbout3190; Rancho Sante Fe Road Bridge Replacement; Rancho Sante Fe Road Bridge Replacement; 2004-04-15Mb
DUDEK
& ASSOCIATES, INC.
Professional Teams for Complex Projects
Engineering, Planning,
Environmental Sciences and
Management Services
Corporate Office:
605 Third Street
Encinitas, California 92024
760.942.5147
Fax 760,632.0164
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April 15, 2004 3912-01
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Attn: Daniel Marquez
6010 Hidden Valley Road
Carlsbad, CA 92009
Subject: 2004 Pre-Construction Surveys for the California Gnatcatcher for
the Rancho Santa Fe Road Widening and Realignment Project Phase
I, Carlsbad^ California
Dear Mr. Marquez:
A pre-construction coastal California gnatcatcher {Polioptila californica californica)
presence/absence survey was conducted for the approximately 138-acre Rancho Santa Fe
Road Widening and Realignment Phase I Project within the City of Carlsbad, California
{Figure 4). The survey area included suitable habitat within 500 feet of the construction area.
The project is located south of San Elijo Road, north of La Costa Avenue, and west of the
La Costa area of the City of Carlsbad.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Project Description, Location and Existing Conditions
The City of Carlsbad proposes to widen and realign Ranch Santa Fe Road from two lanes to
an ultimate six lane prime arterial roadway from approximately 100 feet south of La Costa
Avenue/Rancho Santa Fe Road intersection to approximately 100 feet north of the Melrose
Drive/Rancho Santa Fe Road intersection {Figures 1d2Z). Thesurvey area forthis portion only
includes the Phase 1 area which encompasses the area up to San Elijo Road. The 500-foot
survey area encompasses approximately 300 acres ofa variety of habitats adjacent to the Phase 1 area.
Much of this area is currently under construction as part of the Villages of La Costa, thus a limited
amount, approximately 75 acres including the roadway construction itself, of existing adjacent
habitat is potentially affected by the roadvray construction itself.
The project site is located near the southeastern portion of the City of Carlsbad and is
surrounded by commercial and residential land use as well as undeveloped land. It lies within
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2004 Pre-Construction Surveys for the California Gnatcatcher
Rancho Santa Fe Road Widening and
Realignment Project, Carlsbad, California
^ the U.S. Geological Survey 7.5 minute topographic map, Rancho Santa Fe quadrangle, Wl/2
of Section 29, SEl/4 of Section 30, El/2 Section 31, Range 3 West, Township 12 South.
Elevation of the project ranges from approximately 300 feet above mean sea level in the south
to approximately 400 feet above mean sea level in the north. The terrain in the area ranges
« from relatively flat ground to sloping hillsides.
Soils in the project vicinity consist of five separate soil types underlain by Mesozoic granitic
^ rocks (Bowman 1973). The predominant soU type at the site is the Huerhuero loam on 5 to
* 9 percent slopes. The Huerhuero series consists of moderately well drained loams that have
^ a clay subsoU. These soils developed in sandy marine sediments. The erosion hazard and
^ runoff of this clayey loam is moderate, the permeability is slow to moderate, and the
available water holding capacity is four to five inches. The soil has a rooting depth of 20 to
*? 40 inches. Other minor soU types in the project vicinity are Cieneba coarse sandy loam, San
* Miguel rocky silt loam, and two types of Visalia sandy loam.
Z VEGETATION COMMUNITIES
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Within the focused survey area, the habitats vary from the disturbed habitat associated with
the construction activities from the road widening project and the residential development
(ViUages of La Costa) and developed lands to the native coastal sage scrub habitat. The
preconstruction presence/absence survey included those areas of suitable habitat that are
located within 500 feet from the limits of grading for this portion of the road widening and
realignment project. This constitutes approximately 15 acres of habitat. Coastal sage scrub
is considered the suitable habitat for the CaUfornia gnatcatcher and was the habitat within
which the survey concentrated. Coastal sage scrub vegetation is described below.
Diegan Coastal Sage Scrub
Diegan coastal sage scrub is a coastal plant community composed of a variety of low, soft,
aromatic subshrubs, characteristically dominated by drought-deciduous species such as
coastal sagebrush {Artemisia californica), California buckwheat {Eriogonum fasciculatum), and
sages {Salvia spp.), with scattered evergreen shrubs, including lemonadeberry {Rhus
integrifolia), laurel sumac {Malosma laurina), toyon {Heteromeles arbutifolia), and a diverse
understory of annual herbs and forbs and perennial grasses.
ppig'-jo'ig-^'':^; ^ 3912-01
:&ASSOCUTES,LNC-! April 15, 2004 Page 2
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2004 Pre-Construction Surveys for the California Gnatcatcher
Rancho Santa Fe Road Widening and
Realignment Project, Corlsbad, California
In the survey area, Diegan coastal sage scrub is present on the west-facing hillsides along the
eastern side of Rancho Santa Fe Road. Most of this habitat was burned during the 1996 fire.
Previous surveys have found that areas supporting coastal sage scrub prior to the 1996 fire are
^ recovering, with new growth {i.e., primarily seedlings) of coastal sagebrush, white sage {Salvia
^ ayiana), black sage {Salvia mellifera), deerweed {Lotus scoparius), bush monkeyflower {Mimulus
aurantiacus), coastal goldenbush {Isocoma menziesii ssp. veneta) and laurel sumac. The
* understory species are particularly abundant and inciude blue dicks {Dichelostemma capitata),
early onion {Allium praecox), lupines {Lupinus spp.), fascicled tarweed {Hemizonia fasciculata),
^ cryptantha {Cryptantha spp.), mallow {Malacothamnus fasciculatus sp.), and chia {Salvia
,jl columbariae). A total of approximately 15 acres of coastal sage scrub within the vicinity of
the Phase I construction area were included in the preconstruction presence/absence survey.
^ METHODS
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^ The focused survey for the Cahfornia gnatcatcher was conducted on the project site on
March 2, 9, and 18, 2004 by DUDEK biologist Anita M. Hayworth, Ph.D. (AMH). Dr.
Hayworth holds federal permit TE-781084 to conduct surveys for the gnatcatcher. DUDEK
biologist, Kamarul Muri accompanied Dr. Hayworth during visits to the site. The survey was
conducted following the currently accepted protocol of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
the Scientific Review Panel. The survey included the typical three visit survey to aU areas
within 500 feet of the construction that are not within the footprint of the Villages of La
Costa at approximately weekly intervals. All areas of coastal sage scrub vegetation, including
all sub-associations were visited during each survey. The approximately 15-acre area of
coastal sage scrub was covered in an approximately 2-hour survey period. The route used to
11 survey the habitat varied during each visit and was arranged to ensure complete coverage of
the habitat. A r'=200' aerial photograph of the property was available to map any
J gnatcatchers detected. Binoculars (10 x 50) were used to aid in detecting and identifying bird
species. The weather conditions were generally pleasant and mild as shown in the table
below. A tape of recorded vocalizations was used frequently in order to elicit responses from
the species, if present. The tape was played approximately every 100 feet and if a gnatcatcher
was detected, the playing of the tape would cease in order to avoid harassment.
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&ASSOClATES,INC.i April 15, 2004 Page 3
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2004 Pre-Construction Surveys for the California Gnatcatcher
Rancho Santa Fe Road Widening and
Realignment Project, Corlsbad, California
Upon completion of the presence/absence survey, approximately weekly visits were made
to the site to monitor the construction activities however the tape of vocalizations was not
used. Monitoring reports were completed and submitted to the City during this portion of
the site visit period.
TABLE 1
Survey Dates and Conditions for the Pre-Construction California Gnatcatcher
Survey for the Rancho Santa Fe Road Widening and Realignment Project Phase I
Date Temperature Wind Sky Time
3/2/2004 55"F 1-3 MPH overcast to 60% cloud cover 0715-0915
3/9/2004 56-63T 0-1 MPH clear 0635 - 0830
3/18/2004 61-63-F 0-1 MPH overcast 0715-0910
RESULTS
No California gnatcatchers were observed within 500 feet of the construction of the road
excluding those areas affected by the Villages of La Costa project during the presence/absence
survey. During the 2003 pre-construction survey, two pairs were observed. The more
southern pair was in a patch of habitat that has been graded as a part of the Villages of La
Costa project. The more northern was observed in an area that forms a "bowl" of slopes that
end in a drainage at the northern end of the Villages of La Costa Development. This pair was
observed during the early part of the 2003 breeding season but was not observed after
approximately mid-April 2003. It is possible that this pair has moved to an area that is outside
of the survey area for this project.
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& .-ASSOCLATES, LNC.
3912-01
April 15, 2004 Page 4
^ 2004 Pre-Construction Surveys for the California Gnatcatcher
Rancho Santa Fe Road Widening and
m Realignment Project, Corlsbad, California
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lg Please feel free to contact me at (760) 479-4239 with questions or if you require additional
information.
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d Very truly yours,
^ DUDEK & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Anita M. HaywortjK^ ifh.D.
Biologist ^
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** attachments: Figures 1 through 3
^ Appendix
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cc: Carrie Loya-Smalley, City of Carlsbad
Ml Doug Helming, Helming Engineering
JH George Litzinger, Dudek
Vipul Joshi, Dudek
m Kam Muri, Dudek
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3912-01
^;^^SSOClATES, LNC! April 15, 2004 Page 5
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& ASSOCIATES, INC
I'rojcssionat Teams for Complex t'rojerij
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2004 Pre-Construction Surveys for the California Gnatcatcher
Rancho Santa Fe Road Widening and
Realignment Project, Corlsbad, California
APPENDIX
WILDLIFE SPECIES OBSERVED OR
DETECTED ON THE PROJECT SITE
TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES
REPTILES
IGUANIDAE - IGUANID LIZARDS
Uta stanshuriana elegans - side-blotched lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis longipes - Great Basin fence lizard
VIPERIDAE - VIPERS
Crotalus viridis - western rattlesnake
m BIRDS
*• ACCIPITRIDAE - HAWKS
Buteo jamaicensis - red-tailed hawk
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« PHASIANIDAE - PHEASANTS & QUAILS
Callipepla californica - California quail
COLUMBIDAE - PIGEONS & DOVES
Zenaida macroura - mourning dove
TROCHILIDAE - HUMMINGBIRDS
Calypte anna - Anna's hummingbird
& ,ASSOCIATES, LNC.
P..,J.->.-;r,.,t>l Tr„n„ ;„- C".m,n;--. P...,.tt.
3912-01
Aprill 5, 2004 Pagel
2004 Pre-Construction Surveys for the California Gnatcatcher
Rancho Santa Fe Road Widening and
^ Realignment Project, Corlsbad, California
APPENDIX (Continued)
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TYRANNIDAE - TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
Sayornis nigricans - black phoebe
Tyrannus verticalis - western kingbird
m CORVIDAE - JAYS & CROWS
Aphelocoma coerulescens - scrub jay
Corvus brachyrhynchos - American crow
Corvus corax - common raven
M AEGITHALIDAE - BUSHTITS
^ Psahriparus minimus - bushtit
TROGLODYTIDAE - WRENS
•* Thryomanes hevc^ickii - Bewick's wren
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MUSCICAPIDAE - KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS, THRUSHES & BABBLERS
Chamaea fasciata - wrentit
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^ MIMIDAE - THRASHERS
• Toxostoma redivivum - California thrasher
** PARULIDAE - WOOD WARBLERS fll
Dendroica coronata - yellow-rumped warbler
w Geothlypis trichas - common yellowthroat
• Vermivora celata - orange-crowned warbler
"* EMBERIZIDAE - SPARROWS m
Aimophila ruficeps - rufous-crowned sparrow
^ Melospiza melodia - song sparrow
•i Pipilo crissalis - California towhee
^ Pipilo maculatus - spotted towhee
Zonotrichia leucophrys - white-crowned sparrow
^-;¥SlTf^irf3' 3912-01
M i^J.SpCJL\TES. LNC; Apnl 15,2004 Page 2
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2004 Pre-Construction Surveys for the California Gnatcatcher
Rancho Santo Fe Road Widening and
Realignment Project, Carlsbod, California
APPENDIX (Continued)
FRINGILLIDAE - FINCHES
Carpodacus mexicanus - house finch
Carduelis psaltria - lesser goldfinch
MAMMALS
LEPORIDAE - HARES & RABBITS
Sylvilagus audubonii - desert cottontail
SCIURIDAE - SQUIRRELS
Spermophilus beecheyi - Califorma ground squirrel
GEOMYIDAE - POCKET GOPHERS
Thomomys bottae - Botta's pocket gopher
CANIDAE - WOLVES & FOXES
Canis latrans - coyote, sign
3912-01
:&A5SOCL'ATES, LNC-I April 15. 2004 Page 3
Orange
County
Imperial
Beach
Mexico
r = 8 Miles
Tijuana
Rancho Santa Fe Road Phase 1 -CAGN Survey Report
Regional Map
FIGURE
ftar.ciio
de SOS- QiHoi.e»
Legend
Phase 1 500-foot Buffer
Phase 1 Impact Area
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SOURCE" USGS 7.5 Minute Series, Rancho Santa Fe Quadrangle
6 1,000 2,000
Feet
Rancho Santa Fe Road Phase 1 - CAGN Survey Report
Vicinity Map
FIGURE
PHOTO SOURCE: AirPhoto USA? May 2003 ' f
I Rancho Santa Fe Road Phase 1 • CAGN Survey Report
Survey Route Map
FIGURE