HomeMy WebLinkAbout3190; Rancho Sante Fe Road Bridge Replacement; Rancho Sante Fe Road Bridge Replacement; 2004-10-12DUDEK
& ASSOCIATES, INC.
Q
Professional Teams for Complex Projecis
'ngineering. Planning,
Environmental Sciences and
Management Services
Corporate Office:
605 Third Street
Encinitas, California 92024
760.942,5147
Fax 760.632.0164
October 12, 2004 4186-01
Ms. Carrie Loya-Smalley
Senior Civil Engineer
City of Carlsbad
1635 Faraday Avenue
Carlsbad, California 92008
Re: Monthly Monttoring Rep^ort, Rancho Santa Fe Road Realignment and
Bridge Ref^tacement Project, CityofCarlsbad, Califorma
Dear Ms. Loya-Smalley:
In accordance with the requirements of the Biological Opinion issued by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS), this monthly letter report summarizes biological monitoring
activities and reports on compiiance with permit regulations. Biological monitoring of the
project is being conducted by biologists from Dudek and Associates, Inc. (Dudek) through
periodic visits during construction.
Phase 1
Biological Monitoring of Construction
Construction on the final segment of the southbound lanes near the La Costa Avenue
intersection started following the opening of the Phase 1 roadway between La Costa Avenue
and San Elijo Road on June 21, 2004. Due to the lack of sensitive resources associated with
the current construction activity in Phase 1, biological monitoring is not required. However,
Dudek will continue to monitor the condition of existing environmental fencing and erosion
controls in Phase 1 with periodic inspections and will notify construction management if
maintenance or repairs are found to be necessary.
o o
Ms. Carrie Loya-Smalley
Re: Monthly Monitoring Report, Rancho Santa Fe Road Realignment and Bridge Replacement
Project, City of Carlsbad, California
Phase 2
Biological Monitoring of Construction
In August, Phase 2 construction involved ongoing grading activity, ongoing construction of the
bridge piers and embankments and vegetation clearing on the east of the existing bridge. The
majority of grading activity is taking place to the south of San Marcos Creek and generally
involves excavation and the separation of suitable and unsuitable fill material. Approximately
400 feet of the old Rancho Santa Fe Road south of the San EUjo Road intersection is being used
as a stockpihng area. Orange fencing has been installed along the west side of the stockpihng
area to prevent encroachment into adjacent habitat. De-watering activities associated with
construction at the bridge site continue to use existing pier excavations as temporary holding
basins for extracted groundwater. A portion of the extracted groundwater is being stored
onsite and used for dust control. Orange environmental fencing and silt fencing throughout
the site were checked and construction management notified if maintenance or repairs were
necessary.
In accordance with timing restrictions in the Section 1601 Streambed Alteration Agreement
from the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), vegetation clearing within San
Marcos Creek commenced following the end of the breeding season for riparian birds on July
31'^ Dudek verified the staked Hmits of work using a Global Positioning System (GPS) back-
pack unit, met with construction crews prior to the start of clearing and conducted daily
monitoring of clearing activities. Vegetation clearing was done manually using chainsaws. A
backhoe was used to haul cut slash and logs out of the creek area but did not enter the creek
itself. Orange environmental fencing was installed along the hmits of work immediately
following the start of clearing activities. While vegetation to the north of the creek has been
completely cleared, limited vegetation remains to the south of the creek. This vegetation will
be cleared at a later date due to it's proximity to north-bound traffic on Rancho Santa Fe
Road.
The inlet and outlet of the stream diversion culverts associated with the bridge construction
are checked regularly by Dudek and no signs of sedimentation witfiin the creek have been
observed. Downstream portions of the creek adjacent to the project are also being monitored
to determine if existing habitat is being affected by the redirected creek flows. Water leveis
in the main channel downstream of the project were observed to be near pre-construction
levels.
DUDEK & ASSOCIATES. INC.
Ranctio Santa Fe Road Realignment and Bridge Replacement 4186-01
i^>rtMi'i«>Hitarc:«M<ipn<«u Octot}er 12,2004
o o
Ms. Carrie Loya-Smalley
Re: Monthly Monitoring Report, Rancho Santa Fe Road Realignment and Bridge Replacement
Project, CityofCarlsbad, California
A break in a reclaimed water line belonging to the Vallecitos Water District (VWD) under
Melrose Avenue occurred on August 9,2004. Although unrelated to Phase 2 project activities,
surface flows from the break entered the Phase 2 project site near the Melrose Avenue
intersection along Rancho Santa Fe Road. Runoff from the water entering the site managed
to travel beneath a portion of the silt fencing around the concrete-lined channel onsite. To
prevent silted runoff that may have entered the channel from flowing downstream into San
Marcos Creek, VWD crews temporarily blocked off the pipe culverts beneath La Costa
Meadows. The contractor and VWD crews worked together to immediately block additional
water from entering the site. As a result, only a limited amount of water actually entered the
site and runoff into adjacent habitat areas did not occur.
Gnatcatcher Monitoring Program
In accordance with the USFWS Biological Opinion, the City of Carlsbad is required to
implement a monitoring program for the federally-listed threatened coastal California
gnatcatcher during the breeding season (February 15 through August 31) to avoid indirect
impacts to the species. Results of a protocol-level focused survey conducted in suitable habitat
within 500 feet of the Phase 2 project area were negative. Results also indicated that habitat
within 500 feet of the new stockpihng area on old Rancho Santa Fe Road south of the San Elijo
Road intersection is unoccupied. Because gnatcatcher are not present adjacent to the project,
gnatcatcher monitoring activities will not be required. A survey report dated May 25, 2004,
has been submitted to USFWS by Anita Eiayworth, Ph.D, TE-781084.
The Rancho Santa Fe Road Realignment and Bridge Replacement Project is being constructed
in compliance with all environmental requirements and permit regulations. If you have any
questions or concerns please contact me at (760) 479-4292.
Very truly yours,
Dudek & Associates, Inc.
Kam Muri
Monitoring Biologist
Environmental Sciences Division
DUDEK I&ASSOCIATES, INC. —
Octotjer 12, 2004
Rancho Santa Fe Road Realignment and Bridge Replacement 4186-01
o
Ms. Carrie Loya-Smalley
Re: Monthly Monitoring Report, Rancho Santa Fe Road Realignment and Bridge Replacement
Project, City of Carlsbad, California
cc: John Martin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Doug Helming, Helming Engineering, Inc.
George Litzinger, Dudek Associates, Inc.
Mark Plotnikiewicz, Simon Wong Engineering
Vipul Joshi, Dudek dl Associaies, Inc.
I&ASSOCIATES, INC. —
»(MiT«i.c<»Mc,p^ October 12, 2004
Rancho Santa Fe Road Realignment and Bridge Replacement 4186-01