Consolidated Place of Use Habitat Mitigation Plan
Background
The Consolidated Place of Use (CPOU) Habitat Mitigation Plan (HMP) and Monitoring and Reporting Program (MRP) was prepared in compliance with the requirements issued in the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Decision 1641 (D-1641). D-1641 addressed a petition by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) that, in part, sought to provide consistency between the contracted place of use in the Central Valley Project (CVP) water service contracts, and the authorized place of use as defined by the SWRCB. D-1641 concurred with the petition by expanding Reclamation’s authorized place of use to include certain areas already receiving CVP water.
D-1641 also states that Reclamation will provide compensation and habitat values that mitigate for those associated with the delivery of CVP water to lands previously outside the authorized place of use by developing a HMP. Reclamation intends to address and meet the mitigation requirement by describing and using the current programs and activities that address impacts of the CVP. The Central Valley Project Conservation Program and the Habitat Restoration Program are the main programs which provide mitigation.
Habitat Compensation Requirements
The maximum total habitat compensation required is the equivalent of the 45,391 acres of habitat identified in the Final Environmental Impact Report for the CPOU as having been converted from native habitat as a result of the delivery of CVP water. The habitat compensation consists substantially of the following mix of habitats:
- 3 acres of valley-foothill hardwood-conifer
- 1 acre of mixed chaparral
- 4,278 acres of valley-foothill riparian/fresh water emergent wetland
- 17,944 acres of annual grassland
- 23,165 acres of alkali scrub
As of August 2010, Reclamation has fulfilled 29,836 acres out of the total 45,391 acres of compensation requirements from D-1641. Reclamation has mitigated for 10,377 acres out of the 17,944 acres of required compensation for annual grassland and 9,725 acres out of 23,165 acres of required compensation for alkali scrub. Therefore, Reclamation still needs to compensate for 7,567 acres of annual grassland and 13,440 acres of alkali scrub. The CVPCP and HRP have provided funding to protect or restore about 2,300 acres (prorated) of alkali scrub and about 8,600 acres (prorated) of grassland since 1997. The original date for completion of all mitigation requirements under D-1641 was September 2010. The State Water Resources Control Board granted Reclamation an extension for the completion to 2020.
Reporting
Reclamation revised the HMP/MRP in December 2010. Reclamation will describe new mitigation projects and will obtain monitoring information through a systematic sampling of all the projects each year and provide this information annually to the SWRCB, California Department of Fish and Game, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Contact:
Douglas Kleinsmith
Natural Resource Specialist
Bureau of Reclamation, MP-152
2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 978-5034
For assistance in downloading information, please contact:
Public Affairs at 916-978-5100, .
Current as of: July 18, 2012