|
<br />Draft Environmental Impact Report
<br />Bernal Property Phase II Specific Plan
<br />
<br />Drainage Channel B-2-1, This channel, shown in Figure 13, is open, straight, narrow, and
<br />non-lined. It is vegetated with various grasses and herbaceous hydrophytic species, The
<br />ditch provides foraging habitat for various species of birds and mammals: the 1997/2000
<br />EIR reported that great blue heron, great egret, and mallards had been observed foraging in
<br />the ditch, The ditch may provide breeding habitat for amphibian and aquatic species,
<br />
<br />Water was found in the middle third of this channel during the October, 2005 visit. At that
<br />time it was also noted that the portion of this drainage west of 1-680 does not appear to be
<br />managed as aggressively as the eastern portion, Emergent and riparian vegetation are
<br />present in the western portion and would provide suitable habitat for a number of wildlife
<br />species,
<br />
<br />Detention Basins, Two storm water detention basins were developed on the Bernal Property
<br />in 2001-2002 as required in the Phase I Specific Plan to meet flood control requirements,
<br />The locations of these detention basins - one in the Western Area and the other in the
<br />Central Area - are shown in Figure 13, Both basins currently have the potential to provide
<br />aquatic breeding habitat for the California red-legged frog and in time may be suitable for
<br />California tiger salamander, At the time of the October, 2005, site visit, the western basin
<br />contained water in its northern end as well as a number of bullfrogs and waterfowl; the
<br />eastern basin was dry,
<br />
<br />(2) Wildlife
<br />
<br />As reflected in the 1997/2000 Phase I Specific Plan EIR, the agricultural, grassland, and
<br />riparian habitats provide for a diverse assemblage of resident and migrant wildlife species,
<br />but continual disturbance from agricultural activities and intensive grazing has limited the
<br />habitat value of the project site,
<br />
<br />Past annual disking of most of the croplands and intensive grazing of the pasturelands has
<br />reduced the habitat value of the site by eliminating cover, forage, and possible nesting
<br />locations. Similarly, periodic dredging of the main tributary drainage along the southern
<br />boundary and the smaller drainage ditches has prevented the establishment of dense
<br />emergent and riparian vegetation along many of these features, The riparian corridor along
<br />the Arroyo and the riparian area along the entire portion of channel B-2-1 in the section of
<br />the channel west of 1-680 could provide high quality habitat for a number of wildlife species.
<br />
<br />Although agricultural practices and intensive grazing have tended to eliminate important
<br />protective cover for wildlife throughout most of the project site, the location of the site and
<br />its restricted access have permitted utilization by smaller mammals and birds as well as
<br />larger predatory species, Insect and rodent populations fluctuate with the seasons as grass-
<br />land cover becomes re-established in early summer, When prey population levels are high,
<br />they provide an abundant food source for mammalian predators such as long-tailed weasel,
<br />raccoon, and coyote, as well as avian predators such as American kestrel, red-tailed hawk,
<br />barn owl, great horned owl, common egret, and great blue heron,
<br />
<br />Established grasslands provide habitat for a number of species, Species commonly associ-
<br />ated with grasslands include mourning dove, American goldfinch, western meadowlark,
<br />
<br />58
<br />
|