vernal pool symposium agenda wednesday, november 8, 2017 … · 2018. 5. 6. · sacramento-shasta...

Sacramento-Shasta Chapter of the Wildlife Society

Vernal Pool Symposium of 14 November 8, 2017

Vernal Pool Symposium Agenda Wednesday, November 8, 2017 Classroom Session

Sacramento State Union, Ballroom 1, Sacramento, CA

7:00 - 8:10 Registration & Breakfast Refreshments 8:10 - 8:20 Welcome and Opening Remarks

Session 1 – Landscape Coverage and Trends 8:20 - 8:50 Changes in the distribution of Great Valley vernal pool habitats from 2005 to 2012 ~ Dr. Robert

Holland 8:50 - 9:20 Ecohydrology of vernal pools: methods for evaluating potential impacts and potential restoration

sites ~ Niall McCarten, UC Davis

9:20 - 9:30 Quick Break

Session 2 – Regulatory Overview 9:30 - 9:50 USACE regulatory program's relationship with vernal pools in general ~ Dr. Kathleen Dadey,

Sacramento District Corps of Engineers

9:50 - 10:10 A review of the state environmental regulations and protection measures pertaining to vernal pools ~ Dr. Richard Lis & Kristin Hubbard, California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

10:10 - 10:30 Section 10(a)(1)(A) permitting for federally-listed vernal pool species~ Sarah Markegard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

10:30 - 10:50 Morning Break

Session 3 – Botany and Wildlife 10:50 - 11:10 Rings around the posies: Updates on the classification of vernal pool vegetation ~ Dr. Jennifer

Buck-Diaz, California Native Plant Society 11:10 - 11:30 Specialist bees and showy vernal pool flowers ~ Dr. Robbin Thorp, UC Davis 11:30 - 11:50 Rare amphibians of northern California vernal pools ~ Brian Pittman, Environmental Science

Associates 11:50 - 12:10 Ecology of vernal pool large branchiopods and other aquatic invertebrates ~ Dr. Brent Helm,

Helm Biological Consulting

12:10 - 1:20 Lunch and Poster Social (lunch served on-site) – come visit our merchandise table!

Session 4 – Mitigation 1:20 - 1:40 USACE South Pacific Division’s Mitigation Ratio-Setting Checklist ~ Zachary Simmons,

Sacramento District Corps of Engineers 1:40 – 2:00 Banking on the Future – Challenges in establishing Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s Nature

Preserve Mitigation Bank ~ Emily Bacchini, SMUD 2:00 - 2:20 2017: the year the California tiger salamander lost its unicorn status ~ Jaymee Marty, Marty

Ecological Consulting, Inc. 2:20 - 2:40 Overview of Westervelt vernal pool mitigation projects ~ Tara Collins, Westervelt Ecological

Services**

2:40 - 3:00 Afternoon Break

Session 5 – Restoration and Case Studies 3:00 - 3:20 Status of vernal pool resources in northern counties, and a synopsis of the activities of the Butte-

Tehama-Shasta Vernal Pool Recovery Group ~ Dr. Richard Lis & Kristin Hubbard, California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

3:20 - 3:40 The use of soil inoculum in vernal pool restoration: what it does and doesn’t do ~ Bill Roper and Mahala Guggino, Wildlands, Inc

3:40 - 4:00 Teichert’s vernal pool construction and monitoring project in Placer Co.:10-year post-construction summary and plans for a follow-up study ~ Barry Baba and Jasmine Greer, Teichert Materials***

4:00 - 4:20 If You (Re)build It, They Will Come: sensitive species recovery at SMUD’s Nature Preserve Mitigation Bank ~ Becky Rozumowicz, Area West Consulting

4:20 - 5:00 Discussion Panel – questions from the audience

Thank you to our Sponsors! *** = Premier Sponsor ($1,000); ** = Platinum Sponsor ($750)



The Sac-Shasta Chapter of the Wildlife Society thanks the following sponsors for helping make this Vernal Pool Symposium possible:

Premier Sponsor ($1,000 level) – The Sac-Shasta Chapter of TWS expresses

gratitude for Triangle Properties for helping to support this symposium:

Platinum Sponsor ($750 level) – Thank you to Westervelt Ecological Services



Oral Presentation Abstracts Presenting authors in bold

Session 1: Landscape Coverage and Trends 8:20 – 9:20

CHANGES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF GREAT VALLEY VERNAL POOL HABITATS FROM 2005 TO 2012 Carol Whitham1, Robert Holland2, John Vollmar3 1 Independent Consultant, 1141 37th Street, Sacramento, CA 95816 ([email protected]) 2 Geobotanical Phenomenology, 3371 Ayres Holmes Road, Auburn CA 95602 ([email protected]) 3 Vollmar Natural Lands Consulting. 1720 Solano Avenue. Berkeley, CA 94707 We recently updated our map of vernal pool distribution in the Great Valley from 2005 to 2012 conditions by re-examining each 2005-mapped polygon in 2012 USDA NAIP county photomosaics. Extant habitat declined over the interval from 807,820 to 764,868 acres. We found 502 polygons covering 47,300+ acres that had been reduced or eliminated between 2005 and 2012. We also found 38 new banks (1,678 acres) and added 24 polygons (2,675 acres) of habitat we missed in 2005. We identified the land use to which each polygon had been converted, finding that 95% of acres were converted to agricultural uses more intensive than livestock grazing. Only 5% of acres were lost to urbanization. We used 4 available conservation easement databases to determine the fraction of extant habitat that had any sort of conservation protection, and were surprised to find that 229,637 acres (30%) were "protected" (but many caveats lurk herein). Our mapped acreages include both vernal pool habitat and the surrounding grassland matrix, so we ask: how many wetted acres were lost over the interval? We used Daubenmire's mid-point-of-cover-class-range method to calculate that 1,563 wetted acres were lost over the interval (223 wetted acres/year). Finally, we ask how our estimates of wetted acres compare with Corps-approved wetland delineations. We used 15 delineations from Placer, Sacramento, and Merced counties, all done by anonymized consultants within the past decade. Thus, we consider each test a separate replication. Single degree of freedom comparisons of expected (our calculation based on air photo interpretation) and observed (sub-meter delineation in the field) wetted acres were within a Chi-square in 10 of the 15 delineations. In the 5 that flunked, our method consistently under-estimated the delineation acreage. Thus, our estimates of wetted acres lost should be taken as lower bounds.

ECOHYDROLOGY OF VERNAL POOLS: METHODS FOR EVALUATING POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND POTENTIAL RESTORATION SITES Niall McCarten, Graduate Student, Dept. of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 ([email protected]). Predicting the hydroperiod (days of inundation) and plant species distribution and abundance within a vernal pool depends on the site geophysical characteristics and soil structure and meteorological variability. The majority of vernal pools have a geophysical and soil structure that includes a water-restricting layer in the soil as either a claypan or duripan. In either case, water input from direct precipitation in the pool depression and from upslope inputs from the catchment determine the hydroperiod. The depth of surface water in a pool is dependent on the amount of water input, depth to the water-restricting soil horizon, and height of the lowest elevation in the pool rim that could provide discharge out of the pool. To determine the geophysical structure of vernal pool landscapes ground-penetrating radar was applied to measure the depth and thickness in seven different soil series and associated geomorphic terraces. Hydrological monitoring was conducted using hourly data collection of surface and subsurface. Soil moisture and redox potential were measured in soil profiles between different locations of the pool depression, the rim, and upland. Hourly meteorological data were also collected. Using a water balance model with field data the relationships between a vernal pool’s geophysical structure and meteorological variability were determined. The area and slope of the surrounding upland catchment was found to be critical for the supply of additional water to a vernal pool depression and contributing as much as 60% of the seasonal water and increasing the hydroperiod of a pool. The depth of the water-restricting layer affected the depth of surface water in conjunction with the elevation of a downslope discharge point. The amount and seasonal timing of annual rainfall and its interaction with evapotranspiration determined the relative annual variation in hydroperiod. The methods used here can be used to assess the potential for hydrological impacts resulting from project ground-

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disturbing activities. These methods can also be used to conduct the adequate level of site assessment to determine the potential for vernal pool restoration or creation.

Simultaneously, detailed vegetation studies were conducted that included measuring the elevations of plants along an elevation gradient and comparing those data with subsurface and surface water levels, soil moisture within and below the rooting zone, and presence and variability of aerobic and anaerobic soils. Multiple years with variable rainfall and seasonal timing correlated the hydrology with plant species and abundance in vernal pools. Different morphological, physiological, and life history characteristics of vernal pool and non-vernal pool plants determine their presence, abundance, and distribution. One vernal pool is a complex structure based on the potential hydroperiod, surface water depth, and depth to claypan. Every year can have a substantially different set of dominant plant species, and the distribution within the pool can similarly vary. Differences of more than 100 days of surface water inundation can occur between years. While the plant species distribution can follow an elevation gradient from the pool basin to the upper rim, it is not always the case due to the presence of the claypan that can occur near the soil surface or relatively deep. This results in localized zones of increased soil moisture. Also, the presence of anaerobic soils is highly variable, and parts of a pool may be anaerobic and other parts are not resulting in a selection of plants that can tolerate anaerobic conditions. Knowledge of the interaction between the geophysical structure of a pool and the landscape and the meteorological variation can help predict the hydrology and potential plant species and their abundance. This could provide insight into how vernal pools could change regionally with climate change with respect to hydrology and plant species.

Session 2: Regulatory Overview 9:30– 10:30

USACE REGULATORY PROGRAM'S RELATIONSHIP WITH VERNAL POOLS IN GENERAL Kathleen Dadey, California South Branch Regulatory Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, 1325 J Street Sacramento, California 95814 ([email protected])

The Corps of Engineers regulates discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the US under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. EPA’s regulation of fluid pollutants and certification that discharges will not violate water quality standards have been delegated to the states and tribes. Despite recent court cases, in general, the Corps considers vernal pool waters of the US. The Rapanos Supreme Court decision and subsequent guidance require the Corps to identify a “significant nexus” from a particular water to a “traditionally navigable water”. This nexus can be physical, chemical or biological. Vernal pools are often considered to be “isolated” – and thus not jurisdictional, as they are sometimes inferred to fail to provide that “significant nexus” to navigable waters. We have, however, evidence, both anecdotal and science-based, that rebukes this assumption.

When evaluating applications to fill waters of the US, including vernal pools, the Corps must evaluate the proposal’s mitigation: avoidance of waters, minimization of impacts, and compensation for unavoidable impacts. Depending on the scale of the proposed project, the Corps may require evaluation of off site alternatives; for projects that may be authorized by general permits, only on-site alternatives need be considered.

In addition to the Clean Water Act, the Corps must ensure compliance with other federal laws, such as the Endangered Species Act (many, if not most, vernal pools are home to a number of listed species), the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, and less commonly, the National Historic Preservation Act (sometimes vernal pool are located within, for example, historic mining districts or are near streams which often are associated with Native American cultural resources). The Corps recognizes the importance of vernal pools in our ecosystem and generally, mitigation rates (except at mitigation banks) are high. In fact, with the continued loss of vernal pools in our area of responsibility, the Sacramento District of the Corps is considering increasing required mitigation rates, including those at banks.

A REVIEW OF THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND PROTECTION MEASURES PERTAINING TO VERNAL POOLS




Richard Lis and Kristin Hubbard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Northern Region, 2440 Athens Avenue, Redding, CA 96001 ([email protected], [email protected]) Protection of vernal pools through state regulations occurs through several the actions of two agencies - the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). These agencies administer various acts and sets of regulations which have varying degrees of protection for vernal pools. Protection of vernal pools by CDFW is primarily through for the California Endangered Species Act, and California Environmental Quality Act, and other related regulations that provide indirect protection will be discussed. The Fish and Game Commission has issued a statement concerning water and wetland resources and supports a policy of no net loss of wetlands. This presentation discusses these policies and how they are implemented within the Northern Region of DFW for vernal pool conservation. The SWRCB in 2016 has been working on revisions to the Water Quality Control Plan for Inland Surface Waters, Enclosed Bays, and Estuaries, which would include procedures for discharges of dredged or fill materials to waters of the state, and which would include better definitions for what constitute waters of the state and how they should be regulated by the various Regional Water Boards. This presentation discusses the roles of these agencies in their implementation of regulations and policy, as they apply to vernal pools. The state regulations and protection measures will be briefly compared and contrasted to the major federal regulations.

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT 10(A)(1)(A) PERMITTING FOR FEDERALLY-LISTED VERNAL POOL SPECIES Sarah Markegard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Field Office, Listing and Recovery Division, 2800 Cottage Way W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825-1888 ([email protected])

Chances are, if you plan to conduct occupancy surveys or other research activities in vernal pool habitats, you will need a Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the federal Endangered Species Act “recovery” permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). This presentation will touch on four primary topics related to FWS recovery permits for vernal pool species: 1) What is a recovery permit and how does it accomplish the mandate set out in Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA)? 2) What vernal pool species and activities require a recovery permit? 3) How to acquire the necessary experience to independently survey or conduct research in vernal pool habitats and apply for a recovery permit, and 4) The Terms and Conditions of a recovery permit for Federally-listed vernal pool species. This talk is intended for anyone interested in or currently working to conserve vernal pool landscapes in California, Nevada, and Oregon. Participants should leave the presentation with a basic understanding of how to comply with the ESA when conducting recovery work with Threatened and Endangered species such as the vernal pool fairy shrimp and the vernal pool tadpole shrimp.

Session 3: Botany and Wildlife 10:50– 12:10

RINGS AROUND THE POSIES: UPDATES ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF VERNAL POOL VEGETATION Jennifer Buck-Diaz, California Native Plant Society, 2707 K Street, Suite 1, Sacramento, CA 95816 ([email protected]) While vernal pools were most abundant in the Great Valley of pre-European California, they can still be found in more than 30 counties across the state. The vegetation of vernal pools were sampled and classified under a statewide project spear-headed by Dr. Michael Barbour. This decade-long floristic study highlighted fine-scale patterns within pools and showed that a given pool can contain rings or patches of more than one vegetation type; it also linked rare plant species with associated habitats. The initial results of this research have been incorporated into larger statewide and national classification efforts including the Manual of California Vegetation and the U.S. National Vegetation Classification System. The results include definitions and characterization of vegetation falling into 15 alliances and more than 50 associations.


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Inundation period, soil characteristics, and water chemistry have been shown to significantly influence the floristic composition of vernal pool vegetation. While some plant species are well represented in vernal pools across the state, others are more specific to particular climatic and geomorphic settings. In more recent analyses of the Barbour et al. dataset, I will highlight results on indicator plant species analyses, defining vernal pool vegetation across numerous regions of the state including the Great Valley, southern California, Central Coast, and Modoc Plateau.

SPECIALIST BEES AND SHOWY VERNAL POOL FLOWERS Robbin Thorp, Emeritus Professor of Entomology, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 ([email protected])

Vernal pool flowers with showy displays are often visited by native solitary bees whose females specialize in collecting pollen from one or a few closely related species of flowering plants. These specialist bees may be the most effective pollinators of the showy vernal pool flowers. Most of these bees nest in soil in the upland areas surrounding the pools and tie these surrounding uplands to the pools via their pollination services.

RARE AMPHIBIANS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA VERNAL POOLS Brian Pittman, Environmental Science Associates, 2600 Capitol Ave # 200, Sacramento, CA 95816 ([email protected]) This discussion will explore the ecology of vernal pools, emphasizing factors that influence habitat suitability for rare vernal pool vertebrates and invertebrates. Several vertebrate species are vernal pool obligates that live as terrestrial adults and then converge on pools to reproduce shortly following the first winter rains. In California’s Central Valley, such pools are primary breeding habitat for the federal- and state-listed threatened California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) and the western spadefoot (Spea hammondii). These specially-adapted species reproduce in short-lived pools and rapidly disperse into the surrounding environment as the pools dry. These species use vernal pools and surrounding uplands in very different manners, which will be explored during the presentation.

ECOLOGY OF VERNAL POOL LARGE BRANCHIOPODS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES Brent Helm, Helm Biological Consulting, 4600 Karchner Road, Sheridan, CA 95681 ([email protected]) This presentation will discuss physical, chemical, and biological factors effecting distributions and abundances of large branchiopods (fairy shrimp, tadpole shrimp, and clam shrimp) and other aquatic invertebrates that are dependent on vernal pool habitats. General phenology of aquatic invertebrates will be discussed as well as a few misconceptions about vernal pools. Examples from case studies will be presented to illustrate poignant points.

Session 4: Mitigation 1:20 – 2:40 CORPS OF ENGINEERS SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION’S MITIGATION RATIO-SETTING CHECKLIST Zachary Simmons, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, 1325 J Street Sacramento, California 95814 ([email protected]) The South Pacific Division (SPD) of the Army Corps of Engineers has developed a standardized process for determining compensatory mitigation ratios required for processing DA permits. The primary purposes of the mitigation ratio-setting checklist are to reduce inconsistencies between project managers, incorporate current scientific understanding of mitigation concepts, and document these decisions, thereby reducing uncertainty and increasing transparency to the regulated community.





Issues evaluated in the checklist include: A comparison of the functions and values of the impact and mitigation resource; mitigation site location (in relation to the impact site;) loss of aquatic resource surface area; type conversion (e.g., rare or regionally significant habitat type relative to more common, less significant habitats); risk and uncertainty, and temporal loss. The mitigation ratio setting checklist continues to evolve, based on feedback from practitioners; the most recent as updated in 2017 addresses ratios for preservation as mitigation.

BANKING ON THE FUTURE – CHALLENGES IN ESTABLISHING SMUD’S NATURE PRESERVE MITIGATION BANK Emily Bacchini1, Becky Rozumowicz2 1 Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Environmental Management, 6201 S Street, Mailstop H201, Sacramento, CA 95817 ([email protected]) 2 Area West Consulting, 6248 Main Avenue, Suite C, Orangevale, CA 95662 ([email protected])

After looking at and pursuing development opportunities, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) established a mitigation bank on property it acquired in the late 60s, for its nuclear power plant. The Rancho Seco property supports several rare and endangered species, including vernal pool fairy shrimp, vernal pool tadpole shrimp, and California tiger salamander. During this talk, we will discuss some of the challenges SMUD encountered in developing the mitigation bank primarily related to multiple land uses in and around the property, regulatory changes, and internal challenges of a municipal utility district managing a mitigation bank.

2017: THE YEAR THE CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDER LOST ITS UNICORN STATUS Jaymee Marty1, Kirsten Christopherson2 and Deanne Weber3 1 Marty Ecological Consulting, Inc., Sacramento, CA 95826 ([email protected]) 2 U.S. Air Force Civil Engineer Center, 550 Hickam Ave., Travis AFB, CA 94535 ([email protected]) 3 Center for Env. Mgt. of Military Lands, 401 Hickham Ave, Travis AFB, CA 94535 ([email protected]) In May 2017, California tiger salamander (CTS; Ambystoma californiense) metamorphs started marching out of a stock pond adjacent to Travis Air Force Base and wandering through the grasslands around the airfield including onto roads and the active runway. This was a surprising event given that less than a half dozen adult CTS had been recorded on the 5,100-acre site prior to 2017. The Air Force responded by implementing morning runway sweeps to capture and relocate CTS metamorphs to safe burrow sites. In addition, a drift fence study was initiated adjacent to the breeding pond to better understand the movement patterns and size of the CTS population. In total, 820 CTS were relocated: 154 from the runway and 666 from the traps. A total of 52 metamorphs were found dead either from vehicle strikes or from desiccation. This talk will cover the lessons learned about CTS use of the vernal pool grassland landscape; management of breeding and upland habitat for CTS; and regulatory implications from this case study.

OVERVIEW OF WESTERVELT VERNAL POOL MITIGATION PROJECTS Tara Collins, Westervelt Ecological Services, 600 N. Market Blvd., #3, Sacramento CA 95834 ([email protected]) Established in 2006, Westervelt has established five vernal pool mitigation or conservation banks totaling nearly 3,000 acres. Westervelt is also in the process of establishing four additional vernal pool mitigation sites totaling at least 2,500 acres for permittee-responsible mitigation. Some of these mitigation sites are preservation only, while others include a vernal pool restoration and/or reestablishment component. This presentation examines the process of site selection for vernal pool mitigation projects, the








construction/design process, and monitoring periods. It also discusses project constraints and the future of vernal pool mitigation and banking.

Session 5; Restoration and Case Studies 3:00 – 4:20

STATUS OF VERNAL POOL RESOURCES IN LASSEN, MODOC, SHASTA, AND TEHAMA COUNTIES; AND A SYNOPSIS OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE BUTTE-TEHAMA-SHASTA VERNAL POOL RECOVERY GROUP Richard Lis and Kristin Hubbard, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Northern Region, 2440 Athens Avenue, Redding, CA 96001 ([email protected], [email protected]) Vernal pools in Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, and Tehama Counties are facing differing threats due to the significantly different ownership base within the region. In Modoc, Lassen, and eastern Shasta Counties most vernal pool landscape areas are found on U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management properties and both of these agencies have been working to manage their vernal pools to protect these resources. In south-western Shasta County and Tehama County vernal pools have a variety of ownerships that have varying interests in protecting and maintaining their vernal pool resources Agencies. The Bureau of Land Management has been consolidating holdings over the past 20 years to protect vernal pool landscape areas in southwestern Shasta and central Tehama County. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service and DFW have been working with other partners to promote protection of vernal pools on private property using conservation easements, mitigation banks, and other means. Non-profit organizations such as the Tehama Resource Conservation District, The Shasta Land Trust, Nature Conservancy, have been working to acquire conservation easements or ownership of large properties with vernal pools. On the negative side, particularly in Tehama County, large sections of land with vernal pools and swales are being lost to agricultural conversion from rangeland to orchards (primarily walnuts, almonds, or vine olives). Development by housing and other infrastructure has also contributed to loss of vernal pools, but at a smaller scale. The Butte-Tehama-Shasta Vernal Pool Recovery Group (BTSVPRG) formed in response to a recovery measure of the USF&WS Final Recovery Plan for Vernal Pool Ecosystems of California and Southern Oregon. This group has been meeting monthly for over 10 years. The group has primarily been composed of staff from DFW, DWR, USF&WS, CSU-Chico, Aqua Alliance, and other non-profits. Activities of the group have been focused on vernal pool research, habitat protection, coordination with agencies and stake-holders, information sharing, co-sponsoring a triennial vernal pool symposium, field trips, and any other activity that may have a bearing on the conservation of vernal pools in these counties. The group has also coordinated with the state implementation team for vernal pool recovery. Discussion of the major past activities of the BTSVPRG will be shared along with upcoming activities.

THE USE OF SOIL INOCULUM IN VERNAL POOL RESTORATION: WHAT IT DOES AND DOESN’T DO. Bill Roper and Mahala Guggino, Wildlands. Inc., 3301 Industrial Ave., Rocklin, CA 95765 ([email protected])

The use of soil inoculum is a relatively common practice in vernal pool restoration/creation efforts. Some restoration ecologists and planners view the introduction of inoculum as having a ‘magical effect’ on the biological development of constructed vernal pools. Some express concern about potential consequences of transferring this material from one location to another. Monitoring results from our restoration efforts indicate that this material is useful in the establishment of vernal pool plants and invertebrates within constructed pools, but it is important to understand our objectives for using this material, our expectations, and what the use or nonuse of this material means to future restoration efforts.

TEICHERT’S VERNAL POOL CONSTRUCTION AND MONITORING PROJECT IN PLACER CO.:10-YEAR POST-CONSTRUCTION SUMMARY AND PLANS FOR A FOLLOW-UP STUDY





Barry Baba and Jasmine Greer, Teichert Materials, 3500 American River Drive, Sacramento, CA 95864 ([email protected], [email protected]) Long-term post-construction monitoring of mitigation vernal pools can provide valuable insight into the actual success of vernal pool construction and inform ongoing efforts to create and maintain high-quality mitigation habitat. In an effort to better understand vernal pool construction techniques and evaluate resulting long-term success in the context of ongoing and future mitigation projects, Teichert Aggregates’ (Teichert) has conducted 10-year post-construction monitoring of mitigation pools constructed at Teichert’s Lincoln Property, located in Placer County, and plans to perform a comprehensive 20-year post-construction study in 2018.

In 1996, Teichert’s vernal pool wetland restoration and creation efforts at the Lincoln Property resulted in the establishment of two adjoining wetland restoration complexes encompassing 143 acres, with 20 acres consisting of created vernal pool habitat. A total of 165 pools were constructed, 61 of which (plus 8 natural reference pools) were monitored for 7 years over a 10-year period following construction (1997-2007). This year marks the 20th year post-construction, with pools to be monitored again during the 2017-2018 hydrology period and the 2018 spring season. The monitoring program is based on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 1994 Specific Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Guidelines for Vernal Pools. Constructed pools are considered successful if performing within the range of reference pools. Data collected include: water depths and percent of inundation; vegetative cover and composition; macroinvertebrate population compositions; wildlife species observed; and overall site conditions. In 2007, at the end of the 10-year monitoring period, monitoring results showed that constructed pools were similar to reference pools, although generally deeper and inundated for longer periods than reference pools and supporting higher plant cover of wetland and native vernal pool obligate species. Moreover, all constructed wetlands were found to support the federally-listed Branchinecta lynchi. In 2017-2018, Teichert will repeat data collection as carried out in previous monitoring years and compare results to established success criteria and prior findings. Lessons learned regarding such factors as construction depth, inoculum source, and data collection will be incorporated into Teichert’s plans and practices in future vernal pool construction and monitoring projects.

IF YOU (RE)BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME: SENSITIVE SPECIES RECOVERY AT SMUD’S NATURE PRESERVE MITIGATION BANK Becky Rozumowicz1 and Emily Bacchini2 1 Area West Consulting, 6248 Main Avenue, Suite C, Orangevale, CA 95662 ([email protected]) 2 SMUD, Environmental Management, 6201 S Street, Mailstop H201, Sacramento, CA 95817([email protected]) The Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD) Nature Preserve Mitigation Bank contains vernal pool complexes that host many special-status species including California tiger salamander, vernal pool fairy shrimp, and vernal pool tadpole shrimp. In the fall of 2011, SMUD restored approximately 25 acres of vernal pools on 92 acres of leveled irrigated pasture at the Bank to provide additional habitat for these species. The use of historic aerial photographs, geographic information systems (GIS), and soil pit investigations helped identify the boundaries of the historic wetlands, but restoration design and wetland construction remained challenging without historic topographic information. Additionally, wetland restoration was hindered by rains during construction which made it difficult to incorporate all design elements. Despite the challenges, the number of special-status species inhabiting these restored wetlands has steadily increased over the past five years at the Bank.







Chapter Announcements

Annual Winter Mixer with Association of Environmental Professionals and the

American Planning Association! Date: December 6, 2017, Time 5:30pm-7:30pm

Location: Station 1 (above Burgers and Brew), 317 3rd St, West Sacramento, CA

Members and non-members alike are welcome to raise a glass in celebration of the holiday season and a

successful year of programs, professional development, and networking events! Appetizers and the first

round are on us! The event is FREE for AEP, APA, and TWS members and $20 for non-members if you

register before December 1. After December 1, the cost is $20 for both members and non-members.

Please help us give back to our community by bringing a donation of non-perishable, non-expired food

or personal care items for the River City Food Bank. Visit their website to see their donation wishlist.

See here for Registration.

Chapter Elections are approaching for 2018! We are looking to break into 2018 with a full

Executive board – though 2017 was a busy year for us, we are looking to improve in 2018! We’re looking

for a President Elect (Vice President) to lead the vision for the Chapter (3 year commitment). We also

seek someone to help us plan professional development trainings, mixers, and other events as

Professional Development Chair. In 2017 we expanded outreach within our 23 counties (Northern

Representative), but more can be done to better serve those areas. We need assistance with budgeting

and finances – Treasurer. We also are seeking someone to assist with monitoring our Membership

registrar! Many more options available – planning your next trainings or workshops with the Professional

Development Committee, graphic design for new schwag, Conservation Affairs Committee – you make

your chapter what you want! Please contact us at [email protected] and help us do more to serve you!

Vernal Pool Branchiopods: A Workshop for Future Permit Holders Western Section TWS is hosting a workshop that combines both the ID class and the 20 hours of wet

season surveys required towards the Vernal Pool Branchiopods 10(a)(1)(A) permit. Participants who

complete both will have the minimum requirements to apply for a wet season permit for endangered

vernal pool branchiopods. Date: February 20-25, 2018, Davis and Sacramento Valley.

February 20-22: Identification Course; February 23-25: Wet Season Surveys. For more information, click

here.

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Poster Presentation Abstracts

STATUS SURVEYS FOR SEVEN FEDERALLY LISTED VERNAL POOL GRASSES AND CHAMAESYCE HOOVERI IN THE SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN VALLEYS (GREAT VALLEY), CALIFORNIA Carol Witham, Independent Consultant, 1141 37th Street, Sacramento, CA 95816 ([email protected]) The last comprehensive field surveys for eight federally listed vernal pool plant species were conducted in 1986-1987 by Biosystems Analysis (Stone et al. 1988). Since that time, over 100,000 acres of vernal pool habitat have been lost to conversion (Holland 2009). This project updates our knowledge of the distribution and status for Colusa grass (Neostapfia colusana), San Joaquin Valley orcutt grass (Orcuttia inaequalis), hairy orcutt grass (Orcuttia pilosa), slender orcutt grass (Orcuttia tenuis), Sacramento orcutt grass (Orcuttia viscida), Greene’s tuctoria (Tuctoria greenei), Solano Grass (Tuctoria mucronata), and Hoover’s spurge (Chamaesyce hooveri) in the Great Valley. Through a combination of field surveys and aerial photography interpretation, this project reports on the current status of 288 occurrences including 15 populations previously unreported and 11 erroneous or duplicate records. Agricultural conversion still threatens many of these species in portions of their range and particularly in Stanislaus and Madera Counties. New extirpations occurred or were documented during the 2010-2011 field surveys. On the positive side, vast areas of vernal pool landscapes containing multiple occurrences of these species are protected in many areas of the Great Valley. This poster highlights some of the results of this two year study to update our knowledge on the distribution and status of these rare plant species.

CASE STUDIES OF VERNAL POOL RESTORATION: IDENTIFYING REASONS FOR FAILURE AND SUCCESS Niall McCarten, Graduate Student, Dept. of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 ([email protected]). Vernal pool restoration and creation have been conducted for several decades for the purpose of conservation to restore impacted habitats and for compensatory mitigation. Existing restored and created vernal pools at Beale Air Force Base were evaluated to determine specific reasons they may not be meeting performance criteria and why, in some cases, they are. The historical monitoring of restored/created vernal pools shows how different vernal pool groups performed based on hydrology and vegetation over up to 10 years. The difference in a vernal pool’s ecohydrological performance is directly linked to the geophysical placement and construction relative to the annual variation in seasonal rainfall. Two case studies are presented that applied ecohydrological methods in the site assessment, hydrological analysis, engineering design, construction implementation, and monitoring. Data indicate that detailed understanding of the soil structure and landscape in the proposed restoration sites in combination with a modeling the hydrology based below average, average, above average rainfall years can result in a higher prediction of successful implementation and hydrological and ecological functioning. The hydrological performance should be able to be met in year one and continue to be met every year. The vegetation requires a substantial seed bank that is not sufficiently provided in the first year of inoculation. Therefore, the trajectory for vegetation performance is dependent on the hydrology being present, but the rate of percent vegetation cover increase each year can be slow unless there are additional seed amendments. Soil characteristics and hydrology will also determine what groups of plant species may be present and dominant during variable rainfall years.

ENDEMISM IN CALIFORNIA'S VERNAL POOLS AND HOW THIS LEADS TO REGULATORY OVERSIGHT Kathy Norton, California South Branch Regulatory Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, 1325 J Street Sacramento, California 95814 ([email protected])





California has unique vernal pools with their own set of flora and fauna that inhabit this wetland environment. Vernal pools, with connected hydrology, are considered waters of the United States and are regulated under Section 404 of the Federal Clean Water Act. Vernal pools are also protected under State law for proposed impacts to waters of the State. Because many of the species that exist in the vernal pools are California endemics, they are rare and are listed under the Federal and/or State Endangered Species Acts. Therefore, because of this network of regulations on different aspects of the same habitat, regulatory oversight is involved if impacts or alterations of this habitat are proposed. Examples of listed species that inhabit vernal pool habitats include California tiger salamanders (Ambystoma californiense), vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi), Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), Delta green ground beetle (Elaphrus viridis), Butte County Meadowfoam (Limnanthes floccose ssp. californica), Green’s Tuctoria (Tuctoria greenei), and succulent owl’s-clover (Castilleja campestris ssp. succulenta). The endemism of species contributes to their uniqueness and identifies that their overall population numbers are smaller than those of more wide ranging species. This compounded by the loss of habitat leads to further population reductions, and then protections under Federal and State laws of the species. This and the regulations of water laws gives this habitat a regulatory oversight on multiple levels.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH BRANCHINECTA LYNCHI OCCURRENCE IN FRESHWATER ROCK POOLS Kevin Marr, Department of Water Resources and Kneitel Lab, California State University Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819 ([email protected]) Branchinecta lynchi is a federally listed Branchiopod endemic to ephemeral waters, but little is known about their species population dynamics, and no published studies are available specific to their occurrence in freshwater rock pools. I observed B. lynchi occurrence during the 2016-2017 aquatic phase in a 9,300 square-Meter complex of rock pools near Livermore, CA, to discover environmental conditions significantly affecting pool occupancy. Between November – March, 112 rock pools were sampled 3 separate times for invertebrate species; each pool’s geometry, water temperature, and dissolved Oxygen was recorded, while air temperatures and rainfall data were recorded at the Brentwood USGS weather station. B. lynchi occupancy was highest at 68% during November-January conditions of light rainfall and cooling air temperatures. As weather warmed and rainfall intensified, occupancy declined to 29% by the end of March. Generalized linear models were compared to explain the presence or absence of B. lynchi with environmental data between early and late-season periods, and principle coordinates analysis was used investigate patterns of community composition. Pool extirpations of B. lynchi were significantly associated with warmer water temperatures and larger pool volumes, which consequently allowed for greater predator richness late-season. Pool volume was highly correlated with species richness, while predatory species were positively correlated with B. lynchi occupancy early season, yet negatively correlated with their occupancy late-season. Overall seasonal occupancy increased by 3 pools: all of which were low-volume, with short isolation distance and lower elevation from pools initially occupied by B. lynchi. These results corroborate other observances of the species preferring shallower pools, and indicate support for the importance of smaller pools in maintaining B. lynchi occupancy. Anostrocan dispersal has been found to be dependent upon wind-born cysts and longer persistence; longer dryer periods expose the cyst-bed more to wind which can influence population persistence during both the aquatic and dry phases of the species habitat. Therefore, conservation efforts for B. lynchi habitat should survey between November-January for greatest accuracy detecting occupancy, and the prevalence of low-volume pools may allow for greater dispersal during both dry and aquatic habitat conditions. Furthermore, increasing the size of existing B. lynchi occupied rock pools is likely to increase predator richness, which would further negatively affect their seasonal occupancy duration as the aquatic phase progresses. Thus, the inclusion of small pools in regional conservation planning efforts is critical to maintaining B. lynchi population persistence across a landscape.

LIVESTOCK USE HAS MIXED EFFECTS ON ORCUTTIA TENIUS IN NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA VERNAL POOLS

Kyle Merriam1, P.J. Weisberg2, and M.C. Gosejohan2 1 USDA Forest Service, Plumas National Forest, 159 Lawrence St., Quincy, CA 95971




2 Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada – Reno, 1000 Valley Road, MS 186, Reno, NV 89512 Land managers often face the dilemma of balancing livestock use with conservation of sensitive species and ecosystems. For example, most of the remaining vernal pools in California are grazed by livestock. Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands that support many rare and endemic species, such as Orcuttia tenuis Hitchc. (Poaceae). Although there is evidence that livestock use may benefit some vernal pool specialists, grazing has been considered a threat to Orcuttia tenuis in northeastern California. We evaluated the effects of livestock use by comparing Orcuttia tenuis frequency, density, and cover in plots where livestock had been excluded with plots where grazing occurred. Livestock do not directly graze Orcuttia tenuis, so the effects of livestock use on this species are indirect. Year had the largest effect on Orcuttia tenuis, probably as a result of variation in annual precipitation patterns. Livestock use had no effect in some years; in other years Orcuttia tenuis was twice as abundant in unfenced than in fenced plots. Litter cover was also lower in unfenced plots in these years, suggesting that livestock use may benefit Orcuttia tenuis in some years by reducing litter accumulation. Conversely, livestock use negatively affected Orcuttia tenuis in pastures where livestock hoof print cover was high, including pastures that were grazed early in the season. Our results suggest that by considering environmental factors such as precipitation, site conditions, and season of grazing, land managers may be better able to balance the needs of

sensitive vernal pool species with maintaining livestock utilization.

USE OF HIGH RESOLUTION TOPOGRAPHIC DATA AND VERNAL POOL MONITORING DATA TO IMPROVE VERNAL POOL DESIGN George Salvaggio, WRA, Inc. 2169-G East Francisco Blvd., San Rafael, CA 94901 The distribution of plant species within vernal pools and the utilization of vernal pools by vernal pool tadpole shrimp are related to the depth and duration of inundation. Design parameters that affect hydrology have traditionally been limited to maximum depth, vernal pool area, and the ratio between watershed area and vernal pool area. Recently we used information from the analysis of high-resolution topographic data and data from vegetation/crustacean monitoring of vernal pools in order to improve our understanding of the relationship between the topography, hydrology, and the distribution of species and refine the design parameters for vernal pools including the goals listed below:

Better understand the relationship between topographic, hydrology, and species distribution

Refine design parameters including:

Water depth distribution within the pools

Average water depth

Storage volume

Ratio of storage volume to watershed size

Have the ability to design the following types of vernal pools:

Pools with a high percent coverage and high diversity of vernal pools plant species

Deeper, less-vegetated pools with a high likelihood of being occupied by vernal pool tadpole shrimp

Avoid designing pools with inadequate hydrology and consequently a high occurrence of non-native upland grass species

We used the results of this analysis to plan and design two large case studies that will restore and monitor more than 60 acres of vernal pools. These vernal pools will be constructed during the summer of 2018 and the pools will be monitored for 10 years.

DESIGN TOOL FOR DESIGNING VERNAL POOLS George Salvaggio, WRA, Inc. 2169-G East Francisco Blvd., San Rafael, CA 94901 Vernal pools design often involves developing grading plans that will result in the reestablishment of vernal pool hydrology and the establishment of vernal pool flora and fauna. This poster provides an over view of an effective tool kit for designing vernal pools. We used the tool kit to design two upcoming large-



scale vernal pool mitigation projects, will test the efficacy of this approach. Elements of the tool kit include:

Soil classification data

Historical aerial photographs

Slope analysis

Soil test pits for characterizing restrictive layers

Soil infiltrometer tests

Quantitative water budget

GIS segmentation software

Replication of pool and mound topography from a reference area

Analysis of high resolution topography for establishing design parameters

Analysis of monitoring data to relate duration of inundation with floristic characterization and presence of crustaceans

Detailed grading plans and 3D-visualization

Mima mound grading templates

WARMING AND INUNDATION TIMING EFFECTS ON CALIFORNIA VERNAL POOL COMMUNITIES Robin Shin, Kneitel Lab, California State University Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819 ([email protected]) Climate change models predict that increased temperatures will change the structure and function of ecosystems at across all ecosystem types. Communities are structured by a variety of abiotic (e.g., nutrient cycling, disturbance) and biotic (productivity, competition, predation) factors. Hydro-regime characteristics such as the duration, magnitude, frequency, and timing of inundation are important factors that influence community dynamics in wetlands. Many warming experiments have been done in permanent freshwater systems, but few in temporary systems. Here, a mesocosm experiment tested the effects of warming and inundation timing on the community composition of California vernal pools. Warming and inundation timing independently affected species densities, diversity, and community composition. Our results suggest that endemic species populations could decline because of increased temperatures, but this process may depend on species-specific life-history strategies. Conservation efforts should work to identify the most at risk of these species, while also accounting for public health concerns that may arise due to increased mosquito abundances in vernal pools.


vernal pool symposium agenda wednesday, november 8, 2017 … · 2018. 5. 6. · sacramento-shasta...

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