Wildlife Connectivity Assessment

Presenters: Bill Goggin and John koMay 2017

Bakersfield to Palmdale Project Section

HIGH-SPEED RAIL: Connecting California

STUDY AREA

• Tehachapi Mountains» Critical Linkage

• Approximately 80 miles (Bakersfield to Palmdale)» 74% At-Grade» 14% Elevated» 12% Underground

At-Grade Sections

PROJECT DESIGN FEATURES

Tunnel Sections

Double Bore Tunnel Single Bore Tunnel

At-Grade Fill Section At-Grade Cut Section

Bridge and ViaductSegments

PROJECT DESIGN FEATURES

Viaducts Profile

Viaduct Rendering

REGIONAL CORRIDOR STUDY• Missing Linkage Study» Cost Raster Data • Land Cover• Road Density• Elevation• Topographic Position

» Least Cost Corridors• Mountain Lion• Mule Deer• American Badger• Western Gray Squirrel• San Joaquin Kit Fox• Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard• Tipton Kangaroo Rat

ListedSpecies

REGIONAL CORRIDORS• Tehachapi Linkage Design» Based on least cost corridors

• Conserved and Protected Lands

• Future Conservation Dedication

HOW TO MEASURE PERMEABILITY?• How do we differentiate?

• Bakersfield to Palmdale Permeability» 74% of alignment at-grade segments and 26% (viaducts and tunnels)» 62 crossing opportunities (green arrows) - 53 viaducts and 9 tunnels

METHODS - LOCAL PERMEABILITY ASSESSMENT (LPA)

• Focal species» Mt. Lion» Mule deer» Badger» Blunt-nosed leopard lizard» San Joaquin kit fox» Desert tortoise» Tipton K-rat» Desert kit fox» Western gray squirrel

ListedSpecies

• Green = origin and destination habitat• Red = wildlife movement habitat

6 km

• Movement Cost Data» Land cover type» Road density» Elevation» Topographic position

CORRIDOR MODEL FUNCTION OUTPUTS• Using ArcGIS Corridor function

ProjectExisting Conditions

• Quantify Results» Mean Accumulative Movement Cost • Sum of Raster

» Moving Window Average• 90m radius every 50m

• Model Runs - Scenarios» Existing Conditions» Project» Project with Crossings

RESULTS – LOCAL PERMEABILITY ASSESSMENT

Sum of Raster

• Crossing Intervals:» Small Crossings every 0.3 miles – 6ft culvert» Large Crossings every 1.0 miles – 20 ft culvert or bridge structure

• Length – less than 200 ft • Slope – less than 2%• Substrate – natural bottom substrate• Grade – near natural grade

WILDLIFE CROSSING PARAMETERS

SAN JOAQUIN KIT FOX PERMEABILITY VISUALIZATION

SAN JOAQUIN KIT FOX PERMEABILITY VISUALIZATION

MOUNTAIN LION PERMEABILITY VISUALIZATION

MOUNTAIN LION PERMEABILITY VISUALIZATION

CONSIDERATION OF CONTEXT

RoadkillVegetation

Road Infrastructure

Aerial Photograph Hydrology

Stakeholders

Conserved Land

Engineering

PRELIMINARY CROSSING LOCATIONS

PRELIMINARY CROSSING LOCATIONS

WILDLIFE CROSSING CONCEPT - PRELIMINARY RENDERING

Small Crossing Dual-Use Road Undercrossing

Dual-Use Road Overcrossing Dual-Use Drainage Crossing

IMPACT AVOIDANCE AND MINIMIZATION FEATURES

Restoration and Revegetation Plan

Biological Resources Management Plan

Annual Vegetation Management Plan

Weed Control Plan

Security Fence Maintenance Plan

Construction Work Windows

Biological Monitoring During Construction Activities

Entrapment Prevention

Equipment Staging Areas

Consider habitat connectivity/animal movement when mitigating for listed species

Dewatering and Water Diversion

Compliance Reporting

Construction Site Best Management Practices

Night Lighting

Construction Noise Reduction Measures

Wildlife Exclusion Fencing

Vehicle/Equipment Traffic Controls

Refine• Refine Design from 15 Percent Moving Forward

• Stakeholder Engagement

• Agency Consultation

• Refine

• Build

NEXT STEPS

DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS

CONTACT INFORMATIONBakersfield to Palmdale Project Section WCA Contacts

Southern California Regional Office California High-Speed Rail Authority 700 N. Alameda St. Room 3-359Los Angeles, CA 90012www.hsr.ca.gov

@cahsra

facebook.com/CaliforniaHighSpeedRail

@cahsra

youtube.com/CAHighSpeedRail

Bill Goggin - Sr Permitting Specialist/Certified Wildlife Biologistwilliam.goggin@hsr.ca.gov(916) 384-0857

John Ko - Sr Biologist/Restoration EcologistJohn.Ko@lsa.net(949) 553-0666

INCREASED CROSSING DISTANCE

6km(2.73mi)

a2 + b2 = c2

a

c

b