Los Padres National Foresta123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic... · 2016-09-15 ·...

Biological Assessment for the Southern California Steelhead Distinct Population Segment

for Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone

Prepared by:

Reviewer:

Santa Barbara Ranger District Los Padres National Forest

Santa Barbara County

J~1U Los Padres National Forest Santa Barbara District Ranger

Date: JI -~ ~~ 2~/.,-

This document was prepared in conformance with the legal requirements set forth under Section 7 of the 1973 Endangered Species Act {19 U.S.C. 1536 [c], 50 CFR 402) and standards established in Forest Service Manual {FSM 2672.42).

Santa Barbara Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zones Project Southern California Steelhead BA

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CONTENTS

Page Number I. INTRODUCTION 2 II. CONSULTATION TO DATE 4 III. CURRENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION 5 IV. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION 9 V. EXISTING CONDITIONS 12 VI. SPECIES OF POTENTIAL OCCURRENCE 14 VII. EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED ACTION 18 VIII. DETERMINATION 24 IX. LITERATURE CITED 25 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A. Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project Map Appendix B. Los Padres National Forest Matrix of Factors and Indicators Appendix C. Best Management Practices Appendix D. Southern California Steelhead Critical Habitat_Eastern Fuel Break Appendix E. Southern California Steelhead Critical Habitat_Gaviota Fuel Break


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I. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this biological assessment (BA) is to review the effects of the Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone activities outlined in the Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project on federally listed anadromous Southern California Steelhead Distinct Population Segment (SCS DPS) and their designated critical habitat. The Santa Barbara Ranger District proposes to treat hazardous fuels using mechanical treatments and fuel breaks to reduce the risk of wildfire damage to public resources and private property within the Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI) Defense Zone adjacent to the Los Padres National Forest (LPNF). This BA is prepared in accordance with legal requirements set forth under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as amended [19 U.S.C. 1536 (c)], and follows the standards established in the Forest Service Manual direction [FSM 2672.42] (USDA-FS 1991). Threatened, Endangered, Proposed and Candidate species were identified in the Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species of the Los Padres National Forest list updated December 2013 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura Office and U.S. Forest Service - Region 5. This list identifies southern California steelhead (SCS) as Endangered. Region 5 Regional Forester’s Sensitive species were identified from the U.S. Forest Service - Region 5 Sensitive Species list updated in May 2013. This document addresses the following fish species: Southern California Steelhead Distinct Population Segment (SCS DPS) (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Management Status

• Federally listed as Endangered (NMFS 1997), reaffirmed Endangered (NMFS 2006) • Critical Habitat Designated (NMFS 2005) • California Department of Fish and Wildlife Species of Special Concern

Separate Biological Assessments/Biological Evaluations (BA/BE) covering federally listed and Forest Service sensitive plant and wildlife species are being prepared for submittal to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These documents are in support of the Forest Land Management Plan (LMP) for the four southern California National Forests (USDA Forest Service 2005). Part 3 of the LMP outlines design criteria containing standards, guidelines, laws, and policy direction regarding the conservation and general management direction for maintaining wildlife populations and their habitats on National Forest System (NFS) lands. Over the past half century, urban development has expanded into the chaparral and forest environments of the Santa Barbara Front Country (SBFC). This expansion has placed residences adjacent to highly flammable wildland fuels that typically burn with high intensity and can pose a threat to both structures and residents. Much of this expansion of urban development has occurred next to National Forest boundaries without the adoption of sufficient provisions for the establishment of defensible space needed in the event of wildfire. The Santa Barbara Ranger District (SBRD) of the Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) proposes the Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project. The proposed project would be located on the SBFC in the Santa Ynez Mountains. This area is north of U.S. Highway 101, in


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Santa Barbara County, California. The area overlooks the Pacific Ocean between Santa Barbara and Gaviota, California (see Project Area Map, Appendix A). Several activities are proposed covering a total of approximately 418 acres to directly improve the ability of the communities of Painted Cave, San Marcos Trout Club, Haney Tract, Rosario Park, Refugio and Gaviota to reduce wildfire threat. This project would create or expand on existing fuel breaks, reducing the amount of standing vegetation to improve the ability of these communities to strategically mitigate the potential impacts of wildfire. Historic Condition The proposed project area has a Mediterranean climate and its chaparral ecosystem is considered one of the most fire hazardous landscapes in North America, whereby nearly all aboveground biomass is typically killed during a fire (Keeley 1987). The combination of uniformly dense chaparral fuels, summer drought, Sundowner winds (a local foehn wind), steep terrain, and communities built along exposed ridgelines including deep canyons contribute to this fire prone condition. Wildfires are a fundamental part of the native chaparral ecosystem. Fires have occurred regularly around the communities located within this project area. The SBFC area has experienced numerous devastating wildfires in the past. These include the Jesusita (2009), Gap (2008), Gaviota (2004), Paint (1990), Wheeler (1985), Eagle Canyon (1979), Sycamore Canyon (1977), Romero (1971), Coyote (1964), Polo (1964), and Refugio (1955) Fires. These fires have served as periodic reminders that the mountain communities of the SBFC are at risk from the potential for wildland fire to spread from National Forest System (NFS) land, and the National Forest is at risk from the potential of a domestic fire spreading onto NFS land from one of these communities. Because Southern California chaparral ecosystems typically burn in stand-replacing crown fires, extreme wildfires will inevitably continue to occur in the SBFC. According to the California Fire Plan, the communities on the SBFC are rated as high value, high risk, with a high probability of large fires occurring. This threat can be addressed through strategies that promote fire-adapted communities. The mountain communities are aware of the potential wildfire impacts and have taken some corrective action to address this potential threat, and each has embarked on fuel reduction activities including plans developed in collaboration with public fire agency professionals to reduce potential wildfire hazard. Agreements have been developed to cross boundaries between NFS and private lands with fuel reduction activities. For example, the Wildland Residents Association (WRA) was awarded a grant in 2005 to complete fuels reduction projects. Some of the local communities have applied for similar grants through the Forest Service for Fiscal Year 2015. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) designated critical habitat for SCS on February 16, 2000 [50 CFR 226]. This designation encompasses all river reaches and estuarine areas accessible to listed steelhead in coastal river basins from the Santa Maria River to Malibu Creek, California, inclusive. For analysis purposes, the LPNF uses its steelhead range and distribution GIS map to define and assess affects to critical habitat for SCS.


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Appendices Appendix A – Location of Proposed Fuel break Treatment Units in the Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project Appendix B – Los Padres National Forest Matrix of Factors and Indicators Appendix C – Best Management Practices Appendix D – Southern California Steelhead Critical Habitat Eastern Fuel Break Appendix E – Southern California Steelhead Critical Habitat Gaviota Fuel Break II. CONSULTATION TO DATE The project is consistent with goals of the Interim Strategies for Managing Anadromous Fish-producing Watersheds in Eastern Oregon and Washington, Idaho, and portions of California (PacFish; USDA and USDI 1995) and the 2005 PacFish InFish Restoration Strategy by maintaining characteristics of riparian areas and fish habitat on National Forest Lands with the action area. Formal consultation for PacFish was completed and is documented in the NMFS Biological Opinion issued January 23, 1995 The evaluation and screening of Forest Service actions is accomplished through the ESA consultation process developed to implement the May 31, 1995, Interagency Streamlining Agreement and the Matrix of Pathway and Indicators from NOAA Fisheries (NMFS 1996a). Interagency Level 1 teams evaluate the effects of proposed actions against the environmental baseline at project and watershed scales. The May 31, 1995, streamlining guidance was re-issued in 1997 and 1999 (USDA-FS and others 1999), all versions describe the expected use of the "effects matrix" when making ESA effects determinations and evaluating action consistency with relevant Forest Land Management Plan (LMP) requirements. To fulfill obligations under 7(a)(2) of the ESA for individual or groups of projects and to be exempt from Section 9 take prohibitions, the administrative units may use the interagency consultation streamlining guidance or subsequent updated procedures, to avoid jeopardizing the continued existence of listed salmonids. The LPNF utilizes the Streamlined Consultation Procedures and applies the NMFS Checklist and Matrix (NMFS 1996a) to evaluate all future proposed actions for adverse effects to SCS DPS and designated critical habitat. The Forest determines whether actions are likely or unlikely to adversely affect any threatened, endangered, proposed or candidate species (TEPCS) and critical habitat. The Matrix of Pathways and Indicators (NMFS 1996a) provides values and ranges of conditions to determine whether habitat baseline conditions are "Properly Functioning", "At Risk", or "Not Properly Functioning". It is also noted in the 1996 document that the range of criteria presented are not absolute and may be adjusted for unique watersheds. The July 1999 streamlining guidance further states that Level 1 teams should take the lead in adapting the general matrix, as


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necessary, to reflect local geologic and climatic influences on aquatic habitat and watershed conditions within specific physiographic areas. The LPNF developed a matrix for the Forest using values from stream surveys conducted on the LPNF (Chubb 1998). The Los Padres matrix serves as the basis to identify relative baseline conditions. The Matrix for the LPNF is found in Appendix B of this BA and is called "Los Padres National Forest Matrix of Factors and Indicators". ESA-listed Southern California steelhead and designated critical habitat occur on the LPNF. Critical habitat and O. mykiss populations occur within watersheds below existing and proposed fuel breaks on Arroyo Hondo, San Pedro, San Jose, Maria Ygnacio, and Atascadero Creeks. Federally protected anadromous SCS populations are not proximate to existing or proposed fuel breaks (Figure 1). As directed by the interagency consultation streamlining agreement (USDA et al. 1999), we discussed the proposed action with the NMFS (Ms. Brittney Struck, Long Beach Office) on October 30, 2015. Our discussions included the following:

1. the proximity of SCS and critical habitat to the SBFC fuel breaks; 2. designated critical habitat accessible to SCS DPS (i.e., not obstructed by natural or

anthropogenic barriers) does not occur within proposed fuel breaks; 3. SCS DPS are restricted in their upstream migration due to anthropogenic and natural

migration barriers, including hardened crossings, dams, debris basins, and waterfalls before entering the LPNF and proposed fuel breaks.

III. CURRENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION Management direction for the LPNF comes from the Endangered Species Act, as amended in 1973 (ESA), National Environmental Policy Act, Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs), LPNF Land Management Plan (LMP; USDA Forest Service 2005), and the Forest Service Manual (FSM) and handbooks. Section 7 of the ESA directs federal agencies to ensure that their actions will not be likely to jeopardize the continued existence of federally TEPCS or adversely modify their designated critical habitat. FSM 2600 provides direction for management of TEPCS and their habitats. FSM 2670.31 details the biological assessment process to review actions and programs authorized, funded, or carried out by the Forest Service to determine their potential effect on TEPCS. Part 1 of the LMP contains goals and desired conditions for resources based upon national priorities and the management challenges identified for the four southern California national forests. The goals listed in Part 1 of the LMP have associated strategies (LMP, Part 2) and standards (LMP, Part 3) that provide the general management direction for maintaining wildlife populations and their habitats. The goals listed in the LMP that pertain to the proposed action include:

• Goal 1.1 – Improve the ability of southern California communities to limit loss of life and property and recover from the high intensity wildland fires that are a natural part of this state’s ecosystem. The aim of this goal is to improve community and natural resource


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protection from high intensity wildland fires by providing improved fire suppression and reducing fire hazard in the Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI) using strategically placed fuel breaks and prescribed burns. The project proposes using fuel breaks to reduce fire hazard in the WUI and around small communities.

• Goal 1.2 – Restore forest health where alteration of natural fire regimes have put human and natural resource values at risk. The natural fire regime has been changed by fire suppression and increased numbers of human-caused fire starts. The desired condition for chaparral is to establish a diversity of shrub age classes in key areas near communities to improve the effectiveness of fire suppression operations. Community protection will be accomplished by decreasing shrublands adjacent to populated areas and creating blocks of less flammable vegetation. There is a community at risk and threat zone on private land within the project area. The project will reduce hazardous fuels near communities, and improve the effectiveness of fire suppression operations in, and around the Santa Barbara Front Country community.

• Goal 3.1 – Provide for public use and natural resource protection. This goal specifies

recovery of federally listed species, and the conservation of federally listed and Forest Service Sensitive species habitat. The Forest Service continues to work together with the Fish and Wildlife Service, NMFS, and other interested parties to ensure the continued existence of TEPCS. The project will indirectly assist in recovery and conservation of habitat for Southern California steelhead and Forest Service sensitive species by decreasing the risk of catastrophic wildfire and associated watershed and stream habitat impacts. The project Wildlife BA/BE, steelhead BA and Botany BA/BE documents explain how the project complies with protection and recovery of all applicable TEPCS and Region 5 Forest Service sensitive species.

• Goal 3.2 – Retain a natural evolving character within wilderness. This goal includes

reducing the risk and consequences of wildfire occurring within or escaping wilderness areas.

• Goal 5.1 – Improve watershed conditions through cooperative management. The project will reduce hazardous fuels, and reduce the risk and consequences of future wildfires in the project area. The project minimizes the risk of severe erosion and vegetation type conversion that occur as a result of severe wildfires in this ecosystem. These steps will assist in limiting the potential extent and severity of wildfire damage to riparian habitat and fish species.

• Goal 5.2 – Improve riparian conditions. The designation of Riparian Conservation Areas (RCAs) and application of riparian protection measures limit the extent and duration of any adverse environmental effects, while recognizing that there may be some short-term adverse effects in order to achieve long-term benefits. The Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project project will reduce the risk of wildfire damage to private property, project watersheds, and riparian dependent species. Project design criteria that eliminate or minimize impacts to riparian and aquatic habitat and aquatic species will be implemented as described in the Proposed Action section. The project also includes other mitigation measures, such as Best Management Practices (BMPs), to avoid adverse environmental effects.


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• Goal 6.2 – Provide ecological conditions to sustain viable populations of native and desired nonnative species. The project will maintain ecological conditions that support native species; and will allow better protection of these ecosystems from impacts of natural and human-caused wildfires.

• Goal 7.1 – Retain natural areas as a core for the regional network while focusing the built

environment into the minimum land area needed to support growing public needs. The intent of this goal is to maintain landscape linkages that allow for the retention of biodiversity and wildlife movement across land ownerships. This project supports the public need for fire protection while maintaining riparian and aquatic habitats for wildlife biodiversity. The project does not affect the movement of fish within or adjacent to the project area.

Part 2 (strategy) of the LMP contains strategies to achieve the goals leading to desired conditions identified in Part 1. It also divides the LPNF into a series of geographic units, called “Places”. Each Place has distinct management direction developed for particular localities. The Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project is located in the Santa Barbara Front Place and supports the program emphasis to reduce fuel accumulation and threats to adjacent communities and homes, while minimizing conflicts between threatened and endangered species and other uses of the land. Multiple land uses, including intermingled land ownership patterns complicate management. Strategies applicable to the Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project follow. In Part 2 of the LMP, the following program strategies apply to the proposed action:

• WL 1 – Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, Candidate and Sensitive Species Management. The Habitat Restoration and Improvement Strategy and the Habitat Protection Strategy are implemented through vegetation and fuels treatment and project design criteria, including:

• Use vegetation management practices to reduce habitat loss due to catastrophic fires. The project includes use of vegetation management for habitat protection.

• Implement Forest Service actions recommended in recovery plans for listed species. The project is designed to maintain the quality of riparian habitat that exists, both within and outside of treated areas. The proposed action is not expected to adversely affect the processes that establish and maintain habitat for TEPCS.

• WL 2 – Wildlife, Fish and Plant Habitat Management. Cooperate with other agencies, partners, and other national forest programs to maintain and improve landscape level habitat conditions and ecological processes over the long-term for landscape linkages, wildlife movement corridors, key habitats and breeding sites. Manage State of California designated Wild Trout Streams to maintain high quality habitat for wild trout populations. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been involved in providing information on habitat suitability and advice for species conservation.

• FH 3 – Restoration of Forest Health. Protect natural resource values at risk from wildland fire loss that are outside the desired range of variability or where needed for wildlife improvement.


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Manage chaparral to improve wildlife forage and protect watersheds from the adverse impact of large, destructive, high intensity fires. In selected watersheds, manage for even-aged patch sizes of less than 5,000 acres. The proposed action is designed to reduce the number and extent of wildfires.

• WAT 1 – Watershed Function. Protect, maintain and restore natural watershed functions. • Restore, maintain, and improve watershed conditions, including rehabilitation and emergency

watershed treatments. The Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project minimizes the risk of severe erosion and indirectly supports the recovery and conservation of habitat for SCS DPS by decreasing the risk of catastrophic wildfire and associated watershed and stream habitat impacts.

• Maintain soil properties. Most work will be executed using a masticator, which is minimally injurious on the land. Shredded vegetation will remain as ground cover to reduce surface run-off, soil erosion, and provide habitat.

• Maintain natural stream channel conductivity, connectivity, and function. The proposed action will not affect overall stream connectivity and function.

• WAT 2 – Water Management. Manage groundwater and surface water to maintain or

improve water quality in ways that minimize adverse effects. Take corrective actions to eliminate the conditions leading to State listing of 303(d) impaired waters on National Forest System land. Maintain or improve habitat containing federally TEPCS, coordinate activities with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), NMFS, USFWS, State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and other appropriate agencies. • Implement BMPs. BMPs will be followed throughout project planning and implementation.

Applicable BMPs are discussed in Appendix B. • Maintain or improve habitat used by TEPCS. TEPCS habitat was evaluated and project design

criteria ensure habitat will be maintained during project implementation.

• Fire 1 – Reduce the number of human-caused wildland fires. Focus fire prevention programs in the Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI), TEPCS habitat, vegetative areas threatened with type conversion, and areas of major recreational use. A primary goal of the Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project is to reduce the incidence of large scale human-caused fires in the WUI.

• Fire 2 – Direct Community Protection. Conduct mechanical treatments and prescribed fire to reduce the number of high risk/high value and high and moderate risk acres. Identify and schedule treatment in the high risk and high value acres near communities, including the installation of WUI Defense and Threat Zone vegetation treatments. This project exactly executes these treatments.

Part 3 of the LMP is the design criteria section that managers are to follow in working toward achieving resource goals and the desired conditions described in Part 1. These include standards, guidelines, laws, policy, and other direction that may be applicable to proposed activities. The following standards pertain to the proposed action:

• S11 – Directs managers to consider biological resource protection guidance, and involve resource specialists in project design with the goal of promoting the conservation and


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recovery of TEPCS and their habitats.

• S12 – When implementing new projects in areas that support TEPCS, use design criteria and conservation practices to promote conservation and recovery of TEPCS and their habitat, allowing some short-term effects to achieve long-term benefits and multiple use objectives. The Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project is likely to reduce the extent and intensity of watershed impacts due to future wildfires. Reducing the extent of future wildfire-related watershed effects promotes conservation of SCS habitat in the project area, achieves long-term benefits, and supports the recovery of SCS DPS metapopulation.

• S24 – Mitigate impacts of on-going uses and management activities on TEPCS.

• S38 – Avoid human concentration and equipment use in TEPCS habitat. Project Design Criteria

described in this document restrict human and equipment use within and adjacent to riparian and SCS DPS critical habitat.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION The purpose of the project is to address Forest Plan goals and desired conditions. The Forest Plan identifies goals that are responsive to both national priorities and the management challenges identified for the multiple-use management of the four southern California national forests (USDA Forest Service 2005, Forest Plan, Part 1: Southern California National Forests Vision; pp. 19-49). The responsible official for the Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project has chosen to propose resource management actions that respond to the following Forest Plan goals: • Goal 1.1 – Improve the ability of southern California communities to limit loss of life and

property and recover from the high-intensity wildland fires that is a natural agent influencing California’s ecosystems. The desired condition is to have vegetation treated to enhance community protection and reduce the risk of loss of human life, structures, improvements, and natural resources from wildland fire and subsequent floods. Firefighters have improved opportunities for tactical operations and safety near structures, improvements, and high resource values. By providing for defensible space, public and firefighter safety is enhanced.

• Goal 1.2.2 - Reduce the number of acres at risk from excessively frequent fires while improving defensible space around communities.

The desired condition for chaparral is to establish a diversity of shrub age classes in key areas near communities to improve the effectiveness of fire suppression operations. Adequate defensible space around communities could greatly reduce the risk of structure loss, as well as improve safety for residents. Thus, at the urban interface there will be a management emphasis on direct community protection. This could be accomplished in at least two ways: (1) by removing or heavily modifying shrublands immediately adjacent to populated areas (e.g., Wildland/Urban Interface Defense Zones); and (2) by strategically creating blocks of


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young, less flammable vegetation near the interface areas. Both types of fuels modification could slow or even halt the rate of fire spread into urban areas. The differences between existing conditions and desired conditions identified in the Forest Plan, and the Forest Service’s responsibility to reduce those differences through management practices define the need for action. The need for Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project is based on the Forest Plan goals identified above. To make progress toward achieving these goals, the project would address the following need:

• The Forest Plan recognizes the need to create conditions that allow firefighters to stay on-the-ground and defend homes and property more safely within community defense zones (Forest Plan, Part 1: Southern California National Forests Vision; p. 13). Flame lengths below 8 feet are desired because they allow for direct suppression of fires under more extreme fire weather conditions using readily available equipment, and represent a noticeable improvement for fire fighter and public safety. The goal after treatment is to attain a potential flame length of 6 feet for chaparral areas and 3 feet for grass areas in 97th percentile weather conditions.

• Once established, these zones should be maintained so they remain effective in the future. Proposed Treatments The project proposes to create and maintain fuel breaks on approximately 418 acres of chaparral to help manage against the wildfire threat posed to the mountain communities. These fuel reductions will occur within several separate treatment units on the Santa Barbara Ranger District at Painted Cave, Rosario Park, San Marcos Trout Club, Haney Tract and the Gaviota Fuel break along West Camino Cielo. Treatment Definitions for Proposed Action Activities The Forest Plan provides project design criteria for defense zone treatments in chaparral vegetation (Forest Plan, Part 3 Design Criteria for the Southern California National Forests, page 82).

“Generally, a [WUI Defense Zone] width of 100 to 300 feet will be sufficient in some conditions to provide community safety objectives in chaparral types, however on steep slopes or areas of significant mortality, a greatly expanded width of defense zones may be necessary. These conditions may require defense zone widths over 300 feet. Defense Zone management activities take precedence over all other management activities within the Defense Zone and Standard 81 would apply. Some conditions may allow for less than the 100-foot width. ____________________

1 “Community protection needs within the WUI Defense Zone take precedence over the requirements of other forest plan direction, including other standards identified in Part 3 of the forest plan. If expansion beyond the 300-foot minimum width of the defense zone is needed due to site-specific conditions, projects will be designed to mitigate effects to other resources to the extent possible” (Forest Plan, Part 3 Design Criteria for the Southern California National Forests, page 5).


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Isolated plants can be left intact within this zone as long they are maintained in such a way as to not ignite during a wildland fire. In that portion of the defense zone greater than 100 feet from structures, chaparral vegetation should be reduced to 18 inches in height to promote low flame lengths and to minimize the potential for soil erosion.”

Fuel breaks near Painted Cave will vary in width from 280 – 500 feet and up to 5,000 feet in length. The fuel breaks at San Marcos Trout Club community will run 1,100 feet in length, with widths of 300-400 feet to utilize the available topographic features in enhancing treatment effectiveness, and to provide sufficient treatment effectiveness on steep slopes where wildfire intensity and rate of spread would be greater. This fuel break is immediately adjacent to the Forest Boundary. Two fuel breaks of approximately 59 acres are proposed for the Haney Tract Area. One will be installed northwest and one southeast of the community. The overall combined length will be approximately 8,500 feet with a maximum width of 300 feet. The community of Rosario Park is about 1.5 miles northwest of the Haney Tract. This fuel break will be a re-installation of a former fuel break comprising 2.7 miles in length and a maximum width of 300 feet. Like the Rosario Park fuel break, the Gaviota/Refugio Canyon fuel break is a re-installation of an old fuel break that is 6 miles long with a maximum width of 300 feet, totaling approximately 213 acres.

Table 1. Summary of proposed activities

Area Proposed for Treatment

Legal Description

Approximate Acres

Painted Cave

Township 5 North, Range 28 West, Sections 22, 23. San Bernardino Base Meridian

37

San Marcos Trout Club South

Township 5 North, Range 28 West, Section 22. San Bernardino Base Meridian

7

San Marcos Trout Club North

Township 5 North, Range 28 West, Section 27. San Bernardino Base Meridian

4

Haney Tract South East

Township 5 North, Range 28 West, Sections 21, 27, & 28. San Bernardino Base Meridian.

31

Haney Tract North West

Township 5 North, Range 28 West, Section 20. San Bernardino Base Meridian.

28

Rosario Park (National Forest

System Land)

Township 5 North, Range 28 West, Sections 8, 17, 18 & 19. Township 5 North, Range 29 West, Section 24. San Bernardino Base Meridian.

94

Rosario Park (Non-National Forest System Land)

Township 5 North, Range 28 West, Sections 8 & 17. San Bernardino Base Meridian.

4

Gaviota/Refugio

Township 5N, Range 32 West, Sections 22, 23 & 24. Township 5 North, Range 31W, Sections 16, 17 & 18.

San Bernardino Base Meridian.

213

Total Project Treated Acres 418 Vegetation Treatments


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Fuel levels will be reduced to the extent that allows the desired conditions to be met. All vegetation is proposed for treatment, which includes numerous brush species and coast live oak. Up to 95 percent of the existing vegetation will be cut within each fuel break. Ground cover will be treated to produce younger seral stage of shrubs interspersed with a mixture of bare ground, grasses and forbs. Where oaks or other trees are present, they will be thinned or pruned to remove the ladder fuels that could conduct fire into the tree canopy. Where feasible, existing roads will be incorporated into the fuel break design. This will minimize the acres of removed vegetation, and facilitate the safe use of these roads by the public and emergency response personnel during a wildfire event. Brush will be hand or mechanically cut to create fuel breaks. Hand methods include the use of chainsaws and hand tools. Mechanical methods include the use of heavy equipment with masticators. Most of the cut vegetation will be treated by grapple or hand piling. Hand cutting of brush will be necessary on slopes where mechanical treatments are infeasible. Mechanical treatments will be limited to slopes of 35 percent or less, except for occasional gradients between 35-50 percent and short sections not exceeding 500 feet in length. Mechanically masticated, cut, or shredded material may be left on-site to decompose if leaving it on-site would produce the desired condition of a reduced flame length. Fuels created by machine or hand work may be piled and burned through pile or jackpot burning2, or a combination of these treatments when conditions are safe to do so and when smoke is adequately dispersed. Piles will be located away from canopy drip lines of any existing trees to prevent scorch. Riparian buffers (100 to 300 feet) will remain along both stream banks in areas of potential habitat for threatened, endangered, or proposed species. The riparian buffer zones will be measured slope distance, along each side of indicated streams. There will be no riparian buffer zones along headwater and ephemeral channels without riparian vegetation (i.e., those covered with chaparral).

V. EXISTING CONDITIONS The project area is located in the western portion of the Transverse Ranges geomorphic province of southern California. The proposal aims to create and maintain fuel breaks on approximately 418 acres of chaparral on several ridgelines of the Santa Ynez Mountains extending from the Painted Cave area west to the Gaviota/Refugio ridgelines. Onsite elevations range from approximately 2300 feet above mean sea level (msl) at the western edge of the Gaviota Canyon fuel break to 2650 feet above msl at the Painted Cave fuel break above Santa Barbara. A Mediterranean climate provides an average of 20 inches of rainfall per year, which occurs almost entirely during the winter and spring. Pacific maritime coastal fog and marine layer can occur at any time of the year. ____________________ 2A modified form of broadcast slash burning in which spots of greater accumulations of slash are ignited and the fire is confined to these spots.


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Habitat Types The chamise-redshank chaparral plant community (Mayer and Laudenslayer 1988) occurs in areas surrounding the developed and maintained areas. Most chaparral in the mountains above Santa Barbara has burned in the last 50-60 years. Dominant species include deerweed (Acmispon glaber), chamise (Adenostema fasciculatum), coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis), big berry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca), bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida), and scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia). Vegetation in the Transverse Ranges comprises montane chaparral (Mayer and Laudenslayer 1988). The dominant species includes big berry manzanita, chamise, ceanothus (Ceanothus spp.), bush poppy, coyote brush, silk tassel bush (Garrya elliptica), chaparral pea (Pickeringia montana), and sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus). The chaparral community is mature and dense, and much of it has not burned for a long period of time. Very little non-native vegetation may be observed in the basin. Soils include decomposed and large sandstone boulders. Sandstone rock formations and outcroppings ring the basin. The areas around the Gaviota/Refugio, Haney, Rosario Park, San Marcos Trout Club and Painted Cave Tracts comprise coastal oak woodland, including closed canopy California bay (Umbellularia californica), coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), scrub oak, canyon live oak (Q. chrysolepis), Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii), and tanbark oak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) forest. The understory includes wild blackberry (Rubus sp.), western poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.) and wood fern (Dryopteris sp.). Soils include sandy loam with dense cover by leaf litter. Aquatic Resources The Santa Barbara Front Country Fuel Profile Zone Project is located in the Santa Ynez Mountains, overlooking the Pacific Ocean between Gaviota and Santa Barbara. Several streams located below the fuel breaks are designated as critical habitat for anadromous SCS (Oncorhynchus mykiss), including Gaviota, Arroyo Hondo, San Pedro, San Jose, Maria Ygnacio and Atascadero Creeks (NOAA 2005). Resident fish species include rainbow trout, arroyo chub, speckled dace and California roach. Southern California steelhead DPS access to upstream habitats of these creeks is limited by water flows, and natural and anthropogenic impediments to migration. The streams within this coastal plain include some areas that are mostly undisturbed (e.g., Gaviota), but also include streams within agricultural, suburban and urban developments, affecting stream water quality and quantity. Although these streams are perennial, most form discrete pools from August to December in an average rainfall year. Stream substrata includes gravel, cobble, boulders, and bedrock, but sand can dominate some sites affected by recent fires (e.g., Maria Ygnacio Creek). Anthropogenic Disturbance and Habitat Designated critical habitat for SCS DPS occurs on most Santa Barbara Front Country streams. Approximate distances between existing and proposed fuel breaks and SBFC streams are outlined below:


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• Refugio Creek– 0.7 km (2,297 ft.) • Arroyo Hondo Creek – 1.0 km (3,280 ft.) • San Pedro Creek – 0.06 km (200 ft.) • San Jose Creek – 0.26 km (853 ft.) • Maria Ygnacio Creek – 0.46 km (1,510 ft.) • Atascadero Creek – 0.082 km (270 ft.)

Although these fuel breaks are located above designated steelhead critical habitat, in effect they are located at greater distances to SCS DPS available stream habitat owing to natural and man-made barriers (closer to urban and residential areas), both within and below designated SCS DPS critical habitat that limit anadromy and upstream migration. For example, Arroyo Hondo and San Jose Creeks are below the Gaviota/Refugio and San Marcos Trout Club fuel breaks, respectively; however, both have natural and anthropogenic barriers (i.e., waterfall, and a trapezoidal concrete channel from Goleta Slough upstream to the Hollister Avenue Bridge, respectively) that block SCS upstream migration and their proximity to these activities (Stoecker 2002). VI. SPECIES OF POTENTIAL OCCURRENCE Steelhead on the LPNF consist of the south/central California coast Distinct Population Segment (DPS) that occur north of the Santa Maria River, and the Southern California Steelhead (SCS) DPS that occur from the Santa Maria River south to the Santa Clara River. SCS are the most highly endangered DPS of steelhead in California and listed as federally endangered in 1997 (NMFS 1997). Designated SCS DPS critical habitat was used as a source of SCS distribution data (NOAA 2005, USFWS 2013). Species Life History Steelhead are the anadromous form of the species Oncorhynchus mykiss. Juveniles rear in freshwater for one to three years before migrating to the ocean, and spend two to four years maturing in the marine environment before returning to spawn in freshwater. Returning adults may migrate from several miles to hundreds of miles upstream to reach natal, and sometimes non-natal, spawning grounds. After spawning, some adults return to the ocean, repeating their spawning migration one or more times during their lifetime, although spawning once is more typical. These individuals are referred to as “fluvial-anadromous” (NMFS 2012). This species may also display a non‐anadromous life history pattern (i.e., a “freshwater‐ resident” strategy). Non‐anadromous individuals that complete their entire life‐history cycle in freshwater are referred to as rainbow trout, while those that emigrate to and mature in the ocean are called steelhead. However, this terminology does not capture the complexity of life history strategies and plasticity exhibited by native O. mykiss. Freshwater residents that have completed their life history cycle entirely in freshwater can produce anadromous progeny that emigrate to the ocean. Conversely, steelhead that migrate from the ocean may produce progeny which complete their entire life history cycle in freshwater (Boughton et al. 2006, Garza and Clemento 2007, Christie et al. 2011, NMFS 2012). The two forms can interbreed and contribute to the genetic pool of the population. The cues that result in changing life history strategies may be environmental, such as extended drought that causes juveniles to become land-locked, or ample rainfall that breaks down sandbars at stream mouths, to allow juveniles access to the ocean


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(Boughton et al. 2006). A third life-history strategy involves juveniles that migrate downstream and over summer in estuaries or lagoons, and enter the ocean in their first year called “lagoon-anadromous”, and a fourth strategy whereby adults reside in lakes or reservoirs and migrate to upstream tributaries to spawn are “adfluvial” populations (Boughton et al. 2006). Populations land-locked upstream from dams are most closely related to populations below dams that have access to the ocean (Girman and Garza 2006, Clemento et al. 2009). As apparent, SCS life-history strategies are flexible. Migration SCS in Southern California are winter-run. Adult upstream migration in the south-central and central coast regions of California occurs November through May, and juvenile downstream migration from January to June (Fukushima and Lesh 1998). Reproduction Steelhead spawn in upper reaches and tributaries of streams and rivers, respectively, where water is cool and clear. Females make depressions in small to medium-sized unconsolidated gravel, called redds, and cover the fertilized eggs with a thin layer of gravel. The males defend the eggs. Eggs hatch into alevin where they remain in redds until their yolk sacs are absorbed. Fry school together within protected stream margins, and as they grow, they stop schooling and move into riffles where they become territorial. As the juveniles grow larger, they move into deeper water where they inhabit pools and runs. Juveniles undergo smoltification which allows them to move from fresh- to saltwater, and during this time they lose their dark parr marks and take on a silvery color. Smolts are between 1 – 2 years old and when favorable conditions are present, they migrate downstream where they grow in estuaries or lagoons before entering the ocean. Most growth occurs in the ocean, where they move substantial distances and feed on fish, squid and amphipods. In the ocean, O. mykiss become sexually mature and can navigate to their natal stream for spawning from thousands of miles away (Stoecker and Kelley 2005).

Diet and Foraging While in streams, steelhead are opportunistic feeders and vary their diet based on seasonal availability of food items. In the summer months, they feed primarily on drifting aquatic invertebrates, terrestrial insects, and active bottom invertebrates (Moyle 2002). Once they migrate to the ocean, steelhead feed on estuarine invertebrates and krill. As they grow, other fish gradually become more important components of their diet. Designated Critical Habitat Designated critical habitats are areas determined to be essential to the conservation of federally listed threatened or endangered wildlife species. Critical habitat has been established for SCS and includes stream reaches on the LPNF. The primary rivers and streams supporting SCS DPS runs on the LPNF are the Sisquoc River, Santa Ynez River (up to Bradbury Dam), Matilija Creek, and Sespe Creek. Other places O. mykiss are known to occur are Gaviota, Arroyo Hondo, Refugio, El Capitan, Gato, Dos Pueblos, Tecolote, Glenn Annie, San Pedro, San Jose, Maria Ygnacio, Montecito, San Ysidro, Arroyo Paredon, Carpinteria and Gobernador Creeks in the SBRD, and the Ventura River, North Fork Matilija, Sisar, Santa Paula, Abadi, Lady Bug, Chorro


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Grande, Munson, Potrero John, Tule, Rose Valley, Lion Canyon, Piedra Blanca, Trout, Bear, Timber, Red Reef, Park, West Fork Sespe, and Little Sespe Creeks in the Ojai Ranger District (USFWS 2013). Potential for Occurrence Arroyo Hondo Creek Arroyo Hondo Creek is located on the Gaviota Coast between Gaviota and Refugio State Parks. The greater watershed comprises 2,797 acres and is managed by the LPNF (upper watershed) and The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, Arroyo Hondo Preserve (lower watershed). Like most streams within the Santa Barbara coastal slope, Arroyo Hondo Creek is limited in length to approximately 6 miles, but is ranked as nearly pristine within a watershed that is mostly undisturbed. In the summer of 2007 a series of baffles were installed in the 334 foot long culvert under Highway 101 to improve anadromous fish passage between the creek and the Pacific Ocean. Since these access improvements, approximately 2.0 miles of Arroyo Hondo Creek is accessible to SCS before a natural barrier (waterfall) is reached which impedes migration further upstream. Refugio Creek Refugio Creek comprises about 5.5 miles of stream habitat and is located east of Arroyo Hondo Creek and west of El Capitan Creek on the Gaviota Coast and enters the Pacific Ocean at Refugio Beach State Park. Historical sightings of steelhead by CDFG (now CDFW) from the 1930’s through 1950’s are documented in survey reports; however, in a CDFG memo dated 1971, it was noted that the construction of a creek crossing at the State Park created a passage barrier for SCS DPS. NMFS surveys during 2002 determined that steelhead were absent from the drainage (Stoecker et al. 2002). The creek has several culverts, riprap channels and low flow crossings that are owned or managed by California State Parks, CALTRANS, Santa Barbara County Public Works Road Division and private ownership that effectively limit and/or prevent upstream migration of steelhead. There is potential for SCS DPS recovery in Refugio Creek; however, naturalizing stream reaches through the removal of culverts, fords and revetments, with riparian enhancements, bridges and bottomless arch culverts would improve migration, spawning and rearing habitat for steelhead (Stoecker et al. 2002). San Pedro Creek San Pedro Creek is a tributary to San Jose Creek and enters Goleta Slough upstream of the confluence. The stream consists of approximately 4.7 miles of habitat from the Goleta coastal plain to the headwaters in the Santa Ynez Mountains. There are several natural and anthropogenic impediments within San Pedro Creek that impede steelhead migration including a grade control structure at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing, a double box culvert crossing at Highway 101, a trapezoidal concrete channel from Highway 101 upstream, a grade control structure between the Stow Canyon Road crossing and Cathedral Oaks Bridge, and three additional concrete and riprap grade structures upstream of the Stow Canyon Road grade control structures. Nevertheless, several juvenile and adult steelhead have been observed in San Pedro Creek near the natural falls between 1985 and 2008 (Trautwein 1996, M. Capelli pers. comm.). San Jose Creek


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The natural limit to upstream steelhead migration is at the upper end of the San Marcos Trout Club below a 30-foot high waterfall, which is impassable under all flow conditions (Stoecker 2002). The lower portion of San Jose Creek has been channelized into a trapezoidal concrete channel from Goleta Slough upstream of the Hollister Avenue Bridge, and is a complete barrier to SCS DPS upstream migration (Stoecker 2002). An adult steelhead was captured in 1975 just downstream of Hollister Road after trying to navigate through the channel, but it is unlikely that steelhead successfully pass through the upper end of this concrete channel (Stoecker 2002). Adult steelhead can migrate to Goleta Slough, and a gravid female was found dead in San Pedro Creek at the confluence of San Jose Creek in 1995 (Stoecker 2002). In addition, an adult steelhead was caught downstream of the San Jose Creek barrier in 1983/4 (Stoecker 2002). Native rainbow trout exist in San Jose Creek upstream of the concrete channel barrier, however. California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) records from surveys conducted in the 1970s noted rainbow trout in the “headwaters” of San Jose Creek (Stoecker 2002). CDFG surveys in 1994 noted high densities of rainbow trout in “upper San Jose Creek” (Becker and Reining 2008). In the early 1990s and between 2000 and 2003, rainbow trout 6 – 10 inches total length were noted as “abundant” at and just upstream from the San Marcos Trout Club (Stoecker 2002). Additionally, hatchery raised rainbow trout have been planted at the Trout Club in the past (Stoecker 2002). In November 2011, the City of Goleta broke ground on the San Jose Creek Improvement Project, which is designed to increase flood capacity and enhance fish passage. This project creates a low flow channel cut into the center of the concrete flood control channel that will be maintained for the purpose of steelhead passage. The intent of the center groove modification was to improve upstream fish passage on San Jose Creek. High to very high quality spawning habitat is present from the San Marcos Trout Club downstream to the Goleta city limits, but two anthropogenic and two natural barriers to migration rated as “extremely high” remain in this area (Stoecker 2002). Maria Ygnacio Creek Maria Ygnacio Creek runs north-south for 6.8 stream miles, from its headwaters in the Santa Ynez Mountains until it reaches its confluence with Atascadero Creek and flows an additional 1.3 miles to the mouth at the Pacific Ocean. There have been numerous historical accounts of SCS DPS in Maria Ygnacio Creek between 1954-2000 (Gantt 1974, Stoecker et al. 2002). Conceptual designs have been prepared to modify the grade control structure at the confluence of Maria Ygnacio and Atascadero Creeks under the Patterson Avenue bridge, and include removal of a concrete apron and curb bridge, reinforcing the adjacent stream banks, and rebuilding a central bridge support that would penetrate deeper into the natural stream substrata (Stoecker et al. 2002). Several other grade control structures, dams, and box culverts upstream from the Patterson Avenue bridge require restoration and improvements to enhance SCS DPS migration, spawning and rearing grounds within the stream corridor. Atascadero Creek Atascadero Creek includes about 6.3 miles of stream habitat between Goleta and Santa Barbara. In addition to the Patterson Avenue control grade structure that is shared with Maria Ygnacio Creek, Atascadero Creek has an additional 84 foot-wide control grade concrete and boulder riprap structure close to the end of Ward Drive which is maintained by Santa Barbara County Flood Control District. Steelhead migration is likely impaired by this structure, and the


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functionality and desirability of the structure has been discussed by several local groups (Stoecker et al. 2002). VII. EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED ACTION This section includes an analysis of the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of the Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Break Project on SCS DPS and designated steelhead critical habitat. The analysis considers the existing conditions of the project area watersheds, and the project’s effects to steelhead and designated critical habitat in the context of existing conditions. Factors considered in this analysis include proximity of actions to steelhead habitat, the extent of the geographic area where disturbance may occur, timing of effect in relationship to species life history information, nature of the effect on anadromous habitat, duration of effect, and disturbance intensity and severity. The analysis of direct effects includes areas proposed for treatment within the project area boundary (see Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zone Project Map in Figure 1) for the duration of the proposed work. The analysis area for indirect effects includes the treatment area plus areas that might be influenced by the project including areas downstream. Specifically, this includes six 6th-level subwatersheds within the project boundaries (see Southern California Steelhead Critical Habitat Fuel Break Maps in Appendices D and E). Indirect effects are considered for the period beginning with site preparation to about five years after the project is completed, and the point where project generated effects might be expected to dissipate or end due to the nature of planned treatments. Direct Effects No direct effects to SCS DPS are expected from the proposed action. The proposed action for this project was designed to eliminate direct negative effects to aquatic habitats. Where treatments occur in proximity to streams, project design criteria associated with RCAs will apply as described in the Project Description section of this document.

Within 50 feet of stream channels, mechanical equipment (ie. masticators and dozers) and other vehicles will not operate off existing roads. Field personnel, vehicles, and mechanical equipment will not enter waterways, so there will be no direct contact with O. mykiss located in any project area streams. Therefore, direct effects to aquatic biota, including fish, will not occur. Vegetation within 50 feet of streams will not be altered and existing cover will be maintained. Riparian buffers 100 to 300 feet wide on each stream bank will be maintained where potential habitat for threatened, endangered, or proposed species occurs. Large woody debris additions, sediment and nutrient sequestration, and other riparian vegetation services that protect water quality and downstream aquatic habitats will be maintained. Stream bank stability will not be altered. Direct effects to Southern California steelhead and designated steelhead critical habitat are not expected to occur due to the Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone Project, because no populations of SCS DPS exist within the project area. Indirect Effects


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The risk of indirect effects to SCS DPS and designated critical habitat is primarily related to potential changes to water and habitat quality due to sedimentation, downstream from proposed project activities. Baseline conditions were determined using the Los Padres Matrix of Factors and Indicators (see Appendix B). The functionality of each indicator was determined using professional judgment, data available in forest stream inventory files, and the Biological Assessment for Steelhead and LPNF Programs (Chubb 1998) as compared to values in Appendix B. The Matrix of Factors and Indicators was used to assist in the overall evaluation of effects to SCS DPS and their designated critical habitat, and provides a succinct format for summarizing potential effects as discussed below by habitat indicator. Water Quality

There is a paucity of data on the effects of chaparral fuel breaks on water quality (e.g., rates of sedimentation and erosion). To address these knowledge gaps, the effects to the water quality parameters outlined below are largely based on studies of other forms of disturbance such as the effects due to wildfire and roads. For example, unpaved roads and fires can increase erosion by one or more orders of magnitude relative to forested areas (Ramos-Scharrón and MacDonald 2005, Shakesby and Doerr 2006). Because the proposed fuel break treatments include fuels reductions rather than complete vegetation removal, and leaving masticated vegetation on-site to decompose, where practicable, to reduce rates of erosion, the water quality effects due to erosion described here are likely overestimates. Temperature: Proposed actions will maintain stream and riparian function by maintaining riparian buffers on each stream bank at a width of 100 to 300 feet in areas of potential habitat of TEPCS. Canopy cover and water temperature will not be affected by the proposed action. In fuel breaks where brush treatments contact RCAs the following riparian characteristics will be maintained along stream channels: existing levels of canopy cover and over-story vegetation, multi-storied canopy conditions, and associated riparian vegetation. Because riparian components are maintained, stream canopy cover and water temperature will not be affected as a result of the proposed action. By creating a defensible space, this project is designed to reduce the risk of wildfire damage to both aquatic and terrestrial resources across the landscape. Suspended Sediment/Turbidity: Precipitation is a major factor influencing postfire erosion, and generally postfire erosion will be more pronounced in wet years compared to normal rainfall years (Wohlgemuth et al. 2001). Rates of sedimentation also largely depend on the intensity of winter storms and the proximity of sensitive areas to streams. Research suggests that burned chaparral hillslopes typically recover to prefire erosion rates 2-4 years post-fire (Wohlgemuth et al. 2001). Project design criteria have been developed for aquatic habitats within the site of proposed action. These features are designed to minimize project-generated sediment delivery to aquatic habitats downstream of the project area following the steps outlined below. They include:


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1. Pre-planned placement and configuration of dozer lines and fuel breaks. Ridgeline units are surrounded by substantial amounts of vegetated sideslopes. Fuel breaks that encompass aquatic resources have RCAs around streams.

2. Limit activities within 100-300 feet of stream channels where there is the potential for TEPCS in the area.

3. Spread the effects of treatment over several years. Only a portion of the total acreage proposed for treatment will occur in any one year. Project actions are expected to be treated in increments of a three to ten-year cycle and continue into the foreseeable future.

4. Leave mechanically treated brush onsite to decompose where practicable, to retain soil and minimize erosion.

5. Limit mechanical equipment to existing roads. 6. Implement BMPs to minimize soil disturbance and protect water quality. Because fire is a natural watershed disturbance in this area, native species are adapted to persist under natural fire regimes and associated watershed conditions. Although SCS DPS could be exposed to increases in turbidity during storms following the proposed action, there is low probability that the amount of sediment generated from these actions would adversely affect patterns of migration, spawning, or rearing due to the distance from the closest fuel breaks (i.e., 200-3280 feet) to designated steelhead habitat. Moreover, any effects due to sedimentation are further ameliorated because some critical habitat designations are located in very steep inaccessible stream reaches, well above existing anthropogenic and natural barriers (i.e., waterfalls), which effectively prevent fish migration to these steep headwaters. Since riparian buffers will be maintained, these zones will retain their ability to sequester sediment and stabilize stream channels after the proposed action is completed. Due to strategic project design and the proximity of steelhead within designated critical habitat, few indirect effects are anticipated to SC steelhead and their habitat as a result of increased sediment and turbidity. Chemical Contamination: Possible sources for chemical contamination of the aquatic environment from project activities include equipment fuels or fluids. Refueling and maintenance of project mechanized equipment (i.e. masticators, chain saws) will occur outside of any RCA. BMP 2.12 (see Appendix C) will guide all equipment fueling, lubricating and servicing actions. Chemical contamination to aquatic systems is not anticipated due to the proposed action. Habitat Access Physical Access: The Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone Project will have no effect on habitat access to anadromous fish habitat, and no instream barriers will be constructed. Habitat Elements Substrate, Pool Frequency, Pool Quality, Off Channel Habitat: The potential for indirect effects to substrates, pools, and off-channel habitats is related to rates of erosion and sediment delivery to streams. The proposed action may result in some increases of soil disturbance and surface erosion during winter storms following proposed activities. However, in the context of existing watershed conditions and TEPCS (i.e. Southern California steelhead) life history, the


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magnitude of likely sediment impacts due to the propose action is negligable. Due to high stream gradients within Arroyo Hondo, San Pedro, San Jose, Maria Ygnacio and Atascadero Creek subwatersheds, it is unlikely that streams in these drainages will show elevated embeddedness or any impacts to pool and off channel habitat due to the propsed action. Any changes in the sediment regime due to the proposed action are not expected to result in significant effects to stream substrates, and pool and off channel habitats. Since the Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone Project will be implemented incrementaly through time and space, watershed effects will not occur throughout the project area simultaneously resulting in low probability that SC steelhead habitat will be adversely affected by the proposed action. Large Woody Debris (LWD): Brush will be cut either by hand or mechanical methods to create fuel breaks. Large woody debris may be left onsite to decompose if leaving the material produces the desired condition of a reduced flame length. Rehabilitation treatments such as these are commonly applied to reduce runoff and erosion. Refugia: Most streams within the watersheds of the proposed action are inaccessible to steelhead with the exception of Arroyo Hondo Creek. The distance between the fuel break and critical habitat for SCS at Arroyo Hondo Creek is approximately 0.6 miles; however, the presence of a waterfall about 1.25 miles from the coast prevents steelhead above this barrier, and anadromous fish are restricted to stream habitats below which is well below the ridgeline fuel break. There are several perennial stream reaches within the watersheds of the Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone Project that provide potential year-round rearing habitat for resident rainbow trout. However, because impacts of this project are expected to be limited to slight increases in stream sediment transport during winter storm events following the completion of the project, fish habitat and refugia are not expected to be altered. Small increases in stream sediment transport to refugia post-project would not be of sufficient magnitude to impact the quality or quantity of available rearing habitat. No change in refugia condition is expected and overall watershed health (including existing perennial stream reaches) is expected to be maintained as a result of the project. Channel Condition and Dynamics Width to Depth Ratio, Streambank Condition, Floodplain Connectivity: Mechanical vegetation removal will not occur within 50 feet of stream channels, and will not impact streambank protection of trees and other vegetation. The retention of RCAs will protect streambank and floodplain condition. The project will not significantly alter the existing flow regime (see Peak/Base Flow discussion), diminish riparian habitat (including vegetative streambank protection), or add measurable amounts of sediment to stream channels (see Sediment/Turbidity discussion). No stream channel alterations including width to depth ratios are anticipated from the proposed action. Flow/Hydrology Peak/Base Flow: Increases in storm and base flows in chaparral watersheds following wildfires suggest that a three to fivefold increase in stormflow post-fire are typical (Hibbert 1984). Flows downstream of wildfire areas, that generally burn at moderate to high intensity, often last only a few years and sometimes only the first runoff season. Although, most fuels reductions will be achieved by mastication, some low level burning of shredded material may be performed (e.g., pile and jackpot burning). However, effects to water flow resulting from lower intensity


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prescribed burning are difficult, if not impossible, to detect (Baker 1990). Project actions are unlikely to change the runoff significantly in the project area watersheds, and are not expected to increase peak/base flows by a detectable level. Drainage Density: There is no road construction associated with the proposed action, nor do they involve changing stream diversions associated with the road and trail network (see Road Density/Location discussion), or altering existing stream crossings. The project proposes to create and maintain 418 acres of chaparral fuel break around the SBFC local community in zones of strategic importance for wildfire suppression. Most fuel breaks are proposed on former fuel breaks, existing roads and fire lines, and most take advantage of ridgetop features to increase effectiveness. The Painted Cave fuel break, however, is a new fuel break. It will take advantage of topography and roads to increase its effectiveness and be positioned along the Forest boundary. Since the proposed action involves mostly existing fuel breaks and other fire suppression features it is unlikely to cause channelization of overland flows, and there is low probability that drainage networks will be affected. Watershed Condition Road Density/Location: No increase in the number of roads will occur because there is no new road construction associated with the proposed action. The project will restore existing fuel breaks to maintain their functionality. The Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone Project will not increase road densities or alter road locations. Disturbance Regime: Mensing et al. (1999) examined charcoal deposits in the Santa Barbara Basin and concluded that between 1425 and 1990 the average time between large fires in the area is 20-30 years. Furthermore, chaparral dominated landscapes are particularly vulnerable to high-intensity wildfires owing to fuel characteristics that can result in burns routinely comprising 30,000 acres (Keeley et al. 1999). The Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone Project will reduce fuels and disrupt the continuity of fuels across drainages. The proposed action, then, is likely to decrease the intensity and extent of future wildfires and the associated watershed impacts of wildfire and wildfire suppression efforts. Riparian Conservation Areas: Only activities that maintain or improve long-term aquatic and riparian ecosystem health, and minimize short-term adverse impacts to SC steelhead, are proposed within RCAs. Due to the project design and the implementation of BMPs, the integrity of riparian areas and stream channels will be protected from adverse direct and indirect effects due to the proposed action. There is low probability that the project will lead to adverse impacts to RCAs, and high probability that the project will reduce future impacts to RCAs from wildfires. Cumulative Effects ESA Considerations Cumulative effects analyses are only triggered in Section 7 consultation by a determination of adverse effects, and under the ESA definition, those effects would only be reasonably foreseeable effects of future nonfederal activities. Cumulative effects are not considered in the effects determination by the Forest Service, but would be considered by NMFS in reaching a determination


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concerning jeopardy or adverse modification of designated critical habitat. Since no adverse effects are anticipated, no discussion of cumulative effects is warranted related to ESA. Effects Summary Little is known about the degree to which riparian habitat within the project area has changed over time; however, influences on riparian conditions include: rainfall, wildfire, recreational use, roads, trails, and development (USDA-FS 2000d). Rainfall is highly variable in the SBFC coastal mountains owing to its Mediterranean climate. Fires are common in the coastal foothills and mountains above Santa Barbara, and heavy rainfall following fires delivers irregular amounts of sediment to stream systems depending on the timing of such events and the fire severity. The Gaviota Fire (2004), Gap Fire (2008) and Jesusita Fire (2009) burned several of the drainages supporting the creeks between the Gaviota/Rincon and Painted Cave fuel breaks. The effects of these fires on stream communities varied substantially depending on catchment vegetation and soils, and rates of run-off and erosion (Cooper et al. 2014). A number of grade control structures, dams, culverts, debris basins, revetments, channelizations and low-water crossings have reduced the amount of available anadromous fish habitat by blocking passage to historically occupied streams within the SBFC, including the watersheds of the Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone Project. Although some of these human engineered structures are slated for improvements, many of them will remain in the foreseeable future and the SBFC project will have no bearing on them. Rates of erosion are probably higher today than historically owing to the development of roads, trails and urban communities. Roads have replaced some trails and some of these were built in riparian habitats. Construction of roads results in increased sediment delivery to streams (Forman and Alexander 1998), and new road construction on private lands is expected in response to continued urban development. Road maintenance will continue to be executed by State and County road crews in and adjacent to the project area. The proposed actions outlined here will not increase rates of sediment delivery to stream channels from existing or future roads. There are private residences in the Haney Tracts, Trout Club and Painted Cave areas that are proximate to the project area and adjacent to the National Forest boundary. However, proposed actions combined with activities on private lands within the project area are not expected to affect anadromous O. mykiss. There are no known local, state, or private projects currently underway or planned in the proposed action watersheds that would cumulatively add to the effects described above. This project is, however, a part of an on-going attempt by the Forest Service, Santa Barbara County Fire, and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, to reduce wildfire hazards to public resources and private property. The relative magnitude of risk to anadromous fish and their habitats from this project is negligible. The project is designed to minimize effects to SC steelhead and other aquatic resources. Suitable fish habitat characteristics will not be impacted to a substantial degree due to RCA standards, BMPs, and design criteria that are outlined for this project. Aquatic habitats downstream of the project area would not be affected by the proposed action unless a large


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amount of sediment delivery to anadromous waters was to occur. The SBFC Project is designed to minimize erosion and sediment delivery to stream channels (see Effects section). By minimizing the potential for on-site impacts, it is assumed that off-site impacts will be reduced. Since much of this project is located above stream headwaters of the watersheds involved, there are no expected incremental effects from upstream sources. VIII. DETERMINATION A determination is given for effects of the proposed action on the SCS DPS and their designated critical habitat. A Letter of Concurrence is requested from NOAA Fisheries to support the determinations reached herein. The effects determination for the renewal of the Santa Barbara Front Country Defensible Fuel Profile Zone Project is may affect but is not likely to adversely affect (NLAA) the SCS DPS and essential features of designated critical habitat, including rearing and migration, owing to the following: 1. No steelhead or accessible designated critical habitat occur onsite or proximate to the site of

proposed action.

2. Wildfire is a natural watershed disturbance in the project area. Consideration of the natural fire regime indicates that wildfire is likely in the near future. Unmanaged wildfire in this area can threaten public and private resources, and has been implicated in past adverse impacts to fisheries habitat.

3. Southern California steelhead have evolved in the context of natural fire regimes and

associated watershed conditions. 4. No direct impacts to SCS DPS are anticipated, riparian areas will remain functional, and

stream canopy cover will not be reduced as a result of the proposed action.

5. With protective measures in place the proposed action may result in some increases in stream sediment during high flow events for up to 3 years following prescribed burning activities.

6. Fire behavior fuel model results show that proposed fuel treatments reduce flame lengths to no more than 6 feet, allowing first personnel to suppress fires more readily and mitigate risks to the public and wildlife habitat.


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IX. LITERATURE CITED Baker, M.B. 1990. Hydrologic and water quality effects of fire. USDA Forest, Service, Rocky

Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. General Technical Report RM-191, pp. 31-42.

Becker, G.S. and I.J. Reining. 2008. Steelhead/Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Resources South of the Golden Gate, California. Prepared for California State Coastal Conservancy and the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation. Center for Ecosystem Management and Restoration, Oakland, California.

Boughton, D.A, P.B. Adams, E. Anderson, C. Fusaro, E. Keller, E. Kelley, L. Lentsch, J.

Neilsen, K. Perry, H. Regan, J. Smith, C. Swift, L. Thompson, and F. Watson. 2006. Steelhead of the South-Central/Southern California Coast: Population characterization for recovery planning. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum. NMFS, Santa Cruz, CA. NOAA-TM-NMFSSWFSC-SC-394. 116 pp.

Christie, M.R., M.L. Marine, and M.S. Blouin. 2011. Who are the missing parents?

Grandparentage analysis identifies multiple sources of gene flow into a wild population. Molecular Ecology, 20:1263–1276.

Chubb, S.L. 1998. Biological Assessment for steelhead and Los Padres National Forest

Programs as amended by PacFish and Riparian Conservation Strategies. Los Padres National Forest, Goleta, CA. June 1998.

Clemento, A. J., E. C. Anderson, D. Boughton, D. Girman, and J. C. Garza. 2009. Population

Genetic Structure and Ancestry of Oncorhynchus mykiss Populations Above and Below Dams in South-central California. Conservation Genetics 10(5):1321-1336.

Cooper, K. 2005. Personal communication. Forest Wildlife Biologist. Los Padres National

Forest. Santa Maria, CA. Cooper, S.D. H.M. Page, S.W. Wiseman, K. Klose, D. Bennet, T. Even, S. Sadro, C.E. Nelson

and T.L. Dudley. 2014. Physicochemical and biological responses of streams to wildfire severity in riparian zones. Freshwater Biology. doi: 10.1111/fwb.12523

Forman, R.T.T and L.E. Alexander. 1998. Roads and their major ecological effects. Annual

Review of Ecology and Systematics 29: 207-231. Fukushima, L., and E. W. Lesh. 1998. Adult and Juvenile Anadromous Salmonid Migration

Timing in California Streams. California Fish and Game 84:133-145. Gantt, P.R., 1974. Inclusion of Santa Barbara Coastal Streams into the Central Coastal Water Quality Control Plan. Garza, J.C. and A. Clemento. 2007. Population genetic structure of Oncorhynchus mykiss in the

Santa Ynez River, California. Final report for project partially funded by the Cachuma


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Conservation Release Board, Santa Barbara, CA. NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA. 54 pp.

Girman, D., and J. C. Garza. 2006. Population Structure and Ancestry of O. mykiss Populations

in South-Central California Based on Genetic Analysis of Microsatellite Data. Final Report for California Department of Fish and Game Project No. P0350021 and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Contract No. AWIP-S-1. November 2006.

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grass seeding on soil erosion in Southern California chaparral. Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Forest Vegetation Management Conference. Redding, California, January 20-22, 1998.

Figure 1. Map of proposed fuel break locations (in red) of the Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zones Project. Left to right are the Gaviota/Refugio Canyon, Rosario Park, Haney Tract West, Haney Tract East, San Marcos Trout Club, and Painted Cave treatment areas and the associated 6th Level HUC watersheds.

Santa Barbara Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest A-1 Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zones Project Southern California Steelhead BA

Appendix A Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zones Project

Appendix B

Los Padres National Forest Matrix of Factors and Indicators This matrix shows criteria used for making decisions on Baseline conditions in the attached Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zones Project checklists.

Los Padres National Forest Matrix of Factors and Indicators

FACTORS INDICATORS PROPERLY FUNCTIONING AT RISK NOT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING

WATER QUALITY

Temperature 50 to 57 degrees F 57 to 60 degrees F for spawning 57 to 64 degrees F for rearing

>60 degrees F for spawning >64 degrees F for rearing

Turbidity Turbidity Low Turbidity Moderate Turbidity High

Chemical/Nutrient Contamination

Low levels of contamination from agriculture, industrial, and other sources; no excess nutrients.

Moderate levels of contamination from agriculture, industrial, and other sources; some excess nutrients.

High levels of contamination from agriculture, industrial, and other sources; high levels of nutrients.

HABITAT ACCESS

Physical Barriers

(Including chemical)

Any man-made barriers present in watershed allow upstream and downstream passage at all flows.

Any man-made barriers present in watershed do not allow upstream and/or downstream passage at base/low flows.

Any man-made barriers present in watershed do not allow upstream and/or downstream passage at a range of flows.

HABITAT ELEMENTS

Substrate

Less than 12% fines (<2 mm) in spawning habitat (pool tail-outs, low gradient riffles, and glides) and cobble embeddedness less than 20%. Substrate is gravel/ cobble dominant.

12 to 20% fines (<2 mm) in spawning habitat (pool tail-outs, low gradient riffles, and glides) and/or cobble embeddedness is 20 to 30%. Gravel/cobble is subdominant.

Greater than 20% fines (<2 mm) in spawning habitat (pool tail-outs, low gradient riffles, and glides) and cobble embeddedness greater than 30%. Gravel/cobble is subdominant.

Large Woody Debris

More than 20 pieces of large wood per mile in chaparral and >80 pieces per mile in woodlands, AND current riparian vegetation condition near site potential for recruitment of large woody debris.

More than 20 pieces of large wood per mile in chaparral and >80 pieces per mile in woodlands AND current riparian vegetation condition below site potential for recruitment of large woody debris.

Less than 20 pieces of large wood per mile in chaparral and <80 pieces per mile in woodlands AND current riparian vegetation condition well below site potential for recruitment of large woody debris.

Pool Frequency

18 pools/mi for 100’ bankfull width, 50 pools/mi for 26’ BFW, 56 pools/mi for 20’ BFW, 96 pools/mi for 10’ BFW. Pools should occupy at least 50% of the low-flow channel width and have a maximum depth of at least 1 meter.

Intermediate pool frequency and/or low levels of LWD.

Low pool frequency and low levels of LWD.

Off-channel Habitat

Backwaters with cover, and low energy off-channel areas (ponds, oxbows, etc.).

Some backwaters and high energy side channels.

Few or no backwaters or off-channel ponds.

Refugia (important remnant habitat for sensitive aquatic

species)

Habitat refugia exist and are adequately buffered (e.g. by intact riparian reserves); existing refugia are sufficient in size, number and connectivity to maintain viable populations or sub-populations.

Habitat refugia exist but are not adequately buffered (e.g. by intact riparian reserves); existing refugia are insufficient in size, number and connectivity to maintain viable populations or sub-populations.

Adequate habitat refugia do not exist.

CHANNEL CONDITION

AND DYNAMICS

Width/Depth Ratio W/D ratio < 10. W/D ratio 10 to 12. W/D ratio > 12

Streambank Condition

> 90% stable; i.e., on average, < 10% of banks are actively eroding. 80 - 90% stable < 80% stable

Floodplain Connectivity

Off-channel areas are frequently hydrologically linked to main channel; overbank flows occur and maintain wetland functions, riparian vegetation, and succession.

Reduced linkage of wetland, floodplains, and riparian areas to main channel; overbank flows are reduced relative to historic frequency, as evidenced by moderate degradation of wetland function, riparian vegetation/ succession.

Severe reduction in hydrologic connectivity between off-channel, wetland, floodplain, and riparian areas; wetland area drastically reduced and riparian vegetation/succession altered significantly.

Los Padres National Forest Matrix of Factors and Indicators (Continued) FACTORS INDICATORS PROPERLY FUNCTIONING AT RISK NOT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING

FLOW / HYDROLOGY

Change in Peak/ Base Flows

Watershed hydrograph indicates peak flow, base flow, and flow timing characteristics comparable to an undisturbed watershed of similar size, geology, and geography.

Some evidence of altered peak flow, baseflow and/or flow timing relative to an undisturbed watershed of similar size, geology, and geography

Pronounced changes in peak flow, baseflow and/or flow timing relative to an undisturbed watershed of similar size, geology, and geography.

Increase in Drainage Network

Zero or minimum increases in drainage network density due to roads.

Moderate (5%) increases in drainage network density due to roads.

Significant (20-25%) increases in drainage network density due to roads.

WATERSHED CONDITIONS

Road Density and Location

Less than two miles per square mile, no valley bottom roads.

Two to three miles per square mile, some valley bottom roads.

Over three miles per square mile, many valley bottom roads.

Disturbance History

< 15% ECA (entire watershed) with no concentration of disturbance in unstable or potentially unstable areas, and/or refugia, and/or riparian area; and for NWFP area (except AMA's), 15% or more retention of LSOG in watershed.

< 15% ECA (entire watershed) but disturbance concentrated in unstable or potentially unstable areas, and/or refugia, and/or riparian area; and for NWFP area (except AMA's), 15% or more retention of LSOG in watershed.

> 15% ECA (entire watershed) and disturbance concentrated in unstable or potentially unstable areas, and/or refugia, and/or riparian area; does not meet NWFP standard for LSOG retention.

Riparian Reserves

(Hydrologic)

The riparian reserve system provides adequate shade, large woody debris recruitment, and habitat protection and connectivity in all subwatersheds, and buffers or includes known refugia for sensitive aquatic species (> 80% intact), and/or for grazing impacts; percent similarity of riparian vegetation to the potential natural community/composition > 50%.

Moderate loss of connectivity or function (shade, LWD recruitment, etc) of riparian reserve system, or incomplete protection of habitat and refugia for sensitive aquatic species (approx. 70-80% intact), and/or for grazing impacts; percent similarity of riparian vegetation to the potential natural community/composition 25-50% or better.

Riparian reserve system is fragmented, poorly connected, or provides inadequate protection of habitat and refugia for sensitive aquatic species (approx. less than 70% intact), and/or for grazing impacts; percent similarity of riparian vegetation to the potential natural community/composition is 25% or less.

APPENDIX C

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

Working cooperatively with the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), the Forest Service has developed and documented nonpoint pollution control measures applicable to NFS lands. The Forest Service’s measures were certified by the SWRCB and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency as the most effective means for the Forest Service to control nonpoint source pollution. These measures are termed “Best Management Practices” (BMPs). BMPs are designed to accommodate site-specific conditions. The following is a list of BMPs from the Forest Service BMP Handbook (USDA 2000) that are applicable to the Project, and therefore will be implemented as part of the proposed action. Following each BMP is a brief description of how the practice will be accomplished for this project. BMP 2.12 Servicing and Refueling of Equipment

All fueling will be conducted in a designated area, typically on roads. Equipment will have ongoing inspections for fuel leaks. Absorbent material will be used on all drips. All contaminates (including soil) will be taken off site in the event of leaks or spills.

BMP 2.13 Control of Construction and Maintenance Activities Adjacent to RCAs

Riparian buffer areas (RCAs) have been established for the project area following LPNF LMP guidance. Vehicles, equipment, and dozer firelines are restricted off roads within 50 feet of stream channels. Activities will not take place when soils are wet; roads will not be used and road maintenance activities will not occur during wet weather.

BMP 2.21 Water Source Development Consistent with Water Quality Protection

There will be no water source development within the project area. Water used for controlling prescribed fire will come from existing fire engine water facilities.

BMP 2.22 Maintenance of Roads

On-going road maintenance will keep road facilities (ditches, culverts, outslope function) operational to handle water runoff. The Project will not take place during wet conditions.

BMP 5.1 Soil Disturbing Treatments on the Contour

Vegetation treatment using masticators is not expected to be a ground-disturbing activity. Ground disturbance during dozer line construction will be minimized.

BMP 5.2 Slope Limitations Mechanical Equipment Operation

Areas that may be treated by mechanical means have been mapped and field-verified to determine suitability for treatment. Mechanical treatments will be limited to slopes less than 45% to prevent adverse soil disturbance and sediment production. Water bars will be constructed to minimize soil loss where deemed appropriate.

BMP 5.5 Disposal of Organic Debris

The primary method of organic debris disposal for the Project is mechanical treatments and prescribed fire. Cut vegetation will be piled and burned or chipped. Project activities have been planned to effectively reduce fuels in a mosaic throughout the project area while maintaining necessary soil cover and avoiding the production of hydrophobic soils. Large woody debris will be left undisturbed wherever it is not deemed a fire hazard.

BMP 5.6 Soil Moisture Limitations for Equipment Operations

Project activities will not occur in wet soil conditions.

BMP 6.1 Fire and Fuels Management Activities

The primary goal of the Project is to reduce public and private losses and environmental impacts that result from wildfires by reducing fuel concentrations and promoting fire-adapted species diversity.

BMP 6.2 Consideration of Water Quality in Formulating Fire Prescriptions

Water quality will be maintained by implementing the Project in stages over several years, limiting the amount of affected area at any one time, and including Project Design Criteria for Project implementation in RCAs. Due to Project design, the integrity and function of riparian ecosystems will be maintained post-Project. Water quality and aquatic habitat will be protected long-term because the Project is likely to reduce the intensity and extent of future wildfires in the project area.

BMP 6.3 Protection of Water Quality from Prescribed Burning Effects

Prescribed fire will be managed to result in a mosaic of burned and unburned vegetation. Low intensity fire will be allowed to back into RCAs, and ignition will not take place in RCAs. At least 70% soil cover will be maintained through active management of the fire in RCAs. If necessary, water will be used to extinguish burning in riparian areas.

Appendix D. Southern California steelhead critical habitat in relation to the eastern fuel break units of the Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zones Project.

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Appendix E. Southern California steelhead critical habitat in relation to the Gaviota fuel break of the Santa Barbara Mountain Communities Defense Zones Project.

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