Seeking Safe Passage: Integrating Fish & Wildlife Considerations into Caltrans Decisions and Processes

Caltrans Planning HorizonsHQ Office of Biological Studies

Sacramento, California October 28, 2015

What is a wildlife crossing?

Corridors vs. crossings Corridor = Regional vs. Crossing = Structural

Habitat linkages including fish passage

Habitat connectivity

Examples Structures

Valleys

Ridgelines

Game trails

Spawning habitat availability

Wildlife Crossing and Fish Passage Features

The following types of crossing features aid in connecting wildlife linkages:

Signs and animal detection or driver warning systems Gaps and scuppers in median barriers Undercrossing - Span bridges

Culverts – steel drainage pipes or concrete box culverts Wildlife paths/shelves under bridges that convey water

Overpass - Land bridges Wildlife exclusion and lateral escape measures

Directional fencing – keep animals off the highway Electric mats or wildlife guards (similar to cattle guard concept for at-

grade crossings) Escape ramps (jump outs) & one-way gates – let animals escape if they

do get in Decommissioning interchange structures

Wildlife Crossing Enhancements

Fencing Escape ramps Lighting – day-lighting

culverts Signs Vegetation

Add or remove from ROW

Animal detection systems

Land enhancements Land use considerations

Wildlife Crossing Structures

Major Regulations Federal

Endangered Species Act – Section 7

National Environmental Policy Act 23 CFR 777 – Mitigation of Impacts to Wetland and Natural Lands

MAP-21: Early Coordination Important

State California Endangered Species Act (CESA)

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

Fish & Game Code

Fish Passage - SB 857 (Sec 3. Article 3.5 Streets & Highways Code) Caltrans is required to address and remediate anadromous fish passage barriers

for all projects

Currently 520 barriers on Caltrans’ highway system

Regulatory Context – Why is it important to Caltrans?

MAP–21 planning and data integration sections, streamlining project delivery 1305

FHWA’s Eco-logical Framework, 9 Steps

RTP Guidelines – more regional context, how are MPO/RTPAs considering?

2015 Strategic Management Plan and new Sustainability Goal – ‘planet’ initiative to integrate natural resource considerations

CEQA Appendix G We need to able to answer this question during CEQA Environmental Review:

“Will your project interfere substantially with the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species or with established native resident or migratory wildlife corridors, or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites?”

What we need to think about…. Wildlife Species Groups – special

status, migratory species, other focal species

Special-Status Habitats

Information and data sources – Nat’l Wetland Inventory, CHP data, ADT, Connectivity mapping

Identifying wildlife corridors – GIS, Local knowledge, Linkage Mapping

Fish Passage Barriers present? – Passage Assessment Database, District Coordinators

Baseline Assessment: Conceptual Steps

Select focal species or habitats Evaluate landscape-level connectivity: California

Essential Habitat Connectivity Project-level crossing issues – Design Team Develop baseline for Wildlife Movement

Review of existing information – TASAS, CDFW Input from Field Maintenance

Identify need for additional information Field surveys, Design Team, Locals, ADT

Data Considerations

How much time do I have to gather data?

What variables do I need to measure?

How large and how many samples do I need?

Do I have enough information to make a decision?

Data Interpretation

Areas of high connectivity Adjacent important conservation areas

– high priority Separation of seasonally-used habitats

salamanders, deer

Identify limitations of baseline data

South Coast Wildlands, 2008

Project Impact Assessment

Potential direct and indirect impacts

Impacts on existing and potential wildlife crossing

Cumulative Effects

Temporary construction-related impacts

Mitigation Options

Avoid Project redesign

Minimize Project redesign

Crossing enhancements – bridge, culvert retrofits, high water benches for med/large wildlife, multi design benefits

Compensate Project redesign

Crossing enhancements

Monitoring, maintenance, and adaptive management

Mitigation Options What are Caltrans management options?

Improve existing structures

Modify existing structures

Add new crossing structures

Species-appropriate Size, life history, openness ratio

Cost effective Safety index

consider hot spot and cost benefit analysis

Best Practices for Multi-purpose Design Early coordination with functional units,

stakeholders Future projects and structures

Existing water conveyance features used by wildlife or fish (what goes on under the highway)

Incorporate best practices and maintenance measures keep the culverts clear, wildlife like openness

Retrofit existing structures to benefit aquatic and terrestrial passage Fix it First, for multi-environmental/biological purpose designs

Replace small culverts with box culverts or small bridges

Smart use of fencing Do not want to exacerbate the barrier effect

Success Strategies

Mitigation Goals Increased public safety

Reduction in animal-vehicle related mortality

Increase habitat connectivity/reduction in habitat fragmentation, barrier effects

Improved permeability of a crossing structure

Increased genetic exchange

Terrestrial wildlife species connectivity - Caltrans, CDFW

Advance Mitigation

Fish Passage Forum

Local Stewardship Teams

Opportunities to Partner

Results

Safety for drivers Reduced animal-vehicle collisions

More wildlife = improved habitat sustainability and livability

Protection of special-status species and their habitats

Habitat linkage and improved habitat conditions Reduced public controversy and increased awareness Identify future needs

The Planning Piece: Where Fish & Wildlife Resources Fit With

Transportation Decisions

Natural Resources in System Planning

Key Natural Resources:

-Wildlife habitat corridors

-Fish Passage -Recovery Plans,

listed species-NCCP/HCPs

Land Use Values:-General Plan designations

-Zoning- Adjacent land uses

-Land ownership

INTEGRATED AND

INFORMED

CORRIDOR

CONCEPT

Sustainable Corridor Planning

Caltrans 2015 Strategic Management Plan Goal 3: Sustainability, Livability, and Economy:

“Make long-lasting, smart mobility decisions that improve the environment, support a vibrant economy, and build communities, not sprawl.”

People− fostering community health and vitalityPlanet − preserving and restoring environmental and

ecological systemsProsperity − promoting economic development

Habitat Connectivity and Wildlife Corridor Planning supports people, planet, and prosperity objectives by:

Enhancing public space and recreational values Improving driver safety

Sustainable Corridors: FHWA’s Integrated Eco-Logical Framework (IEF)

An Ecosystem Approachto DevelopingInfrastructure Projects

• Nine-step, voluntary framework for partners to collaborate, share data, and prioritize areas of ecological significance

• Infrastructure planning – transportation, oil and gas development, renewable energy

• Wildlife connectivity and many other data sets are inputs into Eco-logical

• Framework for aligning conservation and transportation priorities at varying scales

https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/ecological/ImplementingEcoLogicalApproach/default.asp

Important Sources– Transportation Corridor or Regional-level Planning

Natural Resources and Protected Areas: California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Areas of

Conservation Emphasis (ACE) Regional Conservation Plans (NCCP/HCPs) California State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) California Essential Habitat Connectivity Project and finer-scaled

regional assessments Passage Assessment Database (PAD) – www.calfish.org California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) – calands.org

Most of the above can be found on CDFW’s website, www.wildlife.ca.gov

Important Sources – Project-level Planning (Advance)

In addition to those already mentioned, the following are important sources for guiding decisions at the Project Initiation Document (PID) and scoping phase:

Preliminary Environmental Analysis Report (PEAR) Tool - GIS California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) Wildlife camera monitoring and movement studies Animal Vehicle Collision data

Transportation Concept Report: Inter-regional RouteSR 299 in Trinity County

Key Natural Resources- Trinity River, listed salmon species, Essential Connectivity Area, NLBs, fish barriers

Land Use, Ownership – Shasta Trinity USFS lands, private

Route Needs, Vision – Improve safety, accessibility, reliability; storm damage repair, slide repair

Existing assets –

bridges, culverts

Best Design Practices and Wildlife Enhancements

The following are types of improvements that can be made to existing facilities to improve wildlife passage by facilitating movement:

•Remove obstacles, clear site distance through culverts•Raised wildlife shelf or path for high-water flows•Minimize riprap or rock slope protection (RSP) •Relatively flat, natural substrate bottom•Replace steep slopes with natural 2:1 slopes (reduce intimidation)

Best Design Practices and Wildlife Enhancements

Photo: South Yuba bridge over I-80, Placer County

Wildlife shelves, paths Vegetation trimming, improve site distance

Photo: Before and after. Lexington Culvert Highway 17, minor vegetation clearing improves visibility

Best Design Practices and Wildlife Enhancements

Photo: Bobcat using a culvert under Hwy 152, The Nature Conservancy Gonzales Property.

Photo: Hwy 101 at Tick Creek Culvert in the Pajaro Floodplain. Partnering between The Nature Conservancy, Pathways for Wildlife and many others.

Photo: The Nature Conservancy, Red Fern Property near Hwy 152. Importance of clearing debris, removing obstacles.

Thank you!!

Contact information:

Amy Golden, 916-653-8566, amy.golden@dot.gov

Jim Henke, 916-653-6121, james.henke.jr@dot.ca.gov