Chapters 1 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Environmental Consequences
around the perimeter of the knoll is intact. A dirt road and turnabout on the top of the knoll are
used periodically by the Refuge and Navy personnel, but the area is otherwise off-limits to the
public. Because of the site’s research potential, the current use of the road is being monitored for
effects. It is recommended that if damage to the site is eminent, the site be protected or capped to
prevent deterioration. The Service and Navy will coordinate the preservation efforts. Changes in
the use of the area or the proposed preservation techniques will be assessed for effects in
accordance with the regulations of the NHPA.
The Refuge’s inaccessible wetlands have not been surveyed and although there is a potential for
archaeological resources to be present, this potential is low because these areas were also covered
with water during the prehistoric occupation period. There is also the potential for yet
undiscovered buried deposits to be present within the previous surveyed low elevation dry areas
within the Refuge. Therefore, any ground-disturbing activities proposed within the Refuge
boundary – either to accommodate wildlife and habitat management or public use – must be
reviewed in accordance with Section 106 and the procedures established by the Service’s Cultural
Resources Program to ensure that no adverse effects to known or unknown cultural resources
occur as a result of Refuge activities.
The existing wildlife and habitat management activities implemented on the Refuge have limited or
no potential for subsurface disturbance. For those activities that could result in ground
disturbance, such as culvert replacement, the specific proposal is reviewed by the Service’s
Cultural Resources Program prior to implementation to ensure compliance with Section 106. The
continuing to follow these established procedures would avoid any adverse impacts to cultural
resources.
Public Use
The potential for ground disturbing activities to occur in association with the Refuge’s limited
public use program is limited; therefore, no adverse effects to cultural resources are anticipated as
a result of continuing the current public use program as proposed under Alternative A. Refuge
staff will continue to work with the Navy to assess potential effects to CA-ORA-298 as a result of
conducting special bird watching outings on the Refuge. If damage to the site is eminent, the site
would be protected or capped to prevent deterioration. The Service and Navy will coordinate the
preservation efforts.
5.6.2 Alternative B – Maximize Salt Marsh Restoration, Continue Current Public Uses
Wildlife and Habitat Management
All of the areas proposed for restoration have been previously surveyed and no cultural resources
have been encountered. However, because two sites (P-30-001503 and P-30-001504) located on a
low elevation dry area of NWSSB were found to contain buried archaeological deposits during
excavation, low elevation dry areas within the Refuge may also have undiscovered buried deposits
(Underwood and Cleland 2002). To avoid adverse effects to cultural resources, a map indicating
the APE of all restoration projects along with a detailed project description would be submitted for
review to the Service’s Cultural Resources Program, as well as appropriate Navy cultural
resources staff, prior to finalizing any proposed restoration plans. Based on this information,
Service and Navy staff will determine the appropriate measures to be implemented to protect
cultural resources. It is anticipated that the following measure would apply to all of the restoration
projects proposed under this alternative:
Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan 5-69