environmental assessment for the hog lake road improvement project

Ramona Hog Lake Road Improvement Project August 2011
Design Criteria: Habitat replacement of 0.15 acres (0.06 hectares) of Quino habitat
(see Table 1: Mitigation Measures/Design Criteria; Biological Resources, Bio1).
3. Increased vehicle speeds may lead to additional mortality to butterflies due to
vehicle strikes. Potential increase in vehicle speed may enhance the road as a
barrier to Quino movement due to turbulence. Since the proposed Project nearly
bisects the Bautista Unit of critical habitat, the movement of Quino could be affected
within this Unit.
Design Criteria: Road use is expected to be low since the road only provides access
to and from the Ramona Indian Reservation, which only includes two homes and
several lodges. Road use is not expected to increase due to paving. The effects of
potential increased vehicle speeds should be minimized by a reduced and posted
speed limit of 25 mph and educational material provided to regular road users (see
Table 1: Mitigation Measures/Design Criteria; Biological Resources, Bio 7 and 8).
Indirect Effects
1. Grading of the road may increase dust in the area during implementation, which
has the potential to negatively affect Quino host and nectar plants.
Design Criteria: Implementation of standard BMPs will reduce fugitive dust, i.e
watering the road and loose soil areas (see Table 1: Mitigation Measures/Design
Criteria; Biological Resources, Bio 3).
2. There could be potential for the introduction of non-native seeds during
construction that may affect Quino host plants.
Design Criteria: Standard BMPs, i.e washing equipment (see Table 1: Mitigation
Measures/Design Criteria; Biological Resources, Bio 13 and 15).
3. Completion of the project, i.e. covering the existing dirt with pavement, will likely
reduce the dust associated with current (unpaved) use, which would be a benefit to
Quino habitat adjacent to the road by improving host and nectar plant condition.
Cumulative Effects
No Action:
For the No Action alternative, it is expected that cumulative impacts on TEPC
species and habitat would remain unchanged.
Proposed Action:
Any Quino habitat loss caused by the Proposed Action would add to the habitat loss
that has already occurred in the area.
Recent fuel reduction projects on Forest Service land in the area have resulted in the
temporary decrease of 2088 acres of red shank-chaparral habitat through burning,
which would have impacted the Quino in the short-term. However, fuel reduction
Frank Springer & Associates, Inc. Page 43 of 79 Environmental Assessment