FERC Project No. 2079 - PCWA Middle Fork American River Project ...

Vegetation communities present.
Emergent and overhanging vegetation present.
Off-Channel Ponds
Habitat data on off-channel ponds in the study area were obtained through ground
surveys conducted August through December 2007 by teams of two biologists and by
CRLF expert Sean Barry. During the surveys, photographs were taken of each offchannel
pond, and the following data were collected, as required by the USFWS
Guidance:
GPS location.
Pond size and maximum depth.
Presence of emergent or overhanging vegetation and dominant species.
Substrate composition.
Whether pond is ephemeral or perennial.
CRLF individuals present (if any).
Predators (such as bullfrogs and predatory fish) and/or other wildlife species
present.
Data were recorded on CRLF Habitat Site Assessment Data Sheets (Appendix D of the
USFWS Guidance).
4.0 RESULTS
4.1 CURRENT AND HISTORIC RANGE OF CRLF
The study area is within the historic range of CRLF, which includes aquatic, riparian,
and upland habitats throughout much of California and northern Baja California.
Currently, CRLF are known to occur from sea level to approximately 3,500 feet in
elevation, although historical sightings have been reported as high as 4,900 feet in the
Sierra Nevada (USFWS 2002). Jennings and Hayes (1994) suggested that populations
at the upper elevation limit may represent translocations.
In the foothills along the west slope of the Sierra Nevada, five isolated populations of
CRLF are currently known, compared to over 60 historic locations reported (USFWS
2002). However, much of the land in the Sierra Nevada foothills is privately owned and
has not been surveyed. Therefore, the actual distribution of CLRF in this region is
unknown.
The MFP is within the USFWS CRLF Recovery Unit 1 (Sierra Nevada Foothills and
Central Valley) (USFWS 2002), but does not contain USFWS-designated critical habitat.
The nearest critical habitat unit, ELD-1, is located south of the MFAR watershed in El
Dorado County (USFWS 2006).
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