Environmental Impact Statement - Sonoma Land Trust

California Department of Fish and Game
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Section 3.4. Public Health and Safety
Mosquito Breeding Habitats in the Project Area
The project area currently contains many existing types of wetlands that support
mosquito production. Two general classes of habitats, open water habitats and
flooded habitats, provide suitable conditions for mosquito production. Open
water habitats include wetlands, ditches, sloughs, and ponds that are permanently
inundated. Flooded habitats include managed wetlands that only seasonally retain
surface water.
Mosquito larvae were found in low numbers in streams and ponds on the project
site and in some vernal pools and backwater areas within the watershed during
2005 and 2006 aquatic dip-net sampling. The potential mosquito breeding
habitats that exist in the project area are illustrated in Table 3.4-1.
Table 3.4-1. Potential Mosquito Breeding Habitat in the Project Area
Habitat Type Existing Alternative 2:
Partial Tidal
Alternative 3:
Full Tidal
Agricultural Lands 1,055.6 223.5 0
Farmed Seasonal Wetlands 94.9 0.1 0.1
Seasonally Saturated Grassland 116.8 116.8 75.4
Alkali Seasonal Wetland 0.4 0.4 0.4
Brackish Marsh 35.5 7.8 1.3
Seep 1.3 1.3 1.3
Vernal Pool 35.2 35.2 4.3
Willow Scrub 1.7 1.7 1.7
Wildflower Field 15.5 15.5 15.5
Non-native Annual Grassland 877.5 877.5 782.2
Total 2,234.4 1279.8 882.2
Public Safety
The project site is currently used for agricultural activities, livestock grazing and
upland game birding. Future members of the public that would use the project
site include construction workers during project implementation, users of the Bay
Trail segments that would traverse the project site, staff at the San Pablo Bay
National Wildlife Refuge North Bay headquarters, visitors to the Refuge
headquarters, volunteers associated with SLT or the Refuge, school groups
participating in environmental education activities, and maintenance workers
under post-restoration conditions.
In the event of flooding or other emergency, the project area is under the
jurisdiction of the Sonoma County Sheriff Department and Petaluma Fire
Sears Point Wetland and Watershed Restoration
Project Final Environmental Impact
Report/Environmental Impact Statement
3.4-4
April 2012