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Environmental Impact Statement - Sonoma Land Trust

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California Department of Fish and Game<br />

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service<br />

Section 3.5. Biological Resources<br />

Special-Status Plants<br />

Based on existing information from the CNDDB, the USFWS Species list for the<br />

9 quad area around Sears Point quad (accessed February 2012), and from the<br />

Existing Conditions Report, twenty-fourfive special-status plant species occur in<br />

the vicinity (within 10 miles) of the Action area or have potential to occur.<br />

NineteenTwenty species occur in habitats present within the Action area. Only<br />

oneTwo of these species, saline clover 2 , hasand Mason’s lilaeopsis have been<br />

observed within the Action area.<br />

Six species occurring in the Project vicinity are associated with vernal pools<br />

(<strong>Sonoma</strong> sunshine, dwarf downingia, Contra Costa goldfields, legenere, Baker's<br />

navarretia, and saline clover). The Existing Condition Report states that these<br />

have a moderate to low potential to occur on the Project site. However, saline<br />

clover was observed on the Project site in 2005 during surveys for the<br />

Restoration Plan. Saline clover was found within diked baylands north of<br />

Highway 37. The largest numbers were found around the southwest margin of a<br />

vernal pool situated in the upper edge of the historic baylands margin and in<br />

seasonally saturated grasslands to the southwest of this pool. In addition, a few<br />

scattered plants and small clusters of plants were found within topographically<br />

lower seasonally saturated annual grasslands just north of Highway 37.<br />

Seasonally saturated grassland south of Highway 37 is also potential habitat for<br />

this species.<br />

Two species occurring in the Project vicinity are associated with seasonal alkali<br />

wetlands (alkali milk-vetch, San Joaquin spearscale). Saline clover also is<br />

associated with this habitat.<br />

FiveSix species are associated with coastal prairie and other grasslands (hayfield<br />

tarplant, papoose spikeweed, <strong>Sonoma</strong> spineflower, fragrant fritillary, golden<br />

larkspur, and showy Indian clover).<br />

Six species occurring in Project vicinity are associated with tidal salt marsh<br />

(Point Reyes bird's-beak, soft bird's-beak, Delta tule pea, Mason's lilaeopsis,<br />

Marin knotweed, and Suisun Marsh aster). These species would not occur on the<br />

Project site because tidal salt marsh is absent; however, coastal salt marsh under<br />

tidal influence occurs adjacent to the southern edge of the Project site along San<br />

Pablo Bay and Tolay Creek within the Action area (breach and dredging<br />

locations). Of these species, Mason's lilaeopsis is known to occur within the<br />

Action area at Midshipman’s Point at the mouth of Tolay Creek (Baye pers.<br />

comm.).<br />

Five species (Napa false indigo, Mount Tamalpais manzanita, Marin western<br />

flax, and Mount Tamalpais jewelflower) occur in forest, chaparral, or serpentine<br />

grassland habitats that do not occur within the project site or Action area.<br />

2 Saline Clover is a California Native Plant Society 1B.2 species meaning it is considered rare, threatened, or endangered in<br />

California and elsewhere, and considered fairly threatened in California. This species has no state or federal special-status listing.<br />

Sears Point Wetland and Watershed Restoration<br />

Project Final <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Impact</strong><br />

Report/<strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Impact</strong> <strong>Statement</strong><br />

3.5-19<br />

April 2012

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