SFPUC 2001 Alameda Watershed Management Plan

III. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING AND IMPACTSE. NATURAL RESOURCESand restoration of the entry to the temple (Action sun13). In addition, implementation of the Sunolmanagement actions would involve construction of several public access facilities andimprovements, including a public recreation area around the Sunol Water Temple (Actionsun14); commercial site (Action sun19), overnight nature study area (Action sun20), and trailconnections (Action sun21).Implementation of the management actions in the Grazing Resources Management Elementwould generate construction projects primarily through structural protection measures andWatershed protection area improvements, including fencing around reservoirs, streams, and stockwater ponds; water developments; water collection systems; wildlife ponds; and livestock pondrehabilitation (Actions gra2, gra6, gra7, and gra8).Although the aim of Actions wil5 (elimination of unnecessary fencing) and wil7 (habitatenhancement through vegetation treatments or prescribed fire) is to improve terrestrial habitatover the long term, implementation of these and other management actions could inadvertentlydisturb native plant communities as a result of trampling, removing, or continued or repeateddisruption of vegetation. Such disturbance could modify the structure, composition, anddiversity of the plant community. Modification of native plant communities could lead to adecline in associated wildlife species, and ultimately result in a decline in the local populationsof special-status wildlife species such as sharp-shinned hawks, which feed on wildlife speciesthat inhabit native plant communities. In addition, construction could inadvertently disturb trees(either through damage or removal) that provide potential roosting and nesting sites for variousraptors and other birds that are protected by CDFG Code 3503 and 3503.5 and the MigratoryBird Treaty Act (see Section 1.1, Special-Status Species). Thus, construction activities could bea significant impact to Watershed natural resources.While the Management Plan proposes certain management actions that could bring aboutphysical effects, the Management Plan also includes actions that would reduce these potentialeffects. Table III.E-4 is provided to link, at a program level, those actions that could result inpotential impacts (column 1) with the full range of actions that could be required to reduce thepotential impacts (column 2). The table highlights in bold text those actions that may beessential to reduce significant impacts column 1 actions, depending on the specific nature of themanagement action, such as design, siting, or implementation schedule. These essential actions,as well as the other actions (in non-bold text) that would further reduce potential physical effects,are discussed below. The table also indicates the level of impact significance that would remainif the actions discussed were implemented. Not every bolded action would be necessary tomitigate the effects of the associated potential impact-causing management action. For example,a very minor structure such as a kiosk located in an environmentally non-sensitive area may notrequire any of the bolded actions to avoid a significant effect. Because implementationinformation, such as locations of specific facilities, is not yet known, the table indicates aprogram-level maximum number of measures that could possibly be required to avoid significantimpacts. Management actions would be reviewed at the time they are proposed forimplementation to determine the potential for project-specific impacts and to identify appropriatemitigation measures (see Section II.E.5.0, Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting).NOP 96.223E: Alameda Watershed Management Plan III.E-25 ESA / 930385January 2001