SFPUC 2001 Alameda Watershed Management Plan

XII. SUMMARY OF COMMMENTS AND RESPONSESB. SUMMARY OF COMMENTS AND RESPONSEShabitat. It is highly likely that they are abundant at locations elsewhere in the Alameda Watershedwhich have not been documented in the EIR. For instance, adult red-legged frogs were observedin upper San Antonio Creek in 1999. Many existing and proposed land uses within theWatershed are likely to affect this species. We recommend that SFPUC perform surveys todocument occurrences and identify protective measures.Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog: The EIR includes this species on Table III.E-3, but provides nodiscussion in the text. The District has documented populations of yellow-legged frog in theSunol/Ohlone areas and in Alameda Creek. It is likely present within the Alameda Watershed.We recommend that SFPUC perform surveys to document occurrences of this species andidentify protective measures.California Tiger Salamander: The EIR includes this species on Table III.E-3, but provides nodiscussion in the text. The District has documented populations of tiger salamander at Del ValleReservoir and other nearby locations. It is likely present within the Alameda Watershed. Werecommend that SFPUC perform surveys to document occurrences of this species and identifyprotective measures.Alameda Whipsnake: As noted in the discussion on page III.P-5, the Apperson Ridge Quarry islikely to result in previously unforseen impacts to listed species, including Alameda whipsnake.Use of 2.8 miles of Watershed roads through potential whipsnake habitat to access this quarrymay result in significant, cumulative impacts to whipsnake and other special-status species. Inparticular, documented unnatural deaths to whipsnake have occurred on roads which would beexperiencing lower traffic volumes than is proposed for this quarry. We recommend that SFPUCperform surveys to document occurrences of this species and identify protective measures. TheDistrict has documented the presence of whipsnakes and the abundance of high qualitywhipsnake habitat at both Sunol and Ohlone Wilderness areas. Numerous other studies have alsodocumented whipsnake along Pleasanton Ridge. The Alameda Watershed likely containsextensive occupied habitat for this species as it falls in the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sunol-Cedar Mountain recovery area.” (East Bay Regional Park District)Comment I-7: “Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata). The EIR does not mention the Pacificlamprey, a native anadromous (migratory) species that has been documented historically in thewatershed (Gunther et al. 2000). Larval lampreys (ammocetes) were documented in 1998throughout upper Alameda Creek between the Sunol Water Treatment Plant and Leyden Creek(Trihey 1999). Adults have been seen in the last few years in Sunol Regional Wilderness (JoanneFreemire, EBRPD Naturalist, pers. comm., 1999), and the species is reported to occurdownstream through Niles Canyon (Smith 1998). At least 3 adult lampreys have been capturedbelow the BART weir and moved into Niles Canyon this year (Pete Alexander, EBRPD FisheriesSpecialist, pers. comm, 2000). The Pacific lamprey is a Federal Species of Concern. Thepotential impacts of SFPUC management actions on Pacific lamprey and their habitat in AlamedaCreek and its tributaries, including impacts from dams, water capture and diversion, and gravelmining need to be analyzed, and the significant impacts avoided or mitigated. This has not beendone.” (Alameda Creek Alliance)NOP 96.223E: Alameda Watershed Management Plan C&R.54 ESA / 930385