baker creek groundwater recharge project...baker creek terrace ‐ 6 ‐ june 10, 2016 wdid no....

June10,2016Ms.TashaMcKeeSanctuaryForestInc.315ShelterCoverRoad,Unit4Whitethorn,CA95589DearMs.McKee:Subject: ReissuanceofNoticeofApplicability(NOA)forCoverageundertheStateWater

ResourcesControlBoardGeneral401WaterQualityCertificationOrderforSmallHabitatRestorationProjects:SB12006GN

File: BakerCreekTerraceGroundwaterRechargeProject,WDIDNo.1B16263WNHU,

ECMPINNo.CW‐823636OnApril2,2016,SanctuaryForestInc.submittedtotheNorthCoastRegionalWaterQualityControlBoard(NorthCoastWaterBoard)aNoticeofIntent(NOI)tocomplywiththetermsof,andobtaincoverageunder,theGeneral401WaterQualityCertificationOrderforSmallHabitatRestorationProjects(General401Order)fortheBakerCreekTerraceGroundwaterRechargeProject(Project)intheMattoleRiverwatershed.OnMay10,2016,weissuedaNOAbasedon60%completeprojectplans.InorderforthisNOAtobecompatiblewiththeCaliforniaDepartmentforFishandWildlifepermitonthisproject,a100%completesetofprojectplansisrequired.Consequently,onMay31,2016,SanctuaryForestInc.submittedthefinalengineeringprojectdesigns(100%design)fortheproject(attachment1).ThisNOA,supersedesandreplacestheNOAweissuedonMay10,2016forthisproject.NorthCoastWaterBoardstaffhasdeterminedthattheProject,asdescribedintheNOI,iscategoricallyexemptfromCaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA)review(section15333‐SmallHabitatRestorationProjects)andmeetstheeligibilityrequirementsforcoverageundertheGeneral401Order.

BakerCreekTerrace ‐2‐ June10,2016WDIDNo.1B16263WNHU

Theprojectimplementationteamincludes:SanctuaryForestInc.,U.S.BureauofLandManagement(BLM),StillwaterSciences,generalengineeringcontractorJohnNeillandtheCaliforniaConservationCorps(CCC).ProjectLocation:TheProjectislocatedadjacenttoBakerCreek,atributarytotheheadwatersoftheMattoleRiverHydrologicUnit112.30(seeFigure1below).TheProjectsitesarelocated1,000feeteastoftheBriceland‐ThorneRoadviaaprivateaccessroad,approximately1.5milessoutheastofthetownofWhitethorn,HumboldtCounty,California.CoordinatesoftheProjectsitearelatitude40.008333°Nandlongitude123.941667°W.Figure1:ProjectMap

ProjectPurposeandDescription:ThestatedpurposeoftheProjectistoimprovegroundwaterstorageandsummerstreamflowwithintheadjacentBakerCreek;animportantstreamforjuvenilecohosalmonandsteelheadtrout.Theproposeduplandrestorationprojectaimstoincrease

BakerCreekTerrace ‐3‐ June10,2016WDIDNo.1B16263WNHU

groundwaterstorageandrechargebyapproximately10milliongallonsthroughtheconstructionoffiveshallowinfiltrationpondsonanupslope,abandonedfloodplainterrace.Thedesignisbasedontheconceptofslowingdownrun‐offandincreasinginfiltrationsuchthatthegroundwaterlevelsarehigherinthespringanddeclinemoreslowlythroughthesummer.TheProjectobjectivesaretopromotegroundwaterrechargeupslopeofBakerCreektosustainsurfacewaterinthecreekduringthesummerlow‐flowperiodforthebenefitofjuvenilesalmonidrearingandtorestoretheriparianecosystemthroughdirectplantingwithnativegrasses,plantsandshrubs.Figure2:ProjectEngineeringDesignPlanView–StillwaterSciences

TheNOIincludesengineeringdesignsandstandardsthatwereproducedbyStillwaterSciencesInc.fortheProject(100%designs).Theimplementationplanincludescompletionofthesiteplanalongwithfinalengineeringanddesignspecificationsfortheponds.TheinitialplansincludedintheNOIincludespecificationsaddressbermcompactionrequirements,spillwayanderosioncontrolmeasures,andsealingtechniquestoensuretheslowandcontinuousreleaseofwaterintotheground.SiteworkincludesbrushclearingbyJohnNeillandtheCCC’sneededtopreparetheareapriortobuildingtheponds.Brushandsmalltreeswillbechippedandusedformulchandlargertreeswillbeusedforwoodydebrisinthecreekonotherrestorationprojects.

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Constructionwillincluderemovaloftopsoilfromthepondareas.Thetopsoilwillbesavedandspreadaroundthepondareaalongwithmulchafterconstruction.Disturbedareasoutsidethepondsandbermswillbeplantedwithnativegrasses,shrubsanddeciduoustreesinthewinterfollowingpondconstruction.Thepondswillbeformedbyexcavatingdowntothenaturalclaylayerandbuildinganearthenbermatthelowend.Bentoniteorimportedclaywillbeusedontheinsideofthepondtopartiallysealtheberm.Thedesignforthepondswillincludedirectingtheoverflowfromeachpondsothatithelpsfillthenextponddownstream.Aspillwayforeachpondwillbeengineeredfor100‐yearstormeventsandarmoredwithrockcobbleorothernon‐erodiblematerialstopreventerosion.Spillwayswillbelocatedonnativegroundwherefeasible(ratherthanintheberm).ProjectAccess:Accesstotheprojectwillrequireopeninganoldloggingroadandinstallationofatemporarycrossingwheretheloggingroadcrossesaclass2intermittentstream.Theextentoftheactivitywithinthebedchannelwillbelimitedtotheinstallationandremovalofthetemporarycrossingontheoldlogging(access)roadwhereitcrossestheintermittentstream.Ifforanyreasonthisaccessrouteisnotfeasible,atemporarybridgewillbeinstalledacrossBakerCreekwithminimalbankdisturbance.Aculvertwillbeinstalledforthetemporarycrossingifneeded(iftheintermittentstreamiswet).Rock/cobblewillbeusedoverthetopoftheculvert(ifaculvertisused)and/orwillbeusedtobuildatemporaryfordcrossingacrossthe1ftdeepx3ftwidechannelifitisdry.IfinsteadatemporarybridgeisinstalledacrossBakerCreek,anexcavatorwillcrossthecreekonceasneededtoinstallthebridge.TheroutewilluseanoldcrossingthatgoessubsurfaceinJuneandrock/cobblewillbeusedasneededtoprotecttheapproaches.Thetemporarybridgeinstallationimpactswillbeminimalwithexcavationof~6cubicyards(max1ftdeep)toleveltheapproaches.Afterremovalofthebridge,approacheswillbeshapedtotheirnaturalcontourandmulched.ExcludedActivities:TheNOIalsoincludesaproposaltoreconstructahistoricmillpondontheeastsideofBakerCreek.Themillpondwasconstructedapproximatelysixty‐yearsago,likelyaspartofformertimberoperationsinthearea.Thepondhasnumeroustreesgrowingontheoutsidedamandwaterisleakingoutofthestructurethroughmanysmallleaksfromtreeroots.Themillpondisnotassociatedwithanywatercoursechannels,butrather,isfilledbyoverlandflowandaninboarddrainageditchontheupsloperoad.Theapplicantproposedtoremovenumeroustreesontheoutsidebermofthepond,deconstructaportionofthedamface,andreconstructandcompactthefillmaterial.OnApril25,2016,JonathanWarmerdamofmystaffinitiatedadiscussionwithTashaMcKeeofSanctuaryForestInc.regardingthereconstructionoftheMillPond.TheeligibilityrequirementsfortheGeneral401Orderrequiretheprimarypurposeofaprojecttobeforrestoration.Althoughthereconstructionofthemillpondmayprovideabenefitsthataresimilarinnaturetotheothershallow,groundwaterrechargeponds,NorthCoastWaterBoardstaffnotifiedtheapplicantthattheseactivitiesmayfalloutsideofthescopeof

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theGeneral401Ordereligibilityrequirementsandshouldbeaddressedthroughaseparatepermittingpathway.AdaptiveManagement:TheProjectproposestoconductadaptivemanagementasnecessaryduringthelifeofthecertification,andbeyond.Adaptivemanagementwithinthefirstfiveyearsisexpectedtobeminimalandlimitedtohandlabor.Potentialadaptivemanagementneedsincludeadditionalsealingofpondbermswithbentonite‐ifneededtoslowgroundwaterreleaseandfurtherarmoringofspillways–ifneededforerosioncontrol.Additionalplantingofnativegrasses,shrubsanddeciduoustreesmayalsooccurwithinthefirstfiveyears.AsdescribedintheNOI,SanctuaryForestexpectsthatthemaintenanceofthebermsoverthefirst20yearswilllikelyincludehandlabortoremovetreesproutsthatcouldcausethebermstoleakifallowedtogrow.NorthCoastWaterBoardstaffshallbenotifiedinadvanceofproposedmodificationsoradaptivemanagementassociatedwiththeprojectafterthecertificationexpires(infiveyears)todeterminewhetheranupdatedwaterqualitycertificationisrequired.Thehandlabordescribeddoesnotnecessitatenotification.ProjectMonitoringandMeasurablePerformanceStandards:Quantitativemonitoringwillconsistofpre‐andpost‐projectmonitoringofgroundwaterlevelsaswellasstreamflowmonitoring.Qualitativemonitoringwillconsistofpre‐andpost‐projectphotodocumentation.Quantitativemonitoring:Pre‐Project:

1) Groundwatermonitoringandsubsurfaceinvestigations:Installationof6‐10groundwaterwellsalongwithsubsurfaceinvestigationsincludingdepthtobedrockanddocumentationofsoiltypelayers.Monitoringofgroundwaterwellswilloccurtwicemonthlyfor1year.

2) Seasonalstreamflowmonitoringtwicemonthlyfor3yearsattwoestablishedmonitoringsitesthatbrackettheproject.

3) Waterquality(dissolvedoxygenandtemperature)in2poolsoftheaffectedinstreamreachfor1yearpriortotheproject.

Post‐Project:

1) Monitoringofgroundwaterwellstwicemonthlyfor2years.2) Seasonalstreamflowmonitoringtwicemonthlyfor2yearsattwoestablished

monitoringsitesthatbrackettheproject.3) Waterquality(dissolvedoxygenandtemperature)in2poolsoftheaffected

instreamreachfor2yearspost‐project.Qualitativemonitoring:Pre‐Project:

1) Establishphotopointsitesateachpondlocationincludingviewofspillway.

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2) Takepre‐projectphotospriortoandduringconstruction.Post–Project:

1) Re‐occupyphotopointsitesandtakephotosat1yearand3yearspost‐project.Groundwaterevaluationwillcomparepre‐andpost‐projectgroundwaterlevelsfrom6‐10groundwaterwellsadjacenttotheproposedponds.Streamflowevaluationwillcomparepre‐andpost‐projectstreamflowfromestablishedmonitoringsitesinBakerCreekupstreamanddownstreamoftheproject.Monitoringwilloccurinthesummer&fallmonthswhenlowstreamflowisabigconcern(flowrangefrom0.5‐0.0cubicfeetpersecond).Waterqualitywillcomparepre‐andpost‐projectwaterquality(dissolvedoxygenandtemperature)inpoolswherelowdissolvedoxygenassociatedwithextremelowflowshasbeenanissueinpastyears.Waterqualitymonitoringwillbeconductedalongwithstreamflowmonitoringintheflowrangeof0.5‐0.0cubicfeetpersecond.Temperaturedataloggerswillbeinstalledin2‐3poolsintheaffectedreach.Dissolvedoxygenwillbemonitoredtwicemonthly(samefrequencyasstreamflows)usingahandheldmeter.Proceduresforgroundwaterandstreamflowmonitoringhavebeendevelopedwithconsultinghydrologistsandareattachedattheendofthisplan.TheProjectshallbeconstructedandmaintainedasdescribedintheNOIaswellasanyrevisedmaterialreviewedandapprovedbytheExecutiveOfficer.TheProjectisexpectedtobeimplementedduringthemonthsofJunethroughOctoberof2016‐2017,althoughtheprojectapplicantrequestedacertificationtermoffiveyearstotaltoallowforcompletionandadaptivemanagementasdescribedintheNOI.ReceivingWater: BakerCreek

MattoleRiverHydrologicUnit112.30Filled/ExcavatedArea: PermanentAreaImpacted:None TemporaryAreaImpacted:20linearfeetofunnamedClass

IItributarystreamProjectSize: 4.74acresLatitude/Longitude: 40.008333°N/123.941667°WPleasebeadvisedthatcoverageunderthisGeneralOrderrequiresyoutoconductmonitoringandsubmitreportstotheNorthCoastWaterBoardtodocumenttheachievementofperformancestandardsandprojectgoals.Asperthemonitoringplan,reportswillbesubmittedannuallybyDecember1followingimplementationandpost‐projectmonitoringandevaluation.Thereportwillinclude:1)monitoringresults,2)projectperformanceobservationsandevaluationresults,3)lessonslearnedandadaptivemanagementneeds(ifany),4)maintenanceactivities(ifany)implementedinthepreviousyearwithphotos,and5)maintenanceactivities(ifany)plannedfortheupcomingyear.

BakerCreekTerrace ‐7‐ June10,2016WDIDNo.1B16263WNHU

ANoticeofCompletion(NOC)shallbesubmittedbytheapplicantnolaterthan30daysaftertheProjecthasbeencompleted.AcompleteNOCincludesasaminimum:photographswithadescriptivetitle,thedatethephotographwastaken,thenameofthephotographicsite,as‐builtdrawings,theWDIDnumberandECMPINnumberindicatedaboveandsuccesscriteriafortheproject.TheNOCshalldemonstratethattheProjecthasbeencarriedoutinaccordancewiththeProjectdescriptionasprovidedintheapplicantsNOI.Please,includetheprojectname,WDIDnumberandECMPINnumberwithallfutureinquiriesanddocumentsubmittals.Documentsubmittalsshallbemadeelectronicallyto:NorthCoast@waterboards.ca.gov.PleasecallJonathanWarmerdamat(707)576‐2468orStephenBargstenat(707)576‐2653ifyouhaveanyquestions.Sincerely,__________________________________

MatthiasSt.JohnExecutiveOfficer

160610_JWW_dp_BakerCreekTerrace_SHRP_ReissuanceNOA

Weblink: TheStateWaterResourcesControlBoardGeneral401WaterQuality

CertificationOrderforSmallHabitatRestorationProjectsSB09016GNcanbefoundhere:http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/cwa401/docs/generalorders/shrpcert032713.pdf

Attachment: StillwaterSciences,100%EngineeringDesignsforBakerCreek

UpslopeGroundwaterRechargeProject