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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 10141997 - C62 J sE b Contm TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS %'f �- t' Costa County FROM: FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMITTEE 011 DATE: OCTOBER 14, 1997 "1 COUn� SUBJECT: LETTER TO CALIFORNIA-OREGON TRANSMISSION PROJECT ON HABITAT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AT THE PALM TRACT MITIGATION PROJECT SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND & JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS ACCEPT report from the Fish and Wildlife Committee; and AUTHORIZE the Chair to send a letter to the California-Oregon Transmission Project recommending improvements to wildlife habitat management practices at the Palm Tract Mitigation Project in eastern Contra Costa County. FISCAL IMPACT None. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS The Palm Tract Mitigation Project is a project in eastern Contra Costa County to create wetlands habitat and mitigate for the detrimental impacts to waterfowl caused by the California-Oregon Transmission Project ("COTP"). The Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee has studied and discussed this Project in some detail. Several members received a tour of the site, and the committee as a whole reviewed the Third Annual Monitoring Report for the Project, discussed the Project with a representative of COTP on several occasions, and, as a result of these discussions, helped to prompt COTP to discontinue its practice of discing some habitat areas. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE:, 4A Coo 4;�V- �Thomas K. Studley, Chair Fish and Wildlife Committee _ RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _ RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE _ APPROVE _ OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON (I-tober 14, 1997 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: John Kopchik, CDD (335-1227) ATTESTED October 14, 1997 Orig: Community Development Department PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF cc: CAO, attn: Claude Van Marter THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Clerk of the Board, attn: Maddy Book AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR 11 BY �.�� , DEPUTY h:\jkopc\john-old\f&wboplm.trc PALM TRACT MITIGATION PROJECT October 14, 1997 Page 2 Following their review of this Project, the primary problem identified by the Fish and Wildlife Committee is the use of rectangular, vertically-sided "spud ditches" to irrigate the crops in these nesting areas. As explained in the attached letter from Dr. Robert McLandress, Director of Waterfowl and Wetland Programs for the California Waterfowl Association (letter dated June 6, 1997 and addressed to Mr. Peter Margiotta, a member of the Fish and Wildlife Committee), these steep-sided ditches can trap and kill ducklings, and may be a major factor limiting duck production. Further, by using spud ditches in newly developed nesting habitat, the Palm Tract Mitigation Project may be creating an attractive nuisance to waterfowl--the new habitat attracts birds to nest, but the "spud ditches" make this nesting unsafe. Such impacts run counter to the clear mission of the Project to produce additional waterfowl. The Fish and Wildlife Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of Supervisors write a letter to COTP urging them to replace these harmful "spud ditches" with so-called "V-ditches" which can provide the irrigation function without harming waterfowl. The Fish and Wildlife Committee recognizes that such a conversion would have costs, but believes that such additional expense is necessary to make the operation of the Palm Tract Mitigation Project consistent with its mission. h:\\cdadpool\jkopc\f&wboplm.trc Conserving California's waterfowl, wetlands, and waterrowling heritage. June G, 1997 Mr. Peter Margiotta 122. Castle Crest Road Walnut Creek, CA 94595 Dear Pete: I am writing in response to your inquiry about the impact of ditches on nesting, ducks and their broods in California, and in particular, the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta. As you know, ducks choose their nest sites on dry land, often at considerable distances from wetlands. We often find the highest nest densities of mallards (the most common breeding duck in California) between a half and a full mile away from the nearest wetlands! Some agricultural crops, especially cereal grain, vetch, and alfalfa crops are popular nesting habitats before they are cut. Irrigation canals/ditches can be a help, or hinderance, to successful breeding in these environments. After hatch, ducklings are led to water by the hen. Ditches filled with water are good travel corridors to nearby wetland, but they are frequented by many mammals, hawks, bull frogs, and herons, which are duckling predators. Studies of radio-tracked ducklings in the Central Valley indicated that only 14% of ducklings confined in ditches survived to flight stage, whereas 60% of ducklings that used natural wetlands and flooded ricefields survived to fledging (some of these ducklings travelled to these sites using ditches and canals). Some ditches have no redeeming value, however. Steep sides (>60%) of some ditches are difficult for ducklings to climb, and we have recorded two instances where radio-marked ducklings and their siblings were trapped and died in steep- sided ditches. We have also been involved in "rescue" operations where ducklings have been trapped in steep-sided sewers on the outskirts of cities. The most steep- s ided and potentially detrimental ditches for ducklings in agricultural environments xis are the deep, narrow "spud" ditches used in the peat soils of the Sacramento, San Joaquin River Delta (one of our field personnel witnessed a trapped brood in one of-hese ditches on Palm Tract this spring). Based on the high density of nesting California ducks and the rapid increase in duck populations following removal of spud Waterfowl ditches from agricultural fields (e.g. Mandeville Island), we feel these ditches may Association be a key factor preventing outstanding duel: production throughout the Delta. 4630 Northoate Blvd. Suite 150 Sacramento, CA 95834 TEL: (916)648-1406 FAX: (916) 648-1663 Pete, I hope these observations are of use to you in assessing the impact of ditches on waterfowl. Thank you for your interest in California's waterfowl, wetlands, and outdoor heritage. Sincerely, M. Robert McLandress, Ph. D. Director of Waterfowl and Wetland Programs /ds cc: Frank Billeci The Board of Supervisors Contra le Board° wo County Administration BuildingCosta C(s oAcIffonwnnx 651 Pine Street, Room 106 )335-1900 Martinez,California 94553-1293 C O u n ty Jim fie,1st DWVict Gayle L B.Meru,2nd District Donna Gerber,3rd District (lark DeSsuinNr,4th District Joe CandemlUa,5th District r kf. — v� .......... c3 srqt' October 14, 1997 Mr. Keith Johnson California-Oregon Transmission Project P.O. Box 15140 Sacramento, CA 95851-5140 Re: Palm Tract Mitigation Project Dear Mr. Johnson: The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has authorized this letter to convey its concern with certain aspects of the Palm Tract Mitigation Project, a project in eastern Contra Costa County to create wetlands habitat and mitigate for the detrimental impacts to waterfowl caused by the California-Oregon Transmission Project ("COTP"). The Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee, a committee appointed by the Board of Supervisors to provide information and advice on issues affecting the fish and wildlife resources of Contra Costa County,has advised us that the management of designated waterfowl nesting habitats within the Palm Tract Project has some significant flaws. The primary problem identified by the Fish and Wildlife Committee is the use of rectangular,vertically-sided"spud ditches"to irrigate the crops in these nesting areas. As explained in the attached letter from Dr. Robert McLandress, Director of Waterfowl and Wetland Programs for the California Waterfowl Association(letter dated June 6, 1997 and addressed to Mr. Peter Margiotta; a member of the Fish and Wildlife Committee), these steep-sided ditches can trap and kill ducklings, and may be a major factor limiting duck production. Further, by using spud ditches in newly developed nesting habitat, the Palm Tract Mitigation Project may be creating an attractive nuisance to waterfowl--the new habitat attracts birds to nest, but the "spud ditches" make this nesting unsafe. Such impacts run counter to the clear mission of the Project to produce additional waterfowl. The Board of Supervisors concurs with the recommendations of the Fish and Wildlife Committee, and urges COTP to replace these harmful "spud ditches" with so-called "V-ditches" which can provide the irrigation function without harming waterfowl. We recognize that such a conversion would have costs,but believe that such additional expense is necessary to make the operation of the Palm Tract Mitigation Project consistent with its mission. Mr. Keith Johnson October 14, 1997 Page Two of Two Thank you for accepting the comments of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on this matter. Should you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact John Kopchik of our Community Development Department at(510) 335-1227. Sincerely, Yui Mark DeSaulnier, Chair Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors cc: Frank Wernette,Department of Fish and Game MD:jk h:\\cdadpool\jkopc\f&wpalmt.blt