Adams Pond Restoration Project

Executive Summary The Adams Pond Restoration Project is a post-fire watershed restoration effort located on private land in western Tehama County, California. The Project addresses substantial sedimentation caused by the 2021 McFarland Fire, which resulted in extensive vegetation loss and accelerated erosion in the upper Stinking Creek watershed. As a result, approximately 75 percent of Adams Pond’s original water storage capacity has been lost due to sediment deposition. The proposed Project will remove accumulated sediment from Adams Pond, restore aquatic and riparian habitat, stabilize disturbed upland areas, and re-establish native vegetation. Construction activities will occur during a 4–5 week dry-season window (August 1 through October 1), when inflows to the pond have ceased and downstream connectivity is absent. This timing avoids impacts to downstream waters and aquatic resources while allowing work to occur in predominantly dry conditions. The Project will restore the pond’s hydrologic and storage capacity, improve water quality, enhance habitat for wildlife including the Northwestern Pond Turtle, and reduce anticipated future sediment delivery to downstream watersheds. In addition, the Project will improve long-term watershed resilience to wildfire and drought while maintaining agricultural and fire protection water storage benefits. The Project is funded through a federal grant from the USDA Forest Service Region 5, State and Private Forestry Program, administered to the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (Grant Awardee) and passed through to the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County (Grant - Sub awardee) in 2022 for Storm Damage Post Fire Disaster Recovery. The project is in direct response to Executive Order N-13-21, where Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency to exist in Tehama County due to the McFarland and Dixie Fires and ordered that State statutes, rules, regulations, and requirements were hereby suspended to the extent they would prevent, hinder, or delay the following activities: “Necessary restoration and rehabilitation of timberland, streams, rivers, and other waterways. Such statutes, rules, regulations, and requirements are hereby suspended only to the extent necessary for expediting the removal and cleanup of debris from the fires, and for implementing any restoration plan. Individuals who desire to conduct activities under this suspension of statutes, rules, regulations, and requirements shall first request that the appropriate Agency Secretary, or the Secretary's designee, make a determination that the proposed activities are eligible to be conducted under this suspension.” An Initial Study was prepared pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to evaluate the Project’s potential environmental effects. The analysis determined that the Project would result in no impacts or less-than-significant impacts in most resource areas. Potentially adverse effects related to Biological Resources, Geology and Soils, Hydrology and Water Quality, and Hazardous Materials would be reduced to less-than-significant levels through implementation of identified mitigation measures and best management practices. With incorporation of mitigation measures, regulatory permit conditions, and construction best management practices, the Project would not have a significant effect on the environment. Accordingly, a Mitigated Negative Declaration is appropriate. Public Benefit Summary The Project restores a fire-damaged pond and associated aquatic habitat, reduces the potential for future downstream sedimentation, and enhances water storage for agriculture and fire protection, without causing significant environmental impacts. Project Site The Project Site is located on private ranchland in Tehama County, California, off Vestal Road, approximately 30 miles west of Red Bluff (40.230943°N, -122.715017°W), within the 2022 Cold Fork, CA 7.5-minute series, 1:24,000 scale, United States Geological Survey (USGS) Quadrangle (Figure 1). Elevations within the Project Limits range from approximately 1,000 feet above mean sea level at the pond to 1,200 feet at the highest point south of the pond. The Project encompasses 29.4 acres (1,281,084 square feet) and includes the limits of excavation, fill areas, staging areas, potential haul road alignments, an ephemeral stream crossing, and a buffer zone around these features (Figure 2). The Project Limits also include a portion of the existing access road from Staging Area 1 to Staging Area 2 and a buffer from the access roads outer edge. Directions to the Site Access to the Project Site is with permission only. Access to the property is via State Route (SR) 36. From SR 36, turn south onto Vestal Road, a dirt road. Drive south on Vestal Road for approximately 4.32 miles and turn right onto the Site access road and past the locked gate. Follow the Site access road for 2.1 miles to the property access drive and 2nd locked gate. Once past the second gate, travel approximately 650 feet to Staging Area 1 and the existing barn. Vestal Road crosses Salt Creek three times, along with other intermittent watercourses, on its way to the Site. These crossings are existing, at-grade crossings and will remain unchanged during construction. The Project will not alter the current use of the road. The road is currently used for agricultural purposes, residential access and the transport of cattle. Existing Conditions Adams Pond is a privately owned, licensed agricultural pond that provides seasonal water storage for agricultural and fire suppression use and habitat for aquatic and riparian species. Adam’s Pond is a main channel in-line reservoir on Stinking Creek that discharges seasonally through a concrete spillway. The pond is fed by seasonal inflows from Stinking Creek and ephemeral inflows from the direct contribution area. During a typical dry season, inflows cease in mid to late July and the pond level drops below its spillway elevation preventing downstream discharge until winter storms renew inflows from the upper watershed. Stinking Creek is a Class I tributary to Salt Creek, which flows into Dry Creek, then to South Fork Cottonwood Creek, and then to Cottonwood Creek, and ultimately to the Sacramento River located approximately 29 miles to the northeast of the Project Area. Stinking Creek within the Project Limits flows generally west to east. Within the Project Limits, several state and federally regulated ephemeral streams, and one state regulated drainage discharges to Stinking Creek. The property owner has the right to use the waters of Stinking Creek for the purpose of Domestic, Stock watering, Recreational, Wildlife Enhancement, and Fire Protection under Permit 20469 of the State Water Resource Control Board (WRCB) which became effective on September 15, 1987. Permit 20469 is currently valid and in good standing. The amount of water to which this right is entitled shall not exceed forty-two (42) acre-feet per annum collected from October 1 of each year to May 31 of the succeeding year. The maximum amount of water collected for storage under License 12331 must not exceed 45 acre-feet per year and the capacity of the reservoir must not exceed 45 acre-feet. The area exhibits a natural and visually secluded character, typical of the foothill region of the Coast Ranges. There are no nearby residences or recreation. Access to the pond is via private ranch roads and gated property. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has mapped the primary soil units within the Project Limits as Lodo and Maymen Shaly Loams with 30 to 65 percent slopes, and Rockland (NRCS WebSoils). These soil types are typically found on steep gradients and are prone to erosion and sediment transport. The surrounding soils that contribute direct runoff to the pond are eroded into steep ravines with narrow, low sinuosity steep gradient channels of fragmented shale (serpentine) and clays. Deposits from numerous inflow events have filled the pond. The sediment profile within the pond varies in grain size generally less than ½” diameter with the grain size generally larger to the west and finer to the east. Prior to the 2021 McFarland Fire, Adams Pond featured open water surrounded by riparian vegetation, willows, and cattails with foothill pine and blue oak in the upland. Post-fire erosion and sedimentation have filled approximately 75% of the pond basin, leaving large expanses of bare sediment and disturbed soils (Figures 3 and Figure 4 and Photos). Willows have started to colonize the dry portions of the pond basin. Blue Oak / Foothill Pine habitat that was lost during the fire has been replaced with Annual Grassland with charred snags of various diameters and heights and downed large wood. The original cabin located south of the pond was also lost to the fire and only concrete components remain. North of the pond, on an upper terrace, there is a barn and staged construction equipment. An existing dirt access road and drive connect the barn area to the original cabin location. Dirt access roads and paths are located past the original cabin location. Purpose and Need The 2021 McFarland Fire destabilized soil in the upper Stinking Creek watershed resulting in significant post-fire sedimentation, which reduced the water carrying capacity of Adams Pond and impaired its ecological functions. The pond supports a population of Northwestern Pond Turtle, a state species of special concern and a proposed federal threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. This sedimentation event resulted in a 75% reduction of the pond’s original volume, reducing the ponds’ surface areas from its original 4.2 acres to approximately one acre and significantly impacting water storage capacity, aquatic habitat volume, and seasonal water quality. It is anticipated that over time more of Adams Pond’s storage capacity will be lost due to sedimentation which will further reduce NWPT habitat and eventually result in the transport of sediment past the concrete spillway to downstream streams and reservoirs. Project Objectives • Restore the storage capacity of Adams Pond to pre-fire conditions. • Re-establish aquatic and riparian habitats lost to post-fire sedimentation. Proposed Activity The Adams Pond Restoration Project will remove sediment that accumulated in Adams Pond following the 2021 McFarland Fire. The Project will: • Excavate approximately 80,000 cubic yards (CY) of sediment from Adams Pond; • Restore approximately 3.2 acres (ac.) of aquatic and riparian habitat regulated as Waters of the State of California (WOTS) and Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS); • Restore approximately 3,500 linear feet (LF) of pond bank; and, • Enhance long-term water storage capacity, aquatic habitat function, and drought resilience. The Project will also contribute to regional watershed restoration and recovery and enhance water quality. The Project aligns with state policy under the California Water Code (Section 13100 et seq.) and the Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq. (CEQA). The Project will directly impact approximately 6.64 acres and includes the limits of sediment removal, the staging areas, a temporary haul road, a proposed temporary culvert, and the existing access road (Figure 2 & Figure 5). Project Impact Area in Acres Sediment Removal Limits 3.2 Limits of Sediment Disposal 1.95 Proposed Temporary Culvert 0.014 Haul Road (Approx.) 0.45 Existing Roads 0.47 Staging Area 1 0.32 Staging Area 2 0.24 6.64 Given the steep slopes and remote location, material excavated from the pond will be disposed of in a state drainage regulated under the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act of California, resulting in 0.025 ac. (360 LF) (26.5 CY) of permanent impacts to WOTS. Excavated sediment will be transported to the disposal site, approximately 2,000 feet south of the pond rather than being trucked off site. A proposed haul road, approximately 12 feet wide, will be constructed from the pond to the sediment disposal site. The haul road will cross an ephemeral stream regulated as WOTUS and WOTS resulting in approximately 0.003 ac. (20 LF) of temporary impacts to the stream channel and bank. The temporary crossing will be constructed using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe covered with stone. The alignment of the haul road will be adjusted in the field as needed. Additional activities include clearing previously altered upland areas for staging. Construction staging will occur at two locations: Staging Area 1 (the barn site) located north of the pond, at the site entrance, and Staging Area 2 (the cabin site) located south of the pond. Both areas were originally developed as part of the property’s infrastructure. After work is complete, the temporary culvert crossing will be removed, and the stream will be restored to pre-construction conditions. Within the disposal area, a new drainage channel will be re-established in the same general horizontal alignment as the original drainage but at a higher elevation on top of the fill. The disposal area will be seeded and revegetated, and wattles and erosion control blankets will be installed to further stabilize the area. The pond banks will be reestablished, stabilized and revegetated with native seed and pole cuttings. All disturbed upland soils within the Project Limits will be stabilized and planted and/or seeded with native vegetation. In addition, 1:1 mitigation credit will be purchased from a state approved mitigation bank to mitigate for the 0.025 acres of permanent impacts to WOTS. The proposed project will result in over 1.0 acres of earth disturbance and will require a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction General Permit (CGP) and an associated Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). Construction will take 4-5 weeks and will occur during the late summer dry season when inflows have ceased, and the pond water level is below the overflow. This will allow excavation of dry sediment without disturbing wetland resources. Water levels will be carefully controlled during construction to optimize excavation efficiency and geotechnical stability. Sediment removal from dry areas will occur first prior to manually altering the water levels. The total project duration is estimated at 60 days, with final grading followed by revegetation using native seeds and pole cuttings. The sediment removal activities may occur over the course of 2-3 seasons depending on the availability of funds. Lead Agency Determination The Tehama County Resource Conservation District (RCDTC), as the Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), is proposing that the Project will not have a significant effect on the environment with implementation of identified mitigation measures. Accordingly, an Initial Study (IS) / Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) has been prepared pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §§15070–15075. Mitigation Summary Mitigation measures are incorporated to reduce all potential short-term construction impacts to less-than-significant levels. These include, but are not limited to: • Biological Resources: Pre-construction surveys and education, dry season work window, construction monitoring, installation of erosion controls and turtle exclusion fencing, habitat restoration, and revegetation monitoring. • Geology and Soils: Erosion control, stormwater BMPs, soil compaction, revegetation, upland stabilization, and post construction monitoring. • Hazards and Hazardous Materials: Spill prevention, fuel containment, and CAL FIRE coordination. • Hydrology and Water Quality: Spill prevention and fuel containment, erosion control, soil compaction, revegetation, upland stabilization and post construction monitoring. All mitigation measures are detailed in the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) (Appendix A) and on the Erosion Control/Turtle Exclusion Fence Plan (Appendix D). Best Management Practices (BMPs) are listed in Appendix B and the BMP Plans and are in Appendix C. The Water Management Plan is in Appendix E. The Post Construction Restoration Plan and Monitoring Plan are in Appendix F and G respectively. The project plan-set is in Appendix N. All project Figures and Photos are at the end of the document, before the start of the Appendices.