Colorado River Bridge Replacement Project

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has issued an ITP (No. 2081(b)-2025-065-06), pursuant to Section 2081(b) of the Fish and Game Code to the California Department of Transportation, District 8. The Project consists of the replacement of the I-40 Colorado River Bridge. Project activities include vegetation removal, construction of temporary access roads, installation of temporary formwork, installation of temporary pile supports and caisson systems, work within the wetted channel of the Colorado River, pile driving, new bridge construction, demolition of existing bridge, installation of navigational lighting, and other activities. The Project partially overlaps an area that is being restored by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), as part of PG&E’s Topock Compressor Station project. Project-related vegetation removal may impact approximately 1.5 acres of an active restoration area for PG&E’s Topock Compressor Station project, including dozens of trees planted in the past few years. Impacted trees are likely to include blue palo verde, honey mesquite, screwbean mesquite, desert smoke tree, and catclaw acacia. Impact areas also include common reed marsh (Phragmites australis alliance), tamarisk thicket (Tamarix spp. alliance), and creosote bush desert scrub (Larrea tridentata alliance). Project construction is anticipated to begin in September 2026 and conclude in July 2029. The Project will result in impacts to 2.38 acres of habitat for Yuma Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus yumanensis), California black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), and bonytail chub (Gila elegans), including temporary impacts to approximately 2.38 acres; the Project will permanently remove 0.005 acres of Yuma Ridgway’s rail and California black rail habitat. The project is expected to result in incidental take of Yuma Ridgway’s rail, California black rail, razorback sucker, and bonytail chub, which are designated as threatened species (Yuma Ridgway’s rail and California black rail) or endangered species (razorback sucker and bonytail chub) under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), and three species are fully-protected pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 3511, subdivision (b) (Yuma Ridgway’s rail and California black rail) and Fish and Game Code section 5515, subdivision (b) (razorback sucker). Sections 3511 and 5515 of the Fish and Game Code prohibit the take of fully protected species. However, for qualifying projects, CDFW may authorize the take of any such species by permit pursuant to the conditions set forth in Fish and Game Code section 2081.15, subdivisions (a), (b), (c), and (d). The ITP referenced above as issued by CDFW, pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 2081.15, authorizes incidental take of Yuma Ridgway’s rail, California black rail, razorback sucker, and bonytail chub that may occur as a result of Project implementation.