Ord Ferry Road at Little Chico Creek Bridge Replacement Project

The Ord Ferry Road at Little Chico Creek Bridge Replacement Project, managed by Butte County Public Works, involves the removal of a structurally deficient bridge and the construction of a new, wider bridge on the existing alignment in unincorporated Butte County, California. The project site is located approximately one mile west of the intersection of Ord Ferry Road and 7 Mile Road, situated within the Little Chico Creek riparian corridor. Because the construction will result in the incidental take of threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act, specifically the giant garter snake and the Central Valley Spring-run Chinook salmon, the project operates under an Incidental Take Permit. The project is expected to impact 2.36 acres of giant garter snake habitat and 0.0613 acres of Central Valley Spring-run Chinook salmon habitat. Amendment 2 to the Incidental Take Permit, approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, introduces critical updates to the project's environmental compliance strategy. Most notably, the method for compensatory mitigation regarding the Central Valley Spring-run Chinook salmon has been transitioned from a habitat restoration project on conserved lands to the purchase of credits at a mitigation or conservation bank. Consequently, the required security amount has been adjusted to accurately reflect the costs associated with both proposed and completed compensatory mitigation. The project remains subject to a mitigation reporting or monitoring plan adopted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ensure all environmental impacts are fully mitigated.