South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Study - Combined Habitat Assessment Protocols (CHAP)

Evaluate habitat conditions using the Combined Habitat Assessment Protocols (CHAP) for the without-project condition (no-action alternative) and for the with-project condition for selected alternatives, for a period of 50 years. Provide a report conveying and evaluating the findings that will be adequate for assessing the fish and wildlife habitat impacts and effects of each evaluated alternative in relation to the without-project conditions. Sole Source award based on the following rationale: The Northwest Habitat Institute (NHI), a non-profit organization, was the developer of the Habitat Appraisal and Barter (HAB) methodology, an ecosystem-based framework that builds upon a triad approach of species, habitat, and functions. The HAB method was later combined with elements from the US Fish and Wildlife Services' Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) to form the Combined Habitat Assessment Protocol (CHAP). NHI has a unique knowledge of CHAP because they developed it. They have since tested it in the Pacific Northwest with the Oregon Department of Wildlife, the Oregon Department of Transportation, Washington Department of Wildlife, and the Washington Department of Transportation, and in California with CESPL; contact Thomas Keeney at 213-452-3875 for more information on SPL's use of CHAP. Previously, the Corps has used HEP to evaluation habitat quality. However, HEP is outmoded and has important technical shortcomings which is why the Project Delivery Team for the Shoreline Study has chosen CHAP as our habitat evaluation method. CHAP is currently being reviewed by the Corps ecological Planning Center of Expertise (PCX) for potential nation-wide use to replace the outdated HEP. CHAP performs the following whereas other habitat accounting methods do not: o Implements information in the California Wildlife Habitat Relationship (CWHR) database to make links between species, habitat, and function. o Implements information in the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) to make links between vegetation types and function. o Measures habitat quality using diversity, complexity and available habitat size. o Produces mapping through the use of GIS, field inventory, and comprehensive specieshabitat- functions relationships. o Uses geo-referenced aerial imagery for sites, vegetation/habitat types delineated using GIS (in-office), visual land formation differences, vegetation, and vegetation structural conditions. o Considers species' ecological functions within a habitat. o Utilizes the needs and functions of a large number of species instead of just a few. NHI has a patent on CHAP and for now there are no other providers of CHAP services. That will change eventually with the development of a training program but the study cannot wait for this eventuality. Alternately, it would be highly inefficient for the District to hire staff to redevelop this habitat accounting method independently, and this would in any case not be possible given available funds and time constraints.