From Dan Riordan at the the California Department of Water Resources (DWR):
Fish Restoration Program (FRP) updates from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW). In this update from the Fish Restoration Program, additional willing property sellers sought; and update on the Prospect Island EIR and the Miner Slough levee repair, and details on the Miner Slough shipwreck survey.
Additional Willing Property Sellers Sought
To meet FRP’s goals of restoring 8,000 acres of intertidal and associated subtidal habitat in the Delta and Suisun Marsh, we are seeking additional acres of privately-owned land in the north Delta to purchase. FRP is interested in working with owners of land suitable for restoration to explore creative ways to build incentives into land sales, including lease backs for ranching, or hunting operations, or contracting with farmers to provide management of the land.
If you would like more information or are interested in selling your property, please contact Tim Smith, DWR Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist), at Tim.Smith@water.ca.gov or (916) 376-9758.
Prospect Island EIR Progress
FRP staff and our consultants are in the process of analyzing alternatives and stakeholder input as part of the environmental review process for the Prospect Island Tidal Habitat Restoration Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The draft EIR is expected to be available for public review in early 2015.
More information on the Prospect Island Tidal Habitat Restoration Project is available here.
Miner Slough Levee Repair
Levee repairs will be taking place along Miner Slough in a project independent of the Prospect Island Tidal Habitat Restoration Project. An Initial Study, in accordance with CEQA guidelines, was recently prepared in order to determine whether necessary levee repairs to Miner Slough would result in significant environmental effects. Based on the Initial Study, it has been determined that the proposed project would not have any significant effects on the environment once mitigation measures are implemented (this determination is also known as a “Mitigated Negative Declaration”). The required mitigation measures identified in the Initial Study and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan have been adopted to ensure compliance.
The Notice of Determination for the Mitigated Negative Declaration has been filed. Consultation between FRP, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is ongoing. The levee repairs project will likely be implemented in 2015 as FRP awaits the proper permits.
Miner Slough Shipwreck Survey
On September 5, 1922, the stern wheel steam ship Zinfandel foundered while travelling up the Sacramento River near Miner Slough. According to a report in the Oakland Tribune, she “struck a snag and is now resting on the bottom of the river with a hole stove in her timbers.” Due to the potential historical significance of the Zinfandel shipwreck, FRP has hired Parus Consulting, Inc. to perform a sidescan sonar and magnetometer survey of Miner Slough to identify the potential resting site of this ship.
Parus’ underwater archaeology and historic resources specialists will closely examine the survey data to ascertain whether submerged remnants of Zinfandel are located in the Area of Potential Effect for the levee modifications planned as part of the Prospect Island Tidal Habitat Restoration project. The purpose of the survey is to check for potential subsurface historic resources (like the Zinfandel) that could be affected by the Prospect Island Tidal Habitat Restoration Project, with the intent of reducing the chance that the project affects any of these potentially significant historic resources. If located in the vicinity, we will take steps to assure that the historic site is document and modifications made to the selected alternative, so that the site is not disturbed as a result of our proposed project
The sonar survey is utilizing newly introduced CHIRP technology to paint a highly accurate picture of subsurface conditions in the lower portion of Miner Slough, while the towed magnetometer is recording disruptions in the earth’s magnetic field caused by nearby ferrous (iron-based) objects. The field surveys will be combined with historical research of maps, newspaper reports, and other records to ascertain the likelihood that wreckage from Zinfandel still exists in Miner Slough near the Prospect Island Tidal Habitat Restoration project site. The results of this survey will be posted in an upcoming E-News Update.
Dan Riordan, Chief
Fish Restoration Program
California Department of Water Resources
frpa@water.ca.gov
Visit FRPA on the web
