Vernal Pool Mitigation, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Scope:
To comply with federal regulations regarding vernal pool resources while in support of the Joint Strike Fighter Program; to ensure compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Biological Opinion FWS-SDG-10B0135-10F0755.
Project Description:
This Task Order has two components: to collect soil from the vernal pools and other ponded features occupied by federally listed species at the construction footprint and to mitigate offsite construction impact in Area Alpha resulting from the construction of Joint Strike Fighter facilities constructed in the vicinity of the flightline, new communications infrastructure, and relocation of the Ready Service Magazine facility.
The tasks include vernal pool enhancement, creation, and preservation with associated upland habitat restoration in Area Alpha using soil salvaged from the basins occupied by ESA-listed fairy shrimp species located in the impact area of the project. San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta sandiegonensis) and vernal pool-associated threatened and endangered plants such as San Diego button celery (Eryngium aristulatum var. parishii) are known to occur in the basins.
Field activities have included:
- Seed and cyst collection
- Grading and reparative earthwork
- Vernal pool creation
- Installation of erosion control materials such as fiber wattles
- Planting and seeding
- Providing supplemental irrigation
- Weed control by hand removal, weed whipping, dethatching, and herbicide application
- Maintaining site integrity with fencing and signage
- Qualitative and quantitative biological monitoring of plantings
- Biological monitoring of activities occurring in federally listed species habitat
- Collection of digital photographs showing progress on field activities.
