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5.ENVIRONMENTAL CHECKLIST MOUNTAIN HOUSE NEIGHBORHOODS K AND L INITIAL STUDY 4.BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ponds associated with the Mountain House Wastewater Treatment Plant operated by the Mountain House Community Services District(MHCSD). In addition,fills were imported over much of the Neighborhood K area in anticipation of future development and creation of the interconnected lake system. The farmed fields and filled lands provide low quality habitat for wildlife and botanical resources and support a limited number of plant and animal species. In contrast,the Mountain House and Old River corridors and their associated wetlands contain the diversity of habitats required to support a variety of wildlife species that occur in southwest San Joaquin County. Previous Environmental Studies The Mountain House project area has been the subject of numerous prior environmental studies conducted over more than a decade. The methods and results of these prior studies are described in detail in the 1994 MSIR and the Master Plan (Baseline Environmental Consulting, 1994; San Joaquin County Community Development Department[SJCCDD], 1994a and 1994b), and the subsequent CEQA documents prepared for individual projects within the Specific Plan II (SPH) area(SJCCDD, 2004). The SPII area,which encompasses Neighborhoods K and L,was the subject of a number of more recent field surveys undertaken specifically for the 2004 CEQA document for the adoption of SPIT, including preconstruction surveys for nesting birds were conducted to ensure that mass grading did not result in a take of protected nesting birds (Moore Biological Consultants, 2007a and 2007b). Field Surveys A number of field surveys were conducted between 2001 and 2010 within the SPII area that includes Neighborhoods K and L, In March and August 2001, pre- construction surveys for burrowing owl(Achene cunnicularia)and San Joaquin kit fox(Vulpes macrotis mutica)were conducted for the Byron Bethany Irrigation District(BBID) raw water pipeline,water treatment plant, detention basin,and wastewater treatment plant sites(Moore Biological Consultants,2001 a and 2001 b). All of these sites are situated along or adjacent to Byron Road,just south of Neighborhoods K and L. The BBID raw water pipeline extends into Alameda County. The only sensitive species observed during these surveys were a few burrowing owls observed just east of the detention basin site in Neighborhood L in March and August 2001. In September 2003, a focused search for rose mallow(Hibiscus lasiocarpus[also known as California hibiscus])was undertaken along the banks of Old River via boat(North Fork Associates, 2003). This survey,which was conducted during the appropriate time of year when the species would have been detectable,did not find the species. In October 2003,the south bank of Old River was comprehensively searched for blue elderberry shrubs with negative results. In addition, preconstruction surveys for nesting birds were conducted for Neighborhoods I, J, and K in May,June,and July 2007 (Moore Biological (quill) 5-48