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r San Joaquin Kit Fox,California Red-Legged Frog,and Swainson's Hawk Habitat Assessment ion • California Natural Diversity Database(CNDDB) (CDFG,2005) • Recovery Plan for the California Red-legged Frog(Rana aurora draytonii) (USFWS, 2002) Recovery Plan for the Upland Species of the San Joaquin Valley,California (USFWS, 1998) • San Joaquin Multi-Species Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan (SJCOG, 2000) r San Joaquin Kit Fox Survey Protocol for the Northern Range(USFWS, 1999a) • Staff Report of Burrowing Owl Mitigation(CDFG, 1995) • Staff Report Regarding Mitigation for Impacts to Swainson's Hawks(Buten swat nsoni)in the Central Valley of California(CDFG, 1994) Results Habitat Assessment Wildlife habitats on the 688-acre project site include orchards and agricultural fields. In addition, ` a few small developed areas are present(e.g.,farmhouses,outbuildings,and roads). The presence of these habitats is consistent with the regional setting of the Project that includes orchards, agricultural fields, gravel mining operations, interstate highways, and several canals. Annual grassland occurs in narrow strips adjacent to canals or crops, including the spaces between orchard rows.Plants commonly found in this habitat type that occur within the Project `ll site include barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli),feather fingergrass(Chloris virgata), tumbleweed(Salsola tragus),yellow star-thistle(Centaurea solstitialis),Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon),cheeseweed(Malva parviora),common purslane(Portulaca oleracea), ., ripgut brome(Bromus diandrus),and spotted spurge(Chamaesyce maculates). Originating in the eastern Diablo Range, Hospital Creek is an ephemeral channelized creek where r it traverses the site. Prior to reaching the project site the creek flows east through box culverts at Interstate 580, Interstate 5,the California Aqueduct, and the Delta-Mendota Canal. The creek also flows through a gravel mine between Interstate 5 and the California Aqueduct. The creek occurs a.. in the southwestern portion and on the southern border of the Project site(Figure 1.0). Within the Project site,the channel is lined with riprap and gravel downstream of the box culvert crossing of the Delta-Mendota Canal and transitions to a mostly unlined channel along the southern boundary of the Project. The channel averages approximately 19 feet wide and is approximately 5,466 long within the Project site. In general, the channel is low-gradient and is bordered by agricultural land and annual grassland. Bed material consists of sand,cobbles, and fine to medium gravel. The r banks are vegetated by annual grassland species(i.e.,they do not hold water long enough for hydrophytic vegetation to grow). Vernalis Quarry Mining and Reclamation Prajent 3 ESA 1203015 San Joaquin Kit Fou,Calitomiz Red Legged Frog,and Swainsou's Hawk Habitat Assessment FeMuary 200fi