Type: report

Article abstract: PROJECT OVERVIEW Vernal pool habitat in southern California, and specifically southern San Diego County, has been greatly diminished as a result of extensive development throughout the region. The value and function of remaining vernal pool habitat continue to be degraded by development-related disturbances such as trespassing, grazing, and invasion of nonnative species. As a result, the sensitive species that are supported by vernal pool habitat are also at risk: San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta sandiegonensis), Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus woottoni), and Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino; Quino), which are all federally endangered species, as well as the federally and state listed San Diego button-celery (Eryngium aristulatum var. parishii) and the federally threatened spreading navarretia (Navarretia fossalis). To halt the decline and stabilize the vernal pools in San Diego County, and restore habitat function and sensitive species populations, restoration and management actions are necessary. The City of San Diego (City), in cooperation with other coordinating agencies such as the County of San Diego (County), San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), and California Energy Commission (CEC), obtained grant funding1 to protect, restore, and manage portions of the remaining vernal pool habitat in southern San Diego County. AECOM (formerly EDAW, Inc.) was retained by the City to conduct a comprehensive assessment of existing vernal pool sites within the jurisdiction of the City and County, develop and prioritize recommendations for restoration and management of those sites, and implement restoration and management of the sites. This report summarizes the results of implementation of the restoration and management recommendation actions at five key vernal pool sites in the County, as shown in Figure 1 (Nobel Drive, Goat Mesa, Otay Lakes, Proctor Valley, and Marron Valley). More detailed maps of each site are provided in Figures 2 through 6. Chapters 2.0 through 6.0 of the report correspond to a specific site. Within each of these chapters, a description of the restoration and management actions undertaken at the site are included (i.e., dethatching, weeding, reseeding, recontouring of vernal pools, installation of artificial burrowing owl burrows, and/or access control). A summary of the site condition foll