The San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD), as Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), issued a Notice of Exemption for the Little Butano Creek Fish Passage and Habitat Enhancement Project (project). This project is exempt under CEQA according to Class 33, Section 15333: Small Habitat Restoration Projects. The project is for the purpose of habitat restoration and protection of fish and wildlife habitat and is less than five acres in size. There would be no significant adverse impact on endangered, rare, or threatened species and the project will specifically result in improved habitat for threatened and endangered species.
Project Summary
The project will remediate two fish passage barriers and improve stream and wetland habitat on Little Butano Creek in the Pescadero-Butano Watershed. The project builds on decades of watershed investments to restore access for salmonids to the project site, restore floodplains & lagoons, improve flows, etc. In addition to restoring access to 2.7 miles of stream up to the final remaining barrier this project also improves 3.1 acres of habitat through creation of large woody debris structures, low flow pools, backwatering of floodplain, and creation of a meander and enhancements at two confluence zones.
Documents
The Notice of Exemption and Exemption Discussion can be found on the Office of Planning and Research CEQAnet Web Portal here (State Clearinghouse Number 2023090380).