Habitat Conservation

The Water Authority’s approach to habitat conservation seeks to avoid and minimize impacts to sensitive resources and to appropriately mitigate unavoidable impacts.

All significant environmental resources are identified early during project planning and proposed policies provide additional protection for highly sensitive species. On-the-ground construction and maintenance practices are coordinated with other Water Authority staff and contractors to ensure appropriate resource protection and mitigation.

Working in Our Environment

Natural resource conservation complements other Water Authority projects and programs that potentially affect our environment. These projects and programs include planning and diversifying our water supply, water conservation, and facilities and operations that transport and store water. By identifying potential natural resource effects and integrating options into consideration through these other activities, the Water Authority reduces short and long-term impacts to land, water, and air resources.

Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP)

The draft plan provides goals, guidelines, and specifications that comprise the Water Authority’s Conservation Strategy for biological resources within its San Diego County Service Area and a portion of southwestern Riverside County. It focuses on addressing key covered species whose conservation and mitigation will also provide broad protection for many associated species. The plan includes mitigation ratios for all habitat impacts; narrow endemic species and vernal pool and wetland habitat policies; habitat restoration guidelines/procedures; relevant General Conditions and Standard Specifications for project development and construction as well as operations and maintenance; descriptions and explanations of our mitigation lands; preserve management land guidelines; and procedures for amending the plan and addressing changed circumstances affecting the covered species. Approval of the final plan and associated Final EIR/EIS, and issuance of state and federal permits, is expected by the end of 2010.