DMEC is conducting botanical surveys of the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge, which is located at the western end of the San Emigdio Range in southwestern Kern County and a small part of northwestern Ventura County.   The Refuge is approximately 14,097 acres of rolling hills and steep slopes bisected by the San Andreas Fault.   The Refuge supports mostly herblands/grasslands, with Chenopod Scrub, Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands, and Alvord Oak Woodland, with scattered seep/spring and sag pond associated wetlands.   Field surveys were conducted during the spring and early summer of 2015 over the entire refuge, looking carefully for federally listed plants.   DMEC is contracted to conduct the botanical surveys for 5 years through the California State University, Stanislaus, to provide the resource information to the NWR resource managers.   A total of 315 vascular plant taxa were observed at 1,176 data point locations.   Ten special-status species were found during the surveys on various parts of the Refuge.

Below is a PDF copy of the draft botanical survey report, "Flora and Rare Plants of Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge" (September 2015), covering the Bitter Creek NWR.

• Bitter Creek NWR Botanical Survey Report for 2015 (10.3 MB PDF)
• Bitter Creek NWR Botanical Survey Report for 2015 (42.8 MB Word Document)

DMEC is assisting Mr. Lyons in developing a large wetland mitigation bank in the Mojave Desert at East Cronese Lake, which is located at the north central portion of San Bernardino County, just north of Interstate 15.   The proposed Bank Site is over 400 acres, almost entirely within the bed of East Cronese Lake, which is the terminis of the Mojave River.   The Bank Site supports Chenopod Scrub vegetation types, and extensive stands of Tamarisk, and invasive exotic shrub that will be eradicated to significantly improve wetland functions at the Bank Site.   DMEC conducted a number of surveys and studies in support of applying to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Regional Water Quality Control Board to establish a wetland restoration and preservation bank to allow Mr. Lyons to offer wetland credits to individuals and agencies that need to mitigation for impacts to wetland habitats and functions for projects in the Mojave Desert   DMEC conducted surveys of the botanical resources, and performed a delineation of jurisdictional waters and wetlands. DMEC also developed a regional model to measure functionality of desert playa wetlands, using 19 different desert playas as reference sites, and used that model, following the Hydrogeomorphic Assessment Method developed by the Corps, to determine the level of functionality of the six depressional wetland functions of the East Cronse Lake Bank Site. DMEC also prepared a detail habitat restoration and monitoring plan for the Bank.   These studies are summarized in a Prospectus, that is being used by the Interagency Review Team to evaluate the feasibility and appropriateness of estabishing the Mojave River Watershed Mitigation Bank.

Below is a PDF copy of the reports prepared for the proposed mitigation bank.

• Prospectus Updated 23 November 2015 [5.2 MB PDF]
• Biological Resources Report Updated 30 September 2015 [5.0 MB PDF]
• Wetland Delineation Report Revised 13 November 2015 [21.2 MB PDF] (Entire Report including Appendix A and B Field Datasheets)
• Draft Desert Playas Wetlands Functional Assessment Guidebook 23 November 2015 [6.2 MB PDF]
• Bank Site Wetlands Functional Assessment 23 November 2015 [2.1 MB PDF]
• E. Cronese Lake Bank Site Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring PlanUpdated 1 December 2015 [3.0 MB PDF]

David Magney Environmental Consulting (DMEC) was contracted to conduct a biological assessment of the Queen of Angels Church property in the Mission Hills area north of Lompoc, California.   The Church needs to legalize previous lot splits and the County of Santa Barbara must comply with CEQA, hence a biological resources assessment was required.   DMEC biologists surveyed the church property, half of which contains a church, school, rectory, and relative facilities, while the other half is undeveloped and containing Burton Mesa Chaparral, a rare plant community.   DMEC found the undeveloped portion to contain six rare vascular plant species (Arctostaphylos purissima, Arctostaphylos rudis, Ceanothus cuneatus var. fasciculatus, Diplacus lompocensis, Horkelia cuneata ssp. puberula, and Mucronea californica) and a rich lichen flora.   Interestingly, there were more species of lichen identified onsite then vascular plants, which is quite unusual.

Below is a PDF copy of the biological assessment report, "Biological Assessment of Queen of Angels Church, Lompoc, California" (January 2013), covering the entire church property.

• Biological Assessment of Queen of Angels Church Report (7.8 MB)

DMEC conducted a botanical survey of the lower elevation areas of The Wildlands Conservancy's 97,000-acre Wind Wolves Preserve in southwestern Kern County to determine the locations of rare vascular plants.   The Preserve in located and very southern terminus of the San Joaquin Valley and up the north slope of the San Emigdio Range.   Field surveys were conducted during the spring and early summer of 2010 over about 27,000 acres of the Preserve.   DMEC was contracted to conduct the botanical surveys through the California State University, Stanislaus, to provide the resource information to the Wild Wolves Preserve resource managers.   A total of 581 vascular plant taxa were observed at 200 locations.   Six special-status species were found during the survey, and are documented at 33 locations on the Preserve.

Below is a PDF copy of the botanical survey report, "Rare Plant Survey of the Wind Wolves Preserve, Kern County, California" (July 2010), covering the low-lying areas of the Preserve.

• Wind Wolves Botanical Survey Report (6.1 MB)

The Tejon Ranch Conservacny, headquartered in Lebec, California, contracted DMEC to perform botanical surveys of five large aquisition areas of the very large Tejon Ranch, in the Tehachapi Mountains, in both Kern and Los Angeles Counties.   The Tejon Ranch Conservancy wished to know what botanical resources were present, including special-status species, and vegetation alliances (communities) were present in each of the five aquisition areas, to be purchased in fee, or preserved through a conservation easement at some time in the future.   The acquistions areas are known as: White Wolf, Old Headquarters, Michener Ranch, Bi-Centennial, and Tri-Centennial, totalling over 62,000 acres.   Field surveys were conducted from mid-March through late July 2009, which was a very good year for wildflowers in the grassland areas especially.

DMEC collected floristic and vegetation data at 342 data points across the five acquisition areas: 64 in Tri-Centennial, 91 in Bi-Centennial, 32 in Michener Ranch, 77 in Old Headquarters, and 78 in White Wolf.   A total of 877 taxa were noted, of which 668 tax have been positively identified.   Sixteen (16) special-status vascular plant species were documented in one or more of the acquisition areas.   The vegetation consisted of 76 mappable/identifiable vegetation alliances, of which 39 are newly described based on DMEC's surveys.   A PDF copy of the botanical survey report of the five Tejon Ranch areas, "Flora of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy Acquisition Areas, Tejon Ranch, California", is available below.

• Tejon Ranch Botanical Survey Report (July 2010) (6.2 MB PDF)

D.R. Horton - Western Pacific [Housing] Series proposed a residential development on the Lyons Canyon Ranch property in Lyon Canyon, located immediately west of Interstate 5, south of the Stevenson Ranch development, and north of Towsley Canyon Park.   The Lyons Canyon Ranch project site contains portions of two Los Angeles County designated Sensitive Ecological Areas (SEAs): Lyon Canyon SEA 63 and Santa Susana Woodlands SEA 20.   DMEC prepared the EIR for the project and has prepared a wetland delineation and biological constraints report for the project.   The DEIR was made available in October 2006.

Below are PDF copies of the SEA constraints analysis report, "Significant Ecological Areas Biological Constraints for Lyons Canyon Ranch, Newhall, California" (September 2005) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-verified "Delineation of Jurisdictional Waters and Riparian Habitats for Lyons Canyon Ranch, Newhall, California" (June 2004).

SEATAC commended DMEC for its "very good, thorough Biological Constraints Analysis" report, which contained an "excellent" vegetation map.

• SEA Bio Constraints Report (6.4 MB)
• SEA Bio Constraints Report Appendix A (36.1 MB - VERY large file)
• SEA Bio Constraints Report Appendix B (0.36 MB)
• Wetland Delineation Report (57.2 MB - VERY large file)
• Wetland Delineation Field Datasheets (45.9 MB - VERY large file)

DMEC assisted developer Peter Daru obtain permits to fill wetlands at the proposed North Vineyard Greens development project site, located in the North Vineyard Station Specific Plan Area of southern Sacramento County, California, approved in 1998.   The approved housing development will provide approximately 750 homes, single-family and multiple-family units in the middle of the specific plan area.   DMEC prepared an Alternatives Analysis as required under Section 404(b)(1) of the Clean Water Act as part of the Individual Permit application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to fill at total of 1.60 acres of seasonal wetlands, including 0.15 acre of vernal pool wetlands.   Based on that analysis, the Corps required 1.75 acres of onsite mitigation for impacts to seasonal wetlands (1:1 creation of non-vernal pool seasonal wetlands and 2:1 creation of vernal pool wetlands).   DMEC then prepared the mitigation and monitoring plan to satisfy permit application requirements, proposing to create 1.75 acres of seasonal wetlands onsite in disturbed annual grassland habitat under existing electric transmission lines.   Corps Regulatory Project Manager, Andrea Jones, wrote of the plan, "I am impressed with the thoroughly researched background information provided for context.   This is a much more 'together' plan than I am used to seeing".
The USFWS issued a No Jeapordy Opinion based on the information DMEC developed, pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.   The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board issued a Water Quality Certificate in response to DMEC's application for the project.   The Corps issued the Individual Permit in March 2009.
The mitigation and monitoring plan report has been converted to PDF and divided into sections for easier download.   If you have difficulty viewing or downloading the complete report, please try one of the smaller sections.

• Alternatives Analysis Report - March 2007 (3.39 MB)
  

• Complete Mitigation Plan - August 2007 (14.4 MB)
  • Mitigation Plan w/o Appendices (2.21 MB)
  • Appendix A - Photos (6.23 MB)
  • Appendix B - HGM Methods (5.63 MB)
  • Appendix C - Baseline Floristics (190 KB)
  • Appendix D - Monitoring Forms (580 KB)

• Biological Assessment Report - February 2008 (5.12 MB)
  

• FSEIR North Vineyard Greens project - February 2006 (29.1 MB)
  

DMEC characterized all the streams and drainages within the City of Ojai and developed generic and specific stream habitat restoration projects intended to improve aquatic and riparian habitat conditions of the City's streams.   This study was paid for with a grant from the California Department of Fish and Game in support of improving conditions for Southern Steelhead Trout in the Ojai Valley.

This report has been converted to pdf and divided into sections for easier download.   If you have difficulty viewing or downloading the complete report, please try one of the smaller sections.

• Complete Report - August 2005 (19.0 MB - VERY BIG file)
  • Cover & Table of Contents (0.25 MB)
  • Executive Summary (0.13 MB)
  • Introduction (2.3 MB)
  • Methods (0.35 MB)
  • Existing Conditions
    • Physical Environment (2.2 MB)
    • Biological Environment (1.9 MB)
    • Adjacent Land Uses, Impervioius Cover, & Barriers (6.5 MB)
    • Summary (1.6 MB)
  • Restoration Plan (3.8 MB)
  • Conclusions, Citations, & Acknowledgements (0.14 MB)
  • Appendices (less Appendix A) (1.3 MB)
    • Appendix A Stream Characteristics (field datasheets) (3.7 MB)
    • Appendix A Water Quality (field datasheets) (4.5 MB)

DMEC prepared a Natural Environment Study to satisfy Caltrans/Federal Highways Administration grant requirements for the Creek Road repair project.   The Ojai Public Works Department is planning to shore up the bank of Stewart Canyon Creek along Creek Road to prevent road failure during future flood events.   DMEC surveyed the biological resources of the creek at the repair sites and described and documented existing biological resources, and made recommendations to mitigate for adverse impacts to biological resources.   This study was paid for with a grant from Caltrans.

• N.E.S. Report - 14 December 2007 (4.3 MB PDF file)

DMEC prepared a detailed assessment of the biological resources of the south slope of Santa Paula Ridge for siting a new commerical radio tower to satisfy County of Ventura environmental impact assessment guidelines pursant to the Californai Environmental Quality Act.   The Initial Study Biological Assessment was prepared according to the Ventura County Planning Division's biological assessment guidelines.   The new radio tower is needed to fill coverage gaps in existing service for southwestern Ventura County, including broadcasting for emergency services.   Jensen Design and Survey, Inc. performed the engineering and environmental permitting for Point Broadcasting LLC.

• DMEC Initial Study Biological Assessment (23.2 MB PDF)

DMEC prepared a detailed assessment and comment letters on the City of Oxnard's draft 2030 General Plan and DEIR on that plan.   DMEC focused its reviews on the biological resource issues of the General Plan and Draft EIR on that plan.   Particular emphasis was placed on the Ormond Beach area of Oxnard.

• DMEC Comments on Draft Oxnard General Plan 2030 (399 KB PDF)
• DMEC Comments on Draft EIR on Oxnard General Plan 2030 (1.0 MB PDF)

DMEC prepared a detailed revegetation plan for Bruce Dickinson's property located at the top of Yellowhill Road, Santa Monica Mountains, Ventura County, California.   This report was prepared to meet the requirements of the Ventura County Planning Division for past code violations resulting from vegetation clearing without a permit.   The project site is dominated by Chamise Chaparral and Coastal Sage Scrub vegetation on the ridgetop south of Clark's Peak.

• Dickinson Property Revegetation Plan (2.7 MB PDF)

Biological resources and impact assessment report for two adjacent proposed large single-family homes in lower Ramirez Canyon, Malibu, California.   Attorney: Diane Matsinger, Esq.   This report was prepared to identify biological resoucrce present at and adjacent to two development sites within the Coastal Zone, and to determine if and where Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA) were present.   DMEC also reviewed biological resources reports submitted to the City of Malibu by the applicant.   The project sites contain ESHA Coastal Sage Scrub and two special-status plant species, Baccharis plummerae and Juglans californica ssp. californica.

• Ramirez Canyon ESHA Impact Summary (234 KB PDF)
• Ramirez Canyon ESHA Impact Assessment (23.2 MB PDF)
• 5900 Ramirez Canyon Road ESHA Impact Summary - 21 March 2007 (2.8 MB PDF)

Mountians Restoration Trust was authorized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, to use their Headwaters Corner property in Calabasas as a wetland mitigation site, using monies from offsite in-lieu mitigation funds collected by the Corps.   Dry Creek flows through the Headquarters property and had been significantly degraded by historic land use activities.   DMEC assisted MRT by conducting a delineation of jurisdictional wetlands, creating a baseline HGM wetlands functional assessment, and preparing a detailed wetlands mitigation and monitoring plan, all of which were approved by the Corps, and used to implement the restoration onsite.

• MRT Dry Creek Reports Page

Preconstruction endangered species survey and construction monitoring report for a small project on San Antonio Creek, Ojai Valley, Ventura County, California.   California Red-legged Frog, a federally listed endangered species, was found at the project site, and DMEC conducted preconstruction surveys to protect the frog.

• San Antonio Creek Rare Species Report (4.7 MB)

Wetland delineation report for proposed housing development (Centex) at northwest corner of Reino Road and Maurice Drive, Newbury Park, Ventura County, California.

• Centex Wetland Delineation Report (less field datasheets) (11.6 MB)
• Link to Site Maps and Photographs

Wetland Functional Assessments (HGM) of the Camarillo Regional Park Wetland and Golf Course Project Scenarios, Ventura County, California.   This study was conducted on behalf of the California Coastal Conservancy to identify expected direct and indirect affects to wetland functions resulting from implementation of four different project scenerios (two golf course project scenarios, and two wetland restoration project scenarios.   DMEC used a regional HGM model to compare changes in wetland functions of the four project scenarios compared to baseline conditions.

• Camarillo Regional Park Wetland Assessment Report (10.2 MB)

DMEC completed an intensive and watershed-wide study of existing wetlands within the Calleguas Creek Watershed in October 2000, and developed wetland restoration plans for several sites within the watershed.   DMEC conducted this work for the Coastal Conservancy on behalf of the Calleguas Creek Watershed Habitat and Recreation Subcommittee through a grant issued to the Conservancy by the U.S. EPA.   All data gathered for this effort have been input into a robust GIS database, using Arc/Info and ArcView 3.2 software.   The Calleguas Creek watershed occupies the southeastern portion of Ventura County, California.

• Calleguas Creek Watershed Wetlands Plan Report - October 2000 (15.6 MB PDF)
• Appendix B - Geomorphology Field Data - October 2000 (354 KB PDF)
• Appendix B - Vegetation Field Data - October 2000 (230 KB PDF)

Harwood's Milkvetch Surveys, Chuckwalla Desert Wildlife Management Area, Riverside County, California

• Harwood's Milkvetch Report (6.5 MB)

Rare plant survey report of Defense Fuel Support Facility, San Pedro (Palos Verdes Peninsula), Los Angeles County, California

• Complete Report (less field datasheets) (5.1 MB)

DMEC prepared environmental assessment documents for the Gramckow lot-split for Martin Gramckow at his property at Rancho Matilija, Ojai Valley, California, to satisfy Ventura County Planning Division (VCPD) permiting requirements.   All reports (except CEQA documents) copyrighted by David Magney Environmental Consulting 2006.   Mr. Gramckow desired to split an existing lot to create a seperate, developable lot on flat ground between two creeks.   DMEC completed the Biological Resources CEQA Initial Study checklist for VCPD and used HGM to determine anticipated impacts of building a residence between two creeks to satisfy Ventura County General Plan wetland protection policies, which prohibit development within 100 feet of riparian wetlands.   DMEC also conducted a wetland delineation of the property.

• Seasonal Biological Resources Survey Report July 2006 [1.95 MB PDF]
• HGM Wetlands Assessment Report (Entire Report except Appendix A - May 2006 [1.32 PDF])
• HGM Field Datasheets (Appendix A) [111 KB PDF]
• Wetland Delineation Report (Entire Report except Appendix A - March 2007 [2.3 MB PDF])
• Wetland Delineation Field Datasheets (Appendix A) [5 MB PDF]
• Map of Gramckow Project Site

Rare plant survey report of Defense Fuel Support Facility, San Pedro (Palos Verdes Peninsula), Los Angeles County, California

• Complete Report (less field datasheets) (5.1 MB)

Draft Environmental Impact Report prepared by DMEC on behalf of NCWD's proposed water main extension to serve Vasquez Canyon Road area, Los Angeles County, California

• Cover (0.2 MB)
• Table of Contents (0.3 MB)
• Executive Summary (0.4 MB)
• Introduction (0.1 MB)
• Project Description (1.5 MB)
• Environmental Setting (3.7 MB)
• Policy Consistency (0.1 MB)
• Environmental Impact Assessment (7.5 MB)
• Growth Inducement (0.2 MB)
• Alternatives (0.1 MB)
• Acknowledgments & Citations (0.2 MB)
• Appendices Cover Pages (0.1 MB)
• Appendix A: Notice of Preparation (0.3 MB)
• Appendix A: NOP Comments A (0.6 MB)
• Appendix A: NOP Comments B (0.1 MB)
• Appendix B: Initial Study Checklist (1.0 MB)
• Appendix C: Biological Resources Report (3.4 MB)
• Appendix D: Wetland Delineation Report (1.9 MB)
• Appendix E: Archaeological Report (7.4 MB)
• Appendix F: Geotechnical Report (3.7 MB)
• Appendix G: Noise Report (0.4 MB)

Wetland HGM functional assessment report for project impacts and restoration of riparian wetlands of Conejo Creek tributary in Conejo Valley, Ventura County, California, and a detailed wetland mitigation and monitoring report.

• HGM Assessment Report (0.7 MB)
• Wetland Mitigation Plan (2.6 MB)

Wetland HGM functional assessment report for project impacts and restoration of riparian wetlands of Las Flores Creek in Malibu, Los Angeles County, California, and a detailed wetland mitigation and monitoring report.

• HGM Assessment Report (1.6 MB)
• Wetland Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (825 KB)

Botanical resources and wetland HGM functional assessment report for the Bridle Ridge development project (1998), Santa Barbara County, California, and critical reviews of the Preserve @ San Marcos project EIR and supporting documents (2004-2005)

• Additional San Marcos Foothills information

This book focuses on the vascular plant flora of Dry Lakes Ridge, in central western Ventura County, California.   The ridge is entirely within the Los Padres National Forest, with the "Dry Lakes" supporting a relictual population of Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa) from the Pleistocene era.   The flora contains chapters on geography, topography, geology, botanical collecting history, plant communities, and an annotated catalogue of all the vascular plants known to occur on the ridge.   The flora was published by the UCSB Herbarium.   Copies of this book can be obtained by sending a check for $19.16 (includes sales tax and shipping) to CNPS (California Native Plant Society, Channel Islands Chapter) at P.O. Box 6, Ojai, CA 93024-0006.