Bond Act: Proposition 84
Agency of Appropriation: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Bond Statute: 75050(b)
- Front-end
- In-progress
- Follow-up (Audit)
The Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Program provides the basis for compliance with the Federal Endangered Species Act by the federal and non-federal entities involved in on-going and future water and power operations on the Lower Colorado River. For the California participants, the Program also provides the basis for compliance with the California Endangered Species Act for the California species and activities covered by the Program. The Program provides for the creation of over 8,100 acres of riparian, marsh, and backwater habitat for the species covered by the Program, and includes plans for the rearing and stocking of over 1.2 million fish to augment populations of endangered fish. The Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Program has an active Steering Committee in place that selects Conservation Opportunity Areas utilizing an Adaptive Management Selection Criteria. Once sites have been selected the acquisition process is initiated. Proposition 84 funds will be utilized for land acquisition in the program planning area by the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to make California state lands available to the Program for restoration and conservation. CDFW has completed a Conceptual Area Protection Plan (CAPP), required by the WCB for acquisitions, in the Palo Verde Valley. As projects are selected in line with the CAPP, funds will be awarded through the WCB.
The LCRMSHCP has an active Steering Committee in place that selects Conservation Opportunity Areas utilizing an Adaptive Management Selection Criteria. Once Program-approved sites have been selected the acquisition process is initiated. Proposition 84 funds will be utilized for land acquisition in the LCRMSHCP planning area by the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to make California State lands available to the Program for restoration and conservation. CDFW has completed a Conceptual Area Protection Plan (CAPP), required by the WCB for acquisitions, in the Palo Verde Valley. As projects are selected in line with the CAPP, funds will be awarded through the WCB meetings. Department staff is constantly maintaining a database of available lands for acquisition within the scope and cost of the bond funds allocated for this Program. Many potential land purchase options currently exist, and new opportunities are being considered utilizing the above mentioned Adaptive Management Selection Criteria. Utilizing the above mentioned Adaptive Management Selection Criteria, land acquisition will be accomplished in partnership with the Department and WCB to fulfill LCRMSCP Program goals. The Department is a full partner in the LCRMSCP Program and this land acquisition will be a significant contribution to completing the obligations of the State.
If possible, the bond funds will be leveraged with grant dollars or other funding programs to secure the most land, and increase the acreage of conservation for the money available. Department staff will continue to rank the Conservation Opportunity Areas and the areas with the highest overall ranking will be pursued first. Land will continue to be acquired until the Proposition 84 funding is completely expended. Land acquisition is ready to commence immediately upon the notice of availability of Proposition 84 funds.
The LCRMSHCP has an active Steering Committee in place that selects Conservation Opportunity Areas utilizing an Adaptive Management Selection Criteria. Once Program-approved sites have been selected the acquisition process is initiated. Proposition 84 funds will be utilized for land acquisition in the LCRMSHCP planning area by the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to make California State lands available to the Program for restoration and conservation. CDFW has completed a Conceptual Area Protection Plan (CAPP), required by the WCB for acquisitions, in the Palo Verde Valley. As projects are selected in line with the CAPP, funds will be awarded through the WCB meetings.
Since Proposition 84 funding concerning the LCRMSCP are for land acquisition only, it needs only to be documented that by utilizing the Conservation Opportunity Area’s Selection Criteria and Adaptive Management Techniques, that the best possible properties were selected and acquired with the Proposition 84 funds. After the acquisitions are completed it will be the obligation of the Department and the State as a full partner in the LCRMSCP to facilitate restoration and habitat enhancement goals on these properties, however, these continued efforts will be funded directly from the LCRMSCP Program and will not utilize any further Proposition 84 funds.
Projects within this Program: