Final Environmental Assessment/Initial Study: Authorization of Incidental Take and Implementation of the Calaveras River Habitat Conservation Plan

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has developed this Environmental Assessment/Initial Study (EA/IS) to evaluate the effects of the proposed action of issuing an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) under Section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended, to Stockton East Water District (District or the applicant) related to the District’s Calaveras River Operations (Project). The District is applying to NMFS for an ITP for a 50-year period authorizing the incidental take of threatened Central Valley (CV) steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Distinct Population Segment (DPS), threatened CV spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU), endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon ESU, and species of special concern CV fall/late fall-run Chinook salmon ESU. As a species of special concern, the fall/late fall-run Chinook salmon ESU does not currently have any protective regulations against take and no Federal permit is needed to incidentally take them, but there may be a change in listing status during the permit period. As such, the ITP authorization would be effective immediately upon issuance for all threatened and endangered species (i.e., CCV steelhead DPS, CV spring-run Chinook salmon ESU, and Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon ESU); while the ITP authorization would become effective for the fall/late fall-run Chinook salmon ESU if it is listed as threatened or endangered.