BDCP, Interfacing with Conservation Plans Habitat Conservation Planning from Tahoe to the Bay 7 th Annual Workshop November 18, 2009 Carl Wilcox California Department of Fish and Game

BDCP overlaps with 5 NCCPs or HCPs Yolo (HCP/NCCP in prep.) Solano (HCP in prep.) So. Sacramento (HCP in prep.) San Joaquin (HCP permitted) East Contra Costa (HCP/NCCP permitted)

What Is BDCP? Initially focused on aquatic resources, BDCP has been characterized as the first ever “Aquatic NCCP”. It is: Initially focused on aquatic resources, BDCP has been characterized as the first ever “Aquatic NCCP”. It is: A plan for a system of new water conveyance and operations, habitat restoration, and other ecosystem improvements in the Delta A plan for a system of new water conveyance and operations, habitat restoration, and other ecosystem improvements in the Delta A stand-alone plan that must be reconciled with surrounding plans A stand-alone plan that must be reconciled with surrounding plans An opportunity to provide regional conservation; and An opportunity to provide regional conservation; and A vehicle for funding that conservation A vehicle for funding that conservation

Emergence of BDCP Conservation Strategy and Covered Activities  Habitat restoration  Conveyance and Flow

Initial Coordination Periodic meetings convened by the Natural Resources Agency Periodic meetings convened by the Natural Resources Agency Discussion of broad ranging issues with Delta and Local Plan managers at a conceptual level Discussion of broad ranging issues with Delta and Local Plan managers at a conceptual level Regular meetings between Natural Resources Agency personnel and county electeds and presentations at regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings Regular meetings between Natural Resources Agency personnel and county electeds and presentations at regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meetings

Ongoing Coordination DFG/FWS took the initiative to work directly with the surrounding plans to identify issues related to BDCP implementation. DFG/FWS took the initiative to work directly with the surrounding plans to identify issues related to BDCP implementation. Meetings held through the summer of Meetings held through the summer of Need for coordination between the state and federal fish and wildlife agencies to assure consistent guidance among plans. Need for coordination between the state and federal fish and wildlife agencies to assure consistent guidance among plans.

Ongoing Coordination Purpose of meetings with individual plans: Purpose of meetings with individual plans: Sharing implementation concerns Sharing implementation concerns Identifying possible opportunities for synergy Identifying possible opportunities for synergy Developing of work products: Developing of work products: Issues, concerns, and opportunities matrix Issues, concerns, and opportunities matrix Maps capturing this feedback Maps capturing this feedback

Challenges Need to build trust among existing plans and BDCP planning process Need to build trust among existing plans and BDCP planning process Ongoing development and refinements of key BDCP elements Ongoing development and refinements of key BDCP elements Covered activities Covered activities Conservation measures Conservation measures Terrestrial conservation strategy Terrestrial conservation strategy Conveyance facility type and alignment, operations Conveyance facility type and alignment, operations Difficulty in sharing data Difficulty in sharing data

Way Forward Frequent coordination between the fish and wildlife agencies and surrounding individual plans as details of the BDCP Conservation Strategy are developed Frequent coordination between the fish and wildlife agencies and surrounding individual plans as details of the BDCP Conservation Strategy are developed Seeking and incorporating surrounding plans’ input into BDCP Conservation Strategy. Seeking and incorporating surrounding plans’ input into BDCP Conservation Strategy. Seeking opportunities to achieve larger regional scale conservation Seeking opportunities to achieve larger regional scale conservation

Outstanding Issues How will any inconsistencies between BDCP and other plans be addressed? How will any inconsistencies between BDCP and other plans be addressed? How will BDCP conservation actions on the ground be implemented with respect to other plans How will BDCP conservation actions on the ground be implemented with respect to other plans Consistency within the fish and wildlife agencies Consistency within the fish and wildlife agencies How will existing permits be affected by BDCP? How will existing permits be affected by BDCP?

Emerging Lessons: Conservation plan development should consider the needs all of natural communities and species in the planning area, even those not covered in the plan, to avoid precluding or limiting their conservation and or restoration in the future. Conservation plan development should consider the needs all of natural communities and species in the planning area, even those not covered in the plan, to avoid precluding or limiting their conservation and or restoration in the future. Conservation Plans generally do not include a substantial restoration component which may conflict with other ongoing conservation efforts. Conservation Plans generally do not include a substantial restoration component which may conflict with other ongoing conservation efforts. Adaptive Management may involve adapting to the conservation objectives of other planning efforts. Adaptive Management may involve adapting to the conservation objectives of other planning efforts.