Federally Listed Species

The Endangered Species Act defines an endangered species as any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A threatened species is defined as any species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Of the federally listed species that could be affected by the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS, one is endangered: Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae); and three are threatened: bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus), and California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii).

The Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep formerly ranged throughout the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada. By the beginning to the 20th century, however, their numbers had been decimated by overhunting, competition for forage with domestic sheep, and especially by diseases contracted from domestic sheep. By 1999, fewer than 200 Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep were left in the entire range, prompting its listing that year as endangered.

The bald eagle suffered steep population declines from the effects of pesticides in its food chain, resulting in its listing by the USFWS as a federally endangered species in 1978. Populations of bald eagles, however, have rebounded since the banning of the pesticide DDT in the United States in 1972. As a result, the species was reclassified from endangered to threatened in 1995. In 1999, the USFWS proposed to remove the bald eagle from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in the lower 48 states of the United States because available data indicated the species has recovered. A final rule is expected in the near future. No critical habitat in the Sierra Nevada has been designated by the USFWS.

The Valley elderberry longhorn beetle was listed by the USFWS as threatened on August 8, 1980. This listing was primarily a result of destruction of riparian habitat in the San Joaquin Valley that removed the beetle’s host plant, the elderberry. Critical habitat has been designated for the beetle in two areas: along the American River near the Sacramento metropolitan area and along Putah Creek in Solano County. However, the beetle also occurs up to 3,000 feet in elevation in the Sierra Nevada.

The California red-legged frog was listed as threatened in 1996 after its virtual disappearance from the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada. The cause(s) of this disappearance are not well understood, but theories include pesticides, habitat destruction, and predation by non-native bullfrogs.

Special-Status Species

Special-status species that could be affected by this plan are listed in table K-1. The species on this list include the federally endangered and threatened species in the seven U.S. Geological Survey quadrangles that encompass the project area for the plan (see USFWS Consultation), species listed in the California Natural Diversity Data Base, applicable species on the list of endangered and threatened species in Mariposa County provided by the USFWS (see Appendix K-1), and "park rare" plants identified by National Park Service. Park rare plants include those that are:

• locally rare natives
• listed by the California Native Plant Society
• endemic to the park or local vicinity
• at the furthest extent of their range
• of special importance to the park (identified in legislation or park management objectives)
• the subject of political concern or unusual public interest
• vulnerable to local population declines
• subject to human disturbance during critical portions of their life cycle

There is no classification of "park rare" for any wildlife species.

Species Removed from Further Analysis

The following species are on the list of "Endangered and Threatened Species that may occur or be Affected by Projects in the USFWS 7 1/2 Minute Quads" that was provided by the USFWS (see Appendix K-1). However, the National Park Service has determined that they would not be affected by the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS because they do not occur in the project area, as described under Alternative 2, nor were they historically found in the project area, as described below. Therefore, there is no effect on these species from the Preferred Alternative in the Draft Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS, nor are they potentially indirectly or cumulatively affected by the Preferred Alternative. These species will not be evaluated further in this Biological Assessment.

Paiute cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus (=Salmo) clarke seleniris (Federal Threatened). The native range of the Paiute cutthroat trout was extremely limited — to approximately 9 miles of stream habitat in Silver King Creek, Alpine County. The California Department of Fish and Game has introduced the subspecies into creeks outside the historic range, including Delaney Creek in Yosemite National Park. The subspecies does not occur in the project area for the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS.

Delta smelt, Hypomesus transpacificus (Federal Threatened). The Delta smelt occurs only in Suisun Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin estuary ("Delta") near San Francisco Bay in California (Thelander 1994). Historically, this species occurred form Suisun Bay upstream to Sacramento on the Sacramento River and to Mossdale on the San Joaquin River (Thelander 1994). The reduction of freshwater inflows to the Delta from water developments, water diversions, and drought appears to be the most deleterious factor affecting this species (Thelander 1994). The subspecies does not occur in the project area for the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS.

Sacramento spittail, Pogonichthys macrolepidotus (Federal Threatened). Until recently, the Sacramento spittail was thought to be limited to tidal fresh and brackish waters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Suisun Bay; and to marshes in Suisun, Napa, and Petaluma (Baxter 1994, Baxter et al. 1996). Recent surveys have found that some fish spend summers in the main stem of the Sacramento (CDFG 1999a). The Sacramento spittail is threatened by large freshwater exports from Sacramento and San Joaquin River diversions, loss of shallow-water habitat, introduced aquatic species, and agricultural and industrial chemicals. The subspecies does not occur in the project area for the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS.

Central Valley steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Federal Threatened). This species does not occur in the project area for the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS (CDFG 1999b).

Longfin smelt, Spirinchus thaleichthys (Federal Species of Concern). This species does not occur in the project area for the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS (CDFG 1999b).

Red Hills roach, Lavinia symmetricus (Federal Species of Concern). This species does not occur in the project area for the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS (CDFG 1999b).

Bell’s sage sparrow, Amphispiza belli belli (Federal Species of Concern). This subspecies does not occur in the project area for the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS (CDFG 1999b).

Northern sagebrush lizard, Sceloporus graciosus graciosus (Federal Species of Concern). This subspecies does not occur in the project area for the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS (CDFG 1999b).

Mono Basin mountain beaver, Aplodontia rufa californica (Federal Species of Concern). This listing is specific to the population of Sierra Nevada mountain beaver that occurs in the Mono Basin. This population belongs to the same subspecies as occurs in Yosemite, which is a state species of special concern.

Keeled sideband snail, Monadenia circumcarinata (Federal Species of Concern). The keeled sideband snail is a terrestrial snail that is not known to occur outside the Tuolumne River canyon, where it is found in association with steep limestone outcrops and talus slopes (Pilsbre 1939, Maciolek 1985). The California Academy of Sciences has records for eight specimens collected in Tuolumne and Stanislaus Counties. The nearest locality to the project area is Paper Cabin Ridge, above the Tuolumne River. Paper Cabin Ridge is about 18.5 miles west of the Yosemite National Park boundary. Therefore, this species does not appear to occur within the project area.

Yosemite woolly-sunflower, Eriophyllum nubigenum (Federal Species of Concern). This annual herb in the aster family is endemic to California and occurs on south-facing granite slabs, domes, and on gravelly soils in the upper Merced River watershed. This species does not occur in the project area and would not be indirectly affected by any actions in the Preferred Alternative of the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS.

Critical Habitat

Critical habitat is a specific area or type of area that is considered to be essential for the survival of a species, as designated by the USFWS under the Endangered Species Act. No critical habitat occurs in Yosemite National Park or the El Portal Administrative Site for any special-status species that is known to occur or has the potential to occur in these areas.

Authorities

The following legislation and policies address the management of special-status species in the park: the National Park Service Organic Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Quality Act, the California Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and the Wilderness Act.

The USFWS normally takes the lead departmental responsibility of coordinating and implementing provisions of the Federal Endangered Species Act for all listed endangered, threatened, and candidate species. This Biological Assessment is prepared in accordance with Section 7 of the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, as part of the consultation process with the USFWS.

Policy and Program Objectives

The following National Park Service policies and program objectives prescribe the management of special-status species:

• The Natural Resources Management Guideline NPS-77 (1991) states:
  "Management affects the distribution, abundance, and ecological relationships of and among species. Whereas preservation can be accomplished by a zoo, botanical garden, or other non-natural refugium, the National Park Service’s goal is the long-term preservation of species and their ecological role and function as part of a "natural ecosystem." It is, therefore, critical that ecological aspects of management prevail in dealing with threatened and endangered species. An understanding of factors limiting the distribution and abundance of the species of concern must be well understood and incorporated into any management action."

• National Park Service Management Policies (1988) states:
  "Consistent with the purposes of the Endangered Species Act (16 USC 1531 et seq.), the National Park Service will identify and promote the conservation of all federally listed threatened, endangered, or candidate species within park boundaries and their critical habitats."

  "The National Park Service also will identify all state and locally listed threatened, endangered, rare, declining, sensitive, or candidate species that are native to and present in the parks, and their critical habitats. These species and their critical habitats will be considered in National Park Service planning activities."

• The 1980 General Management Plan for Yosemite states:
  "Protect threatened and endangered plant and animal species and reintroduce, where practical, those species eliminated from the natural ecosystems."

The Preferred Alternative — Yosemite Village and
Out-of-Valley Parking

This alternative would restore approximately 180 acres of currently disturbed or developed land in Yosemite Valley to natural conditions. It would consolidate parking for day visitors at Yosemite Village, where a new Valley Visitor Center would be located, and in parking areas outside Yosemite Valley. There would be fewer campsites and lodging units than there are now. This alternative would result in a major reduction in vehicle travel in the eastern portion of Yosemite Valley during summer months. The area of the former Upper and Lower River Campgrounds would be restored to a mosaic of meadow, riparian, and oak woodland communities, roads would be removed from Ahwahnee and Stoneman Meadows, and parking would be removed from Curry Orchard. Southside Drive would be converted to two-way traffic from El Capitan crossover to Curry Village, and Northside Drive would be converted to a multi-use (bicycle and pedestrian) paved trail from El Capitan crossover to Yosemite Lodge. There would be minimal new development west of Yosemite Lodge.

Actions outside of Yosemite Valley would include relocation of employee housing to El Portal and Wawona, relocation of National Park Service and concessioner stables to McCauley Ranch in Foresta, establishment of day-visitor parking at Badger Pass, Hazel Green or Foresta, and El Portal. Hazel Green is the preferred location for out-of-Valley parking to accommodate visitors arriving to the park via Highway 120. If negotiations with the private landowner at Hazel Green do not yield a satisfactory agreement, Foresta would become the preferred location. Improved visitor orientation would be provided at the Tioga Pass, South Entrance, El Portal, and Big Oak Flat Entrances. For a detailed description of the Preferred Alternative, refer to Vol. Ia, Chapter 2 of the Final Yosemite Valley Plan/SEIS (NPS 2000b).

Summary of Major Changes in Relation to Existing Conditions

Restore

• Large tracts of meadow, riparian, and California black oak woodland communities along the river from Clark’s Bridge downstream to Swinging Bridge

Remove

• Roads through Stoneman and Ahwahnee Meadows (including the road through the former Upper and Lower River Campgrounds)
• North Pines Campground
• Sugar Pine Bridge and possibly Stoneman Bridge to restore the hydrologic system of the Merced River
• Other historic structures: concessioner stable, Cascades Diversion Dam, and Cascades houses
• Most parking in east Valley other than at lodging, campgrounds, and the Yosemite Village area
• The Concessioner Headquarters Building
• Commercial trail rides in Yosemite Valley

• Curry Orchard and associated parking, and restore to natural conditions

Establish or Prescribe

• A Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) study to identify existing and desired conditions for natural resources, cultural resources, and visitor experience
• A traveler information and traffic management system to provide information to visitors, provide incentives for efficient use of available parking and transportation services, and manage access and parking
• Out-of-Valley day-visitor parking areas at Badger Pass, El Portal, and Hazel Green or Foresta
• Some utility hookups for recreational vehicles, and shower facilities in campgrounds
• New walk-to campsites for visitors without personal vehicles
• Land management zoning throughout Yosemite Valley
• Design guidelines for rehabilitiating the landscape in existing historic developed areas and for new construction
• An Indian Cultural Center at the last historically occupied Indian Village in Yosemite Valley

Implement

• A contiguous River Protection Overlay, as proposed in the Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement

Construct

• A day-visitor parking area for 550 vehicles at Yosemite Village
• A visitor/transit center at Yosemite Village
• A vehicle bridge across Yosemite Creek near Yosemite Lodge
• A replacement footbridge at Happy Isles near the Nature Center
• Lodging at Yosemite Lodge and Curry Village
• Campsites at Camp 4 (Sunnyside Campground), east of Curry Village, in the Upper Pines area, and north of Tenaya Creek
• Employee housing at Curry Village, El Portal, Wawona, and Foresta
• Two firehouses, one in the Yosemite Village area (not in historic district), and one in the Curry Village area

Convert

• Museum/Valley District Building to a museum
• Southside Drive from El Capitan crossover to Curry Village to two-way traffic, one-lane each direction (road widened where necessary)
• Northside Drive from El Capitan crossover to Yosemite Lodge from a vehicle road to a multi-use (bicycle and pedestrian) paved trail
• Trail to the base of Yosemite Falls to a route accessible by people with mobility impairments and provide a larger viewing platform

Increase/Expand

• Shuttle bus service to Bridalveil Fall and out-of-Valley parking areas
• Interpretive and orientation services, including a new visitor center in Yosemite Valley and at or near principal park entrances
• Multi-use (bicycle and pedestrian) paved trails

Reduce

• Stock trails by approximately 0.5 mile
• Lodging by 199 units (including 164 units at Housekeeping Camp)
• Traffic entering the Valley on a typically busy day by approximately two-thirds

Relocate

• Principal employee housing to El Portal and Wawona, leaving 683 beds in Yosemite Valley
• National Park Service and concessioner administrative stable operations to McCauley Ranch in Foresta
• National Park Service and concessioner headquarters out of Yosemite Valley
• Historic Superintendent’s House (Residence 1) and its garage to a site within the historic district in Yosemite Village
• Museum collection storage, research library, and archives to a central facility in El Portal