HomeMy WebLinkAboutL2S_BA_2015-08-17
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian
Bridge
Biological Assessment
Prepared for
King County Parks
August 2015
Prepared by
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment
Prepared for:
Parks Division
201 South Jackson, Seventh Floor
Seattle, WA 98104
August 2015
Prepared by:
Parametrix
719 Second Avenue, Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98104
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 i Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
Table of Contents
1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1-1
1.1 Background and Consultation History ......................................................................... 1-2
1.2 Project Location and Description................................................................................. 1-2
1.2.1 Project Elements ............................................................................................... 1-4
1.2.2 Project Sequencing and Timeline ..................................................................... 1-7
1.3 Impact Avoidance and Minimization Measures ........................................................... 1-8
1.3.1 Restoration of Temporary Effects ................................................................... 1-10
1.3.2 Compensatory Mitigation ................................................................................ 1-11
1.4 Project Action Area.................................................................................................... 1-11
1.4.1 Aquatic Considerations ................................................................................... 1-11
1.4.2 Terrestrial Considerations ............................................................................... 1-13
1.4.3 Indirect Effects Considerations ....................................................................... 1-14
2 Status and Presence of Listed Species and Designated Critical Habitat in the
Project Action Area ............................................................................................................ 2-1
2.1 Species and Critical Habitat List(s) and Listing Status ................................................ 2-1
2.2 Presence of Federally Listed and Proposed Species in the Project Action Area ........ 2-2
2.2.1 Chinook Salmon ................................................................................................ 2-3
2.2.2 Steelhead .......................................................................................................... 2-4
2.2.3 Bull Trout ........................................................................................................... 2-4
2.3 Presence of Federally Designated and Proposed Critical Habitat in the Project
Action Area .................................................................................................................. 2-5
2.3.1 Chinook Salmon Critical Habitat ....................................................................... 2-5
2.3.2 Steelhead Critical Habitat ................................................................................. 2-6
2.3.3 Bull Trout Critical Habitat .................................................................................. 2-6
3 Environmental Setting ....................................................................................................... 3-1
4 Effects of the Action .......................................................................................................... 4-1
4.1 Direct Effects ............................................................................................................... 4-1
4.1.1 Construction-related Impacts ............................................................................ 4-1
4.1.2 Riparian Habitat Impacts ................................................................................... 4-3
4.1.3 Effects of the Pedestrian Bridge ....................................................................... 4-4
4.1.4 Impervious Surface ........................................................................................... 4-5
4.2 Indirect Effects............................................................................................................. 4-6
4.3 Effects from Interrelated and Interdependent Actions ................................................. 4-6
5 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 5-1
5.1 Puget Sound Chinook Salmon .................................................................................... 5-1
5.2 Designated Critical Habitat for Puget Sound Chinook Salmon ................................... 5-4
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment ii August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
5.3 Puget Sound Steelhead .............................................................................................. 5-5
5.4 Proposed Critical Habitat for Puget Sound Steelhead ................................................ 5-7
5.5 Bull Trout ..................................................................................................................... 5-7
5.6 Designated Critical Habitat for Bull Trout .................................................................... 5-9
6 Floodplain Analysis ........................................................................................................... 6-1
7 Essential Fish Habitat Analysis ........................................................................................ 7-1
7.1 Background ................................................................................................................. 7-1
7.2 Description of the Proposed Action ............................................................................. 7-2
7.3 Potential Adverse Effects of Proposed Project ............................................................ 7-2
7.4 Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Measures ........................................................... 7-2
7.5 Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 7-3
8 References .......................................................................................................................... 8-1
List of Appendices
Appendix A October 2011 No-effects Determination for Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A
Appendix B Bridge Plan and Elevation and Proposed Ground Improvement Areas
Appendix C Species Lists from NMFS and USFWS
Appendix D Biology of Species Addressed in This Analysis
List of Tables
Table 1-1. Effects Determinations for Species and Designated Critical Habitat .................. 1-1
Table 2-1. ESA-Listed Species and Critical Habitat Addressed in this BA .......................... 2-1
Table 5-1. Effects Determinations for Species and Designated Critical Habitat .................. 5-1
List of Figures
Figure 1-1. Vicinity Map ....................................................................................................... 1-3
Figure 1-2. Project Features ................................................................................................ 1-5
Figure 1-3. Project Action Area .......................................................................................... 1-12
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 iii Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
Acronyms and Abbreviations
AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
BA biological assessment
BMPs best management practices
BNSF Burlington Northern Santa Fe
cfs cubic feet per second
the County King County
dBA decibels on the A-weighted scale
dbh diameter at breast height
DPS distinct population segment
Ecology Washington State Department of Ecology
EFH essential fish habitat
ESA Endangered Species Act
ESU evolutionarily significant unit
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Administration
FHWA Federal Highway Administration
HPA Hydraulic Project Approval
HUC Hydrologic Unit Code
LWD large woody debris
NFIP National Flood Insurance Program
NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service
OHWM ordinary high water mark
PCE primary constituent element
PGIS pollutant-generating impervious surface
PHS Priority Habitats and Species
RMC Renton Municipal Code
SPCC spill prevention control and countermeasures
TESC temporary erosion and sediment control
USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WDFW Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
WDNR Washington Department of Natural Resources
WRIA Water Resources Inventory Area
WSDOT Washington State Department of Transportation
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 1-1 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
1 INTRODUCTION
We have prepared this biological assessment (BA) on behalf of King County (the County) and WSDOT to
facilitate consultation between the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under Section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (ESA). ESA Section 7 requires federal agencies to ensure that actions they authorize,
fund, or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of listed or proposed species or result
in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat for those species. The federal nexus for this
project is federal-aid funding provided by FHWA, as administered by the WSDOT Highways and Local
Programs Division.
This BA evaluates the potential direct and indirect effects of the proposed action on species that are listed, or
proposed to be listed, as endangered or threatened under the ESA, and that are regulated by NMFS or
USFWS (collectively referred to as the Services). Analyses in this document also address potential effects on
designated or proposed critical habitat for listed species. Effects on essential fish habitat (EFH), as required
under the indicated in the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and defined by
NMFS (2004), are also examined.
This BA addresses direct and indirect project-related impacts on Puget Sound Chinook salmon, Puget Sound
steelhead, and bull trout. Analyses address potential effects on individuals, habitat, and the foraging base for
each species. The effects determinations are based on life history analysis, habitat requirements, literature
review, agency consultation, and field reconnaissance studies conducted by biologists. The effects
determinations and supporting rationales are presented in Section 5, Conclusions; Table 1-1 presents a
summary overview of those determinations.
Table 1-1. Effects Determinations for Species and Designated Critical Habitat
Species Status Federal
Jurisdiction Effect Determination Critical Habitat
Effect Determination
Chinook salmon
(Puget Sound ESU) Threatened NMFS Not Likely to
Adversely Affect
Not Likely to
Adversely Affect
Steelhead trout
(Puget Sound DPS) Threatened NMFS Not Likely to
Adversely Affect N/A1
Bull trout Threatened USFWS Not Likely to
Adversely Affect No Effect
ESU – Evolutionarily Significant Unit
DPS – Distinct Population Segment
1 Critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead has been proposed but not designated. Proposed steelhead critical habitat occurs in the project action area. Should critical habitat be designated before project completion, the project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect
designated critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead.
The City of Renton participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a Federal Emergency
Management Administration (FEMA) program that is required to comply with the ESA. As directed by the
September 22, 2008, biological opinion issued by NMFS for the NFIP, FEMA requires projects proposed in
the floodplain to be assessed to determine whether they will adversely affect ESA-listed species or their
habitat. For projects located in the floodplain, this requirement can be met through a BA that receives
concurrence from NMFS and USFWS. This BA includes a Floodplain Analysis that addresses that
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 1-2 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
requirement. The City intends to use this BA to document compliance of the Lake to Sound Trail—
Segment A Pedestrian Bridge project with the terms of the NFIP biological opinion.
1.1 Background and Consultation History
King County, together with the Cities of Renton and Tukwila, WSDOT, and FHWA, is proposing to develop
a 1.2-mile-long segment of what will ultimately be part of the larger 16-mile Lake to Sound Trail. The project
is a non-motorized trail located in the jurisdictions of Renton and Tukwila in King County, Washington. The
1.2-mile-long segment is referred to as Segment A of the Lake to Sound Trail.
Segment A, as well as the longer Lake to Sound Trail, is part of a regional trail system that provides non-
motorized, alternative transportation and a recreational corridor for multiple trail users, including bicyclists,
pedestrians, skaters, and others. A goal of the Lake to Sound Trail is to provide non-motorized transportation
facilities to economically disadvantaged communities in southwest King County that have been historically
underserved by such facilities.
Once complete, Segment A will be part of a larger planned system that serves employment and residential
centers in South King County and connects to regional trails in Seattle and the greater Regional Trail System
network. Segment A will provide a much-needed trail connection between the regional growth centers of
Renton and Tukwila and safe passage under the heavy rail lines. In addition to the Green River Trail,
Segment A will connect to the Interurban Trail to the south, and in the future to the Cedar River Trail.
Previously, construction and use of this trail segment were determined to have no effects on ESA-listed
species or critical habitat. The original no-effects documentation was completed in October 2011 and is
included in this document as Appendix A. The design considered for that analysis included a crossing of the
Black River on an existing bridge at Monster Road. To address constructability and safety concerns, the
design was subsequently modified to add a new pedestrian crossing approximately 150 feet of east the
Monster Road bridge. The addition of a new pedestrian bridge over the Black River generates the potential
for the project to affect ESA-listed fish in that water body, triggering the need to conduct a new analysis of
potential effects on ESA-listed species and critical habitat. No other changes have been made to the project
design that would alter the potential for the project to affect ESA-listed species or critical habitat. For this
reason the new analysis presented here addresses only the construction of the new pedestrian bridge.
1.2 Project Location and Description
The project site is located in the southwest quarter of Section 13, Township 23 North, Range 4 East,
Willamette Meridian, in the City of Renton in King County, Washington. The proposed bridge crossing is at
approximately river mile 0.25 of the Black River in the Lower Green River sub-basin of Water Resources
Inventory Area (WRIA) 9 (Green/Duwamish). The project site is in Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) number
171100130305, Green River. The approximate geographic coordinates of the project site are 47.475° N,
122.247° W.
The proposed pedestrian bridge is part of Lake to Sound Segment A, which extends from Naches Avenue
SW in Renton, runs parallel to the railroad tracks north of the Black River Riparian Forest, and enters
Tukwila at the two railroad bridges over the Black River. Segment A joins the Green River Trail at the north
end of the Starfire Sports Complex in Fort Dent Park (Figure 1-1). The trail will typically consist of
approximately 12 feet of asphalt pavement bounded by two 2-foot-wide gravel shoulders and 1-foot-wide
Burlington
Nort
hern
Santa Fe (
B
NSF)
Rail
way
SW 7th St
Mons
t
e
r
R
d
S
W68th
Oake
s
d
a
l
e
A
v
e
S
W
Maule
Ave
SNaches Ave SWS 143rd St 80th Ave SIn
te
ru
rban
Ave
S
S 144th St
Beacon
C
o
a
l
M
i
n
e
BN
S
F
S 143rd St
Martin LutherKing Way S
Duwamish
River
Gr
e
e
n
Riv
e
r
T
r
ail
G
reen
River
Sprin
g
b
r
ookCr
eekCITY OFRENTONCITY OFTUKWILA
UNINC.KING COUNTY
Black River
Pump Station
B la c k Ri v er
Concrete
RecyclingPlant
Black River
Riparian Forest
Fort Dent Park
and Starfire
Sports Complex
Waterworks Gardens
Foster
Golf Links
0 600300
Feet
Figure 1-1Vicinity Map
Project Area
LakeWashington
90
5
405
5
99
509
599
518
S E A T T L E
R E N T O N
B E L L E V U E
S E A T A C
T U K W I L A
Legend:
Pedestrian Bridge and
Approach Trail Segments
Proposed Lake to
Sound Trail - Segment A
Existing Trail
City Boundary
Railroad
Parks and WDFW
Priority Habitat AreasPath: U:\PSO\Projects\Clients\1521-KingCo\554-1521-084 L2ST\99Svcs\GIS\MapDocs\March2015\BA_Fig1-1_Vicinity_Aug2015.mxdParametrix Sources: King County, City of Renton, WDFW 2014, WSDOT.
Lake to Sound Trail --- Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 1-4 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
clear zones, in accordance with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’
(AASHTO) guidelines.
Currently, the Black River in the vicinity of the project site is crossed by Monster Road, a principal arterial
that carries approximately 11,000 vehicles per day. The proposed project will construct a new crossing
structure upstream of Monster Road for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other trail users.
1.2.1 Project Elements
The project elements that are the subject of this analysis are a pedestrian bridge spanning the Black River, and
approach trail segments connecting the bridge with the rest of Lake to Sound Trail Segment A. These
elements are described on the following pages.
A prefabricated steel girder pedestrian bridge, approximately 109 feet long and 14 feet wide, will be installed
to allow trail users to cross the Black River separately from vehicle traffic. The bridge will be located about
150 feet east of the existing Monster Road bridge (Figure 1-2). A detailed plan and elevation of the bridge is
provided in Appendix B. The contractor will construct the foundation system, then hoist the bridge on a
crane and place it on the foundation. The crane will operate from the level area above the bank crest. All
above-ground bridge elements will be situated upslope of the ordinary high water mark (OHWM) and outside
of the 100-year floodplain elevation.
Substrates in the vicinity of the bridge are relatively deep, liquefiable soils that are prone to settlement and
lateral spreading during a seismic event. To improve seismic stability and to prevent undue passive pressure
on the bridge foundation, ground improvements will be necessary. The method to be employed is wet soil
mixing, also known as the deep mixing method. This ground improvement technique improves weak soils by
mechanically mixing them with cementitious binder slurry. A powerful drill constructs columns of stable soil
by advancing an auger with radial mixing paddles located near the bottom of the drill string. The binder slurry
is pumped to the tool as it advances; additional soil mixing is achieved as the tool is withdrawn.
Schematic depiction of the deep mixing method.
The deep mixing method creates columns of stabilized soil upon which the bridge foundations can be
constructed. A total of approximately 60 soil columns will be created in this manner, stabilizing an
approximately 16-foot by 35-foot area on the south side of the river and an approximately 16-foot by 25-foot
area on the north side of the river (Appendix B). It is estimated that 4 soil columns can typically be mixed per
B u rlin g to n N o rth e rn S a n taFe(B N SF)RailwayMonster Rd SW
Black River
Pump Station
B la c k R iv e rConcrete
Recycling
Plant
0 10050
Feet
Figure 1-2Project Overview
Legend:
Pedestrian Bridge and
Approach Trail Segments
Foundations
Ground Improvement Areas
Areas of Temporary Impacts
Proposed Lake to
Sound Trail - Segment A
River Ordinary High Water Mark
100-year
Floodplain
ElevationPath: U:\PSO\Projects\Clients\1521-KingCo\554-1521-084 L2ST\99Svcs\GIS\MapDocs\March2015\BA_Fig1-2_ProjectOverview_Aug2015.mxdParametrix Sources: City of Renton.
Lake to Sound Trail --- Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Service Layer Credits: Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS,USDA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 1-6 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
day. Each column will be approximately 4 feet in diameter and will extend 30 to 40 feet below existing grade.
Excavation for bridge foundations can begin the day after the completion of ground improvements.
All ground improvement areas will be above the OHWM, and the drilling equipment will remain upslope of
the OHWM at all times. The drilling equipment will be outfitted with extension arms that will allow access to
the ground improvement areas from level ground; some benching may be necessary if trackhoe-mounted
equipment is used for drilling.
Existing riprap will be removed from the areas slated for ground improvement. Temporary three-sided sheet
pile containment walls with plastic lining will be installed to prevent soil and binder slurry from entering the
river. The containment walls will be installed at the downslope end and along either side of each ground
improvement area. The containment walls will be installed above the OHWM and the ground improvement
areas will be set back from the containment walls by approximately 5 feet, meaning the lowest portions of the
ground improvement areas will be at least 5 feet above the OHWM. The sheet pile walls will be embedded
approximately 10 feet and will extend about 7 feet above the ground surface. Installation and removal of the
sheet pile walls will be conducted with a crane-suspended vibratory hammer, such that the piles can be
installed on a slope distant from where equipment actually sits.
While wet soil mixing is underway, a trackhoe will be used to gather excess slurry and spoils, which will be
delivered to an approved upland disposal site, such as a gravel pit, for backfilling or reprocessing. It is
estimated that about 1,500 cubic yards of soil-cement spoils will need to be hauled off for disposal. After
ground improvements are complete and riprap has been reestablished on the banks, the sheet pile walls will
be removed.
The bridge will have a corrugated metal form deck during installation. Once the bridge is in place, concrete
will be pumped onto the bridge to create the final deck surface. Concrete will be pumped from equipment
that is located above the OHWM. Edge containment will be employed to ensure that no concrete enters the
river below. There will be no permanent light fixtures on the bridge.
The Black River 100-year floodplain elevation at the proposed pedestrian bridge is calculated at 22.57 feet
(NAVD 88) using the 1995 Flood Insurance Rate Map. The trail surface across the bridge will be 6 feet above
the floodplain elevation, which will allow at least 3 feet of clearance from the bottom of any bridge element
to the 100-year floodplain elevation.
Construction machinery that will be used includes trucks, backhoes, a trackhoe, compressors, pumps, a drill
rig (for wet soil mixing), and a crane for bridge placement. Equipment staging, fueling, and washing-out will
take place in upland areas along the Monster Road corridor. Because the ground improvement areas are
entirely within the regulatory buffer of the Black River, some staging of equipment in that buffer may be
necessary.
The project will result in no net cut or fill within the 100-year floodplain. Above the floodplain, the project
will entail approximately 1,410 cubic yards of cut and 2,980 cubic yards of fill.
Overwater work for bridge installation will be performed in accordance with the requirements and conditions
specified in the Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) issued by the Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife (WDFW). Conditions may include limiting such work to the fish window established for the project.
Approximately 45 linear feet of trail will be constructed to connect the bridge to the rest of Lake To Sound
Trail Segment A; the trail will be built the using the same methods as described for the rest of the trail
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 1-7 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
(Appendix A). The approach trail segments will be asphalt pavement, approximately 12 feet wide, bounded by
a 2-foot-wide gravel shoulder and a 1-foot-wide clear zone on each side.
The proposed project is a non-motorized facility and therefore will not add any pollutant-generating
impervious surface (PGIS) to the landscape. For this reason, no stormwater treatment is required per the
2009 King County Surface Water Design Manual. Similarly, flow control facility requirements are waived because
the anticipated increase in the 100-year peak runoff flow rate under developed conditions will not exceed
0.1 cubic feet per second (cfs) in each of the four threshold drainage areas that were identified within the
project boundaries (Parametrix 2015). The trail has been designed to direct stormwater to the river side of the
trail for dispersion as sheet flow.
The surface of the pedestrian bridge and associated project features will add approximately 1,080 square feet
of impervious surface (Parametrix 2015). For bank stability, the existing riprap that is temporarily removed
for wet soil mixing will be put back in place or replaced with similarly sized riprap after construction work is
complete. Riprap removal and replacement will be limited to areas above the OHWM. Areas that are not
covered by impervious surfaces or riprap will be hydroseeded with native grasses.
1.2.2 Project Sequencing and Timeline
Construction work for the Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A pedestrian bridge is anticipated to start in
May 2016 and is expected to last approximately 5 months, excluding landscaping and minor finishes.
Construction activities will occur primarily during daylight hours.
The actual start dates of construction will be dependent on approval of permits, including the HPA. It should
be noted that the construction sequence listed below is only a likely representation of what the actual
schedule may be and that variations in work timing may occur due to contractor delays or adverse weather
conditions. Some of the elements will overlap and likely shift as deemed necessary and appropriate by the
construction manager. It is expected that all over-water work (activities #6 and #8 below) for the installation
of the bridge will be accomplished in approximately two weeks. The general sequence of major construction
activities is listed below.
1. Mobilization and installation of appropriate best management practices (BMPs) according to the
temporary erosion and sediment control (TESC) plan
2. Removal of existing vegetation and riprap in ground improvement areas (approximately 1 week)
3. Installation of sheet piles (approximately 1.5 weeks)
4. Ground improvements (deep mixing method) (approximately 4 weeks)
5. Installation of bridge foundations (approximately 3 weeks)
6. Placement of prefabricated bridge on foundations (approximately 2 weeks)
7. Placement of crushed surfacing top course for approach trail segments (less than 1 week)
8. Installation of asphalt pavement on trail surface and concrete on bridge deck (less than 1 week)
9. Replacement of riprap on river bank (approximately 1 week)
10. Revegetation of temporarily disturbed areas
11. Removal of BMPs (including sheet piles) and demobilization (2 weeks)
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 1-8 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
Overwater work for bridge installation will be performed in accordance with the requirements and conditions
specified in the HPA issued by WDFW. Conditions may include limiting such work to the fish window
established for the project. Ground improvement will be timed to correspond with low water levels, typically
influenced by tide and season. Approved work windows for Green River and its tributaries typically extend
from August 1 through August 31.
1.3 Impact Avoidance and Minimization Measures
A high priority was placed on designing the project to include measures and features that avoid and minimize
adverse effects on vegetation and wildlife. Construction activity will be limited to a relatively small area
immediately adjacent to existing cleared areas to minimize vegetation clearing and leave as much vegetation
undisturbed as possible. Approximately 1,000 square feet of vegetation above the OHWM (consisting
primarily of Himalayan blackberry and other plants that have taken root in the existing riprap) is expected to
be permanently removed for ground improvement. An additional area of approximately 150 square feet will
be underneath the pedestrian bridge and is not expected to support vegetation in the long term. King County
will consult with WDFW and/or the City of Renton to determine additional appropriate measures to
minimize anticipated effects.
Impacts to streams and wetlands will be avoided or minimized to the extent practicable. Specific conservation
and minimization measures for the project include the following:
Bridge Design:
A prefabricated pedestrian bridge will be used to reduce the risk of construction debris entering the
river.
The waterward face of all bridge elements that may come in contact with waters of the state will be
landward of the OHWM.
All above-ground portions of the bridge foundations, as well as the entire bridge itself, will be located
upslope of the elevation of the 100-year floodplain.
There will be at least 3 feet of clearance between the bottom of the bridge structure and the elevation
of the 100-year peak flow.
There will be no permanent light fixtures on the bridge.
To maximize the amount of light under the bridge, the bridge was designed to be as far above the
water’s surface as possible, within the constraints imposed by avoidance of wetland impacts and
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Bridge Installation:
Contractors will be instructed to minimize damage to river banks when placing the bridge structure.
Biotechnical slope protection (i.e., using plants and plant materials for erosion control) outside the
bridge shadow will be encouraged where feasible.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 1-9 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
Equipment Use:
Equipment use will be confined to specific access and work corridors to protect riparian, wetland,
and aquatic vegetation.
In stream buffers and wetland buffers, when wet or muddy conditions exist, equipment that reduces
ground pressure will be used whenever feasible.
Equipment will be checked daily for leaks; any required repairs will be completed in an upland
location before the equipment is used in or near the water.
Construction Materials:
Construction and deconstruction material will be stored in a location and manner that will prevent
contaminants such as petroleum products, hydraulic fluid, fresh cement, sediments, sediment-laden
water, chemicals, or any other toxic or harmful materials from entering waters of the state.
Construction materials will not be stockpiled waterward of the OHWM unless no other feasible
location exists and it is explicitly authorized by WDFW and the City of Renton.
Only clean, suitable material will be used as fill.
To prevent leaching, forms will be constructed to contain any wet concrete. Impervious material will
be placed over any exposed wet concrete that has the potential to come in contact with waters of the
state. Forms and impervious materials will remain in place until the concrete is cured.
Wood treated with oil-type preservatives (e.g., creosote, pentachlorophenol) will not be used in any
portions of structures that may come in contact with the water of the Black River.
Construction-related Sediment, Erosion, and Pollution Containment:
Sediment control measures and BMPs (e.g., sheet piles, sediment fences, erosion control blankets,
hay bales, coir logs, storm drain inlet filters, jute matting, mulch application) will be installed before
the initiation of construction activities that may increase the erosion potential or act as a sediment
source. All erosion control measures will be inspected regularly to ensure adequacy and assess
maintenance needs. A TESC plan will be implemented to ensure that sediment-laden water does not
enter any waterbody or drainage system. During the construction period, TESC measures will be
implemented and maintained. Both the TESC plan and a spill prevention control and
countermeasures (SPCC) plan will be closely followed during construction activities.
All ground-disturbing work will be conducted above the surface elevation of the water in the Black
River at the time of construction.
All ground improvement areas will be above the OHWM, and the drilling equipment used for wet
soil mixing will remain upslope of the OHWM at all times.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 1-10 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
Project-related contaminants, such as petroleum products, hydraulic fluid, fresh concrete, sediments,
sediment-laden water, chemicals, or other toxic or harmful materials, will be prevented from entering
or leaching into waters of the state. For example, when the concrete deck is being added to the
bridge, edge containment will be employed to ensure that no concrete enters the river below.
Excess slurry and spoils will be delivered to an approved upland disposal site, such as a gravel pit, for
backfilling or reprocessing.
Upland sources of erosion, such as construction access roads, will be contained using erosion control
and sediment detention measures.
No ground-disturbing activities will take place near the OHWM of any waterbodies in the project
action area during rain events or when sufficient water is present to allow hydrologic connectivity
with downstream waters.
Waste material from the project, such as construction debris, silt, excess dirt, or overburden, will be
deposited in an upland area above the limits of anticipated floodwater.
All trash from the project will be deposited at an appropriate upland location.
General
Areas for equipment storage, vehicle storage, fueling, servicing, and hazardous material storage will
be established in a location and manner that will prevent contaminants such as petroleum products,
hydraulic fluid, fresh concrete, sediments, sediment-laden water, chemicals, or other toxic or harmful
materials from entering waters of the state.
The contractor will limit site work to daylight hours and comply with local permit restrictions.
Trees close to the trail will be limbed rather than removed where practicable.
Any straw used for erosion and sediment control will certified as free of noxious weeds and their
seeds.
The transport and introduction of aquatic invasive species will be prevented by thoroughly cleaning
vessels, equipment, boots, waders, and other gear before entering or removing the gear from the job
site.
There will be no change in the amount of fill within the 100-year floodplain, or below the OHWM.
1.3.1 Restoration of Temporary Effects
All areas temporarily affected by construction, where revegetation is possible, will be restored to pre-
construction conditions and re-planted or seeded with native species. Disturbed banks and riparian zones will
be restored as close as possible to pre-project condition. Native vegetation damaged or destroyed by
construction in the riparian zone will be replaced where feasible, using a proven methodology and species
composition, planting densities, and a maintenance plan approved by WDFW and King County Department
of Permitting and Environmental Review.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 1-11 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
1.3.2 Compensatory Mitigation
For the Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A project, King County has developed plans for habitat
improvement and restoration to mitigate for project-related effects on stream buffers. Compensatory
mitigation for effects related to installation of the pedestrian bridge will be achieved through those plans,
which are summarized below.
All unavoidable impacts to stream buffers will be mitigated in accordance with the provisions of the City of
Renton Shoreline Master Program (Renton Municipal Code [RMC] 4-3-090). Specific mitigation plans will be
included in permit applications for construction of the project. The mitigation plans will focus on providing
riparian buffer and wetland buffer mitigation that provides equal or greater functions than were impacted.
The mitigation site will be planted at a ratio of at least 1:1 to offset project impacts.
The riparian buffer component of the overall mitigation plan consists of planting native trees and shrubs
within the regulated riparian buffer of the Black River. The effects of clearing trees greater than 6 inches
diameter at breast height (dbh) will be offset by replanting native trees at a ratio of 1:1 or greater. On-site
mitigation (in the vicinity of the Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A project and within the regulated buffer of
the Black River) was selected as the preferred option. Riparian mitigation will consist of planting, or
underplanting, in an area where existing riparian conditions are degraded. This type of mitigation will offset
the project’s impacts on stream resources by maintaining or enhancing those riparian functions that support
water quality and fish habitat. The riparian functions that will benefit from mitigation include LWD
recruitment, stream temperature regulation, bank stability, leaf litter recruitment, and water quality functions.
1.4 Project Action Area
The project action area is defined as the area with the potential to be affected directly or indirectly by the
project actions. Project components with the potential to affect the species addressed in this analysis include
construction activities (which may contribute to increased turbidity and sedimentation in waterbodies and
elevated noise levels in terrestrial areas), modifications to riparian areas, and increases in the amount of non-
pollutant-generating impervious surface area (which may affect the quantity of stormwater discharges to
waterbodies). The action area for this project includes all aquatic habitats extending from 100 feet upstream
of the proposed bridge location to 200 feet downstream, as well as all terrestrial habitats within a 3,800-foot
radius of the project footprint (Figure 1-3). The following subsections describe the basis for these
determinations.
1.4.1 Aquatic Considerations
Construction activities in or adjacent to waterbodies and wetlands have the potential to introduce and
transport sediment into the aquatic environment at and downstream of the immediate construction or work
area. The proposed project will have no potential for effects related to in-water construction because no
ground-disturbing activities will take place below the OHWM of any project action area waterbodies. It is
possible that areas where ground-disturbing activities remove existing vegetation may contribute to elevated
levels of turbidity during subsequent rain events; however, this possibility will be minimized by using BMPs in
compliance with the Regional Road Maintenance Endangered Species Act Program Guidelines (Regional Road
Maintenance Technical Working Group 2002).
Burlington N o rth e rn S a n t a F e (BNSF)Railway
SW 7th St
Monster Rd SW68th
Ave
S
Oakesdale Av
e
S
WMaule
Ave
SNaches Ave SWS 143rd St 80th Ave SIn
te
ru
rban
Ave
S
S 144th StBeacon CoalBNS
F
S 143rd St
Martin Luther KingWayS
Gr
e
e
n
Ri
verTrai
l Monster Rd SWMo
n
s
t
e
r
R
d
SWBNSFMine
5
405Rd
S
CITY OFRENTON
CITY OFTUKWILA
UNINC.KING COUNTY
Black River
Pump Station
BlackR ive rConcrete
Recycling
Plant
S
p
ri
ngbr
ookCr
eekGreenRiv
er
River
Duwamish
0 600 1,200300
Feet
Figure 1-3Project Action Area
Legend:
Terrestrial Portion of the
Project Action Area
Aquatic Portion of the
Project Action Area
Pedestrian Bridge and
Approach Trail Segments
Proposed Lake to
Sound Trail - Segment A
City BoundaryPath: U:\PSO\Projects\Clients\1521-KingCo\554-1521-084 L2ST\99Svcs\GIS\MapDocs\March2015\BA_Fig1-3_ProjectActionArea_Aug2015.mxdParametrix Sources: King County, City of Renton.
Lake to Sound Trail --- Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Service Layer Credits: Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar
Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping,
Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 1-13 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
Overwater construction activities will comply with the terms and conditions set forth in the HPA and other
permits issued for the project, including provisions designed to avoid or minimize the potential for adverse
effects on habitat in receiving waters. Permits for overwater construction activities in the Green River
watershed commonly require in-water or overwater work to be conducted during the summer (primarily
August). Mean daily flows in the Black River at that time of year are consistently between 10 and 100 cubic
feet per second. The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) has established a 200-foot mixing
zone for construction-related turbidity in streams with flows in that range.
Based on the above, the aquatic portion of the project action area is conservatively defined as extending from
100 feet upstream of the proposed bridge location to 200 feet downstream. This is the extent of potential
construction-related increases in turbidity.
1.4.2 Terrestrial Considerations
Noise from construction defines the in-air portion of the project action area. Nearly all project elements
occur near Monster Road, a principal arterial. Therefore, traffic noise was considered to be part of the
baseline (ambient) noise level in the project action area. The baseline noise level along Monster Road was
determined by the volume of traffic and speed of traffic. The average daily traffic volume of Monster Road is
approximately 11,000 vehicles, which equates to approximately 1,000 vehicles per hour (WSDOT 2014). The
posted speed limit near the project site is 35 miles per hour. Based on these numbers, the baseline (ambient)
noise level along Monster Road is approximately 66 decibels on the A-weighted scale (dBA) at 50 feet.
Background noise levels in the project action area are conservatively estimated to be approximately 50 dBA,
similar to levels in suburban and residential areas. The surrounding area includes industrial areas
(e.g., concrete recycling plant and BNSF railway corridor) as well as undeveloped areas (e.g., Black River
Riparian Forest); the 50-dBA estimate falls between typical noise levels for those types of areas. The
threshold level for detection of construction noise by ESA-listed terrestrial species is approximately 4 dBA
above background levels. Therefore, the detection level for construction noise is 54 dBA.
The loudest construction activity will be vibratory driving and removal of sheet piles, which is expected to
generate noise levels of approximately 101 dBA at 50 feet (WSDOT 2014) during two relatively brief periods
(approximately 1 to 1.5 weeks) near the beginning and end of the construction sequence (see Section 1.2.2,
Project Sequencing and Timeline). No impact pile driving or other activities that generate extremely loud
noises will occur. Noise from other construction equipment is not expected to exceed 90 dBA. Because the
noise level of other equipment is more than 10 dBA less than that of vibratory pile driving, other equipment
will not make a measurable difference in overall project-related noise levels (WSDOT 2014). Therefore, the
maximum construction-related noise level will be 101 dBA. Surface conditions in the project vicinity are soft
(i.e., ground cover exists between the noise source and the receptor), meaning construction noise (a point
source) will attenuate at a rate of about 7.5 dBA per doubling of distance. Similarly, the traffic noise (a line
source) will attenuate at a rate of about 4.5 dBA per doubling of distance.
Based on these estimates, noise from the loudest construction activity (vibratory pile driving) will attenuate to
the 54 dBA detection threshold approximately 3,800 feet from the project footprint. Noise from other
equipment will attenuate to that threshold approximately 1,300 feet from the project footprint. Traffic noise
attenuates to that level at approximately 300 feet, meaning construction noise will not be masked by traffic
noise before it attenuates to background levels. The extent of project-related noise is thus calculated as the
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 1-14 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
distance at which construction noise is expected to be less than or equal to background noise levels. This
distance, calculated as 3,800 feet, defines the terrestrial extent of the project action area.
1.4.3 Indirect Effects Considerations
The project action area for the proposed action does not reflect any potential indirect effects associated with
land use development. This is because the project has independent utility and is not linked to, or dependent
on, any other projects or developments in the area. The project is not dependent on any land use
development or changes in land use or zoning, and no land use development projects depend directly on
completion of this project.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 2-1 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
2 STATUS AND PRESENCE OF LISTED SPECIES AND
DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT IN THE PROJECT
ACTION AREA
2.1 Species and Critical Habitat List(s) and Listing Status
Lists of species that are listed or proposed for listing under the ESA and that may be present in the project
action area were obtained from the NMFS and USFWS websites in July 2015 (Appendix C). Based on a
review of habitat associations and conditions, as well as known and expected distribution, three ESA-listed or
proposed species have the potential to be affected by project activities and are addressed in this BA. These
are Puget Sound Chinook salmon, Puget Sound steelhead trout, and bull trout (Table 2-1).
Table 2-1. ESA-Listed Species and Critical Habitat Addressed in this BA
Species Status Federal Jurisdiction Critical Habitat
Status
Chinook salmon
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
(Puget Sound ESU)
Threatened NMFS Designated; none in
project action area
Steelhead trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss)
(Puget Sound DPS)
Threatened NMFS Proposed; none in
project action area
Bull trout
(Salvelinus confluentus) Threatened USFWS Designated; none in
project action area
ESU – Evolutionarily Significant Unit
DPS – Distinct Population Segment
The USFWS Information, Planning, and Conservation System identified five ESA-listed wildlife species as
potentially occurring in areas that might be affected by the proposed project (Appendix C). None of these
species is expected to occur in the project action area, however, for the following reasons:
Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and gray wolf (Canis lupus) are identified as potentially occurring in King
County. However, the project action area is in a lowland setting with relatively high levels of human
activity and no nearby roadless areas and thus does not provide suitable habitat for either of these
species. No observations of either species have been documented within 5 miles of the project action
area (WDFW 2015a).
Marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) require old-growth forest for nesting and marine
habitat for foraging. No breeding or foraging habitat is present in the project action area and no
observations have been documented within 5 miles (WDFW 2015a). The nearest location where
critical habitat has been designated for the marbled murrelet is more than 25 miles from the project
action area.
Yellow-billed cuckoos (Coccyzus americanus) require large blocks of riparian forest habitat for breeding
and foraging. No such habitat is present in or near the project action area. Currently, the species no
longer breeds in western Canada and the northwestern continental United States (Washington,
Oregon, and Montana) (79 FR 59992, October 3, 2014). No observations of this species have been
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 2-2 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
documented within 10 miles of the project action area (WDFW 2015a). No critical habitat for the
yellow-billed cuckoo has been proposed in Washington State.
Streaked horned larks (Eremophila alpestris strigata) are known to occur in Washington State only in
portions of southern Puget Sound, along the Washington coast, and at lower Columbia River islands
(78 FR 61452, October 3, 2013). Breeding habitat for streaked horned larks in Washington consists
of grasslands and sparsely vegetated areas at airports, sandy islands, and coastal spits. The subspecies
is largely absent from the Puget Trough during the nonbreeding season; individuals observed in this
area outside of the breeding season have been seen using habitats similar to those used for breeding.
No such habitat is present in the project action area, and the project action area is not within the
known range of the subspecies. The nearest location where critical habitat has been designated for
the streaked horned lark is more than 90 miles from the project action area.
Information from the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Natural Heritage database
indicates that no ESA-listed threatened or endangered plants are known to occur within 5 miles of the project
site (WDNR 2014). The only ESA-listed plant with the potential to occur in or near the project action area is
golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta), which is known from historical observations in the region. Suitable
habitat for golden paintbrush (open grasslands in glacial outwash prairies) is not present at any locations
where project-related actions will occur. For these reasons, the proposed project has no potential to affect
this species.
Based on the above, the proposed project has no potential to affect Canada lynx, gray wolves, marbled
murrelets, yellow-billed cuckoos, or streaked horned larks. These species will not be addressed further in this
analysis.
2.2 Presence of Federally Listed and Proposed Species in the Project
Action Area
The project action area includes the Black River approximately 0.25 mile upstream of its confluence with the
Green River. Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout are present in the Green River at the Black River
confluence. Although the Green River is outside of the project action area, all three species could venture
into the Black River, with varying degrees of likelihood. Discussions in this subsection provide information
about life history stages of the listed or proposed species that are known or expected to occur in the project
action area. Information about proposed and designated critical habitat is provided in the next subsection.
Appendix D provides detailed descriptions of life histories and summaries of the primary constituent
elements of critical habitat for these species.
The author of this BA conducted a site visit on April 3, 2015. Additional information about site-specific
habitat conditions was collected by scientists conducting field visits for studies to support federal, state, and
local permitting. Information from those field visits was also incorporated into this analysis. Before
conducting fieldwork, project biologists reviewed maps and materials on the soils, hydrology, topography,
land use, wetlands, streams, and wildlife habitat at and near the project site. This site visit verified instream
and riparian habitat conditions within project action area.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 2-3 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
2.2.1 Puget Sound Chinook Salmon
Chinook salmon in the Puget Sound ESU are listed as threatened under the ESA (63 FR 11482, March 24
1999). Primary factors contributing to declines in Chinook salmon in the Puget Sound ESU include habitat
blockages, genetic modification of wild fish through interbreeding with hatchery fish, urbanization, logging,
hydropower development, harvests, and flood control and flood effects (NMFS 1998). The overall abundance
of Chinook in the Puget Sound ESU has declined substantially, with both long- and short-term abundance
trending predominantly downward.
According to WDFW (2015b), fall-run Chinook salmon are present in the Black River in the project action
area, and rearing habitat is available in the Green River at the Black River confluence. Conditions favorable
for Chinook salmon spawning or rearing do not exist in the project action area. Recent and historical records
indicate that Chinook do not use the Black River for spawning or rearing (Williams et al. 1975; Harza 1995).
However, small numbers of adult fall Chinook migrating up the Green River occasionally stray into the Black
River and become trapped in Springbrook Creek above the Black River pump station. There is little if any
suitable spawning habitat in Springbrook Creek, and the pump station blocks downstream passage of adult
salmon (Kerwin and Nelson 2000). Adult salmonids that make it past the pump station are believed to
experience high levels of stress or be killed outright before spawning (Harza 1995). If any juvenile Chinook
salmon are produced in Springbrook Creek, they face degraded water quality conditions and would be able
exit the system only when the downstream passage facility is operating, between early April and mid-June
(Kerwin and Nelson 2000).
Chinook salmon in the Green River system are a summer/fall-run stock. Adult summer/fall Chinook migrate
upstream in the Green River from late June to mid-November, spawning from September through mid-
November. Most spawning generally takes place in the mainstem Green River from river mile 23 to river mile
61.2 and in the lower 6 miles of Newaukum and Soos creeks (WDFW 2002). Those areas are more than
10 miles upstream of the Black River/Green River confluence.
Most Chinook salmon in the Green River exhibit an ocean-type life history, in which juveniles migrate to
estuaries during the first year of life, generally within 3 to 4 months of emergence (Lister and Genoe 1970).
Seaward migration of Green River Chinook fry typically begins in January and peaks in early March; a
secondary peak of outmigration (consisting of fingerlings, not fry) occurs from May through July (Ruggerone
and Weitkamp 2004). A small proportion of Green River Chinook salmon are stream-type fish—that is,
juveniles that overwinter in the watershed before migrating seaward (Grette and Salo 1986). Stream-type
Chinook salmon may migrate to the ocean any time of year (Healey 1991).
Green River summer/fall-run adult Chinook salmon may venture into the project action area while they are
migrating upstream between June and mid-November. Juvenile Chinook salmon migrating down the Green
River could be carried into the project action area during flood flows and other situations when water
elevations downstream of the Black River pump station are higher than those on the upstream side. Overlaps
between high flows and Green River juvenile outmigration are most likely to occur from January through
June. Any juveniles that may be produced in the Springbrook Creek system would only be able to enter the
project action area (which is downstream of the Black River pump station) from April through mid-June.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 2-4 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
2.2.2 Puget Sound Steelhead
The Puget Sound steelhead DPS is listed as a threatened species under the ESA (72 FR 26722, May 11, 2007).
The DPS includes all naturally spawned anadromous winter-run and summer-run Oncorhynchus mykiss (steelhead)
populations, in streams within the river basins of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound, and Hood Canal,
Washington. The DPS also includes steelhead from artificial propagation programs in the Green River.
According to WDFW (2015b), winter steelhead are present in the Black River in the project action area.
Juvenile steelhead have been captured at numerous locations in Springbrook Creek upstream of the Black
River pump station, although degraded water quality in the lower reaches of the stream likely hinder juvenile
survival (Kerwin and Nelson 2000). Adult steelhead that migrate upstream of the pump station cannot return
to the Green River mainstem (Harza 1995). The nearest documented spawning habitat is in the mainstem
Green River more than 10 miles upstream of the Black River/Green River confluence (WDFW 2015b).
Natural-origin steelhead that spawn in the Green River system are a winter-run (ocean-maturing) population1.
Adults typically enter fresh water and migrate upstream from November through May, and spawning
generally occurs from early March through mid-June (WDFW 2002; Puget Sound Steelhead Technical
Recovery Team 2013). Juvenile steelhead tend to reside in fresh water for 2 years or more before migrating to
marine habitats. Juvenile outmigration typically takes place during April and May (Busby et al. 1996). The
downstream passage facility at the Black River pump station operates between early April and mid-June, so
the pump station is unlikely to hinder outmigration of juvenile steelhead.
Adult steelhead may venture into the project action area while they are migrating upstream between
November and May. Juvenile steelhead migrating down the Green River could be carried into the project
action area during flood flows and other situations when water elevations downstream of the Black River
pump station are higher than those on the upstream side. Overlaps between high flows and Green River
juvenile outmigration are likely to occur during April and May. Juveniles produced in the Springbrook Creek
system may also be able to enter the project action area (which is downstream of the Black River pump
station) during April and May.
2.2.3 Bull Trout
Bull trout is listed as a threatened species (64 FR 58910, November 1, 1999). Historically, bull trout were
present in the White River (Mongillo 1993), which was once connected to the Green/Duwamish river system
but has since been diverted to the Puyallup River. Today, the lower Green River, Duwamish River, and
adjacent nearshore habitats appear to be used only by foraging anadromous bull trout that originate in other
river systems (70 FR 56212, September 5, 2005). Bull trout have been reported in the lower Green River as
far upstream as the mouth of Newaukum Creek (about river mile 41) (King County Department of Natural
Resources and Parks 2002; Goetz et al. 2004). Reports of historic use of tributaries in the lower Green River
are rare (King County Department of Natural Resources 2000).
1 A summer-run steelhead population is also present in the Green River. That population originated from the Skamania
Hatchery in the Columbia River Basin and is not included in the ESA-listed Puget Sound DPS.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 2-5 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
Bull trout are not known to occur in the Black River, and there have been no documented occurrences of
spawning (WDFW 2015b). Water temperatures in the Black River basin are too high to support reproduction
by this species (Harza 1995).
The Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan did not identify the Green/Duwamish river system as a bull trout
core area—that is, the system is not considered to be a biologically functioning unit for bull trout because it
lacks the necessary combination of core habitat (i.e., habitat with all necessary components for spawning,
rearing, foraging, migrating and overwintering) and a core population (Shared Strategy for Puget Sound 2007).
However, the lower Green River, including the reaches immediately downstream of the project action area,
supports foraging, migration, and overwintering habitat for subadult and adult bull trout (USFWS 2010;
WDFW 2015b). Anadromous bull trout migrate from the marine environment into freshwater habitats in the
fall or early winter. Overwintering subadults and adults remain in freshwater habitats until late winter and
spring (Goetz et al. 2004; USFWS 2010).
Based on the absence of documented sightings and the lack of suitable habitat, bull trout are not known or
expected to use the Black River in the project action area. The possibility for fish to venture from the Green
River into the project action area cannot entirely be discounted, however. Adult or subadult bull trout could
enter the project action area from fall through late winter.
2.3 Presence of Federally Designated and Proposed Critical Habitat
in the Project Action Area
The Black River in the project action area has been designated as critical habitat for Puget Sound Chinook
salmon and proposed as critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead. The following subsections provide
additional information about the extent of proposed and designated critical habitat near the project action
area, as well as the primary constituent elements (PCEs) of critical habitat in the project action area. See
Section 2.2, Presence of Federally Listed and Proposed Species in the Project Action Area, and Section 3,
Environmental Setting, for additional information about the existing condition of fish habitat in the project
action area.
2.3.1 Puget Sound Chinook Salmon Critical Habitat
The lower Green River and much of the Black River, including the portion of the Black River within the
project action area, have been designated as critical habitat for Puget Sound Chinook salmon (70 FR 52630,
September 2, 2005).
The following PCEs of Puget Sound Chinook salmon critical habitat may be found in the project action area:
1. Freshwater spawning sites with water quantity and quality conditions and substrate supporting
spawning, incubation, and larval development.
Existing Conditions: Chinook salmon are neither known nor expected to spawn in the project action area.
Water quality in the system that drains to the Black River is generally poor, characterized by high temperatures,
low concentrations of dissolved oxygen, and elevated levels of contaminants. Streambed material consists almost
exclusively of sands and silts and are not likely to be suitable for spawning, incubation, or larval development.
2. Freshwater rearing sites with water quantity and floodplain connectivity to form and maintain
physical habitat conditions, and support juvenile growth and mobility; water quality and forage
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 2-6 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
supporting juvenile development; and natural cover such as shade, submerged and overhanging
large wood, log jams and beaver dams, aquatic vegetation, large rocks and boulders, side
channels, and undercut banks.
Existing Conditions: Chinook salmon are neither known nor expected to rear in the project action area, and
conditions favorable for rearing are not present. Water quality in the system that drains to the Black River is
generally poor, characterized by high temperatures, low concentrations of dissolved oxygen, and elevated levels of
contaminants. No large woody debris (LWD) is present in the stream channel in the project action area, and the
Black River pump station precludes the recruitment of LWD from upstream. Kerwin and Nelson (2000) were
not able to assess the existing extent or condition of off-channel habitat in the Springbrook Creek subbasin, which
includes the Black River. It is clear, however, that floodplain connectivity in the Lower Green River sub-basin is
severely limited as a result of the diversion of the White River, construction of levees and revetments, and operation
of the Howard Hansen Dam (Kerwin and Nelson 2000).
3. Freshwater migration corridors free of obstruction with water quantity and quality conditions
and natural cover such as submerged and overhanging large wood, aquatic vegetation, large rocks
and boulders, side channels, and undercut banks supporting juvenile and adult mobility and
survival.
Existing Conditions: The Black River in the project action area is unlikely to function as a migratory
corridor for Chinook salmon. The Black River pump station presents a significant barrier to migration. Adult
fish that make it past the pump station are believed to experience high levels of stress or be killed outright before
spawning (Harza 1995). If any juvenile Chinook salmon are produced in Springbrook Creek, they would be able
exit the system only when the downstream passage facility is operating, between early April and mid-June. Water
quality in the system that drains to the Black River is generally poor, characterized by high temperatures, low
concentrations of dissolved oxygen, and elevated levels of contaminants. No LWD is present in the stream channel
in the project action area. Mobility and survival of juveniles and adults are further impeded by the lack of natural
cover provided by the steep, armored streambanks that are dominated by invasive shrubby species such as
Himalayan blackberry.
2.3.2 Puget Sound Steelhead Critical Habitat
The lower Green River and much of the Black River, including the portion of the Black River within the
project action area, have been proposed for designation as critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead (78 FR
2726, January 14, 2013). The PCEs identified in the proposed rule for Puget Sound steelhead are identical to
the PCEs identified in the final designation of critical habitat for Puget Sound Chinook salmon. The existing
condition of Puget Sound steelhead critical habitat PCEs is as described for Puget Sound Chinook salmon
PCEs, above.
2.3.3 Bull Trout Critical Habitat
Critical habitat was designated for bull trout in 2005 and then re-designated in 2010 (75 FR 63898, October
18, 2010). The portion of the Green River into which the Black River empties is mapped as critical habitat for
bull trout. The Green River is not within the project action area, however, and the Black River was not
included in the designation.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 3-1 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
3 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
The project action area is located in a developed setting, zoned primarily for industrial uses, with large
amounts of impervious surface area. A large gravel pit and concrete recycling plant are located north of the
Monster Road Bridge, warehouses and an industrial operation are located to the north and south of the trail
alignment, and railroad tracks run both parallel and perpendicular to the trail alignment. The project action
area also includes a portion of the Black River Riparian Forest, which is designated as a resource conservation
area under the City of Renton code. The Black River Riparian Forest is largely natural open space with
forested riparian and wetland habitats. The area supports a diverse wildlife community, including bald eagles,
great blue herons, and many waterfowl species, along with several species of raptors, songbirds, mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians. A gravel maintenance road in this area that parallels the Burlington Northern-Santa
Fe railroad tracks is commonly used for walking and pet exercise.
Historically, the Black River drained Lake Washington and received waters from the Cedar River and
Springbrook Creek before joining with the Green River to become the Duwamish River. Ever since the
diversion of the Cedar River into Lake Washington in 1912 and the construction of the Lake Washington
Ship Canal in 1916, the primary source of water in the Black River has been Springbrook Creek (Kerwin and
Nelson 2000).
Instream habitat of the Black River within the project action
area is dominated by run-type channel morphology, with
maximum stream depths greater than 6 feet. During a site
visit in February 2011, the wetted width was approximately
25 feet, and no pools or riffles were observed. Bank-full
width was estimated at 30 feet. Streambed material consists
almost exclusively of sands and silts. The streambanks are
relatively steep (approximately a 50-degree angle) and bank
condition appears to be relatively stable. The streambanks
at the project site, and extending a substantial distance
upstream and downstream, are extensively covered with
riprap, most of which is overgrown with Himalayan
blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) and other non-native species.
No LWD is present in the Black River within the project
action area, and the presence of the Black River pump
station above the project site precludes LWD recruitment
from upstream. Overall, the quality of fish habitat is poor,
with little habitat diversity. Salmonids could use the Black
River in the project action area for migration or possibly
rearing, although instream cover is limited. Mobility and
survival of juveniles and adults are impeded by the lack of
cover provided by the steep, armored streambanks that are
dominated by invasive shrubby species.
Photo 1. Oblique aerial view of the Black River in the
project action area, looking east. Black River pump station
at top, Monster Road Bridge at bottom. Dashed red box
indicates approximate location of proposed pedestrian
bridge.
N
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 3-2 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
Riparian vegetation in the project action area is sparse, with only a few scattered deciduous trees (Photo 1).
Non-native shrub vegetation is dominant; the right (north) bank of the Black River between the pump station
and the Monster Road Bridge is covered almost entirely by Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) (Photo 2).
Overall, the vegetated buffer of the Black River in the project action area is generally degraded, of limited
width, and dominated by herbaceous, shrub, and non-native species. A few black cottonwood (Populus
balsamifera) and red alder (Alnus rubra) are greater than 15 feet tall; bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) and
western redcedar (Thuja plicata) seedlings and saplings are also present (Photo 3). Other vegetation in the
riparian area includes reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea), tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix), salmonberry
(Rubus spectabilis), western swordfern (Polystichum munitum), red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa), and snowberry
(Symphoricarpos albus). Under existing conditions, the riparian corridor in the project action area is not fully
functioning, but it does provide some functions that support aquatic species, including some level of small
woody debris or LWD recruitment, overhead stream cover, bank stability, leaf litter recruitment, and water
quality maintenance.
Photo 2. The Black River in the project action area, looking east (upstream) from the existing Monster Road bridge, toward the
Black River pump station. The Douglas-fir sapling at left (on the north bank) is near the upstream edge of the ground improvement
area and will not be removed for bridge construction.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 3-3 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
Photo 3. South bank of the Black River in the project action area. The alder tree left of center is within the proposed ground
improvement area and will be removed, as will the western redcedar saplings visible to its left.
The Black River is on Ecology’s current 303(d) list for violation of water quality standards for fecal coliform
bacteria (Ecology 2015). King County has monitored water quality at a station approximately 1 mile upstream
of the project action area since 1977. Water quality conditions at that station have consistently been
characterized as poor, with low dissolved oxygen concentrations, high temperatures, high fecal coliform
bacteria, high turbidity, high total phosphorus and ammonia, and high conductivity (King County 2015a). In
its most recent water quality report, King County (2015b) assigned the stream a water quality index score of
27, indicating a high level of concern for water quality. The primary factors behind the score are high
concentrations of bacteria and nutrients, and low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (King County 2015b).
Temperatures in Springbrook Creek upstream of the Black River regularly exceed 15° C during the months of
June, July, August, and September, (King County 2015a), indicating conditions functioning at risk for
salmonids. Dissolved oxygen concentrations are consistently below Ecology’s minimum level for salmonid
rearing and migration (6.5 milligrams per liter) from May through October, and below the minimum level for
spawning (8.0 milligrams per liter) during most other months (King County 2015a).
Data from WDFW (2015a, b) data indicate that Chinook salmon, chum salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, and
cutthroat trout all have documented presence within the Black River in the project action area. The type of
use is listed as migration for all species except coho, which use the lower Black River for juvenile rearing.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 4-1 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
4 EFFECTS OF THE ACTION
This section includes an analysis of the direct and indirect effects of the proposed action on the species and
critical habitat, and interrelated and interdependent activities associated with the proposed action.
The project does not include construction activities below the OHWM of the Black River; therefore, the
project will not result in any stream fill, nor will alterations to fish passage structures be required. The project
is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations that protect wetlands, streams, and other natural
resources. Many laws require avoidance or minimization of impacts to resources, and compensatory
mitigation for unavoidable impacts. Examples of regulatory review and/or permitting processes likely to
result in the implementation of impact avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures include the
following:
Clean Water Act section 404 permitting, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Clean Water Act section 401 water quality certification, administered at the federal level by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and implemented at the state level by Ecology
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit
The WDFW HPA process
Review under the City of Renton Shoreline Master Program
City of Renton building, grading, clearing and other applicable permits
4.1 Direct Effects
Potential direct effects of this project include the following:
Temporary increases in erosion and sedimentation due to ground-disturbing activities during
construction
Elevated risk of pollutant spills during construction
Elevated noise levels due to construction activities
Temporary and permanent loss of riparian vegetation within the footprint of the new pedestrian
bridge and associated ground improvement areas
Potential disruption of fish migration due to the presence of a new overwater structure
Hydrologic changes due to increased area of impervious surface
The following subsections describe these potential effects in greater detail.
4.1.1 Construction-related Impacts
Construction activities occurring directly adjacent to the Black River could increase turbidity and total
suspended sediment levels in the river, resulting in disrupted feeding or migration, physiological stress, or
increased metabolic oxygen demand. However, by adhering to the terms of applicable federal, state, and local
permits (including the HPA issued by WDFW), the project will meet applicable water quality standards.
Furthermore, the potential for increased turbidity or suspended sediment levels will be minimized or avoided
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 4-2 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
through the implementation of BMPs and the TESC plan in compliance with the Regional Road Maintenance
Endangered Species Act Program Guidelines (Regional Road Maintenance Technical Working Group 2002).
Upland sources of erosion, such as construction access roads, will be contained using erosion control and
sediment detention measures. Erosion control measures will be frequently inspected as to maintain a
continuous barrier between ground-disturbing activities and the Black River. Proper implementation and
maintenance of these and other measures described in Section 1.3, Impact Avoidance and Minimization
Measures, will result in a discountable risk that upland activities could generate turbidity in the project
action area.
Project activities near waterbodies also have the potential to introduce pollutants through spills of fuel,
hydraulic fluid, or other substances. All work will be conducted in compliance with the SPCC plan for the
project and BMPs will be implemented to prevent construction-related pollutants from entering streams.
Based on these factors, the potential for construction activities to result in the introduction of pollutants into
waters that support ESA-listed fish is extremely low.
Overwater work will be confined to the footprint of the new pedestrian bridge. The proper application of
BMPs will ensure that no concrete, falling material, or dust enters project waters. All overwater work for
bridge installation will be performed in accordance with the requirements and conditions specified in the
HPA issued by WDFW. Conditions may include limiting such work to the fish window established for the
project, which typically corresponds with the period when most salmonids are least likely to be present in in
the project action area. Approved work windows for Green River and its tributaries typically extend from
August 1 through August 31.
Vibratory installation of sheet piles for the containment walls around the ground improvement areas will be
conducted above the OHWM and in the dry (i.e., above the waterline at the time of construction). Based on
monitoring of in-water noise levels associated with impact pile driving adjacent to or within the OHWM of a
river, WSDOT (2014) has determined that driving in the dry is an effective means of minimizing the effects
of sound in the water and protecting fish. Moreover, studies of sound levels in waterbodies adjacent to land-
based pile driving activities have focused on impact pile driving, which generates substantially higher sound
intensity levels than vibratory driving. For these reasons, elevated sound intensity levels from vibratory
driving of sheet piles will not have any adverse effects on fish.
Adult Green River summer/fall-run Chinook salmon are the only species life stage with an appreciable
potential for exposure to effects from overwater work. Chinook salmon from the Puget Sound ESU typically
migrate from marine habitats to freshwater spawning areas between June and mid-November and could
therefore be present in the project action area when such work is underway. The likelihood of exposure to
contaminants from overwater work is low because (1) the risk will be minimized through the proper
application of appropriate BMPs, (2) the Black River pump station immediately upstream of the project
action area presents a substantial barrier to upstream and downstream migration through the area, (3) reaches
of the Black River and Springbrook Creek upstream of the project action area not known or expected to
provide suitable spawning habitat for Chinook salmon, and (4) work will be performed in accordance with
the requirements and conditions (including fish windows) specified in the HPA, likely limiting overwater
work to summer months when it is unlikely that high flows in the Green River will cause migrating adult
salmon to seek low-velocity resting areas in the Black River.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 4-3 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
Other species and life history stages are extremely unlikely to be present in the project action area when
overwater construction activities occur. Juvenile Chinook salmon could enter the project action area from
January through June; adult steelhead could enter the project action area while they are migrating upstream
between November and May; juvenile steelhead could enter the project action in April and May; and adult or
subadult bull trout could enter the project action area from fall through late winter. All of these periods are
outside of the anticipated late-summer window for overwater work.
There is a slight potential for species and life history stages other than adult Chinook salmon to be present in
the project action area when ground-disturbing construction work (other than overwater work) takes place.
Site preparation in the ground improvement areas could begin as early as May, with ground-disturbing
activities continuing through the spring and summer months. Juvenile Chinook salmon could enter the
project action area during May or early June and adult or juvenile steelhead could enter the project action area
during May. The potential for exposure to elevated levels of sediment or turbidity will be low because (1) no
ground-disturbing work will occur below the OHWM, (2) ground-disturbing work is expected to occur
during the late spring and summer months, when water levels in the Black River are generally low and there is
almost no possibility of high flows in the Green River causing adult or juvenile fish to seek low-velocity
resting areas in the Black River, (3) work in the initial stages of construction (i.e., during the period when
steelhead or juvenile Chinook might enter the project action area) will consist of activities (site preparation
and riprap removal) with a very low potential of delivering sediments or pollutants to the Black River, and
(4) the risk of exposure will be minimized through the proper application of appropriate BMPs in compliance
with the Regional Road Maintenance Endangered Species Act Program Guidelines (Regional Road Maintenance
Technical Working Group 2002). In addition, the Black River pump station immediately upstream of the
project action area presents a substantial barrier to upstream and downstream migration through the area.
The likelihood is further reduced for juvenile Chinook salmon because reaches of the Black River and
Springbrook Creek upstream of the project action area are not known or expected to provide suitable
spawning habitat for Chinook salmon. No ground-disturbing activities will take place during the fall and late
winter months, when adult or subadult bull trout could enter the project action area.
4.1.2 Riparian Habitat Impacts
Installation of the pedestrian bridge and construction of the approach trail segments are expected to result in
minimal effects on the condition of riparian habitat along the Black River. The existing vegetated buffer of
the Black River in the project action area is generally degraded, of limited width, and dominated by non-
native herbaceous and shrubby species.
Approximately 2,900 square feet within the Black River riparian buffer (1,100 square feet on the north bank
and 1,800 square feet on the south bank) will be permanently or temporarily affected by ground improvement
work. This includes the ground improvement areas themselves, as well as the areas that will be enclosed
within the containment walls around the ground improvement areas. The work will entail the removal of
existing vegetation (primarily Himalayan blackberry with a few scattered and small trees), removal of existing
riprap, installation of containment walls, and wet soil mixing, after which riprap will be returned to the steep
stream banks and the level areas at the top of the banks will be scarified and planted.
It is assumed for this analysis that vegetation removal in all portions of the ground improvement areas, and in
the areas directly underneath the pedestrian bridge, will be permanent. The remaining portions of the areas
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 4-4 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
within the containment walls will be subject to temporary impacts. For bank stability, the existing riprap that
is temporarily removed for wet soil mixing will be put back in place after construction work is complete.
Disturbed areas that are not covered by impervious surfaces or riprap will be hydroseeded with native grasses.
The portion of the north bank of the Black River that will be affected by temporary or permanent clearing is
covered almost entirely by Himalayan blackberry. The existing vegetation on the north bank does not provide
shade or LWD, nor does it contribute substantially to stream channel formation or maintenance, organic
matter input, or other functions that support ESA-listed fish species. No trees are within the affected area.
Vegetation disturbance on the north side of the river is not expected to result in any adverse effects on ESA-
listed fish.
The portion of the south bank of the Black River that will be affected by temporary or permanent clearing is
covered primarily by Himalayan blackberry and other low-growing shrubs, but more trees are present than on
the north bank. Clearing of the ground improvement area will entail the removal of as a 12-inch dbh red alder
and about 5 saplings (cottonwood, western redcedar, and Sitka spruce, all smaller than 4 inches dbh).
The removal of trees from the riparian area will reduce the potential for future recruitment of LWD to the
Black River, reducing the potential for the development of complex in-stream habitat features that could be
used by ESA-listed fish species. The potential for adverse effects is minimal, however, because the Black
River does not support reproductive populations of Chinook salmon, steelhead, or bull trout. The effects of
clearing will also be mitigated by replanting native vegetation at a nearby location in the riparian area of the
Black River. Over the long term, the native grasses, shrubs, and trees planted at the mitigation site may
provide greater ecological function than the mostly non-native vegetation that will be affected at the project
site. The riparian functions that will benefit from mitigation include LWD recruitment, stream temperature
regulation, bank stability, leaf litter recruitment, and water quality functions. It is also likely that new trees will
be able to take root and start growing in the disturbed areas on the stream bank, as was evidently the case
with the trees growing in the riprap there now.
Based on the nature and location of buffer impacts, no substantial degradation of riparian functions (e.g., fish
and wildlife habitat, food chain support, water temperature maintenance) or processes (e.g., water flow;
erosion and accretion; infiltration; groundwater recharge and discharge; sediment delivery, transport, and
storage; large woody debris recruitment; organic matter input; nutrient and pathogen removal; stream channel
formation/maintenance) will result from permanent project-related clearing and no substantial effects on
stream habitat or fish resources are anticipated in the Black River. In addition, the project will comply with
the requirements of the City of Renton Shoreline Master Program, which will entail the implementation of
measures to ensure no net loss of ecological function.
4.1.3 Pedestrian Bridge Impacts
All bridge components spanning the Black River will be designed and installed in accordance with the
provisions of the HPA and other permits issued for the project. Per WAC 220-660-030, the HPA provisions
will be designed to ensure no net loss of habitat functions necessary to sustain fish life. Compliance with the
provisions of the HPA and other permits will be expected to avoid or minimize the potential for adverse
effects resulting from the loss of in-stream habitat due to bridge construction. Any unavoidable impacts will
be addressed through compensatory mitigation.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 4-5 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
Shade from overwater structures such as bridges can be a migration barrier for fish. Juvenile salmonids avoid
dark, shaded areas under structures, resulting in loss of access to habitat, blockage of movement, and
potentially increased exposure to predators. In addition, shade from overwater structures can provide hiding
cover for some non-native species, such as smallmouth bass, that prey on native fish.
The new pedestrian bridge over the Black River will be 14 feet wide. The portion of the bridge spanning the
OHWM of the river will be approximately 44 feet long, meaning approximately 616 square feet of the river
will be affected by shading from the bridge. The bottom of the bridge deck will be at least 3 feet above the
elevation of the 100-year floodplain, which is approximately 10 feet higher than the OHWM. The height of the
bridge above the water will reduce the intensity of any shade-related effects. The bridge will be oriented on a
north-south axis, minimizing the amount of time that any given point receives shade over the course of a day.
The Black River is not considered to be an important migratory corridor for salmonids because the Black
River pump station immediately upstream of the study area presents a substantial barrier to upstream and
downstream migration. In addition, reaches of the Black River and Springbrook Creek upstream of the
project action area are unlikely to provide suitable spawning or rearing habitat for Chinook salmon or high-
quality spawning or rearing habitat for steelhead. Moreover, the narrow footprint and north-south orientation
of the bridge will further diminish the potential for the structure to cast shade that presents a migration
barrier for any juvenile salmonids that may pass through the project action area. The potential for the bridge
to present a migration barrier to juvenile bull trout is discountable because bull trout are not known or
expected to use habitats in the Black River within or upstream of the project action.
All above-ground bridge elements will be situated upslope of the OHWM and outside of the 100-year
floodplain elevation. Therefore, the presence of the bridge will not affect the flood storage capacity of the
Black River floodplain.
4.1.4 Impervious Surface Impacts
Management of runoff from Segment A of the Lake to Sound Trail, including the pedestrian bridge and
approach trail segments, will comply with the requirements of the Stormwater Management Manual for Western
Washington (Ecology 2012). No inter-basin transfers of stormwater will occur (i.e., all stormwater will remain
in the basin in which it originated). The new impervious surfaces will support only non-motorized traffic and
will therefore be non-pollutant-generating. Metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other contaminants
commonly associated with roadway runoff will not be generated by the pedestrian and bike trail, meaning the
proposed project will have no discernable effect on water quality in the project action area. Therefore, this
analysis considers only the potential for effects on stream flows due to changes in the amount of impervious
surface in the project action area.
Construction of the pedestrian bridge and associated project features will add approximately 1,080 square feet
(0.02 acre) of impervious surface within the project action area. No changes in flow regime, including peak
flows and base flows of the Black River, are expected because the volume of runoff from the small amount of
added impervious surface will be miniscule compared to the magnitude of stream flows within the Black
River and the lower Green River. The anticipated increase in the 100-year peak runoff flow rate under
developed conditions will be less than 0.1 cfs (Parametrix 2015). According to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, the maximum regulated flow for the 100-year recurrence interval is 12,000 cfs at the
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 4-6 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
project site. In addition, most runoff from the approach trail segments is expected to infiltrate within or be
intercepted by vegetated buffers along the Black River, which are between 25 and 50 feet wide.
Based on the above, the increased amount of impervious surface in the project action area is not expected to
result in any appreciable effects on the hydrology of the Black River, including base flow and peak flow.
4.2 Indirect Effects
The possible introduction of excess sediment and pollutants into action area waterbodies during project
construction could reduce the availability of prey items for ESA-listed fish species in the project action area.
However, the potential for any such impacts will be avoided or minimized by the implementation of BMPs
and the TESC plan in compliance with the Regional Road Maintenance Endangered Species Act Program Guidelines
(Regional Road Maintenance Technical Working Group 2002). Any unavoidable impacts will occur only while
and immediately after the ground-disturbing activities take place and are not expected to cause any long-term
changes in foraging behavior or prey availability.
Construction of the pedestrian bridge on Segment A of the Lake to Sound Trail will not cause any indirect
effects associated with induced changes in land use, for the following reasons:
The project will not create any new roads, lanes, intersections, interchanges, or other facilities with
the potential to alter access to nearby lands.
The project will not alter the level of service on existing roads in the project action area.
No building moratoria are in place that are contingent on the proposed project.
No land use changes are tied by permit condition to the proposed project.
No reasonably foreseeable actions or land use changes will be caused by or result from the project.
No current development plans include scenarios for the planning area where land use differs based
on “build” versus “no-build” outcomes related to the proposed project.
No land use changes are likely to occur at a different rate as a result of the proposed project.
4.3 Effects from Interrelated and Interdependent Actions
Interrelated actions are those that are part of a larger action and depend on the larger action for their
justification. Construction of the Lake to Sound Trail Segment A Pedestrian Bridge is an interrelated part of
the larger action, the construction of Lake to Sound Trail Segment A. The potential effects of construction
and use of this trail segment have been reviewed and determined to have no effects on ESA-listed species or
critical habitat (Appendix A). No other interrelated actions have been planned or identified for this project.
Interdependent actions are those that have no significant independent utility apart from the action that is
under consideration. Activities associated with mitigation for impacts on streams, wetlands, and wetland
buffers can be considered interdependent actions for the Lake to Sound Segment A project. The sites where
compensatory mitigation for such impacts will be implemented have not yet been identified. However,
restoration and enhancement activities will consist of planting. Such activities are not expected to generate
increased levels of sediment or impervious surface area. Based on these findings, interrelated and
interdependent actions associated with the project are not expected to have any effects on ESA-listed species
or critical habitat.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 5-1 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
5 CONCLUSIONS
Table 5-1 summarizes the effects determinations for the ESA-listed species and designated critical habitat
considered in this analysis. The rationale for each determination is provided in the following subsections.
Table 5-1. Effects Determinations for Species and Designated Critical Habitat
Species Status Federal
Jurisdiction Effect Determination Critical Habitat
Effect Determination
Chinook salmon
(Puget Sound ESU) Threatened NMFS Not Likely to
Adversely Affect
Not Likely to
Adversely Affect
Steelhead trout
(Puget Sound DPS) Threatened NMFS Not Likely to
Adversely Affect N/A1
Bull trout Threatened USFWS Not Likely to
Adversely Affect No Effect
1 Critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead has been proposed but not designated. Proposed steelhead critical habitat occurs in the project action area. Should critical habitat be designated before project completion, the project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect designated critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead.
5.1 Puget Sound Chinook Salmon
The project may affect Puget Sound Chinook
salmon because
The project is not likely to adversely affect Puget
Sound Chinook salmon because
Adult and juvenile Chinook salmon may be present in
waterbodies in the project action area.
The Black River (which is the only waterbody in the
aquatic portion of the project action area) does not
provide spawning habitat for Chinook salmon; therefore,
the potential for impacts to spawning adults, eggs, or
newly hatched juveniles is considered discountable.
The potential for water and substrates in the project
action area to provide suitable rearing, foraging, or
refuge habitat for Chinook salmon is low, based on poor
water quality; lack of LWD and other sources of
instream cover; steep, armored streambanks that are
dominated by invasive shrubby species; and the
presence of the Black River pump station immediately
upstream of the project action area, which presents a
substantial barrier to upstream and downstream
migration.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 5-2 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
The project may affect Puget Sound Chinook
salmon because
The project is not likely to adversely affect Puget
Sound Chinook salmon because
Construction activities have the potential to introduce
and transport excess sediment and pollutants into
action area waterbodies, as well as the potential to
increase underwater sound levels.
No ground-disturbing work will occur below the OHWM
of the Black River.
No spawning habitat is present in project action area;
therefore, the potential for impacts to spawning adults,
eggs, or newly hatched juveniles is considered
discountable.
The potential for migrating juvenile or adult salmon to
be present in the project action area when ground-
disturbing activities are underway is very low. Reaches
of the Black River and Springbrook Creek upstream of
the project action area not known or expected to
provide suitable spawning habitat for Chinook salmon,
and the Black River pump station immediately upstream
of the project action area presents a substantial barrier
to upstream and downstream migration through the
area.
Appropriate BMPs will be employed to minimize or
eliminate sediment and pollutant inputs during
construction; therefore, the potential for direct impacts
to Chinook salmon from project construction near
waterbodies is considered discountable.
Ground-disturbing work and overwater work are
expected to take place during months when water
levels in the Black River are generally low and there is
almost no possibility of high flows in the Green River
causing adult or juvenile fish to seek low-velocity resting
areas in the Black River.
Almost all ground-disturbing work will take place during
months (July through September) when juvenile
Chinook salmon are not expected to venture into the
project action area. Work in the initial stages of
construction (i.e., during the period when juvenile
Chinook might enter the project action area) will consist
of activities (site preparation and riprap removal) with a
very low potential of delivering sediments or pollutants
to the Black River.
Overwater work will be performed in accordance with
the requirements and conditions (including fish
windows) specified in the HPA, likely limiting overwater
work to periods when juvenile Chinook salmon are not
expected to be present in the project action area.
Juvenile Chinook salmon could enter the project action
area from January through June; the anticipated
window for overwater work is outside that period.
Therefore, the potential for overwater construction
activities to affect juvenile Chinook salmon is negligible.
The proper application of BMPs during overwater work
will ensure that no concrete, falling material, or dust
enters project waters, further reducing the potential for
adverse effects on fish-bearing waters.
Elevated sound intensity levels from vibratory driving of
sheet piles will not have any adverse effects on fish.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 5-3 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
The project may affect Puget Sound Chinook
salmon because
The project is not likely to adversely affect Puget
Sound Chinook salmon because
Bridge construction will result in impacts to riparian
areas, potentially affecting habitat conditions in
waterbodies where Chinook salmon may be present.
The Black River does not support reproductive
populations of Chinook salmon.
The vegetated buffer of the Black River in the project
action area is generally degraded, of limited width, and
dominated by non-native herbaceous and shrubby
species.
Potential reductions in thermal protection due the
removal of trees on the south bank of the Black River
will be offset by the shade provided by the pedestrian
bridge.
The effects of riparian vegetation loss will also be
mitigated by replanting native vegetation in the riparian
area of the Black River.
Where feasible, areas temporarily affected by clearing
for construction will be revegetated with native plants
after the completion of final grading activities.
The project will comply with the requirements of the City
of Renton Shoreline Master Program, which will entail
the implementation of measures to ensure no net loss
of ecological function.
Shade from the pedestrian bridge could present a
migration barrier for juvenile salmonids.
The Black River is not considered an important
migratory corridor for Chinook salmon because the
Black River pump station immediately upstream of the
project action area presents a substantial barrier to
upstream and downstream migration; in addition,
reaches of the Black River and Springbrook Creek
upstream of the project action area are unlikely to
provide suitable spawning habitat for Chinook salmon.
Shade from the pedestrian bridge is not expected to
present a migration barrier for juvenile salmonids
because the bridge will be narrow and well above the
water’s surface, and the bridge will be oriented on a
north-south axis, minimizing the amount of time that any
given point receives shade over the course of a day.
An increased amount of impervious surface area could
affect stream flows.
Management of runoff from Segment A of the Lake to
Sound Trail, including the pedestrian bridge and
approach trail segments, will comply with the
requirements of Ecology’s 2012 Stormwater
Management Manual for Western Washington.
The volume of runoff from 0.02 acre of new impervious
surface will be miniscule compared to the magnitude of
stream flows within the Black River and the lower Green
River.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 5-4 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
5.2 Designated Critical Habitat for Puget Sound Chinook Salmon
Designated critical habitat for Puget Sound Chinook salmon is present in the project action area. Effects
assessments for individual PCEs follow.
1. Freshwater spawning sites with water quantity and quality conditions and substrate supporting
spawning, incubation, and larval development.
No Effect: Chinook salmon are neither known nor expected to spawn in the project action area, and conditions
favorable for spawning, incubation, or larval development are not present.
2. Freshwater rearing sites with water quantity and floodplain connectivity to form and maintain
physical habitat conditions, and support juvenile growth and mobility; water quality and forage
supporting juvenile development; and natural cover such as shade, submerged and overhanging large
wood, log jams and beaver dams, aquatic vegetation, large rocks and boulders, side channels, and
undercut banks.
No Effect: Chinook salmon are neither known nor expected to rear in the project action area, and conditions
favorable for rearing (including floodplain connectivity, water quality, and natural cover) are not present.
3. Freshwater migration corridors free of obstruction with water quantity and quality conditions and
natural cover such as submerged and overhanging large wood, aquatic vegetation, large rocks and
boulders, side channels, and undercut banks supporting juvenile and adult mobility and survival.
Not Likely to Adversely Affect: Although poor habitat conditions and the presence of the Black River pump
station immediately upstream area diminish the potential value of the project action area as a migratory corridor, it is
nevertheless possible that adult or juvenile Chinook salmon may pass through the project action area and to upstream
reaches of Springbrook Creek. As discussed above, installation of the pedestrian bridge and construction of the
approach trail segments are unlikely to result in short-term or long-term impacts to water quality or stream flows. The
removal of trees (one 12-inch dbh red alder and several conifer saplings) from the riparian area will, however, reduce the
potential for future recruitment of LWD to the Black River, reducing opportunities for the development of complex in-
stream habitat features that could be used by adult or juvenile fish. The potential for adverse effects is minimal, however,
because the Black River does not support reproductive populations of Chinook salmon. In addition, the project will
comply with the requirements of the City of Renton Shoreline Master Program, which will entail the implementation of
measures to ensure no net loss of ecological function. The removal of trees at the project site will be mitigated through the
planting of native trees and other vegetation in a nearby area where existing riparian conditions are degraded (see
Section 1.3.2, Compensatory Mitigation). Over the long term, this mitigation is expected to improve riparian function
over existing conditions. Lastly, shade from the pedestrian bridge is not expected to present a migration barrier for
juvenile salmonids because the bridge will be oriented on a north-south axis, minimizing the amount of time that any
given point receives shade over the course of a day.
Based on the above, the project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect designated critical habitat for
Puget Sound Chinook salmon.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 5-5 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
5.3 Puget Sound Steelhead
The project may affect Puget Sound steelhead
because
The project is not likely to adversely affect Puget
Sound steelhead because
Adult and juvenile steelhead may be present in
waterbodies in the project action area.
The Black River (which is the only waterbody in the
aquatic portion of the project action area) does not
provide spawning habitat for steelhead; therefore, the
potential for impacts to spawning adults, eggs, or newly
hatched juveniles is considered discountable.
The potential for water and substrates in the project
action area to provide suitable rearing, foraging, or
refuge habitat for steelhead is low, based on poor water
quality; lack of LWD and other sources of instream
cover; steep, armored streambanks that are dominated
by invasive shrubby species; and the presence of the
Black River pump station immediately upstream of the
project action area, which presents a substantial barrier
to upstream and downstream migration.
Construction activities have the potential to introduce
and transport excess sediment and pollutants into
action area waterbodies, as well as the potential to
increase underwater sound levels.
No ground-disturbing work will occur below the OHWM
of the Black River.
No spawning habitat is present in project action area,
and the Black River pump station immediately upstream
of the project action area presents a substantial barrier
to upstream and downstream migration through the
area.
Appropriate BMPs will be employed to minimize or
eliminate sediment and pollutant inputs during
construction; therefore, the potential for direct impacts
to steelhead from project construction near waterbodies
is considered discountable.
All overwater work and almost all ground-disturbing
work is expected to take place during months (June
through September) when adult or juvenile steelhead
are not expected to venture into the project action area.
Work in the initial stages of construction (i.e., during the
period when steelhead might enter the project action
area) will consist of activities (site preparation and
riprap removal) with a very low potential of delivering
sediments or pollutants to the Black River.
Overwater work will be performed in accordance with
the requirements and conditions (including fish
windows) specified in the HPA, likely limiting overwater
work to periods when steelhead are not expected to be
present in the project action area. Adult steelhead may
venture into the project action area while they are
migrating upstream between November and May;
juvenile steelhead could enter the project action area in
April or May; the anticipated window for overwater work
is outside of those periods. Therefore, the potential for
overwater construction activities to affect steelhead is
negligible.
The proper application of BMPs during overwater work
will ensure that no concrete, falling material, or dust
enters project waters, further reducing the potential for
adverse effects on fish-bearing waters.
Elevated sound intensity levels from vibratory driving of
sheet piles will not have any adverse effects on fish.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 5-6 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
The project may affect Puget Sound steelhead
because
The project is not likely to adversely affect Puget
Sound steelhead because
Bridge construction will result in impacts to riparian
areas, potentially affecting habitat conditions in
waterbodies where steelhead may be present.
No spawning habitat is present in project action area.
The vegetated buffer of the Black River in the project
action area is generally degraded, of limited width, and
dominated by non-native herbaceous and shrubby
species.
Potential reductions in thermal protection due the
removal of trees on the south bank of the Black River
will be offset by the shade provided by the pedestrian
bridge.
The effects of riparian vegetation loss will also be
mitigated by replanting native vegetation in the riparian
area of the Black River.
Where feasible, areas temporarily affected by clearing
for construction will be revegetated with native plants
after the completion of final grading activities.
The project will comply with the requirements of the City
of Renton Shoreline Master Program, which will entail
the implementation of measures to ensure no net loss
of ecological function.
Shade from the pedestrian bridge could present a
migration barrier for juvenile salmonids.
The Black River is not considered an important
migratory corridor for steelhead because the Black
River pump station immediately upstream of the project
action area presents a substantial barrier to upstream
and downstream migration; in addition, reaches of the
Black River and Springbrook Creek upstream of the
project action area do not provide high-quality spawning
habitat for steelhead.
Shade from the pedestrian bridge is not expected to
present a migration barrier for juvenile salmonids
because the bridge will be narrow and well above the
water’s surface, and the bridge will be oriented on a
north-south axis, minimizing the amount of time that any
given point receives shade over the course of a day.
An increased amount of impervious surface area could
affect stream flows.
Management of runoff from Segment A of the Lake to
Sound Trail, including the pedestrian bridge and
approach trail segments, will comply with the
requirements of Ecology’s 2012 Stormwater
Management Manual for Western Washington.
The volume of runoff from 0.02 acre of new impervious
surface will be miniscule compared to the magnitude of
stream flows within the Black River and the lower Green
River.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 5-7 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
5.4 Proposed Critical Habitat for Puget Sound Steelhead
Proposed critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead is present in the project action area. The PCEs identified
in the proposed rule for steelhead are identical to the PCEs identified in the final designation of critical
habitat for Chinook salmon, and the potential effects of the project on those PCEs are as described for
Chinook salmon PCEs, above.
Based on the above, the functionality of the PCEs of steelhead critical habitat will not be changed to such an
extent that the habitat no longer serves the intended conservation role for the species; therefore, the project
will not destroy or adversely modify proposed critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead. Should critical
habitat be designated before project completion, the project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect
critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead.
5.5 Bull Trout
The project may affect bull trout because The project is not likely to adversely affect bull trout
because
Adult and juvenile bull trout may be present in
waterbodies in the project action area.
Bull trout are not known or expected to use the Black
River in the project action area.
The Black River (which is the only waterbody in the
aquatic portion of the project action area) does not
provide spawning habitat for bull trout; therefore, the
potential for impacts to spawning adults, eggs, or newly
hatched juveniles is considered discountable.
The potential for water and substrates in the project
action area to provide suitable rearing, foraging, or
refuge habitat for bull trout is low, based on poor water
quality; lack of LWD and other sources of instream
cover; steep, armored streambanks that are dominated
by invasive shrubby species; and the presence of the
Black River pump station immediately upstream of the
project action area, which presents a substantial barrier
to upstream and downstream migration.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 5-8 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
The project may affect bull trout because The project is not likely to adversely affect bull trout
because
Construction activities have the potential to introduce
and transport excess sediment and pollutants into
action area waterbodies, as well as the potential to
increase underwater sound levels.
No ground-disturbing work will occur below the OHWM
of the Black River.
No spawning habitat is present in project action area,
and the Black River pump station immediately upstream
of the project action area presents a substantial barrier
to upstream and downstream migration through the
area.
Appropriate BMPs will be employed to minimize or
eliminate sediment and pollutant inputs during
construction; therefore, the potential for direct impacts
to bull trout from project construction near waterbodies
is considered discountable.
Ground-disturbing work will take place outside of the
period when adult or subadult bull trout could be
present in the project action area. Bull trout could
potentially enter the project action area during the
period from fall through late winter. Ground-disturbing
work is expected to take place from May through
September.
Overwater work will be performed in accordance with
the requirements and conditions (including fish
windows) specified in the HPA, likely limiting overwater
work to summer months, well outside the period when
adult or subadult bull trout might enter the project action
area.
The proper application of BMPs during overwater work
will ensure that no concrete, falling material, or dust
enters project waters, further reducing the potential for
adverse effects on fish-bearing waters.
Elevated sound intensity levels from vibratory driving of
sheet piles will not have any adverse effects on fish.
Bridge construction will result in impacts to riparian
areas, potentially affecting habitat conditions in
waterbodies where bull trout may be present.
No spawning habitat is present in project action area.
The vegetated buffer of the Black River in the project
action area is generally degraded, of limited width, and
dominated by non-native herbaceous and shrubby
species.
Potential reductions in thermal protection due the
removal of trees on the south bank of the Black River
will be offset by the shade provided by the pedestrian
bridge.
The effects of riparian vegetation loss will also be
mitigated by replanting native vegetation in the riparian
area of the Black River.
Where feasible, areas temporarily affected by clearing
for construction will be revegetated with native plants
after the completion of final grading activities.
The project will comply with the requirements of the City
of Renton Shoreline Master Program, which will entail
the implementation of measures to ensure no net loss
of ecological function.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 5-9 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
The project may affect bull trout because The project is not likely to adversely affect bull trout
because
Shade from the pedestrian bridge could present a
migration barrier for juvenile salmonids.
No juvenile bull trout are expected to enter the project
action area because bull trout are not known or
expected to spawn in any waterbodies upstream of the
project action area.
Shade from the pedestrian bridge is not expected to
present a barrier to migrating fish because the bridge
will be narrow and well above the water’s surface, and
the bridge will be oriented on a north-south axis,
minimizing the amount of time that any given point
receives shade over the course of a day.
An increased amount of impervious surface area could
affect stream flows.
Management of runoff from Segment A of the Lake to
Sound Trail, including the pedestrian bridge and
approach trail segments, will comply with the
requirements of Ecology’s 2012 Stormwater
Management Manual for Western Washington.
The volume of runoff from 0.02 acre of new impervious
surface will be miniscule compared to the magnitude of
stream flows within the Black River and the lower Green
River.
5.6 Designated Critical Habitat for Bull Trout
The aquatic portion of the project action area does not overlap any areas of designated critical habitat for bull
trout. The nearest designated critical habitat is in the Green River, approximately 0.25 mile beyond the
downstream extent of the project action area. Therefore, the project will have no effect on designated critical
habitat for bull trout.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 6-1 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
6 FLOODPLAIN ANALYSIS
The project includes development within the riparian buffer zone and the 100-year floodplain of the Black
River. The City of Renton, as the local jurisdiction with FEMA permitting authority, must therefore
demonstrate that the proposed development is not likely to adversely affect water quality, water quantity,
spawning substrate, flood volumes or velocities, or floodplain refugia for ESA-listed salmonids.
As discussed in the analysis of direct effects, above, the project is not likely to adversely affect water quality
for the following reasons:
No ground-disturbing work will occur below the OHWM of the Black River.
Appropriate BMPs in compliance with the Regional Road Maintenance Endangered Species Act Program
Guidelines (Regional Road Maintenance Technical Working Group 2002) will be employed to
minimize or eliminate sediment and pollutant inputs during construction.
The proper application of BMPs during overwater work will ensure that no concrete, falling material,
or dust enters project waters.
The new impervious surface is non-pollution generating because the trail is for non-motorized
vehicles.
The project is not likely to adversely affect water quantity, flood volumes, or flood velocities for the following
reasons:
Management of runoff from Segment A of the Lake to Sound Trail, including the pedestrian bridge
and approach trail segments, will comply with the requirements of Ecology’s 2012 Stormwater
Management Manual for Western Washington.
The volume of runoff from 0.02 acre of new impervious surface will be miniscule compared to the
magnitude of stream flows within the Black River and the lower Green River.
The project is not likely to adversely affect spawning substrates for ESA-listed salmonids for the following
reasons:
The Black River (which is the only waterbody in the aquatic portion of the project action area) does
not provide spawning habitat for any ESA-listed salmonids.
No ground-disturbing work will occur below the OHWM of the Black River.
Lastly, the project is not likely to adversely affect floodplain refugia for ESA-listed salmonids because the
project will result in no net loss of floodplain storage capacity and will have no effect on the connection
between the Black River and its floodplain. In addition, the potential for water and substrates in the project
action area to provide suitable refuge habitat for ESA-listed salmonids is low, based on poor water quality;
lack of LWD and other sources of instream cover; steep, armored streambanks that are dominated by
invasive shrubby species; and the presence of the Black River pump station immediately upstream of the
project action area, which presents a substantial barrier to upstream and downstream migration.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 7-1 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
7 ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT ANALYSIS
Action Agency: FHWA (in collaboration with WSDOT, King County, and the Cities of Renton and
Tukwila)
Project Name: Lake to Sound Trail Pedestrian Bridge, Renton, WA
7.1 Background
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries
Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-267), requires federal agencies to consult with NMFS on activities that may
adversely affect essential fish habitat (EFH).
The objective of this EFH assessment is to determine whether or not the proposed action(s) “may adversely
affect” designated EFH for relevant commercially, federally-managed fisheries species within the proposed
action area. It also describes conservation measures proposed to avoid, minimize, or otherwise offset
potential adverse effects to designated EFH resulting from the proposed action.
EFH has been defined for the purposes of the Magnuson-Stevens Act as “those waters and substrate necessary to
fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity” (NMFS 2004). NMFS has further added the following
interpretations to clarify this definition:
“Waters” include aquatic areas and their associated physical, chemical, and biological properties that
are used by fish, and may include areas historically used by fish where appropriate;
“Substrate” includes sediment, hard bottom, structures underlying the waters, and associated
biological communities;
“Necessary” means the habitat required to support a sustainable fishery and the managed species’
contribution to a healthy ecosystem;
“Spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity” covers the full life cycle of a species
(NMFS 2004); and
“Adverse effect” means any impact that reduces the quality and/or quantity of EFH; such impacts
can include direct (e.g., contamination or physical disruption), indirect (e.g., loss of prey, reduction in
species’ fecundity), site-specific, or habitat-wide impacts, including individual, cumulative, or
synergistic consequences of actions.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council has designated EFH for the Pacific coast groundfish fishery, the
coastal pelagic species fishery, and the Pacific coast salmon fishery. The Green River tributaries in the project
action area contain EFH for Pacific coast salmon. No marine habitats are present in the action area;
therefore, EFH for groundfish and coastal pelagic species is not addressed in this assessment.
The EFH designation for the Pacific coast salmon fishery includes all streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands, and
other waterbodies currently or historically accessible to salmon in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and
California, except above impassable barriers. The Pacific coast salmon management unit includes Chinook,
coho, and pink salmon. Chinook and coho salmon have been documented in areas that may be directly or
indirectly affected by the proposed action.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 7-2 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
The quality of water and substrates in the Black River as fish habitat is low. Water quality is generally poor,
characterized by low dissolved oxygen concentrations, high temperatures, and high levels of fecal coliform
bacteria, turbidity, and nutrients. Streambed material consists almost exclusively of sands and silts. Mobility
and survival of juveniles and adults are impeded by the lack of LWD and other sources of instream cover, as
well as steep, armored streambanks that are dominated by invasive shrubby species. The Black River pump
station immediately upstream of the project action area presents a substantial barrier to upstream and
downstream migration.
7.2 Description of the Proposed Action
The proposed action involves the construction of a pedestrian bridge over the Black River, as part of
Segment A of the Lake to Sound Trail. The proposed action is described in greater detail in Section 1.2,
Project Description.
7.3 Potential Adverse Effects of Proposed Project
The potential effects of the proposed project on fish habitat are described in Section 4, Effects of the Action.
Following is a brief overview of potential adverse effects identified in that discussion.
Construction activities above or adjacent to waterbodies, clearing, grading, and bridge construction,
have the potential to introduce sediment and contaminants into those aquatic resources. However,
this possibility will be minimized because no earthwork or riparian clearing will occur below the
OHWM of the Black River. In addition, BMPs will be implemented during project construction in
compliance with the Regional Road Maintenance Endangered Species Act Program Guidelines (Regional Road
Maintenance Technical Working Group 2002), to reduce the potential for the introduction of
sediment or contaminants into waterbodies in the action area.
Temporary or permanent impacts to riparian habitat adjacent to waterbodies in the action area are
not expected to adversely affect fish habitat quality, based on (1) the absence of forested riparian
habitat in the areas where temporary disturbance will occur, (2) the generally degraded condition of
the riparian buffer of the Black River in the project action area, (3) plans to restore temporarily
cleared areas to pre-construction conditions after construction activities are complete, including
replanting or seeding with native species, and (4) compensatory mitigation for any reductions in the
overall ecological functions of any affected riparian buffers, wetlands, and wetland buffers.
Shade from the pedestrian bridge is not expected to present a migration barrier for juvenile
salmonids because (1) most of the bridge surface will consist of grated decking that will allow
sunlight to reach the water’s surface and (2) the bridge will be oriented on a north-south axis. In
addition, areas directly under the new pedestrian bridge, where there is adequate height between the
bridge and the ground level, will be replanted with native small shrubs and herbaceous plants.
7.4 Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Measures
Strict adherence to permit timing restrictions and BMPs specified in Section 1.3, Impact Avoidance and
Minimization Measures, will protect fish-bearing waters within and downstream of the project action area
from water quality effects during and after project construction.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 7-3 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
7.5 Conclusions
The project will not result in any long-term adverse modifications to waters or substrates that support
spawning, migration, or rearing by Chinook, coho, and pink salmon in the action area. As such, project
construction or operation will have no direct, indirect, or cumulative adverse effects upon Pacific coast
salmon EFH. No EFH for Pacific coast groundfish or coastal pelagic species occurs within or adjacent to the
action area. Based on these findings, the project will not adversely affect EFH for Pacific coast salmon,
Pacific coast groundfish, or coastal pelagic species.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 8-1 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
8 REFERENCES
Busby, P. J., et al. 1996. Status review of west coast steelhead from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and
California. U.S. Dep. Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-27, 281 pp.
Ecology (Washington State Department of Ecology). 2012. Stormwater Management Manual for Western
Washington, Volumes I – V. Publication Number 12-10-030. Prepared by Washington State Department
of Ecology Water Quality Program. Olympia, Washington. August 2012.
Ecology (Washington State Department of Ecology). 2015. 2012 Washington State Water Quality Assessment
(305[b] report and 303[d] list). Available at
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/303d/currentassessmt.html. Accessed February 3, 2015.
Goetz, F.A., E. Jeanes, and #. Beamer. 2004. Bull trout in the nearshore. Preliminary draft. U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Seattle District. Seattle, WA.
Grette, G.B., and E.O. Salo. 1986. The status of anadromous fishes of the Green/Duwamish River system.
Prepared for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, by Evans-Hamilton, Inc., Seattle,
Washington.
Harza. 1995. Comprehensive fisheries assessment of the Springbrook, Mill, and Garrison Creek watershed.
Bellevue, Washington: prepared for City of Kent, Washington.
Healey, M.C. 1991. Life history of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Pages 311 393 in C. Groot and
L. Margolis, editors. Pacific salmon life histories. UBC Press, University of British Columbia, Vancouver,
British Columbia.
Kerwin, J. and T. S. Nelson. 2000. Habitat Limiting Factors and Reconnaissance Assessment Report:
Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watersheds (Water Resource Inventory Area 9 and Vashon
Island). Washington State Conservation Commission and King County Department of Natural
Resources.
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. 2002. King County bull trout program: 2001 bull
trout surveys, freshwater and marine nearshore. Prepared by Taylor Associates, Inc. Seattle, WA.
King County Department of Natural Resources. 2000. Literature review and recommended sampling
protocol for bull trout in King County. Seattle, WA.
King County. 2014b. Water Quality Index Report for Springbrook Creek (Station 317).
http://green.kingcounty.gov/wlr/waterres/streamsdata/WQIReport.aspx?Locator=0317.
King County. 2015a. Stream report for Springbrook Creek (Station 0317). Available at
http://green2.kingcounty.gov/wlr/waterres/streamsdata/watershedinfo.aspx. Accessed February 3,
2015.
Lister, D.B. and H.S. Genoe. 1970. Stream habitat utilization by cohabiting underyearlings of Chinook
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho (O. kisutch) salmon in the Big Qualicum River, British Columbia.
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 27:1215-1224.
Mongillo, P.E. 1993. The distribution and status of bull trout/Dolly Varden in Washington State, June 1992.
Washington Department of Wildlife, Fisheries Management Division. Report No. 93–22. Olympia,
Washington.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment 8-2 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service). 1998. Factors contributing to the decline of Chinook salmon: an
addendum to the 1996 west coast steelhead factors for decline report. Protect Resources Division,
Portland, Oregon.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service). 2004. Preparing essential fish habitat assessments: a guide for
federal action agencies. Available at
http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/habitat/fish_habitat/efh_consultations_go.html.
Parametrix. 2011. Technical Memorandum: Preliminary stormwater management plan, Lake to Sound
Trail—Segment A. October 12, 2011.
Parametrix. 2015. Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A. Final Technical Information Report: Drainage and
Floodplain. Prepared by Parametrix, Seattle, Washington. April 2015.
Puget Sound Steelhead Technical Recovery Team. 2013. Identifying historical populations of steelhead within
the Puget Sound Distinct Population Segment. Final Review Draft. 149 pp.
Regional Road Maintenance Technical Working Group. 2002. Regional road maintenance Endangered
Species Act (ESA) program guidelines. Developed by the Regional Road Maintenance Technical Working
Group, Seattle, Washington. Available at
http://www.kingcounty.gov/transportation/kcdot/Roads/Environment/RegionalRoadMaintenanceES
AGuidelines.aspx.
Ruggerone, G.T. and D.E. Weitkamp. 2004. WRIA 9 Chinook salmon research framework: Identifying key
research questions about Chinook salmon life histories and habitat use in the Middle and Lower Green
River, Duwamish Waterway, and marine nearshore areas. Report prepared for the WRIA 9 Steering
Committee.
Shared Strategy for Puget Sound. 2007. Puget Sound salmon recovery plan. Adopted by National Marine
Fisheries Service 19 January 2007. Volume I (plan) and Volume II (local watershed chapters). Available
online at
http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/protected_species/salmon_steelhead/recovery_planning_and_implementatio
n/puget_sound/puget_sound_chinook_recovery_plan.html Accessed July 2, 2013.
USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). 2010. Bull trout final critical habitat justification: rationale for why
habitat is essential, and documentation of occupancy. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region,
Portland, Oregon. September 2010.
WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife). 2002. Washington State salmon and steelhead stock
inventory (SaSI). WDFW, Olympia, Washington. Available at
http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/fisheries/sasi/.
WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife). 2015a. PHS on the Web: An interactive map of
WDFW priority habitats and species information for project review. Available online at
http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/phs/. Accessed January 16, 2015.
WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife). 2015b. Salmonscape fish database and mapping
application. Available online at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/salmonscape/. Accessed January 16, 2015.
WDNR (Washington Department of Natural Resources). 2014. Washington Natural Heritage Program
geographic information system data set. Data current as of September 2014. Obtained July 30, 2015.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
August 2015 8-3 Biological Assessment
554-1251-084 (A/3T300D) King County
WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation). 2014. Biological assessment preparation
advanced training manual. Version 04-02-2014. Available online at:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Environment/Biology/BA/BAguidance.htm.
APPENDIX A
October 2011 No-effects Determination for Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A
October 24, 2011
PMX No. 554-1521-084 (A/2T300F)
Jason Rich
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
201 South Jackson, 7th Floor
Seattle, WA 98104
Re: No Effects Letter
Lake to Sound Trail Improvements – Segment A
Dear Mr. Rich:
King County is proposing to develop a 1.1-mile segment (Segment A) of what will ultimately be the 16-mile Lake
to Sound Trail. The project is a non-motorized trail located in the jurisdictions of Renton and Tukwila in King
County, Washington. Segment A, as well as the longer Lake to Sound Trail, is part of a Regional Trail System
that provides non-motorized, alternative transportation and a recreational corridor for multiple trail users,
including bicyclists, pedestrians, skaters, and others. A goal of the Lake to Sound Trail is to provide non-
motorized transportation facilities to economically disadvantaged communities in southwest King County that
have been historically underserved by such facilities.
We have prepared this assessment on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in response to the
current U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Endangered
Species Act (ESA) listings. We also evaluated the presence of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) as indicated in the
Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Stevens Act). The federal nexus for
this project is federal-aid funding provided by FHWA, as administered by the Washington State Department of
Transportation (WSDOT) Highways and Local Programs Division. This evaluation was prepared in accordance
with section 7(c) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, to determine whether species listed or proposed
for listing as threatened or endangered and potentially occurring in the project vicinity will be affected by project
construction or operation. Effects upon critical habitat, as applicable, are also evaluated.
The USFWS and NMFS species lists were accessed on their websites on September 15, 2011 (attached). Based on
information provided at those websites, the following ESA-listed species could occur within the action area:
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Puget Sound Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU)
(Threatened)
Steelhead trout (O. mykiss) Puget Sound ESU (Threatened)
A-1
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 2
Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) Coastal/Puget Sound Distinct Population Segment (DPS) (Threatened)
Eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) Southern DPS (Threatened)
Marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) (Threatened)
Northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) (Threatened)
Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) (Threatened)
Gray wolf (Canis lupus) (Endangered)
Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) (Threatened)
Golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta) [historic] (Threatened)
Designated critical habitat occurring in or near the action area includes the following:
Puget Sound Chinook salmon critical habitat
Coastal/Puget Sound bull trout critical habitat
USFWS identifies endangered, threatened, and proposed species that may be present in a project area based on the
species that are known or expected to be present within the county or counties in which the project occurs. For
most of the species on the list for King County (Canada lynx, gray wolf, grizzly bear, northern spotted owl, and
marbled murrelet), the project area—in a lowland, urban setting, with no roadless areas or old-growth forest
nearby—does not fall within the species’ current or historical range, does not contain suitable habitat, or both. No
observations of any of these species have been documented within 10 miles of the project site (WDFW 2011a).
The proposed project, therefore, has no potential to affect these species and they will not be addressed further in
this analysis.
Information from the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Natural Heritage database indicates
that no threatened or endangered plants are known to occur within 1.5 miles of the project site (WDNR 2011).
Suitable habitat for golden paintbrush (open grasslands in glacial outwash prairies) is not present at the project
site. For these reasons, the proposed project has no potential to affect this species.
NMFS recently listed the southern DPS of Pacific eulachon as threatened (75 FR 13012, March 18, 2010) and has
proposed critical habitat for this DPS (76 FR 534, January 5, 2011). Because there are no suitable eulachon
spawning rivers within at least 10 miles of the action area and no proposed critical habitat within 60 miles of the
project, the project has no potential to affect this species.
PROJECT LOCATION
The project is located adjacent to the Black River within the cities of Renton and Tukwila, King County,
Washington in Section 13, Township 23 North, Range 4 East, Willamette Meridian (Figure 1). The project area is
located within the lower Green River basin and the Black River sub-basin (Watershed Resource Inventory Area
[WRIA] Stream Number 09-004). The basin has a sixth-field hydrologic unit code (HUC) designation of
171100130305.
A-2
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 3
The Segment A project area is a linear corridor mostly within an existing trail corridor. Two parallel railroad
tracks (Burlington Northern Santa Fe [BNSF] and Union Pacific) cross the western quarter of the proposed trail
corridor on elevated bridges oriented north-south. Another set of BNSF railroad tracks is located north of the
eastern three-quarters of the proposed trail corridor, with an east-west bearing. These tracks tie into the north-
south tracks north of the project area. East of the railroad bridges, the proposed trail alignment is within the City
of Renton; west of the railroad bridges the proposed trail alignment is within the City of Tukwila. The project area
is described from east to west below.
The eastern terminus is located at a cul-de-sac on Naches Avenue SW near an office park. The eastern three-
quarters of the proposed trail alignment, from Naches Avenue SW to Monster Road (approximately 4,300 linear
feet), follows an existing gravel maintenance road south of the BNSF east-west railroad tracks and north of the
Black River, along the northern perimeter of the Black River Riparian Forest. The gravel maintenance road is
commonly used for walking and pet exercise. The existing road surface in most of this portion consists of
compacted gravel and ranges from 10 to 12 feet wide. Areas immediately outside the edge of the existing gravel
surface generally consist of grasses, low-growing annual plants, blackberry thickets, and native riparian trees.
Uses outside this portion of the project area include a concrete recycling plant and an area zoned for light
industrial uses just north of the railroad tracks.
The proposed trail alignment crosses over the Black River using the existing Monster Road Bridge, then crosses
Monster Road south of the river. For the western quarter of the proposed trail alignment, west of Monster Road,
the alignment lies south of the Black River. For the first 150 feet west of Monster Road, the alignment is on
existing paved surfaces, and then it follows a dirt footpath that joins an existing dirt road beneath the railroad
bridges for 650 feet. The westernmost 600 feet of the proposed trail alignment is on maintained lawns associated
with Fort Dent Park.
Land use in the area is a mix of parkland and commercial/industrial sites. West of the railroad bridges, the area
south of the proposed trail alignment is dominated by Fort Dent Park and the Starfire Sports Complex. The
confluence of the Black and Green Rivers is located just north of the west end of the Segment A project area.
Commercial businesses are north of the Black River and south of the trail corridor.
Interstate 405 is located less than 1 mile south of the site. The project alignment is bisected by both Monster
Road, a main arterial within the City of Renton, and the railroad bridges.
Waterbodies potentially affected by the project include the Green and Black Rivers. The project alignment meets
the Green River at about river mile (RM) 11.0 on the right bank of the river and parallels the lower 1,500 feet of
the Black River (RM 0.0 to 0.3). Both streams are located within the Green/Duwamish River Watershed, within
WRIA 9.
The Duwamish River is defined as the portion of the Green/Duwamish River system downstream from the
confluence of the Black River (River Mile [RM] 11.0) to Elliott Bay (RM 0.0), while the Green River extends
upstream from the Black River. For the purpose of this report, the term ‘Duwamish River’ pertains to the first
11 miles of the river system, while the term ‘Green River’ pertains both to the portion of river above RM 11.0 and
to the river system as a whole.
A-3
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 4
The Lower Green River basin begins at the Auburn Narrows (RM 31) and continues to just downstream of the
confluence with the Black River in Tukwila (RM 11). The lower Green River basin is composed of two areas that
are split by the Black River basin to the north and the Mill Creek basin to the south. It is mostly on the urban side
of the urban growth boundary and contains portions of the cities of Kent, Auburn, Tukwila, Federal Way, and
SeaTac. Land uses include residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural, as well as some major highways,
including Interstate 5. There are extensive areas of office/commercial and multi-family residential development.
This area has developed rapidly over the past 20 years.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The purpose of the Segment A project is to design and construct an alternative non-motorized transportation
corridor and multi-use recreational trail between Naches Avenue SW and the Green River Trail in the cities of
Renton and Tukwila. Segment A will provide non-motorized access to recreation and employment centers and
complete a link in the Regional Trail System network. The trail is intended to safely accommodate a variety of
groups such as bicyclists, pedestrians, runners, wheelchair users, and skaters. Trail design standards will safely
accommodate different ages and skill levels within those groups.
Segment A is typically approximately 12 feet of asphalt pavement bounded by two 2-foot-wide shoulders and 1-
foot-wide clear zones, in accordance with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’
(AASHTO) guidelines. The construction schedule for the project has not been determined, but the project will
include:
Constructing a 12-foot-wide asphalt pavement trail with soft-surface (gravel) shoulders
Performing minor grading to construct the trail (approximately 1,500 cubic yards of cut and 1,100 cubic
yards of fill, disturbing an area of approximately 2 acres outside the proposed trail footprint)
Creating non-motorized improvements on the east side of the Monster Road Bridge over the Black River
Installing a pedestrian-actuated signal crossing of Monster Road south of the bridge
Constructing an undercrossing feature beneath two railroad bridges to protect trail users from potential
falling debris
Building one small retaining wall, 2 to 3 feet tall and no more than 200 feet long
Constructing up to two 10-foot by 20-foot pull-out rest areas (one at the northern perimeter of the Black
River Riparian Forest and potentially one north of Fort Dent Park)
Installing one culvert
Installing split-rail fencing and plantings to minimize the potential for disturbance to sensitive wildlife
The proposed project will not add any pollution-generating impervious surface (PGIS) to the project area. For this
reason, no stormwater treatment is required per the 2009 King County Surface Water Design Manual. Similarly,
flow control facility requirements are waived because the anticipated increase in the 100-year peak runoff flow
rate under developed conditions does not exceed 0.1 cubic feet per second (cfs) in each of the four threshold
drainage areas that were identified within the project boundaries (Parametrix 2011). The trail has been designed to
A-4
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 5
direct stormwater to the river side of the trail for dispersion as sheet flow. The use of permeable asphalt is not
proposed at this time.
Construction machinery that will be used includes typical equipment such as trucks, backhoes, compressors, and
pumps. Potential best management practices (BMPs) for erosion and sediment control include, but are not limited
to, placement of silt barriers, stormwater drain inserts, or straw bales/matting, as necessary. All erosion control
measures will be inspected regularly to ensure adequacy and assess maintenance needs. A temporary erosion and
sedimentation control (TESC) plan will be implemented to ensure that sediment-laden water does not enter any
waterbody or drainage system. During the construction period, TESC measures will be implemented and
maintained. Both a spill prevention control and countermeasures (SPCC) plan and a TESC plan will be closely
followed during construction activities.
ACTION AREA
The action area for the proposed project is defined as the immediate construction area and all terrestrial habitat
within 0.25 mile, as well as waters and aquatic habitat within the Green and Black Rivers, immediately adjacent
to the trail alignment extending to 300 feet downstream of the alignment (Figure 1). We believe this is a
conservative estimate of the maximum extent of terrestrial construction noise and of possible water quality effects
(turbidity) on fish species.
HABITAT CONDITIONS AND POTENTIAL OCCURRENCE OF PROPOSED OR LISTED SPECIES
AND CRITICAL HABITAT
A Parametrix biologist conducted a field reconnaissance on February 1, 2011. This site visit verified instream and
riparian habitat conditions within the two project area streams. Both streams are highly urbanized, although
riparian conditions within the Black River Riparian Forest, south of the trail alignment, are generally good. See
attachments for photos of habitat conditions within the action area.
The eastern three-quarters of the trail alignment (approximately 4,300 linear feet, from Naches Avenue SW to
Monster Road) follows an existing, maintained gravel maintenance road. This portion parallels the BNSF railroad
tracks and is commonly used for walking and pet exercise. The existing road surface in most of this portion
consists of compacted gravel and ranges from 10 to 12 feet wide. Areas outside the edge of the existing gravel
surface generally consist of grasses, low-growing annual plants, blackberry thickets, and native riparian trees.
Traveling west from Monster Road, the alignment is on existing paved surfaces for approximately 150 feet. The
next 650-foot stretch follows a dirt footpath that joins an existing dirt road beneath the railroad bridges. The
westernmost 600 feet of the trail alignment is on maintained lawns within Fort Dent Park.
Instream habitat of the Black River within the project area is dominated by run-type channel morphology, with
maximum stream depths of greater than 6 feet. At the time of the site visit (February 2011), the wetted width
ranged between approximately 30 and 40 feet and no pools or riffles were observed. Streambed material consists
almost exclusively of sands and silts. The streambanks are relatively steep (approximately a 50-degree angle) and
bank condition appears to be relatively stable. Underneath the Monster Road Bridge, both streambanks are
100 percent armored with riprap, from the edge of the water to the bridge deck.
A-5
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 6
No large woody debris (LWD) was observed in the action area, and the presence of the Black River pump station
above the project site precludes LWD recruitment from upstream. Overall, the quality of fish habitat is poor, with
little habitat diversity. Within the action area, the Black River would probably be used for salmonid migration or
possibly rearing, although instream cover is somewhat limited.
The stream buffers in the Black River within the project area are generally degraded, of limited widths, and
composed of herbaceous, shrub, and nonnative species. Downstream of Monster Road Bridge the stream buffer
widths vary between 50 and 100 feet on the north side of the river to about 75 to 150 feet on the south side. The
entire trail alignment west of Monster Road is within the regulatory buffers identified by the Cities of Renton and
Tukwila on the south side of the Black River; approximately the westernmost 200 feet of the alignment is within
the buffer for the Green River. Upstream of the bridge, the vegetated buffer widths average from 100 to 150 feet
on both sides of the Black River. Only the westernmost 700 feet of the trail alignment east of Monster Road is
within the buffer on the north side of the Black River. The vegetated buffer consists of lightly forested and
herbaceous plant communities, although the forested zone is restricted to within 50 feet of the river. Vegetation
includes red alder (Alnus rubra), tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix), salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), reed
canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea), Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), black cottonwood (Populus
balsamifera), western redcedar (Thuja plicata), western swordfern (Polystichum munitum), bigleaf maple (Acer
macrophyllum), red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa), and snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus).
Where the trail alignment is within 200 feet of the Black River upstream of Monster Road, riparian vegetation is
sparse, with only a few scattered deciduous trees. Nonnative shrub vegetation is dominant; the area between the
trail alignment and the river is covered almost entirely by Himalayan blackberry. The vegetation in this area is not
adequate to support a properly functioning riparian zone (e.g., stream shading, LWD recruitment, leaf litter input,
stream channel formation and maintenance).
Under existing conditions, the riparian corridor throughout the project area is not fully functioning, but it does
provide some functions that support aquatic species, including some level of small woody debris or LWD
recruitment, overhead stream cover, bank stability, leaf litter recruitment, and water quality maintenance. The
predominant cover type within the project footprint is the gravel surface of the existing maintenance road. Where
the existing surface does not consist of gravel, a worn dirt trail exists and is largely free of trees and shrubs that
would support riparian functions.
WDFW (2011a, b) data indicate that Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead trout, and cutthroat trout all have
documented presence within the Black River, within the action area. The type of use is listed as migration for all
species except coho, which use the lower Black River for juvenile rearing. Conditions favorable for Chinook
salmon spawning and rearing do not exist in the project area; recent as well as historical records indicate that
Chinook do not use this area for spawning or rearing (Harza 1995; Williams et al. 1975). However, small numbers
of adult fall Chinook migrating up the Green River occasionally stray into the Black River and become trapped
above the Black River pump station (the pump station blocks downstream passage of adult salmon). In the fall of
1997, adult Chinook were observed entering the Black River and attempting to spawn near the SW 27th Street
culvert, in Springbrook Creek, 2.3 miles upstream of the project area (WSCC 2000).
Bull trout are not known to occur in the Black River, and there have been no documented occurrences of
spawning (WDFW 1998). Water temperatures in the Black River basin are too high to support reproduction by
A-6
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 7
this species (Harza 1995). Small numbers of bull trout have been documented using the Duwamish River
downstream of the confluence of the Green and Black rivers (WSCC 2000). Bull trout are considered possible but
not likely present in the Green River upstream of that point. The western terminus of the trail alignment is
approximately 50 feet from the Green River and approximately 200 feet upstream of the Green/Black confluence.
The lower Green River and the majority of the Black River, including the reaches within the action area, have
been designated as critical habitat for Puget Sound Chinook salmon (NMFS 2005). Much of the length of the
mainstem Duwamish/Green River (including a small portion of the action area) has also been designated as
critical habitat for bull trout (USFWS 2010), although this designation does not include the Black River. Critical
habitat for the Puget Sound steelhead DPS has not been proposed or designated at this time, but based on
steelhead distribution and life history requirements, designated critical habitat for steelhead in the future would
likely include those reaches of the Black and Green Rivers designated as Chinook salmon critical habitat.
POTENTIAL PROJECT IMPACTS
Impervious surfaces: Upon the completion of trail construction, the 16-foot-wide trail corridor will generally
consist of 12 feet of asphalt pavement bounded by two 2-foot-wide gravel shoulders, all of which is considered
impervious surface. This amounts to 2.1 acres of impervious surface over the 1.1-mile length of the trail, which is
an increase of 0.8 acre from current conditions (the existing hardened gravel surfaces in the trail corridor cover
approximately 1.3 acres). Construction of the two pull-out rest areas will result in an additional 400 square feet
(0.01 acre) of impervious surface.
Stream buffer impacts: After trail construction is complete, approximately 23,500 square feet (0.54 acre) of
land area within stream buffers will consist of paved or graveled surfaces. Under current conditions,
approximately 18,000 square feet (0.40 acre) of this area consists of pavement, gravel, or other impervious
surfaces. Trail construction, therefore, would result in a net increase of approximately 5,600 square feet
(0.13 acre) in the amount of impervious surface within stream buffers.
Trail construction near the western trail terminus will result in the removal of two Douglas-fir trees (14 inches and
19 inches diameter at breast height [dbh]) approximately 50 feet from the Green River and three Douglas-fir trees
(19 to 24 inches dbh) approximately 100 feet from the Black River. Two ornamental deciduous trees (5 and
7 inches dbh) within 80 feet of the Black River will also be removed. Between the railroad tracks and Monster
Road, two large cottonwood trees (30 and 36 inches dbh) approximately 40 feet from the Black River will be
removed. Four or five small (6 to 9 inches dbh) cottonwood trees will also be removed in this area. Between two
and five deciduous trees may be removed near the eastern trail terminus; all of these are more than 500 feet from
any streams.
Temporary disturbance: Approximately 6,565 square feet (0.15 acre) of vegetation will be temporarily
disturbed by construction activities, largely within 2 feet of the project footprint.
EFFECTS ANALYSIS
Impervious surfaces: No changes in the water quality of project area streams will result, because no new PGIS
will be created. No dissolved metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), or other contaminants commonly
associated with roadway runoff will be generated on the pedestrian and bike trail.
A-7
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 8
No changes in flow regime are expected, including peak flows and base flows of the Black River or Green River,
because the amount of flow generated from the small amount of added impervious surface (0.8 acre) will be
miniscule compared to the magnitude of stream flows within the lower Black and Green Rivers. The mean
monthly flow rate in the lower Duwamish River immediately downstream of the confluence of the Black and
Green Rivers varies from 400 cfs in August to 2,600 cfs in January. Peak flows are substantially higher.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the maximum regulated flow for the 100-year
recurrence interval is 12,000 cfs at the project site. Proposed changes in land cover are expected to increase 100-
year peak flows by less than 0.1 cfs (Parametrix 2011).
In addition, the vegetated buffers between the trail and the Black and Green Rivers will allow ample opportunity
for stormwater runoff to be infiltrated or intercepted before entering the waterbodies. Most of the trail alignment
(0.7 mile of the total 1.1-mile length) is between 200 feet and 1,000 feet from the Black River, separated from the
waterbody by the wide, flat, densely vegetated Black River Riparian Forest. All stormwater from this portion of
the trail will be infiltrated or intercepted before it reaches the water. Even where the trail is less than 200 feet from
the Green River or Black River, most stormwater is expected to infiltrate within or be intercepted by vegetated
buffers that are between 25 and 50 feet wide.
No inter-basin transfers of stormwater will occur (i.e., all stormwater will remain in the basin in which it
originates).
For the reasons identified above, the project will have no impact on the hydrology or water quality of the Black
River or the Green River.
Stream buffer impacts: The overall quality of the riparian buffer areas that will be permanently displaced is low
to moderate. Of 23,500 square feet of the proposed trail alignment that falls within regulatory stream buffers, only
about 5,600 square feet consists of natural or other pervious surfaces—primarily grass or nonnative herbaceous
and shrub species. The existing buffer functions of the areas within the project footprint are somewhat degraded,
compared to fully forested conditions. Where it falls within stream buffers, the trail alignment is generally
between 25 and 50 feet from the project area streams. The low-growing vegetation in the project footprint does
not provide shade or LWD, nor does it contribute substantially to stream channel formation or maintenance,
organic matter input, or other functions that support ESA-listed fish species.
Several of the trees in the trail alignment west of Monster Road have the potential to provide shade, LWD, and
other riparian functions for the Black River. Removal of these trees could reduce the capacity of the riparian area
to contribute to habitat conditions required by Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout. The potential for adverse
effects is negligible, however, because the Black River does not support reproductive populations of any of these
species. In addition, the coniferous trees are more than 50 feet from the stream on relatively flat slopes and,
therefore, have little potential to contribute shade or LWD. Lastly, the areas from which the trees will be removed
are relatively densely wooded, compared to most portions of the trail alignment; numerous other trees will persist
and contribute to riparian functions in those areas after project construction is complete.
Based on the nature and location of buffer impacts, therefore, no substantial degradation of riparian functions
(e.g., fish and wildlife habitat; food chain support; water temperature maintenance) or processes (e.g., water flow;
erosion and accretion; infiltration; groundwater recharge and discharge; sediment delivery, transport, and storage;
large woody debris recruitment; organic matter input; nutrient and pathogen removal; stream channel formation
A-8
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 9
and maintenance) is expected to result from project-related clearing and no effects on stream habitat or fish
resources in the project area streams are anticipated.
Furthermore, an equivalent or greater area of riparian buffer will be enhanced as part of the project mitigation
activities. Locations for buffer mitigation planting have not yet been established. The preferred option for buffer
mitigation is on-site planting with native trees and shrubs in areas along the project alignment between the
proposed trail and the Black and Green Rivers.
All removal of trees from stream buffers will occur within the jurisdiction of the City of Tukwila, which requires
a Tree Clearing Permit for such activities. Under the terms of this permit, all trees larger than 4 inches diameter
that are removed will be replaced with one or more new trees, based on the replacement ratios in the Tukwila
Municipal Code. All understory vegetation within the root zone of protected trees will either be retained or
removed by methods that do not damage the tree, and then replaced with suitable vegetation.
Temporary disturbance: Construction activities occurring directly adjacent to project area streams could
increase turbidity and total suspended solids levels. However, no earthwork or riparian clearing will occur within
25 feet of the ordinary high water mark (OHWM) of the Green or Black River, and in most cases the closest
construction distance to the rivers will be greater than 40 feet. Furthermore, any such effects will be avoided
through the development and implementation of BMPs, including TESC and SPCC plans. Any overwater work
will be confined to the existing Monster Road Bridge surface. All work in this area will be conducted in the dry
season and the proper application of BMPs will ensure no concrete, falling material, or dust enters project waters.
Temporarily cleared areas will be restored to pre-construction conditions and re-planted or seeded with native
species after construction activities are complete, and no effects on listed species will occur.
Impact minimization and mitigation: Key project elements and mitigation measures to reduce and avoid
impacts of the project are as follows:
The streams in the action area have been avoided to the greatest extent feasible and no permanent filling
of streams is anticipated.
A high priority was placed on avoiding and minimizing riparian buffer impacts.
The plan includes the use of retaining walls to narrow the trail footprint in the vicinity of some riparian
buffers.
Earthwork and clearing near streams will be limited to the dry season to reduce the potential for sediment
runoff.
Construction of the trail will occur on an existing gravel maintenance road to minimize impacts to
functioning riparian buffers.
Where feasible, the trail will be widened on the north side of the existing corridor to minimize impacts to
riparian buffers and wildlife habitat.
No direct or indirect effects to forage species are expected within or downstream of the action area, and the
project will neither increase traffic capacity nor have any measurable effect on human population growth in the
area. For these reasons, the project is not expected to have any indirect effects on ESA-listed species.
Segment A is intended to become part of a larger planned Lake to Sound trail system connecting to regional trails
in Seattle and the greater Regional Trail System network. The improvement of the larger trail system, therefore, is
A-9
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 10
considered an interrelated activity under ESA, because the activity is related, but not dependent upon, completion
of the larger Lake to Sound Trail system (i.e., Segment A has independent utility as a local trail). A second
segment of the trail, Segment B, located adjacent to Des Moines Memorial Drive in the cities of SeaTac and
Burien, is currently funded for design and is currently undergoing a separate ESA consultation. The other
segments of the trail are not funded. Based on the location of the proposed trail, local land use codes, critical areas
ordinances, and state and federal regulations, these interrelated activities are not expected to affect listed species.
DETERMINATION OF EFFECTS ON PROPOSED OR LISTED SPECIES AND CRITICAL HABITAT
Listed or proposed species will not be susceptible to impacts related to project activities for the reasons
summarized in Table 1 and in the bulleted statements below. Therefore, we have determined that this project will
have no effect on all species listed or proposed for listing as threatened or endangered under the ESA.
Additionally, the project will have no effect on designated critical habitats for these species. Table 1 identifies the
listed or proposed species that may occur in the project vicinity and summarizes the nearest known occurrences,
effect determination, and the rationale for the determination for each species.
Table 1. Effect Determinations and Rationale – Lake to Sound Trail, Segment A
Listed Species/
Critical Habitat
Jurisdictional
Agency
Nearest Suitable
Habitat
Effect
Determination Effect Determination Rationale
Chinook salmon NMFS Black River
(25 feet)
No Effect See below
Chinook salmon critical habitat NMFS Black River
(25 feet)
No Effect See below
Steelhead trout NMFS Black River
(25 feet)
No Effect See below
Bull trout USFWS Green River
(50 feet)
No Effect See below
Bull trout critical habitat USFWS Green River
(50 feet)
No Effect See below
Eulachon NMFS > 10 miles No Effect No suitable habitat present
Marbled murrelet USFWS Marine waters
(> 5 miles)
No Effect No suitable habitat present
Northern spotted owl USFWS > 10 miles No Effect No suitable habitat present
Canada lynx USFWS > 10 miles No Effect No suitable habitat present
Gray wolf USFWS > 10 miles No Effect No suitable habitat present
Grizzly bear USFWS > 10 miles No Effect No suitable habitat present
Golden paintbrush USFWS > 10 miles No Effect No suitable habitat present
The proposed project will have no effect on bull trout, Chinook salmon, or Puget Sound steelhead for the
following reasons:
The project will not result in additional PGIS within the action area and there will be no increase in
pollutant loading, so no negative effects to ESA-listed fish will result.
A-10
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 11
No alteration of peak flows or base flows in project area streams will result from the increase in
impervious surface associated with trail construction because the amount of flow generated from the
added impervious surface (0.8 acre) will be miniscule compared to the magnitude of stream flows within
the lower Black and Green Rivers, and the existing riparian buffers will effectively infiltrate or intercept
the small amount of runoff generated from these surfaces.
No inwater or overwater work will occur and appropriate BMPs will be implemented to eliminate the risk
of erosion and the chance of sediments entering action area waterbodies. As part of this effort, TESC and
SPCC plans will be prepared and implemented.
Based on the project location (relative distance to designated critical habitat) and the nature and scope of project
activities as discussed above, the project will have no effect upon designated critical habitat for Chinook
salmon or bull trout.
ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT (EFH) ANALYSIS
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) includes a mandate
that NMFS must identify essential fish habitat (EFH) for federally managed commercially harvestable fish, and
federal agencies must consult with NMFS on all activities, or proposed activities, authorized, funded, or
undertaken by the agency that may adversely affect EFH. The Pacific Fishery Management Council has
designated EFH for the Pacific salmon fishery, federally managed ground fishes, and coastal pelagic fisheries.
Of the federally managed commercial habitat species, the Green and Black Rivers contain EFH for Pacific
salmon, such as Chinook, coho, and pink salmon. However, for the reasons listed above, the project will have no
deleterious effects on the physical, chemical, or biological components of these or other fish-bearing waterbodies.
Therefore, the project will have no effect on Pacific salmon EFH. No EFH for groundfish or coastal pelagic
species occurs within or adjacent to the action area. Based on these findings, the project will not adversely affect
EFH.
CONCLUSION
This assessment satisfies FHWA’s responsibilities under Section 7(c) of the ESA and the Magnuson-Stevens Act
at this time. We are sending you this copy of our assessment for your files. We will continue to remain aware of
any change in status of these species and will be prepared to reevaluate potential project impacts if necessary.
Please call me at 425-458-6200 if you require additional information or have any questions about this project.
Sincerely,
Parametrix
Mike Hall
Scientist
Attachments: Figure 1 - Project Vicinity and Action Area Map
USFWS King County Species List
NMFS Species List
Project Area Photographs
A-11
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Parks Division
October 24, 2011
Page 12
REFERENCES
Harza. 1995. Comprehensive fisheries assessment of the Springbrook, Mill, and Garrison Creek watershed.
Bellevue, Washington: prepared for City of Kent, Washington.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service). 2005. Endangered and threatened species; designation of critical
habitat for 13 evolutionarily significant units of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and steelhead
(O. mykiss) in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho; Final Rule. September 2, 2005. Federal Register
70(170):52630–52858.
Parametrix. 2011. Technical Memorandum: Preliminary stormwater management plan, Lake to Sound Trail—
Segment A. October 12, 2011.
USFWS (United States Fish and Wildlife Service). 2010. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants;
Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for Bull Trout in the Coterminous United States; Final Rule.
October 18, 2010. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal Register 75(200):63898–64070.
WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife). 1998. 1998 Washington State salmonid stock inventory.
Appendix: Bull trout and Dolly Varden. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia,
Washington. 437 pp.
WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife). 2011a. Priority Habitats and Species Report for the Lake
to Sound Trail – Segment A project vicinity. Olympia, Washington.
WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife). 2011b. Salmonscape database. Available at:
<http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/salmonscape/index.html>. Accessed on May 2, 2011.
WDNR (Washington Department of Natural Resources). 2011. List of surveyed land sections in Washington
identified by the Natural Heritage Program as reported to contain Natural Heritage Features. Available at
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/HowTo/ConservationRestoration/Pages/amp_nh_data_instructio
ns.aspx.
Williams et al. 1975. A catalog of Washington streams and salmon utilization. Volume 1, Puget Sound Region.
Washington Department of Fisheries. Olympia, Washington.
WSCC (Washington State Conservation Commission). 2000. Habitat Limiting Factors and Reconnaissance
Assessment Report: Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watersheds (Water Resource Inventory
Area 9 and Vashon Island), Olympia, Washington. December 2000.
A-12
ATTACHMENTS
A-13
A-14
Proposed Rest Area
ProposedRetaining Wall
Proposed Culvert
SW 7th St
Mons
t
e
r
R
d
S
W68th
Ave
S
Oakesdale A
v
e
S
W
Maule
Ave
SNaches Ave SWS 143rd St 80th Ave SIn
te
ru
rban
Ave
S
S 144th St
BNS
F
S 143rd St
Martin Luther King Way S
Duwamish River
Gr
e
en Riv
e
r Tr
ai
l
G
reen River
B urlington N o rth e rn S a n ta F e (B N S F ) R a i lw a y
CITY OFRENTONCITY OFTUKWILA
UNINC.KING COUNTY
Black River
Pump StationBlack R iv e r
Concrete
Recycling
Plant
Black River
Riparian Forest
Fort Dent Park
and Starfire
Sports Complex
Waterworks Gardens
Foster
Golf Links
0 800400
Feet
Figure 1Project Vicinity andAction Area Map
Project Area
LakeWashington
§¨¦90
§¨¦5
§¨¦405
§¨¦5
UV99
UV509
UV599
UV518
S E A T T L E
R E N T O N
B E L L E V U E
S E A T A C
T U K W I L A
´Legend:
Proposed
Trail Alignment
Existing Trail
City Boundary
Railroad
Action AreaPath: K:\gis\1521-king-co\554-1521-084_LakeToSound\MapDocs\Fig1ESA_Oct2011.mxdParametrix Sources: King County, City of Renton, WDFW 2011, WSDOT, Aerials Express 2009.
Lake to Sound Trail --- Segment AA-15
A-16
LISTED AND PROPOSED ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES AND CRITICAL
HABITAT; CANDIDATE SPECIES; AND SPECIES OF CONCERN
IN KING COUNTY
AS PREPARED BY
THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
WASHINGTON FISH AND WILDLIFE OFFICE
(Revised August 1, 2011)
LISTED
Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) – CoastalPuget Sound DPS
Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis)
Gray wolf (Canis lupus)
Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos = U. a. horribilis)
Marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus)
Northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina)
Major concerns that should be addressed in your Biological Assessment of project impacts to
listed animal species include:
1. Level of use of the project area by listed species.
2. Effect of the project on listed species' primary food stocks, prey species, and
foraging areas in all areas influenced by the project.
3. Impacts from project activities and implementation (e.g., increased noise levels,
increased human activity and/or access, loss or degradation of habitat) that may
result in disturbance to listed species and/or their avoidance of the project area.
Castilleja levisecta (golden paintbrush) [historic]
Major concerns that should be addressed in your Biological Assessment of project
impacts to listed plant species include:
1. Distribution of taxon in project vicinity.
2. Disturbance (trampling, uprooting, collecting, etc.) of individual plants and
loss of habitat.
1. Changes in hydrology where taxon is found.
DESIGNATED
Critical habitat for bull trout
Critical habitat for the marbled murrelet
Critical habitat for the northern spotted owl
A-17
PROPOSED
None
CANDIDATE
Fisher (Martes pennanti) – West Coast DPS
North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luteus) – contiguous U.S. DPS
Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) [historic]
Yellowbilled cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)
Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis)
SPECIES OF CONCERN
Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Beller's ground beetle (Agonum belleri)
Cascades frog (Rana cascadae)
Hatch's click beetle (Eanus hatchi)
Larch Mountain salamander (Plethodon larselli)
Longeared myotis (Myotis evotis)
Longlegged myotis (Myotis volans)
Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni)
Northwestern pond turtle (Emys (= Clemmys) marmorata marmorata)
Olivesided flycatcher (Contopus cooperi)
Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)
Pacific Townsend’s bigeared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii townsendii)
Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
River lamprey (Lampetra ayresi)
Tailed frog (Ascaphus truei)
Valley silverspot (Speyeria zerene bremeri)
Western toad (Bufo boreas)
Aster curtus (whitetop aster)
Botrychium pedunculosum (stalked moonwort)
Cimicifuga elata (tall bugbane)
A-18
Endangered Species Act Status of West Coast Salmon & Steelhead
(Updated Aug. 11, 2011)
Species1
Current Endangered Species Act Listing Status2
ESA Listing Actions Under Review
Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
1 Snake River Endangered
2 Ozette Lake Threatened
3 Baker River Not Warranted
4 Okanogan River Not Warranted
5 Lake Wenatchee Not Warranted
6 Quinalt Lake Not Warranted
7 Lake Pleasant Not Warranted
Chinook Salmon (O. tshawytscha)
8 Sacramento River Winter-run Endangered
9 Upper Columbia River Spring-run Endangered
10 Snake River Spring/Summer-run Threatened
11 Snake River Fall-run Threatened
12 Puget Sound Threatened
13 Lower Columbia River Threatened
14 Upper Willamette River Threatened
15 Central Valley Spring-run Threatened
16 California Coastal Threatened
17 Central Valley Fall and Late Fall-run Species of Concern
18 Upper Klamath-Trinity Rivers Not Warranted
19 Oregon Coast Not Warranted
20 Washington Coast Not Warranted
21 Middle Columbia River spring-run Not Warranted
22 Upper Columbia River summer/fall-run Not Warranted
23 Southern Oregon and Northern California Coast Not Warranted
24 Deschutes River summer/fall-run Not Warranted
Coho Salmon (O. kisutch)
25 Central California Coast Endangered
26 Southern Oregon/Northern California Threatened
27 Lower Columbia River Threatened • Critical habitat
28 Oregon Coast Threatened
29 Southwest Washington Undetermined
30 Puget Sound/Strait of Georgia Species of Concern
31 Olympic Peninsula Not Warranted
Chum Salmon (O. keta)
32 Hood Canal Summer-run Threatened
33 Columbia River Threatened
34 Puget Sound/Strait of Georgia Not Warranted
35 Pacific Coast Not Warranted
Steelhead (O. mykiss)
36 Southern California Endangered
37 Upper Columbia River Threatened
38 Central California Coast Threatened
39 South Central California Coast Threatened
40 Snake River Basin Threatened
41 Lower Columbia River Threatened
42 California Central Valley Threatened
43 Upper Willamette River Threatened
44 Middle Columbia River Threatened
45 Northern California Threatened
46 Oregon Coast Species of Concern
47 Southwest Washington Not Warranted
48 Olympic Peninsula Not Warranted
49 Puget Sound Threatened • Critical habitat
50 Klamath Mountains Province Not Warranted
Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha)
51 Even-year Not Warranted
52 Odd-year Not Warranted
1 The ESA defines a “species” to include any distinct population segment of any species of vertebrate fish or wildlife. For Pacific salmon, NOAA Fisheries Service considers an evolutionarily significant unit, or “ESU,” a “species” under the ESA. For Pacific steelhead, NOAA Fisheries Service has delineated distinct population segments (DPSs) for consideration as “species” under the ESA.
A-19
Lake to Sound Trail – Segment A
No Effects Letter
Attachment 554-1521-084 (A/2T300F)
Photograph 1. View of left bank riparian vegetation along the Black River, looking
east from Fort Dent Park. Note presence of shrub vegetation and scattered small
trees. Himalayan blackberry and other non-native species are also present.
Photograph 2. View of proposed trail alignment, looking east from near the Green
River Trail. Note degraded understory riparian conditions and the lack of vegetated
ground cover. The trees will be maintained in place, where feasible.
A-20
Lake to Sound Trail – Segment A
No Effects Letter
Attachment 554-1521-084 (A/2T300F)
Photograph 3. View of riparian conditions on right bank of Black River, looking south
from immediately upstream (east) of the Monster Road Bridge. Note the presence of
non-native vegetation and scarcity of mature trees.
Photograph 4. View of existing gravel trail/proposed trail alignment, looking east from
immediately upstream (east) of the Monster Road Bridge. The Black River is on the
right side of the photo and the Black River Pump station is in the background.
A-21
APPENDIX B
Bridge Plan and Elevation and Proposed Ground Improvement Areas
ENGINEERING . PLANNING . ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
OFLAKE TO SOUND TRAIL
SEGMENT A
GREEN RIVER TRAIL TO NACHES AVE SW
47DRAFT411 108TH AVENUE N.E., SUITE 1800BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON 98004
T. 425.458.6200 F. 425.458.6363www.parametrix.com
60% REVIEW SUBMITTAL
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFRAFRAFRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAFAFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRARRRRRRRAARAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRARRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFFFFFFFFF 17
TESC9
CLEARING, GRADING AND
TESC PLAN
APPENDIX C
Species Lists from NMFS and USFWS
West Coast Region Home
About Us
What We Do
Aquaculture
Fish Passage
Habitat
Protected Species
Fisheries
Hatcheries
Resources
Permits & Authorizations
Publications
Education & Outreach
Maps & Data
Recent Stories
Newsroom
NOAA Affiliates
West Coast Region Home »Salmon & Steelhead »Recovery Planning »Puget Sound
Recovery Plans
Puget Sound Chinook
Overview of Recovery Efforts
Recovery Plan
Population Trends
•Salmon Population Trend Summaries
•Salmon Population Summary Database
•5-Year Salmon Status Review 1.4MB
Hood Canal Summer-run Chum
Overview of Recovery Efforts
Recovery Plan
Population Trends
•Salmon Population Trend Summaries
•Salmon Population Summary Database
•5-Year Salmon Status Review 1.4MB
Puget Sound Steelhead
Current Recovery Planning Efforts
Recovery Outline 5.3MB
Population Trends
•Salmon Population Summary Database
•5-Year Salmon Status Review 1.4MB
Recovery Information
About Recovery Planning & Implementation in Puget
Sound
2011 Implementation Status Assessment Final
Report
•Appendix A to Final Report
Partners
Puget Sound Action Plan
Technical Recovery Team
Publications
Get Involved
Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Domain
The Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Domain is located in the northwestern corner of Washington State. It includes several large river
systems flowing from the western slopes of the Cascade mountains, multiple estuaries, the San Juan Islands, Hood Canal, and a northern
portion of the Olympic Peninsula. This domain has three listed species of salmon and steelhead: Puget Sound Chinook, Hood Canal
Summer-run Chum, Puget Sound steelhead. NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region manages recovery planning and implementation for
this region through its Oregon & Washington Coastal Area Office.
For more information, please contact: Elizabeth Babcock, Puget Sound Recovery Coordinator, 206.526.4505 .
NOAA HOME WEATHER OCEANS FISHERIES CHARTING SATELLITES CLIMATE RESEARCH COASTS CAREERS
◾Contact the West Coast
Region
◾Learn more about ESA Section 7 consultations
◾Learn more about the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery
Fund
◾Log into my IFQ account
◾Find a biological opinion
◾Report a stranded or
entangled marine mammal
◾Report a violation
◾Find grant opportunities
How do I?
West Coast Region
Comment on Proposed Rules
Grants
Jobs
Feedback
Locate NOAA Staff
About Us
NOAA Fisheries Service
Fisheries Home
Privacy Policy
Information Quality
Disclaimer
About Us
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Lake to Sound
Trail—Segment A
Pedestrian Bridge
IPaC Trust Resource Report
Generated July 30, 2015 11:41 AM MDT
2EQSN-2BLMR-AJ7D2-SD7TE-4YZ4BMIPaC Trust Resource Report
07/30/2015 11:41 Page 2 Information for Planning and ConservationIPaC
Version 2.1.0
US Fish & Wildlife Service
IPaC Trust Resource Report
Project Description
NAME
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A
Pedestrian Bridge
PROJECT CODE
2EQSN-2BLMR-AJ7D2-SD7TE-4YZ4BM
LOCATION
King County, Washington
DESCRIPTION
No description provided
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Contact Information
Species in this report are managed by:
Washington Fish And Wildlife Office
510 Desmond Drive Se, Suite 102
Lacey, WA 98503-1263
(360) 753-9440
2EQSN-2BLMR-AJ7D2-SD7TE-4YZ4BMIPaC Trust Resource Report
07/30/2015 11:41 Page 3 Information for Planning and ConservationIPaC
Version 2.1.0
Threatened
Threatened
Threatened
Threatened
Threatened
Endangered Species
Proposed, candidate, threatened, and endangered species that are managed by the
and should be considered as part of an effect analysisEndangered Species Program
for this project.
This unofficial species list is for informational purposes only and does not fulfill the
requirements under of the Endangered Species Act, which states that FederalSection 7
agencies are required to "request of the Secretary of Interior information whether any
species which is listed or proposed to be listed may be present in the area of a
proposed action." This requirement applies to projects which are conducted, permitted
or licensed by any Federal agency.
A letter from the local office and a species list which fulfills this requirement can be
obtained by returning to this project on the IPaC website and requesting an Official
Species List from the regulatory documents section.
Birds
Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus
CRITICAL HABITAT
There is critical habitat designated for this species.final
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B08C
Streaked Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris strigata
CRITICAL HABITAT
There is critical habitat designated for this species.final
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B0B3
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
CRITICAL HABITAT
There is critical habitat designated for this species.proposed
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B06R
Fishes
Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus
CRITICAL HABITAT
There is critical habitat designated for this species.final
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E065
Flowering Plants
Golden Paintbrush Castilleja levisecta
CRITICAL HABITAT
has been designated for this species.No critical habitat
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=Q26U
2EQSN-2BLMR-AJ7D2-SD7TE-4YZ4BMIPaC Trust Resource Report
07/30/2015 11:41 Page 4 Information for Planning and ConservationIPaC
Version 2.1.0
Proposed Endangered
Threatened
Mammals
Canada Lynx Lynx canadensis
CRITICAL HABITAT
There is critical habitat designated for this species.final
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=A073
Gray Wolf Canis lupus
CRITICAL HABITAT
has been designated for this species.No critical habitat
Critical Habitats
Potential effects to critical habitat(s) within the project area must be analyzed along with
the endangered species themselves.
Bull Trout Critical Habitat Final designated
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E065#crithab
Chinook Salmon Critical Habitat Final designated
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=E06D#crithab
2EQSN-2BLMR-AJ7D2-SD7TE-4YZ4BMIPaC Trust Resource Report
07/30/2015 11:41 Page 5 Information for Planning and ConservationIPaC
Version 2.1.0
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Bird of conservation concern
Migratory Birds
Birds are protected by the and the Bald and Golden EagleMigratory Bird Treaty Act
Protection Act.
Any activity which results in the of migratory birds or eagles is prohibited unlesstake
authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (). There are no provisions for1
allowing the take of migratory birds that are unintentionally killed or injured.
You are responsible for complying with the appropriate regulations for the protection of
birds as part of this project. This involves analyzing potential impacts and implementing
appropriate conservation measures for all project activities.
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Year-round
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B008
Black Swift Cypseloides niger
Season: Breeding
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B0FW
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Season: Breeding
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
Year-round
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
Season: Breeding
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B0AN
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Season: Breeding
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B0FU
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus
Year-round
Rufous Hummingbird selasphorus rufus
Season: Breeding
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B0E1
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
Season: Wintering
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
Year-round
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B0HD
Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
Season: Breeding
https://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B0F6
2EQSN-2BLMR-AJ7D2-SD7TE-4YZ4BMIPaC Trust Resource Report
07/30/2015 11:41 Page 6 Information for Planning and ConservationIPaC
Version 2.1.0
Refuges
Any activity proposed on lands must undergo a 'CompatibilityNational Wildlife Refuge
Determination' conducted by the Refuge. If your project overlaps or otherwise impacts a
Refuge, please contact that Refuge to discuss the authorization process.
There are no refuges within this project area
2EQSN-2BLMR-AJ7D2-SD7TE-4YZ4BMIPaC Trust Resource Report
07/30/2015 11:41 Page 7 Information for Planning and ConservationIPaC
Version 2.1.0
0.2 acre
0.762 acre
2.69 acres
0.512 acre
2.79 acres
10.2 acres
0.235 acre
2.12 acres
Wetlands
Impacts to and other aquatic habitats from your project may be subject toNWI wetlands
regulation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, or other State/Federal Statutes.
Project proponents should discuss the relationship of these requirements to their project
with the Regulatory Program of the appropriate .U.S. Army Corps of Engineers District
DATA LIMITATIONS
The Service's objective of mapping wetlands and deepwater habitats is to produce reconnaissance level information
on the location, type and size of these resources. The maps are prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery.
Wetlands are identified based on vegetation, visible hydrology and geography. A margin of error is inherent in the use
of imagery; thus, detailed on-the-ground inspection of any particular site may result in revision of the wetland
boundaries or classification established through image analysis.
The accuracy of image interpretation depends on the quality of the imagery, the experience of the image analysts,
the amount and quality of the collateral data and the amount of ground truth verification work conducted. Metadata
should be consulted to determine the date of the source imagery used and any mapping problems.
Wetlands or other mapped features may have changed since the date of the imagery or field work. There may be
occasional differences in polygon boundaries or classifications between the information depicted on the map and the
actual conditions on site.
DATA EXCLUSIONS
Certain wetland habitats are excluded from the National mapping program because of the limitations of aerial
imagery as the primary data source used to detect wetlands. These habitats include seagrasses or submerged
aquatic vegetation that are found in the intertidal and subtidal zones of estuaries and nearshore coastal waters.
Some deepwater reef communities (coral or tuberficid worm reefs) have also been excluded from the inventory.
These habitats, because of their depth, go undetected by aerial imagery.
DATA PRECAUTIONS
Federal, state, and local regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over wetlands may define and describe wetlands in a
different manner than that used in this inventory. There is no attempt, in either the design or products of this
inventory, to define the limits of proprietary jurisdiction of any Federal, state, or local government or to establish the
geographical scope of the regulatory programs of government agencies. Persons intending to engage in activities
involving modifications within or adjacent to wetland areas should seek the advice of appropriate federal, state, or
local agencies concerning specified agency regulatory programs and proprietary jurisdictions that may affect such
activities.
Freshwater Emergent Wetland
PEMF
PEMC
Freshwater Forested/shrub Wetland
PSSC
PFOA
PSSA
Freshwater Pond
PUBKx
PUBH
PUBHx
2EQSN-2BLMR-AJ7D2-SD7TE-4YZ4BMIPaC Trust Resource Report
07/30/2015 11:41 Page 8 Information for Planning and ConservationIPaC
Version 2.1.0
2.43 acres
106.0 acres
249.0 acres
Riverine
R2UBH
R1UBV
R2UBHx
APPENDIX D
Biology of Species Addressed in This Analysis
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment D-1 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
Chinook Salmon
Status of Species
The Puget Sound Chinook salmon evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) encompasses all runs of Chinook
salmon from the Elwha River in the Strait of Juan de Fuca eastward, including rivers and streams flowing into
Hood Canal, Puget Sound, and the Strait of Georgia in Washington. Of an estimated 31 original populations,
there are 22 extant geographically distinct populations representing the primary historical spawning areas of
Chinook salmon in the ESU (Good et al. 2005). Of the nine extinct populations, eight were spring Chinook
salmon. The extinct spring Chinook salmon populations represented a significant portion of the historical life
history diversity and spatial structure of the ESU. Their loss has increased the ESU’s risk of extinction.
Long-term trends in abundance and median population growth rates for naturally spawning populations of
Puget Sound Chinook salmon indicate that approximately half of the populations are declining and the other
half are increasing in abundance. Eight of the 22 populations are declining over the short term, and 11 or 12
populations are experiencing long-term declines (Good et al. 2005). Factors contributing to the downward
trends are widespread blockages of streams, degraded freshwater and marine habitat, poor forest practices in
upper river tributaries, and urbanization and agriculture in lower tributaries and main stem rivers.
Pertinent Life History
Chinook salmon spawning areas are generally characterized by stream gradients of less than 2 percent,
velocities between 1.0 and 3.6 feet per second, depths greater than 0.8 feet, and gravel and cobble substrates
as large as 4 inches. Chinook salmon favor the head of riffles and side channels for their redd locations
(Healey 1991). The eggs are deposited in gravel that has well-oxygenated water percolating through it (Healey
1991). The eggs overwinter and hatch in the gravel to become juveniles with a yolk sac.
After emerging from the gravel (usually in late winter), juvenile Chinook salmon rear in fresh water for a
period ranging from a few days to 3 years (Wydoski and Whitney 1979; Healey 1991). Outmigration
commonly occurs during the night under the cover of darkness, although some fish may migrate during the
day (Healey 1991). Chinook salmon fry tend to migrate along the banks and avoid the high velocity water
near the center (thalweg) of the channel (Healey 1991).
Most juvenile Chinook salmon in Puget Sound streams migrate to the marine environment during their first
year and are thus known as “ocean-type” fish (Myers et al. 1998). Most ocean-type Chinook begin moving
downstream as fry soon after emergence, whereas others remain upriver to rear in areas closer to the
spawning grounds, migrating as fingerlings (Healey 1991; Seiler et al. 2002; Nelson et al. 2004). Peak
migration of fry typically occurs in early March, followed by few fish migrating during late March through
April, and then fingerlings migrating from May through July. A small proportion of juvenile Chinook in some
systems are “stream-type” individuals, rearing in freshwater for 12 to 18 months before emigrating. Stream-
type Chinook salmon may migrate to the ocean any time of the year, although most Chinook salmon within a
population tend to migrate at similar times and ages (Healey 1991).
Different populations of Puget Sound Chinook salmon have different run timings—i.e., the seasonal periods
during which mature adults return to rivers to spawn. Puget Sound spring-run populations return to natal
rivers from early spring to mid-summer and spawn from late summer to early fall in colder, higher-elevation
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment D-2 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
areas of watersheds where eggs and fry develop more slowly. Puget Sound fall-run populations return to natal
streams from late summer to fall and spawn until late fall. Spring-run juveniles tend to reside longer in natal
streams before their ocean migration, and to have different ocean migration patterns than do fall runs. As the
term implies, spawn-timing characteristics of summer/fall runs are intermediate between spring and fall runs.
Primary Constituent Elements of Critical Habitat
NMFS has defined specific primary constituent elements (PCEs) as the known physical and biological
features within occupied areas that are essential to the conservation of the species (70 FR 52630, September
2, 2005). The specific PCEs for Chinook salmon in freshwater areas are as follows:
1. Freshwater spawning sites with water quantity and quality conditions and substrate supporting
spawning, incubation, and larval development.
2. Freshwater rearing sites with water quantity and floodplain connectivity to form and maintain
physical habitat conditions, and support juvenile growth and mobility; water quality and forage
supporting juvenile development; and natural cover such as shade, submerged and overhanging
large wood, log jams and beaver dams, aquatic vegetation, large rocks and boulders, side channels,
and undercut banks.
3. Freshwater migration corridors free of obstruction with water quantity and quality conditions and
natural cover such as submerged and overhanging large wood, aquatic vegetation, large rocks and
boulders, side channels, and undercut banks supporting juvenile and adult mobility and survival.
Steelhead
Status of Species
The Puget Sound distinct population segment (DPS) of steelhead is listed as a threatened species under the
ESA (72 FR 26722, May 11, 2007). The DPS includes all naturally spawned anadromous winter-run and
summer-run Oncorhynchus mykiss (steelhead) populations, in streams within the river basins of the Strait of Juan
de Fuca, Puget Sound, and Hood Canal, Washington. The DPS also includes steelhead from artificial
propagation programs in the Green River.
Pertinent Life History
Steelhead are the anadromous form of freshwater resident rainbow or redband Oncorhynchus mykiss trout
species. The present distribution of steelhead extends from Asia, to Alaska, and south to the U.S.-Mexico
border (Busby et al. 1996; 67 FR 21586, May 1, 2002). Unlike many salmonid species, the O. mykiss exhibit
extremely complex and plastic (i.e., variable and changeable within generations) life-history characteristics,
such that their offspring can exhibit different life-history forms from the parental generation. For example,
offspring of resident fish may migrate to sea, and offspring of anadromous steelhead may remain in streams
as resident fish (Burgner et al. 1992).
Anadromous steelhead can spend up to 7 years in freshwater prior to smoltification (the physiological and
behavioral changes required for the transition to saltwater), and then spend up to 3 years in saltwater before
returning to freshwater to spawn. However, they typically return to their natal stream to spawn as 4- or
5-year-old fish. Unlike Pacific salmon, steelhead trout are iteroparous—that is, capable of spawning more
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment D-3 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
than once before they die. However, it is rare for steelhead to spawn more than twice before dying, and those
that do are usually females (Busby et al. 1996).
Over their entire range, West Coast steelhead spawning migrations occur throughout the year, with seasonal
peaks of migration activity varying by location. Even in a given river basin there might be more than one
seasonal migration peak, typically referred to as winter, spring, summer, or fall steelhead runs. Although there
are generally four migration seasons, steelhead are typically divided into two basic reproductive ecotypes
(summer and winter), based on the state of sexual maturity at the time they enter freshwater and the duration
of spawning migration (Burgner et al. 1992). The summer, or stream maturing, type enters freshwater in a
sexually immature condition between May and October, and matures sexually over the course of several
months. In contrast, the winter, or ocean maturing, type enters freshwater in a sexually mature condition
between November and April, and spawns shortly thereafter. In basins with both ecotypes, the summer run
generally spawns farther upstream than winter-run fish. The winter run of steelhead is the predominant run in
Puget Sound.
Depending on water temperature, fertilized steelhead eggs may incubate in redds for 1.5 to 4 months before
hatching as alevins. Following yolk sac absorption, young juveniles (fry) emerge from the gravel and begin
active feeding. As they grow, steelhead move to deeper parts of the stream, establish territories and diet
changes from microscopic aquatic organisms to larger organisms such as isopods, amphipods, and aquatic
and terrestrial insects, primarily associated with the stream bottom (Wydoski and Whitney 1979). Riparian
vegetation and submerged cover (logs, rocks, and aquatic vegetation) are important for providing cover, food,
temperature stability, and protection from predators. As a result, densities of juvenile steelhead are highest in
areas containing in-stream cover (Reiser and Bjornn 1979; Johnson and Kucera 1985). Juvenile steelhead tend
to reside in freshwater for 2 years or more before migrating to marine habitats. Juvenile outmigration typically
takes place during April and May (Busby et al. 1996).
Primary Constituent Elements of Critical Habitat
Critical habitat for Puget Sound steelhead was proposed for designation in 2013 (78 FR 2726, January 14,
2013). As established in that proposal, the specific PCEs for steelhead in freshwater areas are as follows:
1. Freshwater spawning sites with water quantity and quality conditions and substrate supporting
spawning, incubation, and larval development.
2. Freshwater rearing sites with water quantity and floodplain connectivity to form and maintain
physical habitat conditions and support juvenile growth and mobility; water quality and forage
supporting juvenile development; and natural cover such as shade, submerged and overhanging
large wood, log jams and beaver dams, aquatic vegetation, large rocks and boulders, side channels,
and undercut banks.
3. Freshwater migration corridors free of obstruction with water quantity and quality conditions and
natural cover such as submerged and overhanging large wood, aquatic vegetation, large rocks and
boulders, side channels, and undercut banks supporting juvenile and adult mobility and survival.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment D-4 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
Bull Trout
Status of Species
The coterminous United States population of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) was listed as threatened in 1999
(64 FR 58910, November 1, 1999). Bull trout occur from the Klamath River Basin of south-central Oregon
and in the Jarbridge River in Nevada, north to various coastal rivers of Washington to the Puget Sound and
east throughout major rivers within the Columbia River Basin to the St. Mary-Belly River, east of the
Continental Divide in northwestern Montana.
Pertinent Life History
Bull trout are believed to be restricted in their spawning distribution by water temperature. Bull trout spawn
in late summer and early fall (Bjornn 1991). Some individuals return to freshwater in late summer and fall to
spawn in upper tributaries and headwater areas. Puget Sound stocks typically initiate spawning in late October
or early November as water temperature falls below 7 to 8ºC. Spawning habitat almost invariably consists of
very clean gravel, often in areas of groundwater upwelling or cold spring inflow (Goetz 1994). Egg incubation
temperatures needed for survival have been shown to range from 2 to 4ºC (Willamette National Forest 1989).
Bull trout eggs require approximately 100 to 145 days to hatch, followed by an additional 65 to 90 days of
yolk sac absorption during alevin incubation. Thus, in gravel incubation spans more than 6 months. Hatching
occurs in winter or late spring and fry emergence occurs from early April through May (Rieman and McIntyre
1993).
Generally, for their first 1 to 2 years, bull trout juveniles rear near their natal tributary and exhibit a preference
for cool water temperatures (Bjornn 1991), although they appear less restricted by temperature than are
spawners. Newly emerged bull trout fry are often found in shallow, backwater areas of streams that contain
woody debris. Later, or in other habitats lacking woody debris for refugia, fry are bottom dwellers, and may
occupy interstitial spaces in the streambed (Brown 1992). Because all known spawning occurs in the upper
Skykomish sub basin, these habitat requirements are not pertinent in the action area.
Resident forms of bull trout spend their entire lives in small streams, while migratory forms live in tributary
streams for several years before migrating to larger rivers (fluvial form) or lakes (adfluvial form). Migratory
individuals typically move downstream in the summer and often congregate in large, low velocity pools to
feed (Bjornn 1991). Anadromous bull trout usually remain in freshwater 2 or 3 years before migrating to
saltwater in spring (Wydoski and Whitney 1979).
Bull trout life histories are plastic, and juveniles may develop a life history strategy that differs from their
parents. The shift between resident and migratory life forms may depend on environmental conditions. For
example, resident forms may increase within a population when survival of migratory forms is low (Rieman
and McIntyre 1993). Char are generally longer lived than salmon, and bull trout up to 12 years old have been
identified in Washington (Brown 1992). Some individuals are amphidromous; that is, they return seasonally to
freshwater as sub adults, sometimes for several years, before returning to spawn (Wilson 1997).
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment D-5 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
Primary Constituent Elements of Critical Habitat
Within the designated critical habitat areas, the PCEs for bull trout are those habitat components that are
essential for the primary biological needs of foraging, reproducing, rearing of young, dispersal, genetic
exchange, or sheltering (75 FR 63898, October 18, 2010). The specific PCEs for bull trout are:
1. Springs, seeps, groundwater sources, and subsurface water connectivity (hyporheic flows) to
contribute to water quality and quantity and provide thermal refugia.
2. Migratory habitats with minimal physical, biological, or water quality impediments between
spawning, rearing, overwintering, and freshwater and marine foraging habitats, including but not
limited to permanent, partial, intermittent, or seasonal barriers.
3. An abundant food base, including terrestrial organisms of riparian origin, aquatic
macroinvertebrates, and forage fish.
4. Complex river, stream, lake, reservoir, and marine shoreline aquatic environments and processes
with features such as large wood, side channels, pools, undercut banks, and substrates to provide a
variety of depths, gradients, velocities, and structure.
5. Water temperatures ranging from 2 to 15°C (36 to 59°F), with adequate thermal refugia available for
temperatures at the upper end of this range. Specific temperatures within this range will vary
depending on bull trout life history stage and form; geography; elevation; diurnal and seasonal
variation; shade, such as that provided by riparian habitat; and local groundwater influence.
6. Substrates of sufficient amount, size, and composition to ensure success of egg and embryo
overwinter survival, fry emergence, and young of the year and juvenile survival. A minimal amount
(e.g., less than 12 percent) of fine substrate less than 0.85 mm (0.03 in.) in diameter and minimal
embeddedness of these fines in larger substrates are characteristic of these conditions.
7. A natural hydrograph, including peak, high, low, and base flows within historic and seasonal ranges
or, if flows are controlled, they minimize departures from a natural hydrograph.
8. Sufficient water quality and quantity such that normal reproduction, growth, and survival are not
inhibited.
9. Few or no non-native predatory (e.g., lake trout, walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass),
inbreeding (e.g., brook trout), or competitive (e.g., brown trout) species present.
References
Bjornn. T.C. 1991. Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus). Pages 230-235 in J. Stolz and J. Schnell, eds. Trout. Stackpole
Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Brown, L.G. 1992. On the zoogeography and life history of Washington’s native char. Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife, Rept. #94-04, Fish. Mgmt. Div. 41 p.
Burgner, R.L., J.T. Light, L. Margolis, T. Okazaki, A. Tautz, and S. Ito. 1992. Distribution and origins of
steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in offshore waters of the north Pacific Ocean. International North
Pacific Fisheries Commission. Bull. no. 51.
Lake to Sound Trail—Segment A Pedestrian Bridge
Biological Assessment D-6 August 2015
King County 554-1251-084 (A/3T300D)
Busby, P.J., T.C. Wainwright, and G.J. Bryant. 1996. Status Review of West Coast Steelhead from Washington,
Oregon and California. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-27. National Marine
Fisheries Service. Seattle, Washington.
Goetz, F.A. 1994. Distribution and ecology of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the Cascade Mountains.
Master’s Thesis. Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
Good, T.P., R.S. Waples, and P. Adams, eds. 2005. Updated status of federally listed ESUs of West Coast
salmon and steelhead. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest
Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Technical Memorandum. NMFS-NWFSC-66, Seattle, WA. 598 pp.
Healey, M.C. 1991. Life history of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Pages 311-393 in C. Groot and L.
Margolis, editors. Pacific salmon life histories. UBC Press, University of British Columbia, Vancouver,
British Columbia.
Johnson, J.H. and P.A. Kucera. 1985. Summer-autumn habitat utilization of subyearling steelhead trout in
tributaries of the Clearwater River, Idaho. Canadian Journal of Zoology 63:2283-2290.
Myers, J.M., R.G. Kope, G.J. Bryant, D. Teel, L.J. Lierheimer, T.C. Mainwright, W.S. Grant, F.K. Waknitz, K.
Neely, S.T. Lindley, and R.S. Waples. 1998. Status review of Chinook salmon from Washington, Idaho,
Oregon, and California. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-35.
443 pp.
Nelson, T., G. Ruggerone, H. Kim, R. Schaefer, and M. Boles. 2004. Juvenile Chinook migration, growth and
habitat use in the lower Green River, Duwamish River and Nearshore of Elliott Bay, 2001-2003. Draft
Report. WRIA 9 Juvenile Salmonid Survival Study. King County DNR and NRC. Seattle, Washington.
Reiser, D.W., and T.C. Bjornn. 1979. 1. Habitat requirements of anadromous salmonids. In: Meehan, W.R.,
Technical Editor. Influence of Forest and Rangeland Management on Anadromous Fish Habitat in
the Western United States and Canada. USDA Forest Service GTR PNW-96. 54 pp.
Rieman, B.E., and J.D. McIntyre. 1993. Demographic and habitat requirements for conservation of bull trout.
General Technical Report. U.S. Forest Service Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, Utah. 38 pp.
Seiler, D., G., Volkhardt, L. Kishimoto, and P. Topping. 2002. 2000 Green River juvenile salmonid production
evaluation. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington.
Willamette National Forest. 1989. Biology of the bull trout Salvelinus confluentus. A literature review. Willamette
National Forest. Eugene, Oregon. (Frequently cited as Goetz, F.A. 1989.)
Wilson, M.F. 1997. Variation in salmonid life histories: patterns and perspectives. U.S. Forest Service, Pacific
Northwest Research Station Research Paper PNW-RP-498, Portland, Oregon.
Wydoski, R.S., and R.R. Whitney. 1979. Inland Fishes of Washington. University of Washington Press, Seattle,
Washington.