Santa Ana River Mainstem Project

The Santa Ana River Mainstem Project is a major flood control project being constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Leatherman BioConsulting, Inc. provided various environmental services during numerous active construction phases in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Biological monitoring services include implementing the Worker Environmental Awareness Program (WEAP) and conducting pre-construction and nesting bird surveys.

Also, the least Bell’s vireo is monitored, and the need for maintenance of BMPs is assessed to ensure compliance with the SWPPP. The sound levels of construction in the least Bell’s vireo habitat are monitored, weekly construction monitoring is conducted, and weekly monitoring reports prepared for the USACE are conducted.

Other services include focused surveys for the California gnatcatcher in support of ongoing consultation with the USFWS and qualitative and quantitative (line-intercept vegetation transects) monitoring of restored habitats. Leatherman BioConsulting, Inc. also conducted pre-construction surveys for burrowing owls, installed one-way doors to exclude owls from occupied burrows, and designed and monitored the construction of artificial burrows to passively relocate burrowing owls from occupied burrows within the project footprint.