Living among the Fish: A Guide to Conservation of Fish Habitat in the Developed Landscape

Abstract

California’s population is forecast to increase by between 8 and 11 million people within the next 15 years. Residential and commercial development to accommodate this additional population is projected to occupy an additional 373,000 acres of currently undeveloped land in California. This will increase California’s urban footprint by 27 percent in 38 counties (Landis and Reilly 2004). Urbanization has profound impacts on aquatic habitat. Nationwide, almost 81,000 miles of stream have been altered by urbanization, making it second only to agriculture as a cause of stream impairment (EPA 2000). Even modest amounts of urbanization can have adverse effects on fish and their habitats (Paul and Meyer 2001). California streams and tributaries once supported large populations of coho and Chinook salmon, as well as steelhead and cutthroat trout. That is no longer the case, and several strains of California salmon and steelhead are listed as threatened or endangered under the state and federal Endangered Species Acts. Efforts are underway to develop recovery strategies for salmon and steelhead, but in the meantime human population growth and associated urban development continue to degrade fish habitat both directly and indirectly by changing natural watershed and stream processes. Some potential impacts of development can be reversed or avoided by exercising informed judgment during the planning and review of proposed projects. The purpose of this publication is to provide guidance to public and private planners and decision makers on how to protect aquatic habitat during land development. Suggestions are also provided on ways to reverse impacts that have already occurred. Although the primary audience for this publication is planners, many of the principles and recommendations will be helpful to others, including land owners, homeowners, and environmental activists.