Habitat

Biological Inventory

The purpose of the Basewide Biological Inventory was to review existing documentation regarding biological resources at Fort Ord, to verify these findings through field surveys, and to identify and fill data gaps as necessary.  Results of the biological investigations were used to provide a basis for ecological risk assessments and to develop resource protection guidelines for field work.  Subsequent investigations were conducted to fill data gaps identified in the initial biological inventory; results of these investigations are incorporated into the Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA).

During the 1991 and 1992 field investigations, limited field surveys were conducted.  Characteristic plant and animal species and resources of concern (i.e., special-status taxa and communities) known or likely to occur were identified during field surveys.  In addition, plant communities were identified from aerial photos and mapped for the entire base.

During 1993 and 1994, comprehensive field surveys were conducted at sites for which additional environmental characterization was necessary.  The purpose of these surveys was to provide more detailed and site-specific information regarding botanical resources, plant communities, observed and expected wildlife, and biological resources of concern.  Plant communities were mapped for each site evaluated in the ERA.  The eleven plant community types identified at the Fort Ord sites surveyed included coast live oak woodland, central maritime chaparral, central coastal scrub, vegetatively stabilized dune, northern foredune grassland, landscaped, valley needlegrass grassland, seasonally wet grassland, vernal pool, upland ruderal, and wet ruderal.  Special-status taxa that occur or potentially occur in these communities at Fort Ord were identified for each site evaluated in the ERA and include 22 vascular plant, 1 invertebrate, 4 reptilian, 1 amphibian, 9 avian, and 2 mammalian species.  In addition to conducting site-specific field surveys, reference sites were identified for comparison with sites evaluated in the ERA.  Reference sites were chosen to establish comparable baseline conditions for unaffected sites.  Reference site locations exhibited plant communities, slope, aspect, and soils similar to sites evaluated in the ERA. Reference sites are discussed further in the ERA.

Ecological Risk Assessment

The purpose of the Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) was to assess whether plants or animals might be adversely affected by chemicals at Fort Ord, either now or in the future.  Forty three potential chemical source areas and 38 surface water outfalls have been identified where contaminants might be present.

The Ecological Risk Assessment involved:

Developing conceptual site models to identify endpoints identifying locations where chemicals of potential concern (COPC) are present that have not adversely affected plants or animals.  Identifying locations where COPCs are present that may be adversely affecting plants or animals, and characterizing the magnitude and extent of those effects.

Following EPA guidelines, these tasks were performed in three separate phases:  problem formulation, analysis, and risk characterization.