Corps Park/Stanislaus River Bicycle Bridge Mitigation

City of Ripon
2002 - 2003

This project was constructed as required mitigation for a bicycle path and bridge over the Stanislaus River. Both items required clearing of riparian vegetation, including elderberry shrubs (habitat for the Federally listed valley elderberry longhorn beetle), for which mitigation was required. Hanford ARC subcontracted to RGW, who constructed the path and bridge. LSA Associates monitored the construction and designed and monitored the mitigation measures.

All existing elderberry bushes were fenced and signs were posted to protect them from the construction activities. The 3.5-acre mitigation area was cleared of non-native weeds and mulched with four inches of wood chips. Hanford ARC eradicated a large grove of Ailanthus altissima by cutting and treating the stumps. Following installation of protection measures and clearing, we performed the layout and installation of 829 riparian trees and shrubs. Plant protection was installed on an as needed basis.

One year of maintenance was conducted including follow-up treatment of the Ailanthus stumps, and intensive hand weeding of broadleaf peppergrass and other noxious weeds. Infrequent deep irrigation was applied by hand during the dry season. The duration of the project was from January 2002 to March 2003.