Section 2: Natural Resource Surveys
Anchor: #i1003715Overview
This section covers processes and guidelines for performing natural resource surveys. Natural resource surveys gather information and assess potential impact on plant and animal species and their habitat, and water and water related natural resources, such as wetlands. It is important that data collection efforts be consistent with the level of impacts to be evaluated for a particular project and that the methods used are selected to assure that the collected data will answer the appropriate questions. ENV's Natural Resource Management (NRM) staff is available to assist districts with this type of information.
Anchor: #i1003730Natural Resource Survey Activities
- Describe scope of impact
- gather and assess natural resource data, including threatened/endangered species
- determine Coastal Barrier Resource Act applicability
- determine wetland status and needs
- determine permit needs.
Scope of Impact
The natural resource data in an environmental document must be sufficient to determine whether the impacts of the projects are significant and within the scope of NEPA. Every action that TxDOT takes must be evaluated for potential effects on biological and water resources.
When adequate information to describe project impacts cannot be located from sources such as those listed below, it may be necessary to develop original site specific information through field inventory or research. A qualified biologist can collect original biological data.
Anchor: #i1003779Natural Resource Data
The information needed to describe the natural resources of a project location may include, but is not limited to:
- land use and disturbance history for the existing and new ROW and adjacent lands
- project design information
- topographic information
- geology and soils information
- water resources information
- regional and project area vegetation information, including dominant species, size range of dominant trees, percent canopy coverage, height and trunk size, native, introduced or mixed grasses (for grasslands)
- special habitat features, such as streams, lakes, cliffs
- animal species occurrences, especially any occurrences documented for the site (long species lists do not help), and any animal species density information that may be available for the location
- occurrences of species of special concern, such as federal threatened and endangered species which occur in the project area
- any other information required to complete a standard
habitat evaluation such as habitat evaluation procedures (HEP -
USFWS) or wildlife habitat appraisal procedures (WHAP - TPWD). If
a standard procedure such as HEP or WHAP is used to evaluate habitat,
the changes that a project causes to habitat can be quantified as
a numerical rating.
NOTE: Projects that do not include new habitat disturbance or small amounts (less than one acre) of new resource disturbance may be adequately described with abbreviated habitat descriptions unless there are special considerations for the area, such as the potential occurrence of a listed threatened or endangered species.
Information Sources:
- biological conservation database (BCD)
- field observation
- USGS topographic maps
- aerial photographs
- county soil survey reports
- National Wetland Inventory maps
- TPWD publications/personnel
- published research reports for the area (public libraries)
- USFWS lists of threatened and endangered species
- local universities
- local subject matter experts and outdoor clubs (Audubon, etc.)
- Bureau of Economic Geology (at the University of Texas at Austin's J.J. Pickle Research Center).
Community Participation in National Flood Insurance Program
Determining the status of a community’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and review of applicable NFIP maps and ordinances are essential first steps in preparing environmental documents and conducting location hydraulic studies.
Information of community participation in NFIP is provided in the National Flood Insurance Program Status of Participating Counties, published semi-annually for each state and av