Lake Merced 1998 Baseline Natural Resources Inventory

Draft Report, October 1998

December 15 Joan Ryan, Lake Merced Program Manager for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, distributed about 20 copies of a Draft Report, entitled Lake Merced 1998 Baseline Natural Resources Inventory.  This report had been prepared six weeks earlier by a pair of consulting firms, Camp Dresser & McKee Inc., and Trihey & Associates, Inc., both located in Walnut Creek.

This report was prepared to implement an action item in the Lake Merced Comprehensive Management Plan, Revised Draft, April 1998.  That item reads as follows:

Action:  WRS-1.3  Conduct a Natural Resources Survey and Assessment Report
Who:   SFPUC, SFRPD
Why:  Current resource (i.e., plant, wildlife, fisheries) data at the Lake are needed to assess the impact of chainging lake level on the natural resources and to recommend a range of appropriate lake levesl consistent with the beneficial uses.
What:  Conduct a natural resources survey and assessment report which includes (1) a seasonal inventory of natural resources;  (2) an assessment of the condition of each resource's habitat; (3) water quality standards and optimum lake level ranges for each resource; and (4) a comprehensive analysis of water level and quality and resource habitat.  (Coordinate with Action NRE-1.1.)
When:  Spring, 1998 to Summer, 1998
Funding:  SFPUC
Cost:  $57,000

The resulting report falls far short of these admirable goals.  While providing an inventory of various plant, animal and fish species that can be expected to either visit or find habitat at Lake Merced, little or no effort was made to relate the condition of those species, and of the related habitat, to water levels.  In its present form it is difficult to see how this report provides adequate and objective support for establishing a lake level goal.  Also, the promised coordination with the Recreation and Park Department did not occur.  As a consequence a separate natural resources inventory is being proposed by Rec & Park personnel to meet their needs.

This report is quite lengthy, too long to be photocopied and posted here, and with 3 large maps attached.  It is possible that you may be able to obtain a copy by e-mailing your request to Joan Ryan.  We have submitted our comments, to see a copy click here.  Comments from Pete Holloran, President of the Yerba Buena Chapter of the California Native Plant Society are also available.  We have requested a copy of the Draft Report in web-readable format, and will post that here if it becomes available.