Mitigation Projects

Brown's Creek Vernal Pool Preserve

The Brown’s Creek Vernal Pool Preserve is 120 acres of natural and created vernal pools, vernal swales, and upland habitats located in Sacramento County, California, approximately 10 miles northeast of the city of Galt.

The Preserve was established to provide compensatory mitigation for various Sacramento County Regional Sanitation District projects to satisfy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinions and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits. The Preserve comprises approximately 120 acres of vernal pool grassland complex, including 14.41 acres of existing vernal pool wetlands; Wildlands created an additional 3.67 acres of vernal pool, vernal swale and seasonal wetland habitat in the upland areas.

Aerial photos confirm that the created wetland acreage is equivalent or greater than the as-built acreage and that vernal pool hydrology has successfully established. Vernal pool vegetation is exceeding all performance standards outlined in the Preserve’s management plan. Surveys for large branchiopod revealed the presence of vernal pool tadpole shrimp, vernal pool fairy shrimp, and California linderiella. Large branchiopods continue to colonize the Preserve and are consistent with the management objectives of the Brown’s Creek Vernal Pool Preserve.

120 acres

Location: Sacramento County, California

Mitigation Types

  • Vernal Pool Preservation

Service Area

Mitigation approved on a case-by-case basis in Sacramento County.

For additional information on the Brown’s Creek Vernal Pool Preserve, please contact Julie Maddox at (916) 435-3555 or jmaddox@heronpacific.com.