Mitigation Projects

Toad Hill Ranch Mitigation Bank

The 1,630-acre Toad Hill Ranch Mitigation Bank in southwestern Placer County is one of the larger wetland mitigation banks in northern California. Wildlands, under contract to the property owners, prepared the Mitigation Bank Prospectus, Bank Enabling Instrument and exhibits, permits, construction drawings, and supervised both construction phases in 2010 and 2011. The Bank site has over 10 acres of preserved vernal pools that are approved by the USFWS to provide compensatory mitigation for impacts to vernal pool fairy shrimp and vernal pool tadpole shrimp, 48 acres of constructed vernal pools, and 55 acres of constructed seasonal wetlands.

Working closely with the bank enabling agencies (USACE, USFWS and EPA), Placer County, and other permitting agencies, Wildlands completed environmental review and started construction within two months of Bank establishment. Construction was phased over two years and completed in 2011. Extensive monitoring of the Bank site indicates that the vernal pools and seasonal wetlands have met or exceeded the identified performance standards. The Bank was approved on May 25, 2010 to offer vernal pool creation, vernal pool preservation, seasonal wetland creation and Swainson’s hawk foraging habitat mitigation values.

1,630 acres

Location: Placer County, California

Mitigation Types

  • Wetland/Waters of the U.S.
  • Vernal Pool Preservation
  • Vernal Pool Creation
  • Swainson’s Hawk

Service Area

The Covered Species vernal pool preservation service area corresponds with the entire Southeastern Sacramento Valley Vernal Pool Region.*

Swainson’s hawk mitigation is available in Placer County as approved on a case-by-case basis by the CEQA lead.

*The Covered Species service areas include the Western Placer County Vernal Pool Core Area, but does not include core areas outside of Western Placer County (this service area does not include the Mather core area, Phoenix Field and Park core area or Stone Lake core area), as shown in the service area map.

Approving Agencies

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

For additional information on the Toad Hill Ranch Mitigation Bank, please contact Julie Maddox at (916) 435-3555 or jmaddox@heronpacific.com.