• PHOENIX PROJECT FLOW VARIANCE MONITORING & RELICENSING SUPPORT

    Tuolumne County, CA

As a condition of the FERC license (No. 1061) for the Phoenix Project, minimum instream flows for the South Fork Stanislaus River were established to maintain habitat values for aquatic species.

Due to drought conditions, a flow variance monitoring program was developed and implemented to maintain aquatic habitat quality during periods when minimum instream flows could not be attained. Sequoia performed numerous studies for FERC license compliance including fish population assessments using backpack electrofishing units and block nets to isolate and survey selected reaches of the river; visual encounter surveys for foothill yellow-legged frog on the Middle Fork Stanislaus River over 2 years; fish habitat assessment surveys and stranding potential studies; and water quality monitoring using a handheld multi-parameter constant read water quality sampler.

SERVICES PROVIDED

Biological Services

Environmental Planning & Compliance

Storm Water Services

Habitat Restoration

GIS

PROJECT GALLERY

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“Because my emails and phone calls are promptly returned, I always feel that I am your only client.  And as you well know, our projects come with their own unique challenges relating to field conditions and permit restrictions, and Sequoia’s knowledgeable staff has always arrived at feasible and often times cost-effective solutions that were readily approved by City and/or the regulatory agencies.  I appreciate that your staff has freely educated me on the intent of our permits. I have also witnessed your staff enlighten the permit agencies on a number of occasions.”

“The team at Sequoia Ecological Consulting was critical to effective hazardous fuel reduction for the North Orinda Shaded Fuel Break.  By having their biologists evaluate sites before work began we could avoid potential environmental impacts and accelerate the project. Their staff’s expertise continued to guide field crews throughout the work, giving the whole project team confidence that we could adjust the project to meet the best management practices and comply with the myriad of environmental requirements while reducing the potential of wildfire.”

“Sequoia has been a very important team member for our multifaceted mining and reclamation projects. Sequoia’s vast biological knowledge and experts have been paramount in the success our land use projects which span many different localities and geographic areas. In addition, to having expertise in many fields of biology, they are able to interact and understand all of the differing requirements of each resource agency finding a way through the regulatory process for each project.”

“Sequoia has provided biological monitoring support for my program for nearly five years. Our program is large and complex and involves potential impacts to several threatened species. Sequoia is always on top of it. Sequoia’s project managers are sharp, communicative, and thorough. Their biologists are great with the crews, and largely due to their guidance we rarely see compliance issues. They are experts on the species we work with and leverage their expertise to ensure the least possible risk to them. My project manager provides prompt weekly updates, and monitoring reports arrive complete and clearly organized. Any questions and issues that come up with project compliance are communicated promptly and resolved easily.

One of the most impressive things about Sequoia is that the staff are not there merely to provide a service; staff actively engage in collaborative problem-solving with the client, which has saved my agency money and time. Their staff are highly qualified scientists, but the best kind of scientists – with a keen eye toward communication and customer service. I know that my project manager has my project’s best interests at heart, and I trust her completely. I would recommend Sequoia for any biological compliance project without hesitation.”

“Sequoia staff was professional, friendly, and flexible, even while working in difficult post-wildfire environments with a variety of challenges. The assessments and survey methodologies paid exceptional attention to detail and the resulting deliverables were top notch.”

“Sequoia’s biologists provided very helpful biological surveys and project monitoring on many PG&E gas and electric maintenance projects while I was PG&E’s Habitat Conservation Plan Administrator.  I could always count on their careful attention to quality and cost while they performed this work in support of both the San Joaquin Valley and Bay Area HCPs that covered 18 counties in California.  Sequoia’s management and staff are awesome.”

“Sequoia has provided critical support in the planning and implementing vegetation and stream bank restoration projects associated with PG&E’s Spring Gap Stanislaus Hydroelectric Project, including the Kennedy Meadows Streambank and Riparian Restoration, Sand Bar Diversion Fish Screen, Strawberry Weir Replacement, and the Stanislaus Afterbay Dam Removal projects.  They conducted pre-disturbance inventories, developed and implemented revegetation plans, and provided maintenance and monitoring after implementation was complete.  Sequoia has been a major player on our team, always communicating in a timely fashion, especially when issues arise, and always ready to go the extra mile when called upon.”

“Sequoia’s environmental field team are not only professional, but also insert themselves as a valuable asset to any project they are assigned to. The Sequoia team remains top subject matter experts in their field and are extremely knowledgeable, easy to deconflict/coordinate with, as well as bring in constructive outside views on environmental concerns as projects progress. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Sequoia at all opportunities available!”

“Having worked with the Sequoia Team for a year I can say, Sequoia epitomizes a team culture and is solution-driven.”

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

Sequoia would be happy to discuss how we can assist you with your project.
We typically respond within 24 hours.

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