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B IOLOGICAL A SSESSMENT A PRIL 2020 S AN L EANDRO T REATMENT W ETLAND P ROJECT S AN L EANDRO, A LAMEDA C OUNTY, C ALIFORNIA P:\TER2001\BA\San Leandro Treatment Plant BA 4‐7‐20.docx (04/07/20) 25 4.1.4 Conclusions The proposed project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect green sturgeon southern DPS and Central California coast steelhead DPS. Although these fish species may occur in the tidal slough adjacent to the project area during construction activities at the outfall, the avoidance and minimization measures in Section 2.2 will be implemented to reduce these effects. 4.2 CRITICAL HABITAT The proposed project is not likely to adversely affect designated critical habitat for steelhead and green sturgeon within the Action Area. Potential adverse effects associated with the project include temporary impacts on water quality and temporary reduction in foraging areas due to turbidity generated from in‐water activities. These temporary impacts are not expected to adversely affect the critical habitat for these two fish species because any effects to water quality, migration space, and foraging habitat will be temporary. 4.2.1 Critical Habitat for North American Green Sturgeon (Southern DPS) Critical Habitat for the North American green sturgeon (southern DPS) has been designated in the San Francisco Bay, including the tidal slough within the Action Area. The slough provides several of the primary constituent elements for this species, such as food resources/abundant prey, sufficient water flow, high water quality, a diversity of depths necessary for shelter, foraging, and migration of juvenile, subadult, and adult life stages, and sediment quality (i.e., chemical characteristics) necessary for normal behavior, growth, and viability of all life stages. Installation of the culvert will not significantly modify or affect any of these constituent elements or adversely affect the value of the slough for green sturgeon. The Proposed Action at the outfall will implement BMPs and conservation measures discussed in Section 2.2, which would avoid adverse effects to hydrology, water quality, and habitat in the slough. Additionally, construction of the outfall is not likely adversely affect any of the primary constituent elements for this species, such as water quality and diversity of depths necessary for shelter. Therefore for these reasons, construction of the outfall is not likely to adversely affect Critical Habitat for the North American green sturgeon (southern DPS). 4.2.2 Critical Habitat for Central California Coast Steelhead DPS Critical Habitat for the Central California Coast steelhead DPS has been designated in the San Francisco Bay, including the tidal slough within the Action Area. At any given site, within designated areas of Critical Habitat, certain essential habitat features must be present for the Critical Habitat designation to apply. Essential habitat features for steelhead are: 1) juvenile rearing areas, 2) juvenile migration corridors, 3) areas for growth and development to adulthood, 4) adult migration corridors, and 5) spawning areas. These features are not present at the tidal slough within the Action Area. Proposed Action at the outfall will implement BMPs and conservation measures discussed in Section 2.2, which would avoid adverse effects to hydrology, water quality, and habitat in the slough. Additionally, construction of the outfall is not likely adversely affect any of the primary constituent