$5 million to protect giant garter snakes

A $5 million contract to create a giant-garter snake habitat was approved Tuesday by the Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority to move forward on Yuba County levee improvements.

The habitat will make up for any loss of natural surroundings for snakes in the area of a proposed six-mile setback levee planned for this spring to protect Plumas Lake. Without the habitat, the project cannot move forward.

“Without making this commitment, we would not be fulfilling the environmental condition to receive permits for construction,” Director Mary Jane Griego said. “So, this stands between us and our goal to provide public safety to the south county.”

Roughly 135 acres of giant-garter snake habitat will be affected when construction begins on the six miles of setback levee, also known as Phase Four of the Feather River levee improvements.

The contract was unanimously awarded to Wildland Inc., a habitat development company from Rocklin. The contract will allow the company to create as natural a habitat as possible for the reptiles within Gilsizer Slough, across the river in Sutter County off Thompson Road near the Sutter Bypass State Wildlife Area.

“It’s an expansion of the existing preservation,” said Jeff Mathews, director of sales and marketing for Wildlands. “The misconception is that we will back a truck up and load snakes and move them. Instead, we create and promote habitat so snakes nearby can move to and thrive.”

TRLIA environmental project manager Anja Kelsey said several locations for the mitigation area were discussed. Sutter County’s existing habitat was the best fit.

“We compared cost for on-site versus off-site mitigation areas. At the end of the day, this was the better option,” she said. “We anticipate significant impact on the natural habitat. Therefore, this is a requirement for us if there is habitat loss.”

Construction of the habitat will coincide with setback levee construction expected to begin in the spring.

Appeal-Democrat reporter Andrea Koskey can be reached at 749-4709 or at akoskey@appealdemocrat.com