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Biological Assessment Preparation for Transportation Projects - Advanced Training Manual - Version 10-08
Summary of Changes to the Advanced Training Manual from Version 7 to Version 10-08 (pdf 36 kb) - October, 2008
- Part 1 - General Information for BA Authors (pdf 460 kb) - October, 2008
- Ch. 1 Introduction
- Ch. 2 Understanding the Biological Assessment Process
- Ch. 3 Components of a Biological Assessment
- Part 2 - Guidance on Specific BA Topics (pdf 3.1 mb) - October, 2008
- Ch. 4 Components of a Biological Opinion
- Ch. 5 Endangered Species Act and Mitigation
- Ch. 6 Impact Avoidance and Minimization Measures
- Ch. 7 Noise Impact Assessment
- Ch. 8 Action Area
- Ch. 9 Environmental Baseline within the Action Area
- Ch. 10 Indirect Effects
- Ch. 11 Cumulative Effects
- Ch. 12 Effect Determination Language
- Ch. 13 Effect Determination Guidance
- Ch. 14 In-Water Work
- Ch. 15 Performance-Based, Batched, and Programmatic Biological Assessments
- Ch. 16 Essential Fish Habitat
- Ch. 17 Stormwater BMP Impact Assessment
- Part 3 - Additional Resources for BA Authors (pdf 648 kb) - October, 2008
- Ch. 18 Gathering Information for a Biological Assessment
- Ch. 19 Submitting a No-Effect Letter or Biological Assessment
- Ch. 20 Information on Listed Species
- Ch. 21 References
- Ch. 22 Glossary and Abbreviations
On February 16, 2009, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) committing these four agencies to use a common methodology for analyzing the effects of stormwater on Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed fish species. The new methodology includes the new Western Washington Highway Runoff Dilution and Loading Stormwater Model (HI-RUN Model), its user guide, and accompanying stormwater assessment guidance that is posted below.
The revised Stormwater Impact Assessment Chapter (below) will be incorporated into the WSDOT Biological Assessment Preparation for Transportation projects guidance document in the Fall of 2009. The new approach will be required in all biological assessments submitted by WSDOT or WSDOT Highways and Local Programs beginning August 16, 2009. Note that there is a separate assessment process for Eastern Washington that does not involve the use of the HI-RUN model.
Western Washington Stormwater Assessment Guidance
The HI-RUN Model should only be used for stormwater analysis associated with biological assessments, and should not be used as a design tool.
Examples for Using the HI-RUN Model
Endangered Species Act Stormwater Design Checklist for Western Washington (doc 203 kb) - January 2009
*Please contact Marion Carey, if you encounter problems or errors when using the HI-RUN Model or if you are using a version of Excel older than 2002.
Eastern Washington Stormwater Guidance
Highway Runoff Manual Endangered Species Act Stormwater Design Checklist for Eastern Washington (doc 117 kb) - March 2009
Stormwater Whitepapers
Projects with Pile Driving
As a result of a multiagency agreement (pdf 793 kb), fish noise exposure criteria was implemented beginning October 1, 2008. All WSDOT projects with pile driving activities that may impact fish are required to use this criteria when assessing potential impacts to fish.
The tables below provide summary information on marine mammal, fish, and marbled murrelet injury and disturbance thresholds for impact pile driving, and estimated auditory bandwidths (estimated hearing frequency ranges) for marine mammals and fish.
An Hydroacoustic Workshop addressing the fish noise exposure criteria was held on August 11, 2008. The National Marine Fisheries Service's provided a calculator for calculating the distance to the new thresholds for fish. A secondary calculator was developed by USFWS for estimating the area of affect from underwater noise on marbled murrelets.
The tables below provide information on the typical number of pile strikes for steel piles, peak sound pressure levels and sound exposure levels for various sizes and types of piles. The data in these tables can be used to estimate sound pressure and cumulative sound exposure levels (SELcum) for various pile diameters and types. The link to the CalTrans Pile Driving Compendium is also provided for comparison.
Research Documents
Terrestrial Noise Assessment
In March 2008, WSDOT released a noise tutorial for developing action areas based on impacts of elevated terrestrial noise.
Additional Acoustical Resources
On June 17, 2009, the USFWS, NOAA Fisheries Service, FHWA and WSDOT entered into an agreement to use the new 2009 Indirect Effects Guidance in the completion of biological assessments. All WSDOT projects submitted after August 17 will be required to use this new guidance unless the indirect effects analysis was started prior to this date. Local agency projects have a 6 month grandfathering period and must use this guidance after December 17, 2009. However, we are advising everyone to begin applying the new indirect effects guidance into BAs, if possible, prior to those dates.
This 2009 Indirect Effects Guidance supercedes the 2003 Indirect Effects Guidance found within the Advanced Training Manual: Biological Assessment Preparation for Transportation Projects (Version 10-08) (Part 2, Chapter 10). Please disregard the 2003 Indirect Effects Guidance that is currently found in the Advanced Training Manual. It will be updated prior to the October 2009 BA authors training.
WSDOT has developed this brief guidance to facilitate consultations related to listed plants. For help on identification of plant species and their habitats, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources' Natural Heritage Program and the Spokane District of the U.S.D.I. Bureau of Land Management prepared a Field Guide to Selected Rare Plants of Washington.
This guidance is a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) memorandum prepared for the Northwest Region of the NMFS that clarifies how the Northwest Region will conduct section 7 consultations on ESA-listed marine mammals. The memorandum includes preliminary guidance describing criteria for making a "no effect" or a "not likely to adversely affect" determination for Southern Resident killer whale, Southern Resident killer whale critical habitat, and Steller sea lion.
Note: Since the memo was released, the in-air disturbance threshold for sea lions has been clarified by NMFS as an rms SPL of 100 dB (flat) re: 20 microPascals.