Lynn Sweet, University of California, Riverside, Associate Research Specialist 20210324 map https://wildlife.ca.gov/Data/BIOS https://filelib.wildlife.ca.gov/Public/BDB/GIS/BIOS/Public_Datasets/2900_2999/ds2913.zip The University of California Riverside’s Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) has created fine-scale vegetation maps for a number of Conservation Areas under the jurisdiction of the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP) under contract with the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission (CVCC). The primary purpose for creating these maps is provide a landscape-scale approach to monitoring changes due to land use, invasive species, recreation, hydrology, and climate. These digital maps, documenting changes and their causes, are then tools for prioritizing future conservation actions. The vegetation classification follows Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and National Vegetation Classification Standards (NVCS; Federal Geographic Data Committee 2008). The classification is meant to align with previous and concurrent efforts previous survey and classification work done by California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCaMP) and Aerial Information Systems (AIS) for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan Area as well as the southeastern Salton Sea Mid-Desert Area, and by the National Park Service for Joshua Tree National Park.This unit was mapped using the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and California Natural Plant Society Combined (CNPS) Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program protocol (CNPS 2014). This map and report addresses the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel and Delta Conservation Area (4,404 acres). Fieldwork, photo-interpretation and mapping were performed from 2016-2017. Within the study areas, rapid assessment protocol vegetation plots and supplemental reconnaissance observations were obtained within the study at pre-determined points in order to document the plant community, disturbances, and invasive species across space and types. Photo-interpretation of 2013 imagery and field information were combined to produce delineations of vegetation alliances and associations according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife classification system, outlined in the Manual of California Vegetation Second Edition (Sawyer et al.2009). Thus, the current version of the map best represents the status of vegetation in 2013. We digitized the vegetation of the Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel and Delta Conservation Area from 2013 imagery provided by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG); it includes approximately 316 delineated polygons, each assigned one of 18 vegetation alliances or land-cover types. We assigned the still finer scale association attribute where field plot data (Rapid Assessment Plot or reconnaissance observation) was available within the polygon boundaries, or where the association could be clearly identified from aerial imagery. This unit has several map classes that have less than 2% absolute vegetation cover, including Disturbed/Built-Up, Water, and a generic Non-Vegetated Habitat type. The largest amount of land cover is of the non-vegetated habitat type, encompassing 1153 acres 467 ha), followed by iodine bush scrub (1040 acres, 421 ha), and Tamarix thickets (818 acres, 331 ha). This report and accompanying data are to be released at the end of 2017. The original vegetation map described above was prepared for publication in CDFW's Biogeographic Information and Observation System (BIOS) by the Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP). The primary purpose for creating these maps is provide a landscape-scale approach to monitoring changes due to land use, invasive species, recreation, hydrology, and climate. These digital maps, documenting changes and their causes, are then tools for prioritizing future conservation actions. The outdated map of the Coachella Valley MSHCP areas, created before 1999, was based on the Holland classification system and was inconsistent with current standards prescribed by CDFW’s Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCaMP). As part of the CVMSHCP/NCCP monitoring program, a phased work plan to remap all 746,000 acres of Conservation Areas began in 2012. These mapping areas together nearly complete the remap of the Plan Area, together with other Conservation Lands mapped by other entities, and previous work by UCR CCB. The completion of these maps updates the 2007 CVMSHCP/NCCP natural community map. This section of the map provides critical information to assist in monitoring habitat suitability in conservation areas, and quantifies attributes to help researchers understand the effects of environmental variability, including drought and climate change. An updated vegetation map was required to enhance understanding of species and their habitats, and identify management needs to ensure persistence of target species within the Plan area. The updated vegetation map is an essential element of monitoring for other covered species and natural communities and provides a baseline to monitor natural communities and landscape-scale vegetation change. Quantification of biotic habitat variables help document factors that may influence species population fluctuation. These data are key to conservation of biological diversity in the Plan area, in light of the listed threats to habitats in this management unit: invasive species; threats to hydrological regime/processes; climate change and habitat fragmentation, wildfire management, off-highway vehicle use, and other anthropogenic surface disturbance (CVMSHCP, Section 8). Understanding habitat requirements for species will help to guide the development of land management actions that support recovery and sustainability of healthy populations. Data produced under this effort is publicly available and supports concurrent CVMSHCP/NCCP monitoring. 20161101 20161231 Unknown Complete None planned -116.110581 -115.991150 33.569447 33.483898 None Vegetation, plant species ISO 19115 Topic Categories biota environment inlandWaters None North America, California, Riverside County, Coachella Valley None License: This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). Using the citation standards recommended for BIOS datasets ( https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/BIOS/Citing-BIOS ) satisfies the attribution requirements of this license.Disclaimer: The State makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or adequacy of these data and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in these data. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to these data.The original vegetation map is a public dataset funded by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments. The authors of this dataset (Center for Conservation Biology, University of California, Riverside) and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments must be cited if used in a published study or as appropriate.CDFW appreciates learning how our datasets are being used so that we can leverage support for classifying and mapping new areas and let users know of any updates. Please contact VegCAMP (https://wildlife.ca.gov/Data/VegCAMP) when using this dataset. University of California, Riverside Lynn Sweet Associate Research Specialist mailing and physical

75-080 Frank Sinatra Dr

Palm Desert CA 92211 760-834-0594 lynn.sweet@ucr.edu University of California, Riverside Cameron Barrows Project Scientist mailing and physical

75-080 Frank Sinatra Dr

Palm Desert CA 92211 US 760-834-0934 cameron.barrows@ucr.edu University of California, Riverside Robert Johnson Assistant Specialist Researcher mailing and physical

Center for Conservation Biology, University of California, Riverside

Riverside CA 92521 US (951) 827-4005 robert.johnson@ucr.edu California Department of Fish and Wildlife Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program VegCAMP@wildlife.ca.gov University of California, Riverside Robert Johnson Assistant Specialist Researchers mailing and physical

Center for Conservation Biology, University of California, Riverside

Riverside CA 92521 US (951) 827-4005 robert.johnson@ucr.edu Lynn C. Sweet - (UC Riverside Center for Conservation Biology) - Project lead; photo interpretation, creation and description of polygons; classificaiton Cameron W. Barrows - (UC Riverside Center for Conservation Biology) - Principal Investigator James Heintz (UC Riverside Center for Conservation Biology) - vegetation field assessments, classification Roxann Merizan (UC Riverside Center for Conservation Biology) - vegetation field assessments Robert F. Johnson (UC-Riverside Center for Conservation Biolgy) - GIS geodatabase originator Version 6.2 (Build 9200) ; Esri ArcGIS 10.5.1.7333 Vector GT-polygon composed of chains 317 NAD 1983 UTM Zone 11N 0.9996 -117.0 0.0 500000.0 0.0 coordinate pair 0.0001 0.0001 meter D North American 1983 GRS 1980 6378137.0 298.257222101 ds2913 Vegetation and Landcover Type Polygons Internal OBJECTID Internal feature number. ESRI Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. Shape Feature geometry. ESRI Coordinates defining the features. NVCSName The standardized name of the vegetation description used in the 2008 National Vegetation Classification System. Since the NVCS does not have categories for human land use or otherwise unvegetated land, those descriptions were drawn from the California Wildlife Habitat Relationship. http://usnvc.org/ NVCSLevel The standardized level of the vegetation description used in the 2008 National Vegetation Classification System. http://usnvc.org/ MapClass The finest level of vegetation type mapped (alliance, association, group or macrogroup); or land use for polygons that are not natural vegetation per the mapping classification. For this map, map classes were generated by VegCAMP staff using names from the alliance, association, group, or macrogroup fields provided by UCR. https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=102342&inline Macrogroup The macrogroup-level classification of a vegetation stand in the UCR CCB hierarchy. Sweet, Lynn C. et al and University of California Riverside Center for Conservation Biology. Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel and Delta Conservation Area Vegetation Mapping Report. Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan & Natural Community Conservation Plan. Coachella Valley Conservation Commission; 6/2017. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=162304 Group_ The group-level classification of a vegetation stand in the UCR CCB hierarchy. Sweet, Lynn C. et al and University of California Riverside Center for Conservation Biology. Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel and Delta Conservation Area Vegetation Mapping Report. Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan & Natural Community Conservation Plan. Coachella Valley Conservation Commission; 6/2017. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=162304 Common_Name The common name of a vegetation type as provided by UCR's CCB. Sweet, Lynn C. et al and University of California Riverside Center for Conservation Biology. Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel and Delta Conservation Area Vegetation Mapping Report. Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan & Natural Community Conservation Plan. Coachella Valley Conservation Commission; 6/2017. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=162304 Alliance The alliance-level classification of a vegetation stand in the UCR CCB hierarchy. Sweet, Lynn C. et al and University of California Riverside Center for Conservation Biology. Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel and Delta Conservation Area Vegetation Mapping Report. Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan & Natural Community Conservation Plan. Coachella Valley Conservation Commission; 6/2017. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=162304 Association The association-level classification of a vegetation stand in the UCR CCB hierarchy. Sweet, Lynn C. et al and University of California Riverside Center for Conservation Biology. Coachella Valley Stormwater Channel and Delta Conservation Area Vegetation Mapping Report. Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan & Natural Community Conservation Plan. Coachella Valley Conservation Commission; 6/2017. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=162304 TreeCov Map classes for total cover by trees within the vegetation mapping unit Menke, J., E. Reyes, A. Glass, D. Johnson and J. Reyes. 2013 California Vegetation Map in Support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, California Energy Commission; 4/2013. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=62826 ShrubCov Map classes for total cover by shrubs within the vegetation mapping unit Menke, J., E. Reyes, A. Glass, D. Johnson and J. Reyes. 2013 California Vegetation Map in Support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, California Energy Commission; 4/2013. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=62826 HerbCov Map classes for total cover by herbs within the vegetation mapping unit Menke, J., E. Reyes, A. Glass, D. Johnson and J. Reyes. 2013 California Vegetation Map in Support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, California Energy Commission; 4/2013. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=62826 Exotics Map classes for total cover by exotic plant species within the vegetation mapping unit Menke, J., E. Reyes, A. Glass, D. Johnson and J. Reyes. 2013 California Vegetation Map in Support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, California Energy Commission; 4/2013. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=62826 Roadedness Roadedness defined as the level of impact in a mapping unit by paved and unpaved roads, OHV trails, railroads, berms, and covered aqueduct. Menke, J., E. Reyes, A. Glass, D. Johnson and J. Reyes. 2013 California Vegetation Map in Support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, California Energy Commission; 4/2013. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=62826 Development Development Disturbance accounts for the level of impact by structures and settlements that are smaller than the MMU criteria for land use. Also includes hydrologic regime alteration. Menke, J., E. Reyes, A. Glass, D. Johnson and J. Reyes. 2013 California Vegetation Map in Support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, California Energy Commission; 4/2013. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=62826 AnthroAlteration Level of impact on vegetation through tillage, scraping, grazing, mining, etc. Menke, J., E. Reyes, A. Glass, D. Johnson and J. Reyes. 2013 California Vegetation Map in Support of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, California Energy Commission; 4/2013. Available from: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=62826 AttributeBasis Assignment basis for the polygon: either RA identified by specific plot title, reconnaissance information, or aerial imagery. Internal MappingNote Additional information about the vegetation type, assignment process, landcover, or disturbance. Internal Shape_Length Length of feature in internal units. Esri Positive real numbers that are automatically generated. CalVegName A crosswalk to the CalVeg vegetation system. Note that there may be a one-to-many relationship between CalVeg and NVCS. http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r5/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=stelprdb5347192 CalVegCode A crosswalk to the CalVeg vegetation system. Note that there may be a one-to-many relationship between CalVeg and NVCS. http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r5/landmanagement/resourcemanagement/?cid=stelprdb5347192 CWHRType A crosswalk to the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships system. Note that there is usually a one-to-many relationship between CWHR and NVCS. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cwhr/ CWHRCode A crosswalk to the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships system. Note that there is usually a one-to-many relationship between CWHR and NVCS. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cwhr/ GlobalRank The national rarity ranking of the plant community mapped (ranks are available for all California alliances, and some associations). Ranks are based on a set of criteria including the rarity of the community (extent and occupancy), the threats that the community is subject to, and any known trends in the quality, size, or quantity of stands. Ranks go from G1 which is critically imperiled/has very few occurrences to G5, when a community is demonstrably secure due to security globally. Ranks G1-G3 are considered rare. See: http://www.natureserve.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/natureserveconservationstatusmethodology_jun12_0.pdf NatureServe, https://www.natureserve.org/ StateRank The state rarity ranking of the plant community mapped (ranks are available for all California alliances, and some associations). Ranks are based on a set of criteria including the rarity of the community (extent and occupancy), the threats that the community is subject to, and any known trends in the quality, size, or quantity of stands within the state. Ranks go from S1 which is critically imperiled/has very few occurrences to S5, when a community is demonstrably secure due to security statewide. Ranks S1-S3 are considered rare. See: http://www.natureserve.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/natureserveconservationstatusmethodology_jun12_0.pdf NatureServe, https://www.natureserve.org/ Rare Rarity of the vegetation type. Alliances and associations with state ranks of S1-S3 are considered rare. https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/VegCAMP/Natural-Communities/Background CACode California Natural Community Codes - unique code assigned to alliances and associations. https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/VegCAMP/Natural-Communities NVCSAlliance The standardized name for the alliance within the 2008 National Vegetation Classification System. The U.S. National Vegetation Classification System (http://www.usnvc.org) NVCSGroup The standardized name for the group within the 2008 National Vegetation Classification System. The U.S. National Vegetation Classification System (http://www.usnvc.org) NVCSMG The standardized name for the macrogroup within the 2008 National Vegetation Classification System. The U.S. National Vegetation Classification System (http://www.usnvc.org) Shape_Area Area of feature in internal units squared. Esri Positive real numbers that are automatically generated. MapClassCode The code for a vegetation association, alliance, group, unvegetated type, or land use for polygons that are not natural vegetation. For this map, the codes were generated by VegCAMP staff from the alliance and association codes provided by UCR. https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=102342&inline 20221215 University of California, Riverside Lynn Sweet Associate Research Specialist mailing and physical

75-080 Frank Sinatra Dr

Palm Desert CA 92211 760-834-0594 lynn.sweet@ucr.edu FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001-1998 local time