Planning Level Delineation and Geospatial Characterization of Aquatic Resources for San Jacinto and Portions of Santa Margarita Watersheds, Riverside County, California

Abstract : A planning level delineation of aquatic resources was performed within the San Jacinto River and portions of Santa Margarita River Watersheds in Riverside County, Califoinia. This was the identification of areas that meet both the jurisdictional requirements under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and the Califoinia Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) Section 1600 Code at a watershed scale. Although the delineation is highly accurate at the planning level, it is not specific to any one site. Thus, a planning level wetland delineation does not replace the need for a jurisdictional wetland delineation from the Corps of Engineers (COE) permitting program, or the CDFG Section 1600 requirements. As such, this report describes the baseline occurence of aquatic resources that were observed in these watersheds at the time of the study during the period between August 2001 and May 2002. A total of 16,043 ha (39,643 ac) of aquatic resources in the riparian areas, and 12,701 km (7892 miles) of intermnittent streams were delineated as Waters of the United States within both watersheds.