Foothill Yellow-legged Frog Population Augmentation in the North Fork Merced River
Summary
SCH Number
2025060641
Public Agency
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4
(CDFW)
Document Title
Foothill Yellow-legged Frog Population Augmentation in the North Fork Merced River
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/13/2025
Document Description
The proposed recovery actions include captive-rearing FYLFs at the Oakland Zoo, following a successful program of the captive-rearing and successful release of FYLF in a watershed in the Plumas National Forest (and supported by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Zoo and CDFW). The applicant plans to captive-rear tadpoles, or eggs or metamorphs, from the wild North Fork Merced River population for rearing for one year. The applicant proposes collecting up to 50 tadpoles (tadpoles will be targeted for collection, but depending on logistics, eggs or metamorphs may be collected instead of tadpoles) the late spring early summer (i.e., June). Zoo experts will rear the tadpoles through metamorphosis and release adult frogs back to their natal stream (North Fork Merced River), in the summer of the following year. The frogs will not be held at the Zoo for longer than one year.
Contact Information
Name
Margarita Gordus
Agency Name
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Job Title
Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisor)
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Cathy Brown
Agency Name
United States Forest Service – Stanislaus National Forest
Job Title
Region 5 Sierra Nevada Amphibian Monitoring Program Team Leader
Contact Types
Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Oakland
Counties
Alameda, Merced
Regions
Northern California, Southern California
Waterways
NF Merced River
Other Location Info
The Project will occur at collection and release sites within North Fork Merced River.
Captive Rearing Site: Oakland Zoo, Oakland CA.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Type – Class 7; California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15307
Reasons for Exemption
The Class 7 Categorical Exemption applies to proposed “actions by regulatory agencies for protection of natural resources” projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, 21000 et seq.). The proposed project involves re-establishing populations of an endangered species to historically occupied locations, which is required to achieve recovery. The Project is not expected to result in any adverse impacts to the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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