Upper Trinity River Watershed Recreation Improvement Plan (SNC1918-RT)
Summary
SCH Number
2026060290
Public Agency
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Document Title
Upper Trinity River Watershed Recreation Improvement Plan (SNC1918-RT)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/8/2026
Document Description
Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) would provide funding to the Watershed Research and Training Center to develop the Upper Trinity River Watershed Recreation Improvement Plan. The plan would identify, evaluate, and make recommendations for the highest-priority needs and improvements in three geographic areas: the Trinity Alps Wilderness, Trinity Lake, and 7,633 acres of recently acquired United States Forest Service (USFS) land in the Trinity River watershed. These geographic areas encompass approximately 300,000 acres in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, managed by USFS. Recreation sites to be evaluated in the plan include existing and potential new trails, trailheads, undeveloped campsites, developed campgrounds, day-use areas, boat ramps, and USFS roads, resulting in a catalogue of needed upgrades; a plan for sustainable and economically beneficial recreation development; and identification of eight design concepts. Plan goals include prioritizing deferred maintenance and modernization needs, identifying and prioritizing opportunities to address recreation-related impacts to habitat and water quality, developing sustainable management guidelines for overused recreation sites, creating shovel-ready upgrade designs, and conducting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance to move capital improvement projects toward implementation. No construction or ground-disturbing activities would be authorized under this action.
Contact Information
Name
Andy Fristensky
Agency Name
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
Job Title
Field Operations & Grants Division Chief
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Josh Smith
Agency Name
The Watershed Research and Training Center
Job Title
Watershed Stewardship Program Director
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Cities
near Lewiston, Trinity Center, Coffee Creek, Mt. Shasta, Etna...
Counties
Trinity
Regions
Northern California
Other Location Info
Near the communities of Lewiston, Trinity Center, Coffee Creek, Mt. Shasta, Etna, and Weaverville
Other Information
Trinity Alps Wilderness, Trinity, Lake, and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) lands in the Trinity River watershed. Coordinates: 41° 1'5.17"N, 122°42'11.37"W
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 (California Code of Regulations, Title 14 ) and Pub. Resources Code, Section 21102
Reasons for Exemption
The project is statutorily exempt from the provisions of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262, which applies to feasibility and planning studies for possible future actions. The project would grant funding for the preparation of the Upper Trinity River Watershed Recreation Improvement Plan, which would identify, evaluate, and make recommendations for the highest-priority needs and improvements within the upper Trinity River watershed. The plan would identify potential future projects, including shovel-ready design concepts, but does not approve, fund, or commit SNC or any other agency to the implementation of any specific project. Any future actions identified in the plan that may result in physical environmental effects would be subject to separate environmental review under NEPA and/or CEQA prior to approval. The SNC reviewed the project and concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to resources.
County Clerk
Trinity
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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