HomeMy WebLinkAboutAppendix E PaleontologyPALEONTOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
FOR THE MISSION TRAIL PROJECT
LAKE ELSINORE
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
APNs 379-050-019, -020, and -032
Prepared for:
EPD Solutions
2355 Main Street, Suite 100
Irvine, California 92614
Submitted to:
City of Lake Elsinore
Community Development Department
Planning Division
130 South Main Street
Lake Elsinore, California 92530
Prepared by:
Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc.
14010 Poway Road, Suite A
Poway, California 92064
June 29, 2022
Paleontological Assessment for the Mission Trail Project
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paleontological Database Information
Author: Todd A. Wirths, M.S., Senior Paleontologist, California
Professional Geologist No. 7588
Consulting Firm: Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc.
14010 Poway Road, Suite A
Poway, California 92064
(858) 679-8218
Report Date: June 29, 2022
Report Title: Paleontological Assessment for the Mission Trail Project, Lake
Elsinore, Riverside County, California (APNs 379-050-019, -
020, and -032)
Prepared for: EPD Solutions
2355 Main Street, Suite 100
Irvine, California 92614
Submitted to: City of Lake Elsinore
Community Development Department
Planning Division
130 South Main Street
Lake Elsinore, California 92530
Prepared by: Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc.
14010 Poway Road, Suite A
Poway, California 92064
USGS Quadrangle: Section 21, Township 6 South, Range 4 West, USGS 7.5-minute,
Lake Elsinore, California topographic quadrangle map
Study Area: 18 acres
Key Words: Paleontological assessment; Pleistocene lacustrine deposits; high
sensitivity; full-time monitoring; City of Lake Elsinore.
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Table of Contents
Section Page
I. INTRODUCTION AND LOCATION ...................................................................... 1
II. REGULATORY SETTING ...................................................................................... 1
State of California .................................................................................................... 1
City of Lake Elsinore ................................................................................................ 4
III. GEOLOGY ................................................................................................................ 5
IV. PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ..................................................................... 5
Definition ................................................................................................................... 5
Fossil Locality Search ............................................................................................... 5
Project Survey ........................................................................................................... 7
V. PALEONTOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY ................................................................... 8
Overview .................................................................................................................... 8
Professional Standards ............................................................................................. 8
Paleontological Sensitivity Assessment .................................................................... 9
VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................. 11
Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) .................................... 11
VII. CERTIFICATION ................................................................................................... 13
VIII. REFERENCES ....................................................................................................... 14
Appendices
Appendix A – Qualifications of Key Personnel
Appendix B – Paleontological Records Search
List of Figures
Figure Page
Figure 1 General Location Map ................................................................................ 2
Figure 2 Project Location Map .................................................................................. 3
Figure 3 Geologic Map .............................................................................................. 6
Figure 4 Paleontological Sensitivity Map ............................................................... 10
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I. INTRODUCTION AND LOCATION
A paleontological resource assessment has been completed for the Mission Trail Project
located southeast of the intersection of Victorian Lane and Mission Trail within the East Lake
Specific Plan area in the city of Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, California (Figures 1 and 2).
The project consists of three parcels (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers [APNs] 379-050-019, -020, and
-032) totaling 18 acres. On the U.S. Geological Survey 7.5-minute, 1:24,000-scale Lake Elsinore,
California topographic quadrangle map, the project is located in Section 21, Township 6 South,
Range 4 West, of the San Bernardino Baseline and Meridian (see Figure 2). The project consists
of the construction of a residential development with a park, recreation center, and associated
parking and landscaping.
As the lead agency, the City of Lake Elsinore has required the preparation of a
paleontological assessment to evaluate the project’s potential to yield paleontological resources.
The paleontological assessment of the project included a review of paleontological literature and
fossil locality records in the area; a review of the underlying geology; and recommendations to
mitigate impacts to potential paleontological resources, if necessary.
II. REGULATORY SETTING
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which is patterned after the National
Environmental Policy Act, is the overriding environmental regulation that sets the requirement for
protecting California’s paleontological resources. CEQA mandates that governing permitting
agencies (lead agencies) set their own guidelines for the protection of nonrenewable
paleontological resources under their jurisdiction.
State of California
Under “Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act,” as
amended in December 2018 (California Code of Regulations [CCR] Title 14, Division 6, Chapter
3, Sections 15000 et seq.), procedures define the types of activities, persons, and public agencies
required to comply with CEQA. Section 15063 of the CCR provides a process by which a lead
agency may review a project’s potential impact to the environment, whether the impacts are
significant, and provide recommendations, if necessary.
In CEQA’s Environmental Checklist Form, one of the questions to answer is, “Would the
project directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic
feature?” (Appendix G, Section VII, Part f). This is to ensure compliance with California Public
Resources Code Section 5097.5, the law that protects nonrenewable resources, including fossils,
which is paraphrased below:
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a) A person shall not knowingly and willfully excavate upon, or remove, destroy,
injure or deface any historic or prehistoric ruins, burial grounds, archaeological
or vertebrate paleontological site, including fossilized footprints, inscriptions
made by human agency, rock art, or any other archaeological, paleontological
or historical feature, situated on public lands, except with the express
permission of the public agency having jurisdiction over such lands.
b) As used in this section, “public lands” means lands owned by, or under the
jurisdiction of, the state, or any city, county, district, authority, or public
corporation, or any agency thereof.
c) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor.
City of Lake Elsinore
Paleontological resources are outlined in Chapter 4.6.7 of the City of Lake Elsinore General
Plan, which was adopted on December 13, 2011 (City of Lake Elsinore 2011a). Mapped geologic
areas are delineated in the General Plan according to their potential to yield fossils and are
presented as Figure 4.6, “Paleontological Resources.” This figure is copied from the County of
Riverside’s interactive, online paleontological sensitivity mapping database and borrows the
paleontological sensitivity rating system applied to geologic formations (County of Riverside
2022).
Goal 8 of the General Plan, “Preserve paleontological resources occurring within the City,”
states the following:
… development in areas delineated as “High” or “Undetermined” potential
sensitivity for paleontological resources [as shown on General Plan Figure 4.6],
require the project applicant to hire a certified paleontologist, who must perform a
literature search and/or survey and apply the relevant treatment for the site as
recommended by the Society for Vertebrate Paleontology. (City of Lake Elsinore
2011a:4-63)
The City of Lake Elsinore Community Development Department will conduct an environmental
review of a project and implement appropriate paleontological mitigation procedures, if necessary,
prior to the project’s approval.
The City of Lake Elsinore General Plan Update (City of Lake Elsinore 2011b) presents the
City Paleontological Resource Map as Figure 3.2-3 and further defines paleontological sensitivity
ratings, as applied to geological formations, using definitions from the County of Riverside
sensitivity system as a baseline reference (City of Lake Elsinore 2011b:3.2-23). Paleontological
goals, policies, and implementation programs stated in the General Plan Update are unchanged
from those stated in the General Plan.
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III. GEOLOGY
The project lies within the Elsinore Fault Zone, which is locally comprised of several active
fault segments (Weber 1977; Morton and Weber 2003). The Elsinore Fault Zone forms a complex
series of pull-apart basins, the largest and most pronounced of which forms a flat-floored, closed
depression called La Laguna, which is partly filled by Lake Elsinore (Figure 3, after Morton and
Weber 2003). As shown on Figure 3, the majority of the project is underlain by Holocene- and
late Pleistocene-aged, young alluvial valley deposits that are composed of unconsolidated sand,
silt, and clay-bearing alluvium (amber areas labeled “Qyva” on Figure 3). The western edge of the
project is mapped as Holocene-aged, very young lacustrine deposits composed of clayey, silty,
and fine-grained sandy sediments (pale tan area labeled “Ql” on Figure 3).
IV. PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Definition
Paleontological resources are the remains of prehistoric life that have been preserved in
geologic strata. These remains are called fossils and include bones, shells, teeth, and plant remains
(including their impressions, casts, and molds) in the sedimentary matrix, as well as trace fossils
such as footprints and burrows. Fossils are considered older than 5,000 years of age (Society of
Vertebrate Paleontology 2010) but may include younger remains (subfossils) when viewed in the
context of local extinction of the organism or habitat, for example. Fossils are considered a
nonrenewable resource under state and local guidelines (see Section II of this report).
Fossil Locality Search
A paleontological locality records search was conducted for the Mission Trail Project by
the Western Science Center (WSC) in Hemet (Stoneburg 2022; Appendix B). The records search
indicates that there are no known fossil localities within the project or a one-mile radius; however,
Pleistocene-aged sedimentary deposits within Riverside County are considered to be of high
paleontological sensitivity. The fossil bones of Pleistocene-aged mammals have been recovered
from deposits in the region similar to the project.
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In the records search letter, Stoneburg (2022) concludes:
Any fossils recovered from the Mission Trail Project area would be scientifically
significant. Excavation activity associated with development of the area has the
potential to impact the paleontologically sensitive Pleistocene alluvial units and it
is the recommendation of the Western Science Center that a paleontological
resource mitigation plan be put in place to monitor, salvage, and curate any
recovered fossils associated with the current study area.
A prior paleontological literature review and collections and records search was performed
by the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History (LACM) for another housing subdivision
project bordering the western boundary of the Mission Trail Project (Bell 2021). According to
Bell (2021), the closest known fossil locality to both projects is approximately one mile north in
the vicinity of the San Jacinto River outlet, which consist of the remains of a Pleistocene camel
(LACM 6059). Other prior records searches by the LACM for other nearby projects have indicated
a lacustrine origin for locality LACM 6059.
Recent published research demonstrates the paleontological potential of the Pleistocene-
aged lacustrine sediments of Lake Elsinore. Rugh (2022) describes the occurrence of 18,100-year-
old freshwater mollusks, some now extinct in the region, that were discovered during construction
mitigation for a project in Lake Elsinore. The project was for a one-mile-long, 50-foot-deep,
sediment-settling basin along Cereal Street associated with the new Summerly Homes residential
subdivision (Rugh n.d.). This locality is less than one mile west of the Mission Trail Project.
Fossil mollusks were present at depths as shallow as five feet. Associated with the molluscan
fauna was a significant, large vertebrate fauna, including mammoth (Mammuthus columbi), large
camel (Camelops hesperus), dwarf antelope (Capromeryx sp.), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus),
and bison (Bison sp.). The small mammal fauna is typical of late “Rancholarean” fossil
assemblages of western Riverside County, including: shrews, rabbits, ground squirrels, gophers,
kangaroo rast, multiple species of mice and rats, porcupines, and weasels. Other vertebrates
include a fish, the three-spined stickleback, frogs, snakes, lizards, ducks, and geese (Rugh n.d.).
These specimens are deposited at the WSC (Rugh, personal communication 2022).
Project Survey
Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc. (BFSA) staff, under the supervision of Principal
Investigator Todd A. Wirths, conducted a project survey on March 17, 2022. Aerial photographs,
maps, and a compass permitted orientation and location of project boundaries. Where possible,
narrow transect paths were employed to ensure maximum lot coverage. A survey form, field notes,
and photographs documented the survey work undertaken. Visibility during the survey was
approximately 50 percent due to dense native and non-native grasses and weeds. The entire
property appears to have been previous disked and graded and dirt roads are present along the
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northern and western property boundaries. During the survey, BFSA staff carefully inspected all
exposed ground surfaces for paleontological resources, including rodent burrows and disturbed
areas. No paleontological resources, or evidence indicating the presence of paleontological
resources, were identified as a result of the survey.
V. PALEONTOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY
Overview
The degree of paleontological sensitivity of any particular area is based on a number of
factors, including the documented presence of fossiliferous resources on a site or in nearby areas,
the presence of documented fossils within a particular geologic formation or lithostratigraphic unit,
and whether or not the original depositional environment of the sediments is one that might have
been conducive to the accumulation of organic remains that might have become fossilized over
time. Holocene alluvium is generally considered to be geologically too young to contain
significant, nonrenewable paleontological resources (i.e., fossils), and is therefore typically
assigned a low paleontological sensitivity. Pleistocene (greater than 11,700 years old) alluvial and
alluvial fan deposits in the Inland Empire, however, often yield important Ice Age terrestrial
vertebrate fossils, such as extinct mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, extinct species of
horse, bison, camel, saber-toothed cats, and others (Jefferson 1991). These Pleistocene sediments
are therefore accorded a high paleontological resource sensitivity. Notably, the Diamond Valley
Lake fauna, a large vertebrate fossil assemblage located about 13 miles east of the project at what
is now Diamond Valley Lake, represents a trove of late Pleistocene animal remains buried partly
in lacustrine (lake) deposits (Springer et al. 2009), which is a similar environmental setting to Lake
Elsinore today. The assemblage includes thousands of bones from dozens of vertebrates, including
the bones from large individuals of mastodon, three species of giant ground sloth, and a wealth of
pulmonate (land and freshwater) snails and paleobotanical materials.
Professional Standards
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2010) has drafted guidelines that include four
categories of paleontological sensitivity for geologic units (formations) that might be impacted by
a proposed project, as listed below:
• High Potential: Rock units from which vertebrate or significant invertebrate, plant, or
trace fossils have been recovered.
• Undetermined Potential: Rock units for which little information is available
concerning their paleontological content, geologic age, and depositional environment,
and that further study is needed to determine the potential of the rock unit.
• Low Potential: Rock units that are poorly represented by fossil specimens in
institutional collections or based on a general scientific consensus that fossils are only
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preserved in rare circumstances.
• No Potential: Rock units that have no potential to contain significant paleontological
resources, such as high-grade metamorphic rocks and plutonic igneous rocks.
Using these criteria, based on the ages of the geologic formations mapped at the project,
the fossil record of the formations, and the distribution of nearby fossil localities, the Holocene
deposits at the surface can be considered to have a low to undetermined paleontological resource
potential, while the underlying Pleistocene deposits may be considered to have a high potential for
fossils.
Paleontological Sensitivity Assessment
On Figure 4.6, “Paleontological Resources,” from the City of Lake Elsinore General Plan
(City of Lake Elsinore 2011a), the project plots within an area designated as having a “Low”
potential paleontological resource sensitivity, as shown in the area colored yellow on Figure 4.
The areas assigned a Low sensitivity correlate to the Holocene lacustrine and alluvial valley
deposits (“Ql” and “Qyva,” respectively, on Figure 3). The Environmental Impact Report for the
General Plan Update defines areas assigned a Low sensitivity as:
This category encompasses lands for which previous field surveys and
documentation demonstrates as having a low potential for containing significant
paleontological resources subject to adverse impacts. The mapping of low potential
was determined based on actual documentation, and was not generalized to cover
all areas of a particular rock unit on a geologic map. For instance, an area mapped
as “Qal” may actually be a thin surficial layer of non-fossiliferous sediments which
covers fossil-rich Pleistocene sediments. Also, an area mapped as granite may be
covered by a Pleistocene soil horizon that contains fossils. Thus, actual sensitivity
must be ultimately determined by both a records search and a field inspection by a
paleontologist, and those areas designated as having a low potential include those
for which field inspections have been completed. (City of Lake Elsinore 2011b)
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Figure 4: Paleontological Sensitivity Map
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VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The surficial Holocene alluvial deposits covering the project are too young to yield fossils;
therefore, paleontological monitoring of these deposits is not recommended. However, older
deposits of Pleistocene age underlie the Holocene surficial deposits at an unknown depth. These
older Pleistocene sediments have a potential to yield significant paleontological resources, based
on the nearby occurrences of LACM locality 6059 and the rich localities at the Summerly Homes
Project from lacustrine deposits of ancient Lake Elsinore (see Section IV), as well as the similar
mode of deposition associated with the Diamond Valley Lake fauna (see Section V). Therefore,
full-time monitoring starting at a depth of five feet below the surface is recommended. Monitoring
of disturbed deposits and artificial fill is not warranted.
Monitoring during ground-disturbing activities, such as grading or trenching, by a qualified
paleontologist is recommended to ensure that if paleontological resources (i.e., fossils) are present,
they will be handled in a timely and proper manner. Mitigation measure (MM) CUL-12 from the
East Lake Specific Plan is applicable to the project and presented below:
MM CUL-12 Prior to the issuance of grading permits for each implementing development
project that shall result in any ground disturbance within undisturbed native soils
in highly sensitive paleontological areas (shown on 5.4-1 Paleontological
Sensitivity Map of the Cultural and Paleontological Assessment as Ha) in
Planning Area 7, Planning Area 8, and the very northeast corner of Planning Area
1, Planning Area 3, Planning Area 4, and the very southeast corner of Planning
Area 5, a qualified paleontologist shall be retained to prepare a Paleontological
Resources Survey of the Project site to determine the site-specific potential of
finding paleontological resources within the Project site. If the approved
Paleontological Resources Survey determines that it is unlikely that
paleontological resources will be uncovered by earth-moving activities, grading
and construction activities may proceed, subject to compliance with MM CUL-1
through MM CUL-11. However, if the approved Paleontological Resources
Survey determines that it is likely that paleontological resources will be
uncovered during earth-moving activities, a qualified paleontologist shall be
retained to develop a Paleontological Resources Monitoring and Treatment Plan
(PRMTP) for approval by the Community Development Director. Following
Community Development Director approval of the PRMTP, grading and
construction activities may proceed in compliance with the provisions of the
approved PRMTP.
The PRMTP shall include the following measures:
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1. Identification of those locations within the Project site where
paleontological resources are likely to be uncovered during grading.
2. A monitoring program specifying the procedures for the monitoring of
grading activities by a qualified paleontologist.
3. Deep ground disturbance (8 feet [below the ground surface] or deeper)
within undisturbed native soils in low to highly sensitive paleontological
areas at-depth (shown on Figure 5.4-1 Paleontological Sensitivity Map as
L or Hb) in Planning Area 2, Planning Area 6, or the remaining areas of
Planning Area 1 and Planning Area 5 should be monitored part-time.
Monitoring shall not be required where ground disturbance is limited to
invasive plant species removal or planting of native plant species, without
the use of heavy equipment (e.g., scrapers or excavators), for preservation
of those sites or where documentation shows that prior disturbance greater
than nine (9) feet in depth has occurred. Examples of adequate
documentation include “As-Builts,” geotechnical reports, or similar
documents reviewed by the Project’s paleontologist and provided to the
City with the grading permit application. Due to the small size of many of
the fossil resources documented from nearby localities, any
paleontological monitoring shall include regular collection and screening
of sediment samples. The monitor shall work under the direct supervision
of a qualified paleontologist (B.S./B.A. in geology and/or paleontology
with demonstrated competence in research, fieldwork, reporting, and
curation).
4. If fossil remains large enough to be seen are uncovered by earth-moving
activities, a qualified paleontologist or qualified designee shall
temporarily divert earth-moving activities around the fossil site until the
remains have been evaluated for significance and, if appropriate, have
been recovered; and, the paleontologist or qualified designee allows earth-
moving activities to proceed through the site. If potentially significant
resources are encountered, a letter of notification shall be provided in a
timely manner to the Community Development Director, in addition to
the report (described below) that is filed at completion of grading.
5. If a qualified paleontologist or qualified designee is not present when
fossil remains are uncovered by earth-moving activities, these activities
shall be stopped and a qualified paleontologist or qualified designee shall
be called to the site immediately to evaluate the significance of the fossil
remains.
6. At a qualified paleontologist’s or qualified designee’s discretion and to
reduce any construction delay, a construction worker shall assist in
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removing fossiliferous rock samples to an adjacent location for temporary
stockpiling pending eventual transport to a laboratory facility for
processing.
7. A qualified paleontologist or qualified designee shall collect all
significant identifiable fossil remains. All fossil sites shall be plotted on
a topographic map of the Project site.
8. If the qualified paleontologist or qualified designee determines that
insufficient fossil remains have been found after fifty percent of
earthmoving activities have been completed, monitoring can be reduced
or discontinued.
9. Any significant fossil remains recovered in the field as a result of
monitoring or by processing rock samples shall be prepared, identified,
catalogued, curated, and accessioned into the fossil collections of the San
Bernardino County Museum, or another museum repository complying
with the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology standard guidelines.
Accompanying specimen and site data, notes, maps, and photographs also
shall be archived at the repository.
10. Within 6 months following completion of the above tasks or prior to the
issuance of occupancy permits, whichever comes first, a qualified
paleontologist or qualified designee shall prepare a final report
summarizing the results of the mitigation program and presenting an
inventory and describing the scientific significance of any fossil remains
accessioned into the museum repository. The report shall be submitted to
the Community Development Department – Planning Division and the
museum repository. The report shall comply with the Society of
Vertebrate Paleontology standard guidelines for assessing and mitigating
impacts on paleontological resources. (City of Lake Elsinore 2018)
VII. CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the statements furnished above and in the attached exhibits present the
data and information required for this paleontological report, and that the facts, statements, and
information presented are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, and have been
compiled in accordance with CEQA criteria.
June 29, 2022
Todd A. Wirths Date
Senior Paleontologist
California Professional Geologist No. 7588
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VIII. REFERENCES
Bell, A. 2021. Paleontological resources for the North Point Lake Elsinore Project (21-245).
Letter report for Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc., Poway, California, by the Natural
History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California.
City of Lake Elsinore. 2011a. General Plan, Chapter 4: Resource Protection and Preservation.
Electronic document, http://www.lake-elsinore.org/city-hall/city-departments/
community-development/planning/lake-elsinore-general-plan, accessed April 1, 2022.
City of Lake Elsinore. 2011b. General Plan Update, Final Recirculated Program Environmental
Impact Report, SCH #2005121019, Section 3.2: Cultural and Paleontological Resources.
Electronic document, http://www.lake-elsinore.org/city-hall/city-departments/
community-development/planning/lake-elsinore-general-plan/general-plan-certified-eir,
accessed April 1, 2022.
County of Riverside. 2022. Riverside County Map My County Electronic document,
https://gis1.countyofriverside.us/Html5Viewer/?viewer=MMC_Public, accessed April 1,
2022.
Jefferson, G.T. 1991. A catalogue of late Quaternary vertebrates from California: Part two,
mammals. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Technical Reports, no. 7: i-v
+ 1-129.
Morton, D.M. and Weber, F.H. 2003. Preliminary geologic map of the Elsinore 7.5' quadrangle,
Riverside County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-281, version
1.0, scale 1:24,000.
Rugh, N.S. N.d. Late Pleistocene Invertebrate Fauna, Lake Elsinore Summerly Project, Riverside
County, California. Unpublished manuscript in progress.
Rugh, N.S. 2022. Late Pleistocene invertebrate fauna, Lake Elsinore area, Riverside County,
California; in, D.M. Miller (ed.), Volcanoes in the Mojave; 2022 Desert Symposium Field
Guide and Proceedings, Desert Symposium, Inc.; abstract, p. 244.
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. 2010. Standard Procedures for the Assessment and
Mitigation of Adverse Impacts to Paleontological Resources; by the Society of Vertebrate
Paleontology Impact Mitigation Guidelines Revision Committee. Electronic document,
https://vertpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SVP_Impact_Mitigation_Guidelines-
1.pdf, accessed April 1, 2022.
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Springer, K.B., Scott, E.G., Sagebiel, J.C., and Murray, L.K. 2009. The Diamond Valley Lake
local fauna: Late Pleistocene vertebrates from inland southern California. In Albright,
L.B., III, ed., Papers on geology, vertebrate paleontology, and biostratigraphy in honor of
Michael O. Woodburne. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin, 65:217-235.
Stoneburg, B.E. 2022. Untitled letter, paleontological records search for the Mission Trail project.
Unpublished letter for Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc., Poway, California, by the
Western Science Center, Hemet, California.
Weber, F.H., Jr. 1977. Seismic hazards related to geologic factors, Elsinore and Chico fault zones,
northwestern Riverside County, California: California Div. of Mines and Geology Open-
File Report 77-4 LA.
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APPENDIX A
Qualifications of Key Personnel
To dd A. W ir ths , MS, PG No. 7588
Senior Paleontologist
Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc.
14010 Poway Road Suite A
Phone: (858) 679-8218 Fax: (858) 679-9896 E-Mail: twirths@bfsa-ca.com
Education
Master of Science, Geological Sciences, San Diego State University, California 1995
Bachelor of Arts, Earth Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz 1992
Professional Certifications
California Professional Geologist #7588, 2003
Riverside County Approved Paleontologist
San Diego County Qualified Paleontologist
Orange County Certified Paleontologist
OSHA HAZWOPER 40-hour trained; current 8-hour annual refresher
Professional Memberships
Board member, San Diego Geological Society
San Diego Association of Geologists; past President (2012) and Vice President (2011)
South Coast Geological Society
Southern California Paleontological Society
Experience
Mr. Wirths has more than a dozen years of professional experience as a senior-level paleontologist
throughout southern California. He is also a certified California Professional Geologist. At BFSA, Mr.
Wirths conducts on-site paleontological monitoring, trains and supervises junior staff, and performs all
research and reporting duties for locations throughout Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside,
Orange, San Diego, and Imperial Counties. Mr. Wirths was formerly a senior project manager
conducting environmental investigations and remediation projects for petroleum hydrocarbon-
impacted sites across southern California.
Selected Recent Reports
2019 Paleontological Assessment for the 10575 Foothill Boulevard Project, City of Rancho Cucamonga,
San Bernardino County, California. Prepared for T&B Planning, Inc. Report on file at Brian F.
Smith and Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2019 Paleontological Assessment for the MorningStar Marguerite Project, Mission Viejo, Orange
County, California. Prepared for T&B Planning. Report on file at Brian F. Smith and Associates,
Inc., Poway, California.
Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc. 2
2019 Paleontological Monitoring Report for the Nimitz Crossing Project, City of San Diego. Prepared
for Voltaire 24, LP. Report on file at Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2019 Paleontological Resource Impact Mitigation Program (PRIMP) for the Jack Rabbit Trail Logistics
Center Project, City of Beaumont, Riverside County, California. Prepared for JRT BP 1, LLC.
Report on file at Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2020 Paleontological Monitoring Report for the Oceanside Beachfront Resort Project, Oceanside, San
California. Prepared for S.D. Malkin Properties. Report on file at Brian F. Smith and Associates,
Inc., Poway, California.
2020 Paleontological Resource Impact Mitigation Program for the Nakase Project, Lake Forest, Orange
County, San California. Prepared for Glenn Lukos Associates, Inc. Report on file at Brian F.
Smith and Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2020 Paleontological Resource Impact Mitigation Program for the Sunset Crossroads Project, Banning,
Riverside County. Prepared for NP Banning Industrial, LLC. Report on file at Brian F. Smith and
Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2020 Paleontological Assessment for the Ortega Plaza Project, Lake Elsinore, Riverside County.
Prepared for Empire Design Group. Report on file at Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc.,
Poway, California.
2020 Paleontological Resource Record Search Update for the Green River Ranch III Project, Green River
Ranch Specific Plan SP00-001, City of Corona, California. Prepared for Western Realco. Report
on file at Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2020 Paleontological Assessment for the Cypress/Slover Industrial Center Project, City of Fontana, San
Bernardino County, California. Prepared for T&B Planning, Inc. Report on file at Brian F. Smith
and Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2020 Paleontological Monitoring Report for the Imperial Landfill Expansion Project (Phase VI,
Segment C-2), Imperial County, California. Prepared for Republic Services, Inc. Report on file at
Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2021 Paleontological Assessment for the Manitou Court Logistics Center Project, City of Jurupa Valley,
Riverside County, California. Prepared for Link Industrial. Report on file at Brian F. Smith and
Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2021 Paleontological Resource Impact Mitigation Program for the Del Oro (Tract 36852) Project,
Menifee, Riverside County. Prepared for D.R. Horton. Report on file at Brian F. Smith and
Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2021 Paleontological Assessment for the Alessandro Corporate Center Project (Planning Case PR-2020-
000519), City of Riverside, Riverside County, California. Prepared for OZI Alessandro, LLC.
Report on file at Brian F. Smith and Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
2021 Paleontological Monitoring Report for the Boardwalk Project, La Jolla, City of San Diego.
Prepared for Project Management Advisors, Inc. Report on file at Brian F. Smith and
Associates, Inc., Poway, California.
Paleontological Assessment for the Mission Trail Project
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
APPENDIX B
Paleontological Records Search
2345 Searl Parkway ♦ Hemet, CA 92543 ♦ phone 951.791.0033 ♦ fax 951.791.0032 ♦ WesternScienceCenter.org
March 31, 2022
Brian F. Smith and Associates
Todd Wirths
14010 Poway Road, Suite A
Poway, California 92064
Dear Mr. Wirths,
This letter presents the results of a record search conducted for the Mission Trail Project located in the
city of Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, California. The project site is located immediately west of Mission
Trail, west of the Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park, north of Corydon Road and south of Victorian Lane in
Sections 21 and 22 on the Lake Elsinore, CA USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle.
The geologic units underlying this project are mapped primarily as young alluvial sand, silt, and clay
deposits dating from the Holocene to the Late Pleistocene periods with nearby units of Cretaceous
gabbro and Holocene lacustrine clay, silt and sand (Morton and Weber, 2003). Holocene alluvial units
are considered to be of high preservation value, but material found is often unlikely to be fossil material
due to the relatively modern associated dates of the deposits. However, Pleistocene alluvial sediments
are considered paleontological sensitive, and in southern California are well documented and known to
contain abundant fossil resources including those associated with Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus
columbi), Pacific mastodon (Mammut pacificus), sabertooth cat (Smilodon fatalis), ancient horse (Equus
sp.), and many other Pleistocene megafauna. The Western Science Center does not have localities
within the project area or within a 1 mile radius, but does have numerous localities in similarly mapped
units several miles south of the Mission Trail Project, include the Principe Project and the Harveston
Project.
Any fossils recovered from the Mission Trail Project area would be scientifically significant. Excavation
activity associated with development of the area has the potential to impact the paleontologically
sensitive Pleistocene sediments and it is the recommendation of the Western Science Center that a
paleontological resource mitigation plan be put in place to monitor, salvage, and curate any recovered
fossils associated with the current study area.
If you have any questions, or would like further information, please feel free to contact me at
bstoneburg@westerncentermuseum.org.
Sincerely,
Brittney Elizabeth Stoneburg
Collections Technician