2.
Response
to
Comments
2.9
Individual
Responses
to
Comments
from
Organizations
The
Draft
EIR
describes
existing
conditions
for
wetland
and
open
water
areas
at
a
level
of
detail
appropriate
for
a
programmatic
EIR.
Wetland
and
open
water
areas
are
identified
on
Draft
EIR
Figure
4.C-1.
Detailed
descriptions
of
open
water
features
in
the
mid
and
southern
portions
of
the
Baylands
Project
site,
Visitacion
Creek,
and
Brisbane
Lagoon,
are
provided
in
the
Section
4.H,
Surface
Water
Hydrology
and
Water
Quality,
of
the
Draft
EIR.
Visitacion
Creek
and
Brisbane
Lagoon
are
directly
connected
to
San
Francisco
Bay,
and
are
influenced
by
tidal
conditions
on
the
Bay.
Tidal
conditions
create
backwater
conditions
along
Visitacion
Creek
that
restrict
outflow
from
the
Levinson
Marsh
and
higher
tides
can
contribute
to
flooding
along
Bayshore
Boulevard.
The
wildlife,
especially
shore
birds,
that
inhabit
Visitacion
Creek
and
Brisbane
Lagoon
are
discussed
in
Section
4.C,
Biological
Resources
.
The
Levinson
Marsh,
also
known
as
the
Levinson
Overflow
area,
is
located
upstream
of
the
Baylands
and
outside
of
the
Baylands
Project
area
across
Bayshore
Boulevard.
Issues
related
to
detention
and
water
flow
control
structures
at
or
upstream
of
Levinson
Marsh,
do
not
involve
impacts
of
proposed
Baylands
development,
and
are
not
therefore
addressed
in
the
Draft
EIR;
however,
Mitigation
Measure
4.H-4a
requires
that
systemwide
drainage
improvements
be
provided,
including
correction
of
known
deficiencies
(e.g.,
Levinson
Overflow
area)
that
would
affect
the
project
site.
Water
drainage
from
Levinson
Marsh
would
move
through
the
Baylands
Project
site
as
depicted
in
Figures
and
The
statement
in
the
Draft
EIR
referenced
in
the
comment
is
based
on
review
of
historical
documentation
of
conditions
within
the
Baylands
area
prior
to
establishment
of
the
landfill
and
railyard.
The
exact
location
of
the
historic
dunes
was
not
disclosed,
and
this
habitat
type
no
longer
exists
within
the
Baylands
Project
site.
Because
the
marsh
area
referenced
in
the
comment
is
located
upstream
from
the
Baylands
Project
site,
the
marsh
will
be
unaffected
by
proposed
development
within
the
Baylands.
Analysis
of
projected
sea
level
rise
provided
on
page
4.H-8
and
figure
4.H-4
indicate
that
projected
sea
level
rise
will
not
cause
water
to
back
up
from
the
Baylands
into
the
Levinson
Marsh.
As
part
of
the
Final
EIR,
biologists
conducted
additional
field
visits
to
the
area
adjacent
to
the
US
101
freeway.
The
wetlands
referenced
in
the
comment
have
been
mapped
and
are
now
part
of
the
Final
EIR.
The
wetlands
identified
by
Comment
are
mapped
in
the
revised
Figure
4.C-1
included
in
9.
Brisbane
Baylands
Final
EIR
2.9.2-24
May
2015