Utica was awarded grant funding from CAL FIRE to reduce fuels on 207 acres around Hunter Reservoir in Avery. Before mastication and hand-clearing can commence, environmental work must be completed. Utica’s outside consultant, who is a registered professional forester, completed the environmental analysis and concluded the project qualifies for an exemption from CEQA. Click here to view the NOE
The Hunter Reservoir Fuels Reduction Project is adjacent to and includes portions of the Avery Community on the Highway 4 corridor, approximately seven miles east of Murphys in Calaveras County. It is bounded by Highway 4 on the north, Hathaway Pines community on the west, steep lands of the North Fork Stanislaus River on the south, and private timberlands on the west. The elevation range is roughly 3,120 to 3,500 feet. Reducing fuels in the project area will provide protection to the Hathaway Pines and Avery communities from fires emanating from the North Fork Stanislaus River (historical fire patterns). The Hunter Reservoir Fuels Reduction project is integral to the Highway 4 Strategic Wildfire Defense System.
The project area includes 207 acres of private land consisting of 49 parcels with 23 habitable structures. The site includes a mixture of hardwood and conifer species native to the Sierra Nevada region. The fuels reduction treatment will be a mixture of pruning, thinning, and mechanical mastication or hand work with chipping on site, targeting ladder fuels (brush and small trees).
To view the full environmental report, visit our office at 1168 Booster Way, Angels Camp, CA 95222. Those with questions or concerns can contact us at (209)736-9419 and admin@uticawater.com
