Bear-Human Interaction Monitoring Plan
May 2015
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Upper American River Project 1
FERC Project No. 2101
1.0 Background and Introduction
This bear management monitoring plan was prepared according to the terms and
conditions found in the Order Issuing New License for SMUD’s Upper American River
Project (UARP) issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) (FERC
2014). The FERC License-related conditions which are applicable to this monitoring
plan are included at the end of this plan.
The UARP lies within El Dorado and Sacramento counties, primarily within lands of the
Eldorado National Forest (USFS). The UARP consists of three major storage
reservoirs—Loon Lake, Union Valley, and Ice House (with a combined capacity of
379,622 acre-feet), eight smaller regulating or diversion reservoirs, and eight
powerhouses. The UARP began operations in 1961 and has a generating capacity of
approximately 688 megawatts. The UARP also includes recreation facilities containing
over 700 campsites, five boat ramps, and hiking and bicycling trails at the reservoirs.
California's black bear (Ursus americanus) population has increased over the past 25
years. In 1982, the statewide bear population was estimated to be between 10,000 and
15,000. Presently, the statewide black bear population is conservatively estimated to be
between 25,000 and 30,000. Biologists recognize three regional “subpopulations” of
black bears in California: California-North Coast/Cascade, Sierra Nevada, and Central
Western/Southwestern (CDFW 2015). The Project Area lies within the range of the
Sierra Nevada subpopulation. Forty percent of the statewide black bear population
resides in the Sierra Nevada Mountains ( CDFW 2015). Black bears are widespread
and found throughout the Sierra Nevada region, from foothill habitats to alpine zones.
They generally occur in fairly dense, mature stands of many forest types, valley foothill
riparian, and wet meadow. Black bears are omnivorous, feeding largely on grasses and
forbs, fruits, nuts, insects, and carrion. They require large trees and suitable den sites in
tree and snag hollows, stumps, logs, caves, or holes in the ground. These habitat
elements must be in mature, dense vegetation, and on sheltered slopes for suitable
denning. Most young are born in winter dens from late January to early February.
Conflicts between humans and black bears in high-density recreation areas are a
source of concern for recreation and natural resource managers (Claar et al. 1999).
Black bears are attracted to and consume human food waste and hazardous
human/bear encounters are increasing in many campgrounds and mountain residential
areas, including within the UARP area. Measures to reduce such encounters
implemented in high-use areas like Yosemite National Park include installation of larger,
bear-proof food storage boxes, increased USFS enforcement of food storage rules,
increased frequency of garbage pick-up, and better environmental education for the