The Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan (NBHCP), adopted in November 1997 and revised in 2003, is designed to promote biological conservation along with economic development and continuation of agriculture within the 53,341-acre Natomas Basin, located in portions of northern Sacramento and southern Sutter Counties. The NBHCP was also prepared to satisfy a condition of an U.S. Army Corp of Engineers permit, with the program implementation under the direction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, and the City of Sacramento.

The NBHCP established a multi-species conservation program to mitigate the expected loss of habitat values and incidental take of protected species that would result from urban development, operation of irrigation and drainage systems, and rice farming. To meet the mitigation goals of the NBHCP, a mitigation fee is paid to the Natomas Basin Conservancy by developers of projects when they apply for grading and building permits. The Conservancy then uses the mitigation fees to acquire, restore, and manage mitigation lands to provide habitat for protected species and maintain agriculture in the Basin. Since program inception the Conservancy has acquired approximately thirty-eight mitigation properties totaling over 5,100 acres within the Natomas Basin.

All new development within Sutter County's portion of the Natomas Basin is subject to the NBHCP. The NBHCP specifies avoidance measures and mitigation for loss of habitat and incidental take coverage. Prior to new grading or construction, proposed development must ensure compliance with the requirements of the NBHCP with County staff, including but not limited to biological surveys and payment of NBHCP fees.

NBHCP Compliance Documents

• Biological Resources and the Natomas Basin - Information for Project Applicants
• Pre-Construction Survey Protocols
• NBHCP Fee Resolution (2024)
• County's Annual Report of Development to USFWS and CDFW (2023)
• Link to the Natomas Basin Conservancy

• NBHCP FEIR / EIS - Volume 1
• NBHCP FEIR / EIS - Volume 2

Draft Environmental Impact Report:

• Front and Back Covers
• Executive Summary
• Cover Sheet and Abstract
• Contents
• 001 Purpose and Need
• 002 Proposed Action and Alts
• 003 Affected Environment
• 004 Environmental Consequences
• 005 List of Preparers
• 006 References
• 007 Glossary
• 008 Index
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix C