Ethan M. Barnes

Senior Ecologist

Bio
Relevant Experience
Education & Credentials

Bio

Mr. Ethan Barnes is a senior plant ecologist and with more than 20 years of experience as a professional botanist. Throughout his career, he has conducted surveys for special-status plant species and their habitats, performed wetland delineations, and mapped vegetative cover types in a wide variety of plant communities in California and other parts of the United States. Mr. Barnes has identified and observed more than 100 special-status plant species in their native California habitats. His surveys have involved inventorying plant species from numerous habitat types, including wetland, grassland, chaparral, oak woodland, montane, desert, halophytic, and anthropogenic communities.

As a senior ecologist, Mr. Barnes serves as a project manager and brings technical expertise related to habitat assessment, special-status plant surveys, wetland assessments and delineations, regulatory permit assistance, environmental impact analyses, and CEQA compliance to projects. His experience also includes permitting through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and permitting under Section 1600 of the California Fish and Game Code through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Barnes also has experience in conducting wildlife surveys, including for blunt-nosed leopard lizards (BNLL) Level II, valley elderberry longhorn beetles, and burrowing owls.

Prior to joining Integral Consulting, he was a senior plant ecologist at H. T. Harvey & Associates where he worked for more than 15 years.

Relevant Experience

Transportation

California High-Speed Rail (HSR) Environmental Services (Fresno-Bakersfield Section), Fresno, Kern, Tulare, and Kings Counties, California — Served as designated biologist for blunt-nosed leopard lizard (BNLL) and general biological monitor. Conducts BNLL surveys as a level 2 surveyor. Also serves as project manager for Crotch’s bumble bee surveys.

California High-Speed Rail (HSR) Environmental Services (Fresno-Bakersfield Section), Fresno, Kern, Tulare, and Kings Counties, California — Serves as a plant and wetland ecologist during construction and permitting activities of the Fresno-Bakersfield section of HSR. Performs wetland delineations and daily monitoring; shares experience and strategic guidance for construction-related regulatory and permitting issues.

Vallecitos Channel Programmatic Maintenance Project, Alameda County, California — The project involves an open channel that is surrounded by mixed grassland/rangeland for cattle grazing, undeveloped easements beneath utility powerlines, horse stable and training facility, and a recreational site. To support maintenance of the channel, assisted with the delineation of jurisdictional features (wetlands and other waters) on approximately 18 acres.

Blunt-Nosed Leopard Lizard Surveys for Caltrans, Kern County, California — As Level II BNLL surveyor, performed protocol level surveys for multiple Caltrans projects in Kern County.

Highway 17 Pavement Rehabilitation Project, Santa Clara County, California — Coordinated special-status plant surveys and habitat assessment, delineated jurisdictional features (wetlands and other waters), and drafted the USACE permit application for the approximately 519 acre Caltrans project.

Prosperity to Caldwell South Segment SR 99, Tulare County, California — Conducted field work and wrote the wetland delineation report for a Caltrans project along more than 10 miles of SR 99. Caltrans proposed widening the highway by two lanes and construct shoulder and ramp improvements. The highway segment crosses wetlands and other aquatic resources, intermixed with agricultural, residential, and other land uses. The wetland ecology team conducted a delineation of wetlands and other waters of the United States and state along the southern 4.4 miles, totaling nearly 175 acres, of the project alignment.

California High-speed Rail (HSR) Environmental Services (Madera-Fresno section), Madera, Merced, and Fresno Counties, California — Serves as project manager for Crotch’s bumble bee surveys. Manages and leads surveys for 55 survey locations totaling approximately 1,015 acres.

Kings Canyon Expressway, Segment 3 Preconstruction and Construction Support, Fresno County, California — As a plant ecologist and project manager, performed monitoring and provided preconstruction and construction support for Caltrans. Led a team that performed an extensive inventory of all the woody-stemmed plants, heritage trees, and special-status plants in the study area. The surveys fulfilled project permit requirements, including a streambed alteration agreement with CDFW.

California High-Speed Rail (HSR) Environmental Services (Merced-Fresno Section), Madera, Merced, and Fresno Counties, California — Serves as plant ecologist and project manager for biological resources services for the Merced-Fresno section of HSR Tracks. Delegates surveys for woody-stemmed plants, heritage trees, and special status plants, as well as monitoring, and worker environmental awareness training. The project consists of realigning and widening State Route 180.

Water Resources

Madera Irrigation District Fresno River Existing Rock Weir Reconstruction Project, Madera County, California — As project manager, managed and conducted field work associated with refining a project approach to facilitate completion of weir reconstruction to avoid the need for federal and state incidental take permits. Prepared, processed, and implemented conditions of a CDFW 1602 Streambed Alteration Agreement application, including preconstruction surveys, construction monitoring, and reporting. Implemented conditions over multiple years.

Fresno Irrigation District Aquatic Pesticide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Assistance, Fresno County, California — Performed water quality monitoring and water sample collection for the Fresno Irrigation District in the irrigation district’s canals in Fresno County in compliance with its Aquatic Pesticide NPDES permit.

Columbia Avenue Drain Project, Merced, California — Performed construction monitoring, conducted water quality tests, and drafted water quality monitoring reports for the City of Merced Engineering department’s project. Led a team that helped the City of Merced complete its project to abandon portions of a storm drain and install a new storm drain with an outlet to Black Rascal Creek, a naturally vegetated drainage subject to state and federal jurisdiction.

San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority Grassland Basin Drainage, Fresno County — Provided botanical and wetland expertise in support of the CEQA compliance documentation for the project. Team analyzed the effects of construction of a 200-acre reservoir to temporarily store storm water. Project involved expansion of the 6,100-acre San Joaquin River Water Quality Improvement Project agricultural drain water reuse area by approximately 1,680 acres within the Panoche Drainage and Firebaugh Canal Water Districts, installation of four pump stations and approximately 4.3 miles of pipeline, and improvement of approximately 4.4 miles of ditch to concrete-lined canal.

Dos Rios Ranch Rubble Removal Project, Stanislaus County, California — Conducted a delineation of jurisdictional features (wetlands and other waters) of approximately 28 acres. Mapped rubble locations and volumes within the project site along the San Joaquin and Tuolumne Rivers. Assisted in the preparation of permit applications under Sections 401 of the Clean Water Act, as well as Section 1600 of the California Fish and Game Code. The purpose of the Project is to enhance habitat conditions and improve the viability of anadromous fish populations in the San Joaquin River watershed and remove rubble at priority locations along the banks of the Tuolumne and San Joaquin Rivers at Dos Rios Ranch to promote natural riverine processes.

Island Dairy Wetland Delineation and Ordinary High Water Mark Mapping, Modesto, California — Conducted a delineation of jurisdictional features (wetlands and other waters) of approximately 29 acres. Mapped rubble locations and volumes within the project site along the San Joaquin River. Assisted in the preparation of permit applications under Sections 401 of the Clean Water Act (Statewide Restoration General Order), as well as Section 1600 of the California Fish and Game Code (Resource Management Plan). The purpose of the project was to facilitate floodplain restoration, including removal of rubble along the riverbank.

Renewable Energy

California Valley Solar Ranch Project, San Luis Obispo County, California — Delineated jurisdictional features (wetlands and other waters) on approximately 4551 acres and drafted the USACE and RWQCB permits, and lake and streambed alteration agreement applications for the 250-MW California Valley Solar Ranch project. Conducted annual monitoring of stream crossings and wildlife surveys for giant kangaroo rat and blunt-nosed leopard lizard for three years.

Morelos del Sol Solar Project Environmental Services, Lost Hills, California — Performed construction monitoring for a 15 megawatt photovoltaic solar power plant. Monitored for the presence of San Joaquin kit fox and listed kangaroo rats. Team provided a variety of ecological consulting services, including documentation of compliance with all conditional use permit conditions of approval and mitigation measures before the start of construction.

Pumpjack and Wildwood Solar Projects Construction Monitoring Support, Kern County, California — Performed construction monitoring for two separate solar photovoltaic power generating facilities, each producing 20 megawatts and built on 160-acre parcels of formerly active and fallow agricultural lands. Monitored for the presence of San Joaquin kit fox and listed kangaroo rats.

Alamo Springs Solar Site Biological Support, Kings County, California — Served as project manager for an approximately 130 megawatt photovoltaic and storage facility. Conducted blunt-nosed leopard lizard surveys and coordinated field work and schedules for surveyors. Drafted the wetland delineation report, biological report, and habitat conservation plan.

Quinto Solar Photovoltaic Project, Merced County, California — Drafted various permits, including USACE, RWQCB, and CDFW lake and streambed alteration agreement applications for the approximately 952-acre solar site. Performed construction monitoring for the presence of San Joaquin kit fox and listed kangaroo rats.

Pelican’s Jaw Hybrid Solar Site and Azalea Hybrid Power Projects, Kern County, California — As a California Department of Fish and Wildlife approved mitigation land manager, manages the implementation of two long-term management plans for over 4,000 acres of mitigation lands that were preserved as compensatory mitigation for the construction of two separate utility-scale solar energy generation facilities. Also conducting annual monitoring and reporting as directed by the long-term mitigation plans.

Vernal Pool Branchiopods

Beale Air Force Base Natural Resources and Environmental Program Support, Yuba County, California — Surveyed 319 pools for federally listed vernal pool branchiopods according to the USFWS protocol.

Sterling Bridge Battery Storage Project Biological Services, San Joaquin County, California — Surveyed 100 locations for federally listed branchiopods, according to USFWS protocol distributed throughout the approximately 2,412-acre project site.

Madera County PG&E Substation, Madera County, California — Surveyed 10 pools for federally listed vernal pool branchiopods according to the USFWS protocol. All survey features were surveyed according to USFWS protocol. Collected voucher specimens and archived them at the California Academy of Sciences.

Education & Credentials

Highlights

More than 20 years of experience

Plant ecology

Special-status plant surveys

Wetland delineation and assessment

Regulatory agency permitting

Environmental impact assessment (CEQA/NEPA)

Vegetation classification and assessment

General and special-status wildlife surveys, including for vernal pool branchiopods, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, western pond turtle, western spadefoot, San Joaquin kit fox, San Joaquin antelope squirrel, giant kangaroo rats, burrowing owl, and valley elderberry longhorn beetle

Education & Credentials

M.S., Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 1997

B.S., Environmental Science (terrestrial ecology emphasis, biology minor), Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington, 2006

Permits and Approvals:

10(a)(1)(A) for branchiopods

Level II surveyor for blunt-nosed leopard lizard

Professional Experience

Senior ecologist 2, H. T. Harvey & Associates, 2010–July 2026

Adjunct faculty, Biology, Fresno City College, 2007–2009

Independent ecological consultant, 2004–2008

Biological science technician, U.S. Forest Service, 2004

Staff botanist, Maxim Technologies, 2003–2004

Botany/GIS Assistant, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 2002–2003

Professional Affiliations

California Native Plant Society

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