Bio
Mr. Kevin Cahill, M.S., is a senior wildlife ecologist and project ecologist. He has particular expertise in the biology and ecology of raptors with more than 15 years of experience surveying and tracking raptors throughout California. Mr. Cahill has an in-depth understanding of survey protocols, Fish and Game Code, the California and Federal Code of Regulations and state and federal permitting processes including Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements and CEQA.
As a senior wildlife ecologist, he leads project teams and surveys for raptors and owls, nesting birds, amphibians, and other wildlife taxa. Work includes monitoring construction activities to assess impacts on sensitive wildlife; performs habitat assessments; conducting long-term wildlife population monitoring on conservation and mitigation sites; and implementing avoidance and minimization measures in accordance with federal and state permits.
Prior to joining Integral Consulting, he was a senior wildlife ecologist at H. T. Harvey & Associates where he worked for nearly a decade.
Relevant Experience
Water
North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program, Turlock, California — Conducted wildlife surveys, construction monitoring activities and worker awareness training for Swainson’s hawk and other raptors, giant garter snake, western pond turtle, burrowing owl and other sensitive species during pipeline excavation and installation of the 7-mile Turlock Segment of the North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program in accordance with state incidental take permit, Clean Water Act Section 401 order, and federal conservation measures.
Los Vaqueros Reservoir Watershed and Conservation Land Biological Support, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, and Alameda Counties, California — Serves as lead wildlife ecologist across more than 25,000 acres of Los Vaqueros watershed and conservation lands owned by the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) to support federal and state permit requirements. Monitors 85 watershed and conservation lands ponds, wetlands, and marshes and provides CCWD with maintenance recommendations. Coordinates and performs construction monitoring for northwestern pond turtle, California red-legged frog, Alameda whipsnake and California tiger salamander during operations and maintenance activities; conducts invasive bullfrog surveys along Kellogg Creek and on the Los Vaqueros reservoir. Conducts wildlife surveys and monitoring including golden eagle nest monitoring in support of wetland, riparian, and oak woodland mitigation evaluation and compliance monitoring, federal programmatic long-term operations and maintenance program, and the habitat management plan.
Los Vaqueros Reservoir Watershed and Conservation Land Biological Support, Corral Hollow Habitat Management Unit, San Joaquin County, California — Conducted pre-installation habitat assessment of a 2.5-mile water pipeline route in the CCWD Corral Hollow habitat management unit, mapped and marked fossorial mammal burrows, and surveyed for western burrowing owl. Advised the CCWD, rancher, and USDA civil engineer on potential impacts of planned route and alternate routes to avoid and minimize burrow impacts. Inspected all burrows that could be potentially impacted with fiber optic scope for California tiger salamanders and other wildlife and monitored waterline installation.
Los Vaqueros Reservoir Watershed and Conservation Land Biological Support, Mendoz Ranch, Altamont Habitat Management Unit, Alameda County, California — Served as approved qualified biologist for California tiger salamander, red-legged frog and western burrowing owl for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) dam and maintenance projects on the Mendoza Ranch in the CCWD’s Altamont Habitat Management Unit. Monitored pond dam and outfall maintenance and construction and in-stream channel debris, vegetation, and sediment clearing and culvert maintenance. Assisted with permitting package preparation including preparation of CDFW 1600 and Water Quality Control Board waste discharge authorizations.
Garden Highway Mutual Water Company Fish Screen Retrofit, Sutter County, California — Conducted preconstruction special status wildlife, bats, and nesting bird surveys; developed and conducted worker awareness training program; established blue elderberry avoidance buffers; developed western pond turtle impact avoidance plan; and conducted western pond turtle trapping, and relocation effort for the intake pump fish screen retrofit project on the Feather River in accordance with state and federal avoidance measures.
Sutter Bypass Collecting Canals and Pump Plant Maintenance, Sutter County, California — Conducted construction monitoring activities for giant garter snake, Swainson’s hawk, nesting birds, and northwestern pond turtle, including scent dog survey trials, on a 60-mile system of drainage canals and pumping plants maintained by the California Department of Water Resources east of the Sutter Bypass in accordance with California Endangered Species Act incidental take permits and Federal ESA Section 7 consultation.
City of Sacramento Stream Channel Maintenance Pre-Activity Nesting Bird Surveys, Sacramento, California — Conducts nesting riparian bird surveys along 9 miles of creeks and drainage canals for the City of Sacramento Division of Operations and Maintenance for storm drainage system maintenance regulatory compliance in support of CDFW incidental take permit.
Reclamation District 1000 On-Call Biological Services, Sacramento County, California — Conducted biological assessment and special-status wildlife and nesting bird surveys for Reclamation District 1000s’ main Drainage Canal tree removal and bank restoration project in support of FEMA disaster grant projects coordination. Prepared avoidance and minimization measures for nesting birds and special-status species including western pond turtle; prepared Nationwide 13, Clean Water Act Section 401, and CDFW 1600 permit applications.
Sacramento-San Joaquin Levee Repair Biological Monitoring, Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties, California — Conducted construction monitoring activities for giant garter snake as a Level A Qualified Biologist for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA funded project to make emergency repairs to weakened at risk levees.
Transportation
I‐80 Westbound Cordelia Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility Project, Solano County, California — Conducted wildlife and habitat assessment surveys and contributed to FESA Biological Assessment (BA) to describe and evaluate the potential effects of the project on any threatened, endangered, or proposed animal or plant species regulated by USFWS or NMFS and/or its habitat, and designated critical habitat of those species. Conducted protocol Swainson’s hawk surveys and blue elderberry morphometric measurements including exit hole surveys in support of avoidance and mitigation measures.
California High-speed Rail Authority Environmental Services (Merced - Fresno Section), Fresno, Kern, Tulare, and Kings Counties, California — Provided on-call biological services for the California High Speed Rail Authority in the San Joaquin Valley including California tiger salamander habitat assessments and monitoring, Swainson’s hawk nesting surveys, vernal pool branchiopod surveys, and construction monitoring in support of CDFW incidental take permits and USFWS biological opinion.
Merced Bridges Geotechnical Drilling Biological Support, Merced County, California — Conducted preconstruction surveys for giant garter snake, Swainson’s hawk, San Joaquin kit fox and nesting birds in accordance with federal consultation prior to excavation activities at the West Mud Slough Bridge on SR 140. Conducted construction monitoring for giant garter snake during geotechnical excavation activities.
Blue Oak Woodland Mitigation Site Assessment, Butte County, California — Conducted blue oak habitat assessment surveys to identify parcels meeting CEQA mitigation criteria on 1,900 acres in the Cascade foothills and assisted with report preparation for Caltrans Route 191 Blue Oak Mitigation requirements. Assessed the selected 708-acre property for special-status wildlife value; ground-truthed desktop vegetation and special feature mapping; took vegetative cover measurements and photographs; and assisted with drafting land management plan.
Restoration
Boca Forest Health and Meadow Habitat Restoration, Nevada County, California — Conducted special-status wildlife species habitat assessment and contributed to biotic resources report to identify potential effects of the proposed project with an emphasis on American goshawk, northern spotted owl, Sierra Nevada red-legged frog, nesting birds, and mammals. Served as field-lead for protocol American goshawk nesting surveys and protocol Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog habitat assessments.
Hartley Island Riparian Habitat Restoration Baseline Site Assessment, Glenn County, California — Conducted reconnaissance-level assessment of special-status wildlife species and other sensitive biological resources including hand auger soil sampling for on a 302-acre agricultural site on the middle Sacramento River.
Lacey Meadows Restoration Project Biological Support, Sierra and Nevada Counties, California — Conducted nesting bird, roosting bat, and mesocarnivore surveys with a focus on American goshawk and willow flycatcher prior to tree removal, habitat enhancement and restoration work on approximately 200-acres of formerly grazed alpine meadow and mixed-conifer habitat in accordance with federal and state permits. Developed and presented worker environmental awareness training presentations for sensitive wildlife, habitats, and culturally significant artifacts prior to project implementation.
Energy
Wildflower Solar Farm, Sacramento County, California — Conducted protocol level surveys for nesting Swainson’s hawk, other raptors and nesting birds, and burrowing owl at a 90-acre, 13-megawatt solar development project. Conducted vernal pool branchiopod surveys, monitored nesting raptors; assisted with raptor avoidance plan development and implementation; and developed and conducted worker awareness training presentation in support of California, federal, and Sacramento County permit compliance.
Austin Quarry California Tiger Salamander Biological Monitoring and Support, Madera, California — CDFW designated biologist for California tiger salamander drift fence monitoring and relocation. Conducted burrow excavation and construction monitoring during installation of a 2,800-kilowatt solar facility and associated infrastructure in accordance with Federal biological opinion and CDFW incidental take permit.
Northern California Coast Offshore Wind Feasibility Study: Humboldt, Trinity, Shasta, Mendocino Counties, California — Drafted species accounts and impact analysis for terrestrial and freshwater biota and habitats including for bald eagle, northern goshawk, and northern spotted owl to determine most likely environmental impacts and potential permitting requirements for proposed overland transmission line pathways associated with a Northern California Coast offshore wind project off Humboldt California.
Other Land Use
Spring Lake Swainson’s Hawk Monitoring, Yolo County, California — Conducted long term monitoring of Swainson’s hawk and other raptors in support of the Spring Lake Specific Plan mitigation requirements. Conducted protocol surveys, monitored breeding success, and quantified habitat use and foraging preferences across an 11.8 square mile study area. Mapped habitat and land use data and conducted statistical analysis of spatiotemporal occurrence, nesting, and foraging habitat preferences using GIS data and behavioral data collected in the field.
Pacific Crest Trail Association Trail Alignment Assistance, San Diego County, California — Contributed to Pacific Crest Trail optimal location review for potential relocation of a 26.5-mile segment of the trail. Analyzed GIS, topographic, and aerial maps for habitat features, natural resources, and special status species along proposed alternative routes. Conducted spatial analysis of each alternative route to evaluate optimal adherence to National Scenic Trail requirements.
Yolo County Central Landfill Borrow Site Biological, Archaeological, and Paleontological Services, Yolo County, California — Conducted protocol surveys for western burrowing owl, Swainson’s hawk, white-tailed kite and other nesting birds and raptors and implemented avoidance and minimization measures in support of the project and the Yolo County Central Landfill Environmental Impact Reports. Provided adaptive management solutions to exclude and monitor western burrowing owls during culvert removal along borrow site haul roads.
Beale Air Force Base Natural Resources and Environmental Program Support, Yuba County, California — Provided wildlife monitoring support and conducted surveys for vernal pool branchiopods, roosting special-status bats, nesting birds, and western spadefoot toad. Conducted biological habitat assessments in support of operations and maintenance, flood control and dam removal efforts. Assisted with daytime bat roost and evening bat emergence counts and remote bio-sonar recording of bats.
Habitat Conservation Plan Support
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) General Habitat Conservation Plan Support, East Bay, San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento Valley, California — Provides habitat conservation plan (HCP) and mitigation program support to PG&E including habitat assessments for California red-legged frog, California tiger salamander, giant garter snake, Swainson’s hawk, burrowing owl, San Joaquin kit fox, and other nesting birds and sensitive species.
PG&E HCP Conservation Support on Ranch Property, Alameda County, California — Conducted a biological reconnaissance and HCP credit evaluation of 166-acre ranch property. The evaluation was intended to determine if the parcel could provide compensation for impacts on species covered under the Pacific Gas & Electric Company Bay Area Operations and Maintenance HCP and whether the parcel could provide wetland mitigation opportunities. Species of interest included California red-legged frog, California tiger salamander, and San Joaquin kit fox.
San Joaquin County Multispecies Habitat Conservation and Open Space Plan Support, San Joaquin County, California — Provided habitat conservation plan and mitigation program support to the San Joaquin Council of Governments including; preconstruction surveys; construction monitoring; and habitat assessments for California red-legged frog, San Joaquin kit fox, giant garter snake, Swainson’s hawk, burrowing owl and other nesting birds and covered species across more than 70 task orders.
Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan (NBHCP) Compliance, Sacramento and Sutter Counties, California — Performed protocol surveys for western burrowing owl, Swainson’s hawk, and other covered species, prepared avoidance and minimization measures, and performed worker awareness training for NBHCP compliance projects. Monitored burrowing owl colony and nesting Swainson’s hawks and developed construction avoidance buffers for large commercial development covered under the NBHCP.
Anderson Reservoir Dam Seismic Retrofit Project, Santa Clara County, California — Conducts aerial helicopter surveys of nesting Golden Eagles in support of the project and associated federal and state permits. The team has conducted surveys for special-status plants, nesting bald and golden eagles, and special-status reptiles and amphibians; and prepared applications for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 Permit, Regional Water Quality Control Board 401 Water Quality Certification, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Section 1602 Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement, and San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission Coastal Zone Management Act consistency determination.
Education & Credentials
Highlights
More than 15 years of experience
Construction monitoring
Avian ecology
Raptors with particular focus on Swainson’s hawk
Wildlife ecology and conservation
Education & Credentials
M.S., Biology (Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation), California State University, Sacramento, California, 2014
B.A., English and History, University of California, Davis, California, 2005
Permits
Federal Native Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Recovery Permit ES797267-21
Federal Fish and Wildlife Scientific Collecting Permit MBPER2425994
CDFW Memorandum of Understanding for Research on Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, and Swainson’s Hawk in California
CDFW Memorandum of Understanding for Research on California Tiger Salamander
CDFW Scientific Collecting Permit GW 22297003-22311-001 Authorized Individual (salvage invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds)
CDFW Scientific Collecting Specific Use Permit S-232680001-23268 Authorized Individual. (terrestrial and vernal pool invertebrates)
Professional Experience
Senior ecologist 1, H. T. Harvey & Associates, 2017–July 2026
Scientific aide, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Rancho Cordova, 2016–2017
Scientific aide, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sacramento, 2011–2016
Field technician, LSA Associates, 2012
Intern, Yolo County Division of Parks and Resources, 2010–2011
Volunteer, California Raptor Center, 2009