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I'l r. <> 8 81 v .~ ;..:. ( . on NFSL, other agencies have statutory jurisdiction, such as the COE for wetland impacts 'and the Colorado Department of Health for stormwater discharge from:' construction sites. For impacts that will occur off NFSL, the Forest Service has recommended mitigation and monitoring measures that will reduce or eliminate predicted adverse effects. Other agencie$ with jurisdiction will be responsible for administering these measures. In certain cases, the Forest Service willdelay approval for implementation of on-site actions until the appropriate commitments and agreements are secured by the permittee and presiding agency. Below is a brief synopsis of the principal mitigation measures adopted for the significant resource/issue areas: 1. Watershed Resources o Implementation and monitoring of State!EPA endorsed "Best Management Practices" (BMP's) for all ground-disturbing activities. These include 63 measures for erosion control, eight measures to reduce geologic hazards, and nine measures dealing with urban runoff. o Avoidance of, minimization of, and/or compensation for wetland impacts. o Assessment of water-user fees to offset costs of research and water rights acquisition for endangered fish. This requirement was specified in the Biological, opinion issued by the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service to mitigate impacts of water depletion in the upper Colorado River basin. o Maintenance of a gauging system at the Snowmass Water and Sanitation diversion on Snowrnass Creek to traok the amount of water being pumped for snowmaking purposes. o Requirement to cease pumping water for snowmaking and/or refilling water storage facilities on NFSL when continued pumping would reduce flows in Snowrnass Creek below seven cfs (minimum winter streamflow/water right held by the CWCB) . o Recommendation for the long-term monitoring of Snowmass Creek aquatic ecosystem and potential water withdrawal adjustment strategies to pursue, if monitor~d impacts are greater than predicted by the FEIS disclosure. 2. Wildlife and Biodiversity o Area closures and seasonal use restrictions to protect elk calving, summer/transition, and migration habitats. o Relocation of the Government Trail to enlarge the area of effective summer/transition range. o Coordination strategies with state and local agencies and priva~e l~nd owners to maximize areas of effective elk habitat and m1nim1ze disturbances (e.g., conservation easements, road use restrictions, etc.). o Avoidance o'f impacts on special or unique habitats such as springs, seeps, and wallow areas. o Incorporation of wildlife and biodiversity considerations into development of the vegetation management plan. o Restriction on the removal of snags and dead and down material to maintain structural habitat components. o Avian species distribution, diversity and density monitoring requirements. Summary . 7