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. . J " .-..... C\l .... r- The loss of winter range will have a much greater impact on the total antelope resource in Colorado than in Wyoming, although the unnecessary loss of any wildlife is not passed off lightly by either state. The Colorado Division of Wildlife estimates the potential loss at,approxi- mate1y 25 percent of its total, statewide antelope population. Further- more, no feasible plan can be formulated to prevent the destruction of this winter range if the project is developed, or to compensate for it in some other fashion. The Savery-Pot Hook Project will displace those animals regularly using the destroyed habitat, and surrounding lands will not absorb them. Critical sage grouse habitat in Colorado will be lost if the project is constructed. This important habitat can be generally described as the sagebrush biome below the 6,500-foot countour. It provides breeding, nesting, early brood-rearing, and particularly winter needs. Essentially, the affected sage grouse habitat coincides closely with the important antelope winter range. The overall impact will be much greater in Colorado because: (I), more sage',irouse habitat will be destroyed below the Pot Hook Canal than below the Dolan Mesa Canal; and (2) the lands below the Pot Hook Canal provide critical winter range to such a large fraction of Colorado's total sage grouse resource. There are few wildlife species that are more dependent upon a single plant than are sage grouse, particularly in the winter. Fromabout mid-October through late May, 90 percent or more 9f the:i.r diet is"" leaves of the big sagebrush (Artemesia tridentata). Dancing 'grounds, visited year after year, are open spots in sagebrush stands. Nesting sites are selected under sagebrush plants growing relatively near the breeding areas. Although there are millions of acres of sagebrush throughout the west, the acres which meet the critical needs of these magnificent birds from October through May are limited indeed. The relatively few, and relatively small, stands of sagebrush that furnish the right combination of conditions; i.e., slope, height and density of stand, position in relation to the prevailing winds, and other factors vitally important to sage grouse, must be maintained if this unique bird is to survive. Any significant change (particularly reduced flows or substantial fluctuations) in the historical ~larch-June flow regime in the Little Snake River above its confluence with the Yampa River could cause great harm to an important nesting population of Canada geese. Fluctuations in flow will result in nest flooding problems and low flows will result in increased nest predation. Additional data re- garding the influence of the project on the March-June flow regime 5