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<br />Orchard Mesa Selenium Remediation Environment Assessment <br /> <br />9 <br /> <br />Threatened and Endanl!:ered Species <br /> <br />Threatened and endangered species are plants and animals legally protected under the Endangered <br />Species Act (ESA). This EA is designed to serve as Reclamation's biological assessment under <br />Section 7 of the ESA. The Service (2000) provided a list of threatened and endangered species that <br />might be affected by the proposed project or might be present in the area. The list is as follows: <br /> <br />Bald eagle <br />Southwestern willow flycatcher <br />Colorado pikeminnow with critical habitat <br />Razorback sucker with critical habitat <br />Humpback chub <br />Bonytail <br />Uinta Basin hookless cactus <br /> <br />Haliaeetus leucocephalus <br />Empidonax traillii extimus <br />Ptychocheilus lucius <br />Xyrauchen texanus <br />Gila cypha <br />Gila elegans <br />Sclerocactus glaucus <br /> <br />The bald eagle uses the OMW A during winter months. Three birds have been documented using <br />the mature cottonwood trees as winter roosts in February through March (Broderick 1998). No <br />nesting has been documented in the area. The eagle is expected to benefit from the Preferred <br />Alternative. Construction activities would occur in the fall of2000 prior to wintering birds visiting <br />the OMW A. The potential for bio-accumulation of selenium in food sources (fish, carrion, small <br />mammals) is expected to be reduced by the Preferred Alternative. Mature cottonwood trees used <br />for roosting and perching would not be affected by the Preferred Alternative. The Preferred <br />Alternative is anticipated to affect, but not likely to adversely affect, the bald eagle. <br /> <br />The southwestern willow flycatcher may occur in the project area, however surveys conducted by <br />. Reclamation biologists did not document nesting. One flycatcher was found north of the Colorado <br />River about 0.5-miles north and east of the OMW A. No nesting was documented with this bird. <br />The Preferred Alternative is scheduled for the fall of2000 outside the nesting season, therefore it is <br />not expected to affect the southwestern willow flycatcher. <br /> <br />Of the four listed fishes: Colorado pikeminnow, razorback sucker, bony tail and humpback chub, <br />only the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker occur within the project area. Both species <br />occur within the "Sensitive 15-mile Reach" and have been stocked by the Upper Colorado River <br />Endangered Fishes Recovery Implementation Program. The OMW A is within designated critical <br />habitat for the Colorado pikeminnow and the razorback sucker. Backwater habitats are important <br />rearing and nursery habitats for both species. The Recovery Program also plans to stock bonytail <br />within this reach in future years. Concerns about potential bio-accumulations of selenium in fishes <br />and waterfowl is identified in the need and purpose of the proposed project. By reducing the <br />concentrations of selenium in backwaters, it is anticipated that the Colorado pikeminnow, <br />razorback sucker, bony tail, and designated critical habitats will benefit from the Preferred <br />Alternative. Therefore, the Preferred Alternative may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect <br />these species. The Preferred Alternative is not expected to affect humpback chub because is does <br />not occur within the project area. <br />