FLOOD10357 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I' I I' I I I I I, I I I I I I I I I I I In September 1980 the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service in cooperation with the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station developed a Soil Survey of Conejos County Area that includes the Alamosa River Watershed (22). This survey provides important soil information towards managing land use in the watershed. Sensitive areas within the watershed can be protected by the identification and management of erosive soils. The National Resource Conservation Service office contains soil survey maps that identify the major soil types throughout the watershed. 3.12 Wildlife and Threatened Species The Alamosa River Watershed contains a wide diversity of wildlife some potentially threatened and endangered. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) provided the Alamosa River Watershed Project an assessment of wildlife and fisheries in 1996. The DOW found wildlife populations and wildlife habitat in good shape except for the disappearance of the fishery in the Alamosa River and the destruction of riparian habitat below Gunbarrel Road. Examples of wildlife include elk, mule deer, scaled quail, grouse, black bear, mountain lion, and snowshoe hare (10). The USFS EIS recognizes three amphibians, 1 fish, 15 birds, and 5 mammals as sensitive species in the watershed due to declining populations. Recognition of these sensitive species will help prevent them from becoming threatened or endangered. These species include the following (13): . Boreal Toad . Northern Leopard Frog . Rio Grande Cutthroat . Tiger Salamander . Black Swift . Boreal Owl . Burrowing Owl . Ferruginous Hawk . Flammulated Owl . Fox Sparrow . Golden Crowned Kinglet . Goshawk . Lewis's Woodpecker . Loggerhead Shrike . Olive side Flycatcher . Pygmy Nutcatcher . Osprey . Three Toed Woodpecker . White Faced Ibis . Dwarf Shrew . Marten . North American Lynx . North American . Townsend's Big Eared Wolverine Bat Threatened and endangered species in the Alamosa River Watershed may include the Boreal Toad and the Mexican Spotted Owl (6). The USFWS is interested in the Willow Fly Catcher (lower watershed) and Lynx habitat (upper watershed). The USFWS is concerned about the loss of wetlands, especially above Terrace Reservoir, that provide habitat for migratory birds that are or maybe threatened and endangered (23). The Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon may also be present in the upper portions of the watershed (10). 3.13 Biological Diversity A biological inventory of Rio Grande and Conejos Counties was performed by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (in conjunction with Colorado State University and the Nature Conservancy). A natural heritage inventory and assessment of wetlands and riparian areas in these counties including the Alamosa River Watershed was performed (24). This study accumulated existing information and added new data identifying 3-10