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<br />001969
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<br />and describing the propose project, dated February 12,2002. Reclamation received an ESA
<br />Species List memo on March 7, 2002. (attachment_) Overall, the proposed carriage contract
<br />will not affect water depletions nor will any new irrigation occur; therefore impacts on these
<br />species are not expected.
<br />
<br />3.6.2.1 Federally Endangered
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<br />3.6.2.1.1 Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
<br />
<br />The federally listed endangered southwestern willow flycatcher (Empjlltmi.J:Jl;,traillii extimus) is
<br />one of five subspecies of the willow flycatcher currently recognizeti"Although information
<br />regarding the northern extent of the range of this subspecies is Wriited;,otJ).e Service considers
<br />southwestern Colorado to be within the range of the southwest~.rn willo\V.flycatcher. This
<br />subspecies occurs in riparian habitats made up qf dense sPiJibs and trees (ReGlamation 1999).
<br />
<br />In 1994, Reclamation contracted with the Nationall}iplogical Service (NBS) to-CQJ14uct willow
<br />flycatcher surveys along the Animas, La Plata anaMan~{Js Rivel':drainages. This study
<br />characterized habitat suitability for willow flycatcher al&I1g,.th,~:Mam:os River drainage as poor.
<br />They found that existing riparian habitat was limited and lie~yjly impacted by grazing and the
<br />intrusion of exotic vegetation, (ReclamatipJ1,1995)
<br />
<br />- - --..-~ " ," '. ~ -. -. '. (-
<br />It is concluded by Reclamation that these \\fl:\terconm;i:J,fts will not atf,c;.ct the Southwest Willow
<br />Flycatcher, as well as be unlikely to affect critical fia1jit~hfor the sp,.@cies. This conclusion is
<br />based on the fact that there will be no new depl~tiQJ1si.mdentht';.i(3arriage Contracts and no new
<br />irrigation lands will be d~YelbPeCl;.,
<br />
<br />3.6.2.1.2 Whoopiqg'{;~~e
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<br />',' '. - . -.
<br />In the late 18~Q~dh~re were;~1:>,q?fi,5O:0;RM:qs;,i!l;the aspen parkland and prairie regions of
<br />Western s~affif-;~~~~p,e:OlJ.S.A~hJ.lman seitfement spread westward, the world population
<br />droppe<!~9.a low of r4;,~~~iJJ the 19,~9~: Officials counted 149 whooping cranes in November
<br />1995.!~'~~!il.J'm,.~ ost since theAPi~r,ican gGo.y~rn.;.".fuent began taking censuses in the 1930s.
<br />Coriservatl~l1 efforts since I~.38 haveii~su1ted in a slow increase. Including those in captivity,
<br />.,':_ "'_'_ ....-,.__-_'...r
<br />and 25 crarieStl,ptwo other wil$l;populations, there are now 320 whooping cranes in the world.
<br />
<br />:'~, '."
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<br />In late April, crah'esf~ve 3:ttheir breeding area in Wood Buffalo National Park, which extends
<br />into northeast Alberta':l~pp).i'the North West Territory. By the end of September, the birds leave
<br />for the 4,000 kIn flight~$puth to the Aransas National Wildlife Range in Texas. By gliding on
<br />wind currents, they can stay aloft for 10 hours and cover up to 750 kIn. Cranes eat snails, larval
<br />insects, leeches, frogs, minnows, small rodents, and berries. They may scavenge dead ducks,
<br />marsh birds or muskrats. During migration, they stop to eat aquatic animals, roots of plants and
<br />waste grain in stubble fields. In Texas, they eat shellfish, snakes, acorns, small fish and wild
<br />fruit. Since 1967, surplus eggs from Wood Buffalo have been hatched and reared in captivity.
<br />There are now three breeding populations in captivity, two in the U.S. and one at the Calgary
<br />Zoo.
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