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development and enhancement measures on adjacent landowners. Surveys may range <br />from highly accurate to simple observations, but will result in measurements sufficient <br />to design and implement the development and enhancement measures. <br />3.2 Least Tern and Piping Plover Habitat ° <br />= Objective: Develop at least one suitable least tern/piping plover habitat area. <br />Artic_le 407 for Project 1835 specifically states that at least one least tern and piping <br />plover nesting habitat area is to be developed on the Cottonwood Ranch Property. The <br />tern and plover habitat area will consist of bare sand and gravel areas. Nesting habitat <br />will be in or near the main channel of the-Property. Least tern and piping plover habitats <br />will be designed so that electric fences and other predator management measures can be <br />employed if deemed desirable. The Property does not currently contain-any habitat suitable for least terns and piping <br />plovers nesting. Nesting habitat will need to be developed and will be completed during <br />phase 1. A development and enhancement methodology will be completed that will <br />specifically identify the area(s) to be developed, size of area(s), existing conditions, <br />desired condition of the site, and cost of development and enhancement measures. <br />This habitat area will be available for use by least terns and piping plovers within 18 <br />months of approval of this Plan by FERC. If permits are required, the development of <br />this habitat azea(s) will not be initiated until the necessary permits have been obtained. <br />Application for permits will be filed within 90 days after FERC approval of this Plan. <br />3.3 Channel Development and Enhancements <br />Obiective: Develop and enhance in channel habitat, $o as to be free of woody vegetation <br />at a width sufficient to provide secure roosting habitat for whooping cranes and nesting <br />habitat for least terns and piping plovers. <br />Channel and bank geometry, morphology and vegetative communities will be modified <br />on the Property to develop and enhance the area for whooping crane roosting, and least <br />tern and piping plover nesting habitat. Channel enhancements will be addressed in <br />phases l, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Phase 1 channel development and enhancement measures will <br />be in areas that are relatively free of woody vegetation and that will markedly enhance <br />the overall unobstructed width of the channel. Subsequent phases will be in narrower <br />more wooded channel areas and will enhance in-channel habitat conditions in a <br />sequential manner. <br />The Property contains approximately 3 miles of channel. Most channels on the Property <br />have an unobstructed width of less than 500 feet. In order to obtain the desired <br />unobstructed channel widths, it will be necessary to remove woody vegetation from 415 <br />to 485 acres. An additional 150 to 160 acres of woody vegetation will be removed in <br />Phase 6 ta enhance visual openness of the Property. Development and enhancement