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<br />and riparian corridors have become a source of
<br />civic pride to area residents, Such environments
<br />often result in increased growth rates because of
<br />peoples' desire to live in quality environments,
<br />
<br />C. Fish and Wildlife Resources.
<br />
<br />1. Native and Introduced Fish and
<br />Wildlife
<br />
<br />Conspicuous and dominant wildlife species in
<br />floodplain areas of the Upper Colorado, Green, and
<br />Gunnison rivers include the Canada goose, great
<br />blue heron, various species of dabbling and diving
<br />ducks, shorebirds, and northern leopard frogs. A
<br />variety of passerine birds (songbirds) migrate
<br />through; many use the area for feeding, resting, and
<br />nesting. Surveys by White and Broderick (1997)
<br />identified a combined total of 106 birds species
<br />using the riparian zone of the Colorado River near
<br />Grand Junction. A number of mammals such as
<br />deer, fox, beaver, muskrats, skunks, rabbits, etc.,
<br />also use the floodplain within the riparian corridors.
<br />Fish resources of the Upper Colorado, Green, and
<br />Gunnison rivers include the native flannelmouth
<br />sucker, bluehead sucker, mountain sucker, and
<br />roundtail chub. Introduced nonnative fish species
<br />include channel catfish, black bullhead, common
<br />carp, fathead minnow, red shiner, white sucker, and
<br />green sunfish.
<br />
<br />Alternative 1 - No Action
<br />
<br />Fish and wildlife resources would be expected to
<br />decline as floodplains are developed for
<br />agricultural, residential, recreational, and industrial
<br />uses. Mammal, bird, and amphibian numbers
<br />would decline as habitats are altered. The food
<br />supply produced in the floodplain would further
<br />diminish, adversely affecting fishes.
<br />
<br />Alternative 3 - Protection and Enhancement
<br />of Flooded Bottomlands by Acquisition
<br />
<br />On the Upper Colorado, Green, and Gunnison
<br />
<br />rivers, some of the wetlands which currently flood
<br />or could be made to flood would be protected to
<br />ensure that habitat qualities important to fish and
<br />wildlife resources are preserved. Enhancement of
<br />floodplain habitats and wetland restoration are
<br />expected to restore the natural function of the
<br />riparian river ecosystem, resulting in greater habitat
<br />diversity and corresponding increases in diversity
<br />among mammals, birds and waterfowl (including
<br />fish-eating birds; Appendix H), reptiles and
<br />amphibians.
<br />
<br />Large numbers of species inhabit cottonwood
<br />forests, including numerous neotropical migrants,
<br />Seasonally flooded bottomlands are ideal for
<br />cottonwood/willow forest regeneration. If an
<br />easement is acquired on a cottonwood forest with
<br />50-year old trees, this could help preserve the
<br />integrity of the riparian ecosystem in that section of
<br />the river.
<br />
<br />2. Endangered Species
<br />
<br />Threatened and endangered species that occur in
<br />Colorado are summarized in Appendix E; those
<br />occurring in Utah are summarized in Appendix F
<br />(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1997). Endangered
<br />species that are likely to be found in the project
<br />area include the Colorado squawfish, razorback
<br />sucker, American peregrine falcon, bald eagle,
<br />interior least tern, and Southwestern willow
<br />flycatcher. None of the Federally-listed threatened
<br />or endangered mammals or plants are known to
<br />occur in the project area.
<br />
<br />Information on birds occurring in the project area
<br />along the Upper Colorado
<br />and Gunnison rivers were
<br />obtained from lists by
<br />Andrews and Righter
<br />(1992) and an undated
<br />but relatively recent Bird
<br />Check List for Mesa County, Colorado. The
<br />American peregrine falcon is a migrant that nests
<br />and hunts within the riparian corridor of the Grand
<br />
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<br />III - 5
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