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<br />OMW A Selenium Remediation Project-Final Environmental Assessment
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<br />Common plant species included Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii), salt cedar (Tamarix
<br />chinensis), sandbar willow (Salix exigua), Russian olive (Eleagnus angustifolia), Siberian elm
<br />(Ulmus pumila), black greasewood (Sarcobatus venniculatus), skunkbush sumac (Rhus trilobata),
<br />Douglas rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidijlorus), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), saltgrass
<br />(Distichlis spicata), wheatgrass (Agropyron spp.), canary reedgrass (Phalaris arundinacea), alkali
<br />sacaton (Sporobolus airoides), foxtail barley (Hordeumjubatum), salt marsh bulrush (Scripus
<br />paludosus), cattail (Typha latifolia), spike rush (Eleocharis macrostchya), and sedges (Carex spp.).
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<br />The wetlands delineation identified about 60-acres of jurisdictional wetlands within the OMW A
<br />(see Figure 1). Jurisdictional wetlands are defined as wetlands regulated under the Clean Water
<br />Act by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). Wetlands must meet hydric vegetation,
<br />hydrology, and hydric soils criteria to be classified as a jurisdictional wetland. It is estimated that
<br />less than 0.5 acres of wetlands would be directly impacted by construction activities associated
<br />with the Preferred Alternative. The East and West backwaters are about 0.8-acres and 2.0-acres in
<br />size, respectively. These backwaters will be monitored to determine the amount of impact.
<br />Potential wetland mitigation for the Preferred Alternative includes development of replacement
<br />habitat or providing replacement water to the backwaters. The Corps authorized the project under
<br />Regional Permit Number 57, Projects that are beneficial to the recovery of endangered fish as
<br />Project Number 200075396 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2000).
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<br />Fish and Wildlife Resources
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<br />The OMW A supports diverse populations of fish and wildlife. The OMW A provides excellent
<br />breeding and wintering bird habitat, and good wintering habitat for mule deer. Species
<br />documented during field investigations include mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), mourning dove
<br />(Zenaida macroura), Canada goose (Branta canadensis), black billed magpie (Pica pica),
<br />Gambel's quail (Callipepla gambelli), and beaver (Castor canadensis).
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<br />Breeding bird surveys conducted on the OMW A by Reclamation in 1997 (Broderick 1998)
<br />-. documented European starling (Sturnus vulgaria), bank swallows (Riparia riparia), belted
<br />kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon), brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater), Canada goose, mallard (Anus
<br />platyrhynchos), mourning dove, western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), American robin
<br />(Turdus migratorius), black-headed grosbeak (Pheucticus melancephalus), blue grosbeak (Guiraca
<br />caerulea), Bullock's oriole (Icterus galbula bullocki), western kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis), great
<br />blue heron (Ardea herodias), cliff swallow (Hirundo pyrronota), American kestrel (Falco
<br />sparverius), green-winged teal (Anas crecca), Lazuli bunting (Passerina amoena), western tanager
<br />(Piranga ludoviciana), black billed magpie, common merganser (Mergus merganser), Bewick's
<br />wren (Thryomanes bewickii), song sparrow (Melospiza melodia), American goldfinch (Carduelis
<br />tristis), Gambel's quail, house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus), and wood duck (Aix sponsa).
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<br />A heron rookery was documented within the project area and leopard frogs were documented in
<br />the middle drainage ditch. Winter surveys conducted in February 1998 documented mallard, ,
<br />Canada goose, common merganser, northern pintail (Anas acuta), northern shoveler (Anas
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