C153699 Feasibility Study - Laserfiche WebLink

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forage, changing the daity movement of individuals, and by causing loss of microhabitat that provides shelter during severe weather. These factors may result in increased winter mOI1a1ity due to starvation, physiological stress, highway mortality and ice-related mortality. Increased stress and nutritional deficiencies may also result in a subsequent loss of recruitment to populations. Table 7. Acreage of big game winter range Impacted due to Inundation and facilities construction. . Species Winter Range Winter Concentration Area Severe Winter Range . Elk Mule Deer 1,523 1,519 1.277 673 1,073 2B9 , The proposed reservoir will also pose a physical banier to both daity and seasonal migratory movements of big game. Thus, an increased number of big game animals will remain on the west side of the reservoir with an expected increase in daity movements across Highway 40. An increase in vehicle/big game collisions is likety, resulting in additional mortality of big game. Increased depredation of haystacks on the west and north sides of the proposed reservoir is likety if animals cannot tra....el to the east side of the reservoir. Additionalty, attempts to cross the proposed reservoir on top of ice during the winter could result in death by drowning, predation, or injury and are considered an additional mortality factor. , BIG GAME MITlGATlON AREAS Wotford and Little Wotford Mltlaatlon Areas , Two areas administered by the BLM, one on Wolford and another on Uttle Wolford Mountain, were selected through consultation with the CDOW and BLM as having potential for big game winter range enhancement (Figure 1). Approximately 400 acres within each of these two general areas will serve as mitigation sites for big game. These areas, which lie directly to the east of the proposed Muddy Creek Reservoir, are composed primarity of sagebrush steppe vegetation and lie within areas designated by the CDOW as big game winter range. , Rraht.of-Wav alona U.S. Hlghwav 40 The proposed mitigation area in the right-of-way along U.S. Highway 40 adjacent to the project area will involve enough space to erect signs alerting both northbound and southbound motorists to the potential hazard of vehicle/big game collisions. , BIG GAME MANAGEMENT ACTIONS Seven management actions will be required to mitigate impacts to big game winter range within the project area These big game management actions, including details on implementation and cost are presented in the next section. This is followed by a section that presents each impact, identifies applicable management actions, and the expected results of implementation of the management actions. , 25 I