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<br />c'~ <br /> <br />C-' <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />C-:' <br /> <br />C~ <br />.::-~ <br /> <br />III. WILDLIFE HABITAT MONITORING AND EVALUATION <br /> <br />1. Introduction <br /> <br />The 1991 wildlife Monitoring report represents part of an ongoing <br />data base collected since the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) <br />Program began in 1984. The scope, methodology, and effects on <br />wildlife and wetland habitat data collection is completely outlined <br />in the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan For The Grand Valley Unit, <br />Colorado, of The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program <br />prepared by the SCS and published January 1983. <br /> <br />The M&E Plan of January 1983 directed that wildlife and wetland <br />habitats be inventoried to establish baseline information prior to <br />construction. A second inventory of the same habitats was to be <br />performed one year after construction to determine changes in <br />quality and quantity of the habitats. A third inventory was to be <br />performed between five to ten years after construction was <br />completed. Wetland and wildlife habitat changes were to be <br />monitored on about 100 sites with 20 being irrigation M&E sites. <br /> <br />Wildlife Habitat Monitoring and Evaluation data were published in <br />the 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 Annual M&E Reports. In 1988, the <br />results of the third inventory (5-10 year) were published. This <br />report outlined changes that occurred on 77 monitoring sites in <br />wetland and wildlife habitats by comparing habitat before <br />construction, one year after construction, and three years after <br />construction. Originally it was thought that wildlife habitat <br />monitoring would not be necessary after 1988. <br /> <br />Tracking of wetlands impacted by installation of salinity reduction <br />conservation practices and planned wildlife and wetland habitat <br />improvement practices are now an ongoing process. Planning for <br />wildlife upland habitat emphasizes grass and shrub replacement for <br />winter cover and spring nesting cover for use by pheasants and <br />other ground dwelling species. <br /> <br />During the entire project installation period, research indicated <br />approximately 3,429 acres of wildlife habitat could ultimately be <br />altered by the GVSP and CRSC Programs. Being altered does not mean <br />habitat is lost, it means it is changed from one cover type to <br />another cover type. In general, the monitoring effort indicated <br />perennial and annual herbaceous cover types were being converted to <br />cropland and barren land cover types. The herbaceous cover types <br />are more valuable to most wildlife species in the Grand Valley than <br />cropland and barrenland. <br /> <br />32 <br />