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'n-~ . "I I . L~V~ 7 . upland-game populations would remain approximately the same as they are at the present time. Without the project, it is estimated that there would be about 34,800 man-days of upland-game hunting annually in the Narrows. Reservoir area, consisting of the joint use pool and the flood control pool, of which about 15,200 man-days would be pheasant hunting, 9,600 man-days would be rabbit hunting, 6,000 man-days would.be mourning-dove hunting, and 4,000 man-days would be quail hunting. About 22.700 man-days of the upland-game huntIng would occur within the Joint use pool area and 12,100 man-days would occur within the flood control pool area of Narrows Reservoir. Ourlng the waterfowl hunting season, waterfowl concentrate on Jackson Reservoir and to a lesser extent on. Empire and Riverside Reservoirs, the locations of which are Indicated on Plate II of the memorandum report preceding this substantiating report. After the hunting season. the birds concentrate on the wanmwater seep areas along the South Platte River In the Narrows ReservoIr area. Hunting on the river Is restricted because of private hunting clubs and other posted areas; however, without the project, about 15,900 man-days of waterfowl hunting could be expected annually on.the South Platte River In the Narrows Reservoir site. . In addition to Its Importance as a waterfowl wintering and hunting area, the Narrows Reservoir site also 15 Important as a waterfowl breeding and nestIng area. The vegetated riverbanks, ditches, ponds, and marshes provide excellent nesting habitat for puddle ducks, principally mal- lards, blue~lnged teals, and gadwalls. About 470 breeding pairs of ducks on the Narrows Reservoir site raise about 1,900 young each year and this production could be expected to continue without the project. The Narrows Reservoir site supports about one-fourth of the total South Platte Valley wintering duck population and about one-third of the South Platte Valley wintering Canada goose population. An average of about 38,000 ducks and about 200 Canada geese use the Narrows Res- ervoir site as wintering habitat. About 95 percent of the ducks are mallards, with pintalls and American widgeons making up most of the remainder. Without the project, waterfowl use would amount to 1,500,000 waterfowl use-days annually In the project area. Fur animals found along the South Platte River Include beavers, minks, muskrats, raccoons, skunks, badgers, foxes, and weasels, Sport hunting, primarily for raccoons, coyotes, and foxes, is Increasing In popularity and this trend Is expected to continue over the period of analysis. About 1,000 man-days of sport huntIng for these animals could be ex- pected annually in the reservoir area. Fur trapping would result in the taking of about 1,400 pelts annually. .