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<br />been identified. <br /> <br />2,500 acres of the 7,000 acres of land would be lost <br />permanently to the buildinq of the Ridqes Basin Reservoir <br />and other project features. In exchanqe, there will be <br />acquired 1,600 acres of oakbrush veqetation and 900 acres <br />of pinyon juniper. The area will be chained, seeded and have <br />manaqement practices instituted specifically for wildlife <br />accordinq to project documents. <br /> <br />At the Southern ute Reservoir, 1,400 acres of habitat will <br />be inundated. In exchanqe, about 1,000 acres of land will <br />be obtained within the proposed land acquisition boundary on <br />the Reservation and be developed and manaqed for wildlife. <br /> <br />The EIS on the project had this to say about the impacts on <br />habitat: <br /> <br />The overall condition for wildlife will be that <br />of continuous reduction in habitat, - caused by <br />the continuinq development of more area for <br />housinq and other needs of the increased population. <br /> <br />This reduction in habitat affects all species of <br />wildlife in some way or another; it is eliminatinq <br />food resources as well as cover for many species. <br />As more and more development occurs, the animals <br />now in the project area are beinq forced to occupy <br />less desirable habitat and to over-populate <br />certain areas. <br /> <br />The wildlife population is made up of the followinq: <br /> <br />1,000 area residents (CO) <br />4,000 miqratory (CO) <br />380 area residents (NM) <br />200 area residents <br />Ridqes Basin (CO) <br /> <br />200 residents <br />2,000 miqratory <br /> <br />200 winter at Ridqes Basin <br /> <br />The project area also contains the endanqered species of <br />bald eaqles, pereqrine falcons and Colorado River squawfish. <br /> <br />Mule Deer <br /> <br />Elk <br /> <br />The bald eaqles nest next to the project area in Ridqes <br />Basin part of the area beinq considered for recreational <br />development. The Bureau of Reclamation is supposed to <br />develop a Bald Eaqle Manaqement Plan for the two reservoirs. <br /> <br />24 <br />