WSP02759

• File Number: 8040.960
• Description: Section D General Studies - Dams
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/2004
• Author: Denver Water
• Title: Williams Fork Hydroelectric Project - FERC Number 2204 - Wildlife Habitat Survey Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Tabh' 2. Summar~' of CDO\\" Bald Eagle :lnd Goldl'n Eagle Suncy Data for Rinr
Reaches ",,'arcst the Williams Fork Project. 1997 through 2003.

Ri\cr Rl'ach Hald Eagles Golden Eagles
Adult 1m'cnde Lnknu....n Total Adult Juvenik l.:nkno....n Total
Colorado Rin'r
(Troublesollle Creek
10 Bnrs Can\on)
Total 1997 6X " , 9c 12 , 0 14
-- - -
throu1.!.h 2003
^ \'cral.!.l' n~r Year 9.7 3.1 0.3 13.1 1.7 0,) 0 2.0
Williams Fork Ri\'l:'r
()cmnstn'am from
tlll'Dam
Total 1998 3 0 0 J , 0 0 ,
- -
and 1999
A vera!:!c ocr Year 1.5 0 0 I .5 1.0 0 0 1.0

Thl,.' l:lCt that bald eagles winler along the: Co\urado River near the \\'illiams Fork Project
but appear 10 use the Williams Fork River much less and haw not been observed using
th,,' reservoir at all is consistent \\'ilb the habitat condItions at [hese locatIons. Bald eagles
generally "-,inter along rivers, lakes, or reservoirs with abundant lish or waterbird prey
and nearby sites for perching (foraging) and roosting (resting). Perches arc generally
individual large snags or broken-topped live trees. while night roosts arc otten live trees
in sites that arc sheltered from the weather by landtlJmlS or in closed-canopy coniferous
slands lhat prm'ide insulation from the weather (Buchler 2000). The Colorado River ncar
the Williams Fork Project has a well-developed riparian floodplain supporting many
large. mature and ovcr-mature cottonwoods that can serve as perch trees for foragll1g in
the Colorado Ri\'cr. Stands of coniferous
trees that occupy the steep hillsidc south
l)f thc river may provide roosting habitat.
In contrast. the Williams Fork Rl\"Cr
riparian corridor downstre3m from the
dam is generally narrower. with less wel1-
dcvcloped riparian vegetation and fe\\
p(ltenlial perching and roosting trees.
Here the nparian corridor is char3ctcrized
primaril~" by steep. rody banks and
upland sagebrush habitat (Figure 2).
.\lature trees arc scarce. occurring only as
~lllall. Isolawd stands nf conifers: larger
:,tands of mature trees nccur nt'ar the
conlluelKc of the Williams Fork Rivcr
with the Colorado River.

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