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<br />III WILDLIFE <br /> <br />The Dallas Creek Project is located within an area of importance. <br />to a variety of wildlife. The Bureau of Reclamation contracted with <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife to inventory this resource and to evaluate <br />the project's effect on the resource. The Division of \.Jildlife expressed <br />particular concern about the impacts of the Dallas Divid.e. portion of <br />the project on wildlife, and it should be noted that this portion of the <br />project has been deleted. <br /> <br />Ridgway Reservoir will inundate approximately .500 acres of native <br />wildlife habitat, and the relocation of U.S. Highway 550 will permanently <br />alter approximately 50 acres, In addition, recreation development will <br />diminish the value of roughly 450 acres of native lands for mule deer; <br />and thus a total of approximately 1,000 acres of native wildlife habitat <br />would be adversely impacted. Of perhaps greater significance, the re- <br />location of U.S. Highway 550 could increase the loss of deer and property <br />damage to vehicles in deer-vehicle collisions, an already major mortality <br />factor for deer in the area. <br /> <br />The project plan contains a program to mitigate these potential <br />adverse impacts and in some cases.to enhance conditions for wildlife. <br />These plans have been developed cooperatively between the Colorado Division <br />of Wildlife, U,S.Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation, <br />The project will acquire and develop approximately 1,000 acres of land <br />in the vicinity of Ridg-Nay Reservoir for intensive management by the <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife. The Colorado Division of Wildlife has <br />concluded that with deletion of the Dallas Divide portion of the project, <br />"th~amount of. land necessary to mitigaJe wildlife losses would be <br />reduced to approximately 1,000 acres."l In addition, the reservoir <br />right-of-way above the high 'vater line would consist of 2,750 acres to <br />be use'd for recreation, wildlife habitat, and as a buffer zone to protect <br />the dam and reservoir. <br /> <br />The project plan also includes special fencing along both sides of <br />U.S. Highway 550 to reduce the present high incidence of deer-vehicle <br />collisions and to prevent the future increase in collisions which would <br />otherwise occur with the relocated highway. <br /> <br />1/ <br />Colorado <br /> <br />Letter from lJirpctor, Colorndo Division <br />Water Conservation lloard, ~by' 25, 1976. <br />8 <br /> <br />of Wildlife to Director, <br />