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<br />00124" <br /> <br />occasionally sighted along Coal Creek. Deer densities in the Coal <br />Reservoir area are considered insignificant at the present time. <br />January 19, 1981.) <br /> <br />Creek <br />(FWS, <br /> <br />Opportuni sti c observati ons and si gns (track counts, scats, etc.,) were <br />made of furbearing and predator mammals in the field. Raccoon sign was <br />frequently observed along Coal Creek; si ghti ngs of red fox were made <br />along Community Ditch west of the site, and signs of coyotes, dogs, and <br />cats were present at the site. Furbearing animals found in the project <br />area incl ude: raccoon, muskrat, red and gray fox, coyote, and skunks. <br /> <br />The riparian areas, because of the diversity of food and shelter, <br />harbored a variety of bird species. Game birds found in the vicinity of <br />the Coal Creek site include mourning doves, bobwhite quail, and various <br />waterfowl speci es. Some hunti ng occurs at the site. Numerous nongame <br />birds are found throughout the project area. Starlings, black-billed <br />magpi es, and Brewer's b 1 ackbi rds were the most frequently observed. <br />Red-winged blackbirds were present in the wet meadow areas, and killdeer <br />were common in the dry upl and areas. Kestrel was the most frequently <br />observed raptor on site and a kestrel nest was found. Other raptors <br />sighted in the vicinity include redtailed hawk, marsh hawk, and golden <br />eagle. Reptiles and amphibians that are known to inhabit the project <br />area include the tiger salamander, Woodhouse's toad, chorus frog, <br />leopard frog, and the plains garter snake. <br /> <br />Six fish collection stations were established along Coal Creek, located <br />above, below, and within the proposed reservoir site. Sampling by <br />sei ni ng and el ectroshock i ng provi ded data for the study. Ni ne speci es <br />of fish were encountered throughout the Coal Creek drainage. The creek <br />chub and fathead mi nnow were the most abundant speci es compri si ng 82 <br />percent of the combined collections (Cancalosi, 1979). The relative <br />abundance of the creek chub and fathead minnow is probably due to their <br />tol erance of extreme vari ati ons of temperature, di ssol ved oxygen, and <br />turbi di ty. . <br /> <br />Sections of Coal Creek may become completely dry during various times <br />throughout the year. Peri ods of hi gh runoff, hi gh i rri gati on usage, <br />heavy grazing, and clearing of riparian areas influence the quantity and <br />qual ity of water in Coal Creek throughout the year. The number of <br />speci es increased in areas of permanent flow and where the qual i ty of <br />the ri pari an vegetati on improved. The only gamefi sh coll ected was the <br />green sunfish. There is no known fishing use in this area of Coal Creek <br />at the present time. <br /> <br />Crescent Site Vegetation <br /> <br />The Crescent site is located within a steep canyon created by South <br />Boulder Creek, with topography varying from steep and boulder strewn to <br />gentl e and parkl i ke. Access into the area is ei ther from the north <br />through the Walker Ranch, owned by Boulder County, or from the east up <br />South Boul der Creek using an access road owned by the Denver Water <br />Board. <br /> <br />11 <br />