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<br />SUMMARY (Continued) <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />contamination of usable aquifers or resurfacing of the injected water is <br />expected. <br /> <br />Vegetation and wildlife <br /> <br />Under the no-action alternative, the potential effects to vegeta- <br />tion and wildlife associated with the unit would not occur. Existing <br />conditions would prevail. Under the recommended plan, approximately 2.5 <br />cfs of surface and subsurface flow of Hanksville Salt Wash would be <br />depleted affecting a stream length of 4.5 miles in the wash. This loss <br />could affect the existing riparian vegetation. Therefore, Reclamation <br />would monitor the vegetative changes over the long term to determine <br />net positive or negative effects. If necessary, as a mitigation action, <br />up to 4.5 miles of fencing would be installed along Muddy Creek to pre- <br />vent use by domestic livestock and improve the habitat for wildlife use. <br />There could also be seasonal losses of drinking water for wildlife over <br />this 4.5 miles, but the proposed guzzlers would offset this loss. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Approximately 15 acres of land would be disturbed at the Hanksville <br />Salt Wash injection site. All pipelines would be buried, existing roads <br />would be improved, and lesa than 1 mile of additional road would be con- <br />structed over a previously disturbed area to access facilities. Power- <br />lines would be constructed to service the site, and some minor disturbance <br />to the existing vegetation might occur along the lines. Raptor safe <br />powerlines would be designed and located at least 300 feet away from all <br />roads to minimize the potential poaching of raptors, unless it becomes <br />necessary to place them closer to the roads to avoid disturbing rare or <br />endangered plant species. Reclamation would coordinate with the State of <br />Utah on the design and placement of power1ines and towers. All disturbed <br />areas would be recontoured and revegetated to blend with the existing <br />terrain. Animals with limited range, mostly small mammals and reptiles, <br />may be permanently lost because of construction features. Since the <br />carrying capacity of the area is low due to scarce vegetation, the total <br />number of animals lost would be low. Although construction activity may <br />temporarily disturb larger animal species, once construction is completed <br />these animals would return to occupy most of their former range. <br /> <br />Construction effects at Emery South Salt Wash would be similar to <br />those described above for Hanksville Salt Wash. Negligible environmental <br />impacts to the vegetation and wildlife would result from this plan. All <br />of the proposed construction activities are localized and would affect <br />less than 10 acres; once operational, only a maximum of 0.25 cfs of flow <br />would be lost from Muddy Creek. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The combined flow reduction of both washes to Muddy Creek is 2.75 <br />cfs, 8 percent of the average annual flow of the creek, and 20,900 tons <br />of salt would be removed, representing a 24 percent reduction of the <br />average annual salt load of Muddy Creek. Although changes may occur to <br />riparian habitat in Hanksville Salt Wash, this combined reduced flow is <br />expected to have no significant effect on Muddy Creek's riparian vegeta- <br />tion and associated wildlife; a benefit may accrue because of the <br />improved water quality. <br /> <br />S-18 <br /> <br />002325 <br />