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BIO- <br />waterbirds. The old field at the gravel pit site is not contiguous with the much more extensive agricultural <br />lands closer to the Reservoir and was never likely a significant feeding area for Reservoir - associated <br />waterbirds. Mining operations at the site would therefore remove about 30 acres of marginal quality <br />waterbird foraging habitat, with the impacted habitat not contiguous to other larger expanses of habitat <br />and of poor and deteriorating quality for Reservoir - associated birds. After mining the site will be <br />reclaimed to state - mandated standards. While the details of postOmining revegetation have not yet been <br />determined, post- mining vegetation will likely consist of native perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs, with <br />control of noxious weeds. With the proposed mitigation measure to permanently preserve the site after <br />mining for undeveloped open space, the habitat value that currently exists would be protected from future <br />development, creating a beneficial impact for birds in the long term. The project could also affect nearby <br />habitat for Reservoir birds through changes in irrigation flows or other land uses; however, no such <br />changes are proposed, and mining at the site would not remove or alter any off -site habitats. <br />Indirect impacts of the project could occur from human disturbance to birds. Disturbance could occur <br />from noise associated with gravel mining operations, or increased vehicle traffic on North Road. <br />Equipment noise at the gravel mining site would likely be audible at times from off -site, including <br />probably the northern end of Fruitgrowers Reservoir and the adjacent agricultural lands west and <br />northwest of the mining site. It is not very likely that such noise would be loud enough, or unique <br />enough, given other human- generated noise common in the area, to affect bird presence or breeding at or <br />near the Reservoir. Most waterbird nesting at the Reservoir occurs in the emergent wetlands at the water <br />margin; a few species such as willits may nest in irrigated fields or upland vegetation up to perhaps 100 <br />yards from the water edge. None of these species would likely be affected by noise from the mining <br />operation. The great blue heron nesting colony is over 1 mile from the site, and would certainly not be <br />affected by mining operations. In the event that mining noise is determined or suspected to affect birds <br />during a critical season, such as cranes during the spring migration, conservation measures (see Section 6) <br />are proposed to alleviate disturbance by modifying the timing of mining operations. <br />Increased vehicle traffic on North Road, mainly along the causeway at the north end of the Reservoir, is <br />another source of potential impacts to birds from increased human disturbance. However, the increase in <br />vehicle traffic would be quite small. Delta County estimates traffic volume from the North Road gravel <br />pit at 2.1 trucks per work day with a four -day work week, resulting in 1.2 average daily trips (ADT) <br />spread over all days of the week. The county estimates that 75% of the traffic would go west past <br />Fruitgrowers Reservoir and 25% east, resulting in 0.9 ADT across the reservoir causeway. In a 2006 <br />traffic study, Delta County measured 305 ADT on North Road in the vicinity of Fruitgrowers Reservoir. <br />The 0.9 ADT predicted for the North Road gravel pit would therefore increase traffic on North Road near <br />the reservoir by just 0.3 %, an insignificant amount. <br />Public use of North Road has been common throughout the life of Fruitgrowers Reservoir, both vehicle <br />traffic and very commonly people on foot, observing birds. Birds on the Reservoir appear to be highly <br />habituated to human presence on North Road. As a consequence, it is not likely that the increased vehicle <br />traffic on North Road would affect bird breeding or distribution at the Reservoir. <br />Impacts to Wildlife Related Recreation <br />The project has the potential to adversely affect the experience of wildlife - related recreationists using the <br />Reservoir. Waterfowl hunters would likely not be affected, because of the distance of over 0.5 mile from <br />