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STATE OF COLORADO <br />Roy Romer, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />AN EQUAL EMPLOYER <br />John W. Mumma, Director <br />6060 Broadway <br />Deriver, Colorado 80216 <br />Telephone: (303) 297 -1192 <br />Richard F. Wyatt <br />Wyatt Redi -Mix <br />P.O. Box 1052 <br />Walden, CO 80480 <br />Dear Mr. Wyatt, <br />i• av <br />�o <br />r <br />o° <br />1897 1997 <br />OF MANAGING <br />March 18, 1997 YOUR w1wuFE <br />This is in response to your request for input regarding the <br />impacts to wildlife and habitat as a result of your proposed <br />gravel pit operation (Williams - Illinois Ranch Pit) in Section 12, <br />T6N, R79W. <br />I visited the site today and anticipate that there will be no <br />significant impacts as a result of the proposed operation. _The <br />upland site consists largely of sagebrush and a variety of <br />grasses. Wildlife species expected to use this type of habitat <br />in this location include: pronghorn antelope, mule deer, coyote, <br />red fox, jack rabbit, Wyoming ground squirrel, and a variety of <br />small mammals such as chipmunks, mice and voles. Avian species <br />include sage grouse, magpie, common raven, common crow, sage <br />thrasher, Mountain bluebird, and horned lark. Other species may <br />sporadically visit the site. There are no Threatened or <br />Endangered species which inhabit the site. <br />As I stated there are no significant impacts anticipated as a <br />result of this mining operation. Short term impacts during the <br />active operation are anticipated and will mainly be the lack.of <br />habitat use due to human activity and habitat alteration. <br />I did not receive a copy of the reclamation plan for the site and <br />realize that it may be difficult to develop such a plan without <br />input that is provided herein. To minimize impacts after <br />operations cease I recommend using reclamation practices which <br />return the site as closely to its original condition as possible. <br />One practice should include saving available topsoil for later <br />use. I also recommend planting native vegetation species <br />including sagebrush, grasses, and legumes. The use of <br />fertilization may be desirable to promote rapid return of native <br />species and slow the potential invasion of noxious weeds during <br />reclamation. <br />During the operation of the gravel and sand pit I recommend <br />monitoring for the invasion of noxious weeds. If weeds are <br />detected, management efforts should be started to control them <br />and prevent further spread. <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, James S. Lodihead, Executive Director <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION, Arnold Salazar, Chair • Rebecca L Frank, Vice Chair • Mark LeValley, Secretary <br />Loris F Swift, Member • Jesse Langston Boyd, Jr., Member <br />Chuck Lewis, Member • John Stulp, Member a James R. Long, Member <br />