2015-10-27_REPORT - M2008022

• Permit No: M2008022
• IBM Index Class Name: REPORT
• Doc Date: 10/27/2015
• Doc Name: Proposed Mitigation Plan
• From: WestWater Engineering for Elam Construction, Inc.
• To: DRMS
• Email Name: ACY
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

The project area is situated in previously fragmented mule deer habitat. The area has been
affected by historic ranching activities and previously mined gravel pits. The result is habitat
which supports fewer mule deer than surrounding habitat that has not been as affected by
human activities.
The creation of new habitat will add approximately 7 acres of terrestrial upland and wetland
area that will provide forage for mule deer. The long-term environmental consequences are
difficult to quantify; in the near term, mule deer would likely utilize habitat created by the
project. The long term result of this project is creation of habitat that would support a few
additional individuals in the deer population.
The additional 7 acres of vegetation created by the project will affect the elk population in
the area; however, effects will likely be less than those affecting mule deer. The overall elk
population should benefit slightly from the additional habitat provided by the project.
In addition to wildlife of the Yampa River corridor, Ecological Society of America (ESA)
listed species habitat was also considered. Table 3 is the current U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) list of species for Moffat County (USFWS 2008). While the mitigation
site includes no habitat for black -footed ferret, bonytail, Canada lynx, Colorado pikeminnow,
humpback chub, Mexican spotted owl, or razorback sucker, the site does include potential
habitat for Yellow -billed Cuckoo and Ute ladies' -tresses. To date, the site has not been
surveyed for Yellow -billed Cuckoo during the nesting season.
Table 3. Moffat County Threatened and Endangered Species List
Common Name
Scientific Name
Status
Black -footed ferret
Mustela nigripes
E
Bonytail©
Gila elegans
E
Canada lynx
Lynx canadensis
T
Colorado pikeminnow©
Ptychocheilus Lucius
E
Humpback chub©
Gila cypha
E
Mexican spotted owl
Strix occidentals lucida
T
Razorback sucker©
Xyrauchen texanus
E
Ute ladies' -tresses orchid (Yampa River floodplain)
Spiranthes diluvialis
T
Yellow -billed cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
C
Symbols:
- There is designated critical habitat for the species within the county.
T - Threatened
E - Endangered
C - Candidate
Fish species known to occur in the Yampa River near the mitigation project area include
flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), bluehead sucker (Catostomus discobolus),
mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni), white sucker (Catostomus commersonii),
rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), brown trout (Salmo trutta), northern pike (Esox
lucius), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides),
bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) (Elmblad 2010,
pers. comm.). The first three species are native to the Yampa River and the rest are non-
native. The non-native fishes can compete with native fishes for habitat and very piscivorous
species such as northern pike will prey on them.
WestWater Engineering Page 6 of 24 July 2012