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WILDLIFE RESOURCES ASSESSMENT <br /> MORTON LAKES PROPERTY <br /> WELD COUNTY,COLORADO <br /> Wetlands occur along Big Dry Creek and Lupton Bottoms Ditch, and riparian areas occur <br /> along Big Dry Creek. <br /> The majority of the project area is used for crops or was previously cultivated. The <br /> two easternmost fields were not cultivated in 2008 (Photos 1, 2, 7, 11, and 12). The <br /> vegetation within these fields includes alfalfa(Medicago sativa), bindweed(Convolvulus <br /> arvensis), smooth brome (Bromopsis inermis), and prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola). <br /> The fallow agricultural field west of Big Dry Creek, within the center area of the project <br /> area, is currently being grazed (Photos 7, 11, and 12). At the time of the 2008 site visit, . <br /> the western field was cultivated with soy beans (Photo 10). <br /> Big Dry Creek is located in the southeast corner of the project area(Photos 3, 4, and <br /> 8). Vegetation along the creek consists of sandbar willow(Salix exigua) and reed <br /> canarygrass(Phalaroides arundinacea). Mature plains cottonwood(Populus deltoids), <br /> Siberian elm (Nmus pumila), and crack willow(Salix fragilis) are scattered throughout <br /> the Big Dry Creek corridor within the project area. The riparian area southeast of Big <br /> Dry Creek consists of poison hemlock(Conium maculatum), snowberry (Symphoricarpos <br /> albus), wild rose (Rosa sp.), patches of sandbar willow, poison ivy (Toxicodendron <br /> rydbergii), horsetail (Equisetum sp.), and wild licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota). <br /> Methods <br /> The approach to the project was to gather existing information and conduct a <br /> reconnaissance field survey. Data was gathered from the Colorado Natural Diversity <br /> Information Source (NDIS 2006),the Service's Preble's meadow jumping mouse <br /> (Preble's) database (2005), agency and consultant reports, and other sources. The field <br /> reconnaissance concentrated on identification of the presence of habitat necessary to <br /> support sensitive wildlife species, including threatened and endangered species, game <br /> species, or other species and habitats protected by state or federal regulations. Wildlife <br /> issues evaluated in this assessment included: <br /> Federal- and state-listed threatened, endangered, and sensitive species <br /> • Large mammals, including game species and other species protected by state or <br /> local regulations <br /> FRO <br /> 4 Resource: <br /> Corporation <br />