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WILDLIFE RESOURCES ASSESSMENT <br /> MORTON LAKES PROPERTY <br /> WELD COUNTY,COLORADO <br /> Common Name Scientific Name General Colorado Range Suitable Habitat <br /> (Status ) Present <br /> Fish <br /> Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus(SE) Slow flowing creeks with <br /> algal growth Unlikely—Mining <br /> Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile(SC) South Platte Basin—Cool, setback along Big Dry <br /> clear water—vegetation over Creek avoids habitat <br /> bank <br /> Amphibians and Reptiles <br /> Northern leopard Rana pipiens(SC) Eastern Colorado wetlands Yes,but degraded— <br /> frog Mining setback along <br /> Big Dry Creek avoids <br /> habitat <br /> Common Thamnophis sirtalis South Platte Basin near water Yes—Mining setback <br /> gartersnake along Big Dry Creek <br /> avoids habitat <br /> `SE=Colorado Endangered Species,ST=Colorado Threatened Species,SC=Colorado Species of <br /> Special Concern. <br /> Source:CDOW 2007. <br /> There is no likelihood for the proposed project to directly affect the greater sandhill <br /> crane, long-billed curlew, American peregrine falcon, or western snowy plover because <br /> of the lack of potentially suitable habitat on the property. Mining setbacks along Big Dry <br /> Creek will vary from 75 to 450 feet,thus avoiding any potential adverse effects to <br /> common shiner and Iowa darter. <br /> Black-Tailed Prairie Dog <br /> Species Background <br /> The black-tailed prairie dog is a state species of special concern (CDOW 2007). <br /> Black-tailed prairie dogs are important components of the short and mesic grasslands <br /> systems. Threats to this species include habitat loss and degradation, habitat <br /> fragmentation, disease (Sylvatic plague), and lethal control activities (NatureServe 2006). <br /> Typically, areas occupied by prairie dogs have greater cover and abundance of perennial <br /> grasses and annual forbs compared to nonoccupied sites(Whicker and Detling 1988; <br /> Witmer et al. 2002). <br /> Black-tailed prairie dogs are commonly considered a"keystone" species because <br /> their activities (burrowing and intense grazing) provide food and shelter for many other <br /> grassland species, which has a large effect on community structure and ecosystem <br /> FRO <br /> 10 Resources <br /> Corporation <br />