Laserfiche WebLink
Wetland Delineation Report for the Global Assets Mine Property, Weld County, Colorado <br /> 3.2 Protected Species Survey <br /> 3.2.1 Desktop Analysis <br /> 2DOT conducted a desktop review for federally-listed species and their critical habitats, if <br /> designated. Federally-listed species with potential to occur within the Project Area or for <br /> proposed project activities to affect them were identified using a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br /> (USFWS) Information, Planning and Conservation System (IPaC) search which generated an <br /> IPaC Trust Resources Report(USFWS 2016).The IPaC search identified protected and sensitive <br /> plant and animal species with potential to occur in the Project Area. The desktop analysis also <br /> included review of the National Wetlands Inventory database for wetlands that might support <br /> the federally listed Utes ladies'tresses orchid (Spiranthes diluvialis)or Colorado butterfly plant <br /> (Oenothera coloradensis). Spatial data providing previously mapped sensitive species habitat <br /> and nesting locations was provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW 2016) <br /> 3.2.2 Field Survey <br /> The field survey for sensitive species or their habitats was performed in combination with the <br /> wetland delineation (see section 3.1.2 above). Habitats that had potential to support listed <br /> species and trees with potential to support nesting raptors were a focus of the survey effort. <br /> 2DOT did not conduct species-specific surveys for any ESA-listed or MBTA-protected species <br /> during the site investigation, although signs of such species (e.g., old nests) and ESA species' <br /> habitats would be recorded if present. Trees within 0.5 mile of the survey corridor with the <br /> potential to support raptor nests were inspected and nest locations were recorded on a field <br /> maps, if observed from adjacent county roads. Because the site investigation was performed <br /> outside of the raptor nesting season, access to adjacent properties was not available, and the <br /> summer tree foliage makes nest observation very difficult, identification of new nests was <br /> considered unlikely. <br /> 3.3 Field Mapping <br /> 2DOT recorded the spatial extent of features in the field with GPS units with approximate 3- <br /> meter accuracy by recording coordinates of vertices along the perimeter of each wetland and <br /> other potential waters of the U.S. 2DOT processed field data with ArcMap 10.2 software. <br /> 3.4 Photographs <br /> 2DOT took photographs at all wetlands and ditches delineated in the field and at locations of <br /> potential sensitive species habitat. 2DOT recorded photograph numbers generated by digital <br /> cameras into field notebook in association with descriptions of each feature to ensure that <br /> each photograph was correctly associated with the data point. <br /> 4.0 RESULTS <br /> The Project Area is characterized by an abandoned tree nursery, cropland, an active sand <br /> blasting operation, an active plant nursery, wetlands, ponds, and riparian forest. <br /> 9 2DOT <br />