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Level 2 Potential Conservation Area (PCA) Report <br /> Name Sixmile Creek Site Code S.USCOHP*22213 <br /> '!'„.;� M "+' 5rry '1 <w�> � ��a�A"�a4.' ,z"aQ6a�cuwa •z�-.>���•c'�, �� �.�«e -a5.'1�'.�.^arµ�-��K,.7. <br /> Site ID 1525 Site Class PCA <br /> Site Alias None <br /> Network of Conservation Areas(NCA) <br /> NCA Site ID NCA Site Code NCA Site Name <br /> No Data <br /> Site Relations No Data <br /> Nation United States Latitude 381245N <br /> State Colorado Longitude 1042436W <br /> Quad Code Quad Name <br /> 38104-134 Vineland <br /> County <br /> Pueblo(CO) <br /> Watershed Code Watershed Name <br /> 11020002 Upper Arkansas <br /> Minimum Elevation 4,520.00 Feet 1,378.00 Meters <br /> Maximum Elevation 4,700.00 Feet 1,433.00 Meters <br /> Site Description <br /> Sixmile Creek is a tributary to the Arkansas River located between the towns of Vineland and Avondale.The <br /> creek has been documented by the Colorado Division of Wildlife to support Arkansas darter(Etheostoma <br /> cragini),a globally imperiled small plains fish(Colorado Division of Wildlife 2001).Arkansas darter are a small <br /> eastern plains fish native to streams in the Arkansas River basin and are known to inhabit small,shallow, <br /> clear streams that are often spring-fed and have sandy substrates,slow current,cooler water,and aquatic <br /> I vegetation(Nester et al. 1999).The Arkansas darter have been documented in about a six-mile reach of the <br /> creek from the confluence with the Arkansas River upstream about to where Bessemer Ditch crosses the <br /> creek.Bessemer Ditch is an irrigation canal transporting Arkansas River water from the base of Pueblo <br /> Reservoir to the Huerfano River and supplying farmers along the south bank of the Arkansas River.The <br /> source of the water in the creek is not well understood.Springs may discharge to Sixmile Creek creating the <br /> wetland habitat and ponds or the water may be leakage from Bessemer Ditch. In addition,the Arkansas <br /> darter population is also not well understood with few individuals located on multiple sampling events. <br /> Vegetation within a marshy just below the Bessemer Ditch crossing includes threesgare bulrush(Scirpus <br /> pungens),cattail(fypha sp.), Baltic rush(Juncus balticus),mixed grasses. Non-native plants within the <br /> marshy area include Canada thistle(Breea arvensis)and Russian olive(Elaeagnus angustifolia). <br /> Key Environmental Factors <br /> No Data <br /> Climate Description <br /> No Data <br /> Land Use History <br /> No Data <br /> Cultural Features <br /> No Data <br /> Site Map P-Partial Mapped Date 05/25/2001 <br /> Designer Doyle,G.A. <br /> Boundary Justification <br /> The boundary encompasses the reach of Sixmile Creek considered to be occupied Arkansas darter habitat <br /> by the Colorado Division of Wildlife(Colorado Division of Wildlife 2001).The site could be expanded to <br /> include a greater proportion of the watershed to ensure maintenance of the ecological and hydrological <br /> processes necessary to support the Arkansas darter population. <br /> Copyright©2012. Colorado State University. Colorado Natural Heritage Program. All Rights Reserved. <br /> Print Date N.31,2012 <br /> 5 <br />