2017-02-03_PERMIT FILE - C1980004 ‎(22)‎

• Permit No: C1980004
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 2/3/2017
• Section_Exhibit Name: Appendix P Water Depletion Estimates
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

APPENDIX P
McCiane Canyon Mine Expansion and Fruita Loadout Facility . Biological Assessment
• Standard stormwater and spill containment BMPs for water quality would avoid
increased sedimentation or contaminant loading in Reed Wash or in groundwater
that may connect through the hyporheic zone.
• Potentially toxic herbicides would not'be applied to control tamarisk or other invasive
species within the'1d0-yearfloodplain.
The Project is likely to adversely affect Colorado pikeminnow critical habitat because:
•. Water withdrawal from the Colorado River and/or from aquifers connected to the
river by the Proposed Action would adversely affect critical habitat designated for
Colorado pikeminnows.
4.3.2 Razorback Sucker
4.3.2.1 Species Account and Critical Habitat
Status. The razorback sucker was listed as endangered by the FWS in 1991 because of limited
numbers found throughout the Colorado River Basin and minimal evidence of natural
recruitment FWS (1991).
Threats. Primary threats to the razorback sucker are stream flow regulation and habitat
modification, including Coldwater darn releases, habitat loss, and blocked,migration corridors, as
well as competition from non-native fiish species, pesticides, and pollution (FINS, 2002b; also
see effects due to selenium discussed in Section 4.3.2.3, below). Flow recommendations'have
been developed for some water in the Upper Colorado River Basin. When razorback suckers
were listed, the FWS (1991) noted there was little indication of recruitment with decreasing
population trends for adult fish. Habitat alterations, including diversion and depletion of water,
introduction of non-native fishes, and construction and operation of dams were cited as
contributing to the observed downward trends. In addition, water development projects have
depleted flows, altered flow regimes, changed water quality, and fragmented habitats which,
along with changes in fish communities due to introductions of many non-native fish species,
predation by non-native fishes, loss of habitat, and pesticides and pollutions have been cited as
the causes for the species' endangered status (FWS, 2002b).
Life History. Habitat. Distribution. _Historically, razorback -suckers inhabited the Colorado River
mainstem acid major tributaries .in Arizona,' California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico,
Wyoming and Mexico (Minckley, 1983). The razorback sucker is, most often found in quiet,
muddy backwaters along the river (FWS, 1994; CDOW, 2007a). Spawning extends from April
through June; spawning occurs in river bars with cobble, gravel, and sand substrates during
high flows from spring runoff, when water -temperatures are greater than 57°F (FWS, 2002b).
Juvenile rearing habitats are in ,quiet, warm, shallow water associated with various river and
floodplain features (FWS, 2002b). Reproduction has been :adversely affected by lower water
temperatures due to iriipoundments'within the Colorado River Basin since colder water from the
bottom is released downstream (FWS, 2002b).
Within the Upper Colorado River Basin, naturally reproducing populations are only found' in the
middle Green River in Utah and in an off -channel pond in the Colorado River near Grand
Junction (FWS, 2002b). Razorback suckers have been reintroduced to the lower 34 miles of
the Gunnison River from which wild populations had been previously extirpated (FWS, 2002b).
Species Recovery. The FWS released recovery goals for the Razorback Sucker in 2002, as an
amendment and supplement to the recovery plan of 1998. There are two recovery units, the
upper basin including the Green River and upper Colorado River subbasins, and the lower
basin, including the mainstem and its tributaries from Glen Canyon Dam downstream to the
southerly International Boundary with Mexico (FWS, 2002b).
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