2019-05-24_PERMIT FILE - M2019028 (11)

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ERC UPG Site Threatened and Endangered Species Screening Primary threats to existence of this species are habitat loss due to intensive agriculture, habitat degradation and fragmentation due to control of burrowing mammals and predation by cats and dogs. • No owl individuals were observed on or surrounding the survey area.The survey area is located within the overall range of the black-tailed prairie dog; however no active colonies were observed on the Survey area.The survey area is subject to fragmentation and human disturbance limiting the potential use of the survey area by this species.The proposed project and any future land use changes within the survey area should not adversely affect the continued existence or potential habitat of this species. RIVER OTTER (LONTRA CANADENSIS) The river otter is listed as a state threatened species in Colorado. River otters vary in length from 26-42 inches, with males larger than females. Their long tapered tails make up about one-third of their length. River otters historically ranged throughout most of the United States and Canada but were extirpated from much of their range in the west. Reintroductions of otter to Colorado began in 1976, and they are now found in small numbers throughout most of western Colorado with a more scattered distribution in eastern Colorado (CPW 2019). River otters may inhabit nearly every aquatic habitat however, they are most likely to occupy beaver ponds,stream channels,and warm water sloughs exhibiting healthy riparian vegetation, woody debris,and logjams (CPW 2019). • No river otter individuals were observed on or surrounding the survey area. River otter populations are listed as known to occur in Weld County (CPW 2019). However, individuals and populations are still rare occurrences.within the front range and eastern plains. Further, preferred habitat is usually associated with beaver activity and structures which do not exist within or near the Survey area.The proposed project and any future land use changes on the survey area are not likely to adversely affect the continued existence or available habitat of the species. 8.0 SUMMARY ERC has conducted this screening for federal and state threatened, endangered and species of concern for the approximately 265-acre survey area. The following provides key items identified as part of this report: 1. Four primary vegetation communities exist within the survey area and are comprised of Cultivated Cropland, Upland Grassland Ruderal Herbaceous vegetation, Western Cattail Marsh, and Western Great Plains Riparian Woodland, Shrubland and Herbaceous vegetation (Comer et al. 2003). 2. Generally,there are features on the survey area and the surrounding area that provide general habitat for local songbirds, raptors, waterfowl, amphibians, reptiles, aquatic invertebrate and small to mid- size mammals. However, the majority of the habitat on survey area (75%) is classified as Cultivated Cropland and Upland Grassland Ruderal Herbaceous vegetation which is somewhat degraded from a wildlife perspective by historic and current land use practices. Within the survey area, the Western Great Plains Riparian Woodland, Shrubland, and Herbaceous and Western Cattail Marsh vegetation communities occupy a smaller percentage of the survey area(24%)but provides a variety of important wildlife values. 17