2021-02-03_REVISION - M2020008 (4)

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Rifle Gravel Pit #1 January 2021! "Amendment to File No M-2020-0081 depletions from authorized sources, and that would maintain the existing water conditions in the downstream habitats. Flowering Plants: Debeque phacelia is limited to and badland exposures of Wasatch formation; there is no such habitat within the project area or surrounding vicinity, and no potential for this project to affect the phacelia. The project area does contain low-elevation open wet meadows that constitute potential habitat for Ute ladies-tresses orchid. The nearest known populations of the orchid are located in the Roaring Fork Valley in the vicinity of the Iron Bridge neighborhood of Glenwood Springs, approximately 30 miles upstream from the project. Repeated surveys of suitable orchid habitat in the Colorado River valley have failed to locate any orchid populations outside the Roaring Fork, therefore it is unlikely that the species would occur on the project location. However according to the interim survey guidelines (USFWS, 1992) the portions of the property that consist of wet meadows that are not continuously inundated and not dominated by cattails/bulrush/reedgrass do constitute potential habitat. These areas of potential habitat are limited to portions of the pit proposed for Stages 4-6. There is no suitable habitat within the initial development area of Stages 1-3 and the dewatering pipeline. Orchid presence/absence surveys can only be conducted during the blooming season (late July through August). Given the existing database of negative survey findings in the surrounding area and the absence of habitat in the initial development areas, SGM proposes to evaluate habitat suitability within Stages 4-6 at a micro-site scale during the proposed quarterly wetland monitoring. Areas that are identified as highly suitable based on the USFWS interim guidelines would be further evaluated during the blooming season for the presence of orchids. No disturbance to suitable habitat would occur prior to such a habitat suitability analysis, in concert with a formal orchid survey if warranted. 9.2.1 Colorado River Endangered Fish The USFWS identified the bonytail chub, Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub and the razorback sucker for potential impacts from this project. These species occur in lower elevation, larger rivers, including the Colorado River in the vicinity of Rifle, immediately downstream of the Project. The project will be complying with a CDPHE Stormwater Permit, CDPHE Dewatering Permit, and ACOE Nationwide Permits 39 and 7 as part of the project. No work is proposed within natural hydrologic features tributary to the Colorado River, or within the Colorado River itself. Given there will be no direct or indirect impacts to occupied habitats or these species, this project will have No Effect on these species, and No Effect to Critical Habitats. 9.2.2 Greenback cutthroat trout No habitat exists on the property or in the adjacent Colorado River for native cutthroat trout. In addition, no work is proposed within the channel of the Colorado River or any natural tributaries. Therefore, no direct impacts would result from this project. USFWS lists these species as potentially impacted due to the presence of occupied habitat downstream from the Parcel, and the potential for indirect impacts to water quality via water depletions. Potential indirect impacts would include water depletions or water quality degradation in potential or occupied habitat. However, the dewatering discharge will need to comply with the dewatering water quality standards and also require monitoring to ensure there aren't exceedances of the parameters that protect the river species. 35