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Rifle Gravel Pit #1 June 2021 <br /> 9.2.1 Colorado River Endangered Fish <br /> The USFWS identified the bonytail chub, Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub and the <br /> razorback sucker for potential impacts from this project. These species occur in lower <br /> elevation, larger rivers, including the Colorado River in the vicinity of Rifle, immediately <br /> downstream of the Project. The project will be complying with a CDPHE Stormwater Permit, <br /> CDPHE Dewatering Permit, and ACOE Nationwide Permits 39 and 7 as part of the project. <br /> No work is proposed within natural hydrologic features tributary to the Colorado River, or <br /> within the Colorado River itself. Given there will be no direct or indirect impacts to occupied <br /> habitats or these species, this project will have No Effect on these species, and No Effect to <br /> Critical Habitats. <br /> 9.2.2 Greenback cutthroat trout <br /> No habitat exists on the property or in the adjacent Colorado River for native cutthroat trout. <br /> In addition, no work is proposed within the channel of the Colorado River or any natural <br /> tributaries. Therefore, no direct impacts would result from this project. USFWS lists these <br /> species as potentially impacted due to the presence of occupied habitat downstream from <br /> the Parcel, and the potential for indirect impacts to water quality via water depletions. <br /> Potential indirect impacts would include water depletions or water quality degradation in <br /> potential or occupied habitat. However, the dewatering discharge will need to comply with <br /> the dewatering water quality standards and also require monitoring to ensure there aren't <br /> exceedances of the parameters that protect the river species. <br /> The project would comply with CDPHE-WQCD Stormwater Permit requirements: site <br /> stormwater would be collected and treated appropriately and would not be discharged to the <br /> Colorado River. Therefore, the project is not anticipated to increase the likelihood of future <br /> contamination of downstream waters. For these reasons, the project would have no effect <br /> on the greenback cutthroat trout. <br /> 9.3 Seasonal Use of the Area <br /> The project occurs in mesic wet meadows and pastures. Most of the affected area has seen <br /> extensive development activities associated with grazing management, including trenching, <br /> disking, irrigation, and fence construction, and the habitats are already significantly <br /> disturbed. Animal species that are tolerant of, or habituate to, human activity persist in the <br /> area, and use the property on an intermittent and seasonal basis. The level of human <br /> disturbance is sufficiently great to preclude permanent occupancy of the parcel by wildlife <br /> species of concern. <br /> The area is seasonally used by the following species (based on CPW& COGCC RSO/SWH <br /> habitat data): <br /> • Bald Eagle (Winter Forage, Winter Range) <br /> • Elk (Severe Winter Range, Overall Range) <br /> • Mule Deer(Resident Population Area, Severe Winter Range, Winter Concentration <br /> Area, Winter Range, Overall Range) <br /> • Wild Turkey (Winter Concentration Area, Winter Range, Overall Range) <br /> Figure 19 through Figure 20 provide maps that depict the CPW wildlife habitat and <br /> USFWS Endangered Species habitat. <br /> 40 <br />