2022-04-04_PERMIT FILE - M2022013 (18)

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Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse Habitat Assessment& Conservation Plan Two Rivers Parcels—Varra Companies Weld County, Colorado Ecological Features of the Project Area Surveys for Preble's (survey area)were conducted in suitable habitat along the Little Thompson River in the northern portion of the project area and the South Platte (Figure 2).The project area is characterized by four agricultural fields adjacent to riparian corridors to the north and south. The Little Thompson River is located on the northern boundary of the project area.The river flows east through the town of Berthoud, Colorado and joins the Big Thompson River near Greely, Colorado.The South Platte River flows east along the southern end of the project area. The vegetation along both rivers consists of a mixture of woodland, shrubland, and grassland areas. The vegetation in the riparian areas are dominated by an overstory of plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides), narrowleaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolia),water birch (Betula occidentalis),thinleaf alder (Alnus incana), and box elder (Acer negundo)trees. The riparian corridor supports dense thickets of sandbar willow (Salix exigua) shrubs along the creek banks. Upland shrub species including chokecherry(Prunus virginiana), American plum (Prunus americana), and western serviceberry(Amelanchier alnifolia) occur in scattered stands throughout the floodplain of the creeks. Other dominant herbaceous species in the riparian area include smooth brome (Bromus inermis) and redtop (Agrostis gigantea). The survey area includes the riparian corridors along both the South Platte and Little Thompson Rivers, as well as a canal that parallels the Little Thompson River to the north. Habitat along the southern portion of the Little Thompson contains mixed woodlands and shrubs while the northern portion of the river consists of tall grasses and shrubs.The survey area along the South Platte consists of its southern edge which contains mixed woodlands and shrubs and a mix of native and non-native shrubs and forbs. Previous Surveys near the Survey Area Four previous trapping surveys were conducted within two miles of the survey area from 1997 to 2006 (Service PMJM Trap Results 2014). A positive trap location was found in June of 2001 by Savage& Savage, approximately 1.7 miles southwest of the project area along the South Platte River.The other three survey attempts did not result in positive trapping of Preble's. Endangered Species Act Compliance The project area does not fall within U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) habitat or survey guidelines for the majority of the species listed by the Service as potentially occurring in Weld County(Table 1). The interior least tern, piping plover, whooping crane, pallid sturgeon, and western prairie fringed orchid are species that are affected by continued or ongoing water depletions to the Platte River system. Because there is no federal nexus and the project would avoid all waters of the U.S. and would not require a federal action,the project would not require Section 7 depletions consultation. ERO assessed the project area for suitable habitat for Preble's, Ute ladies'-tresses orchid (Spiranthes diluvialis or ULTO), and Colorado butterfly plant (Gaura neomexicana ssp. coloradensis or CBP). Although the ESA does not apply to take of plants incidental to otherwise lawful activities, ERO evaluated impacts of the project on ULTO and CBP. 2 =R0 Resources Corporation