2023-10-03_REVISION - M1977344 (26)

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Tech Memo Subject 8 DRAFT for review purposes only. Use of contents on this sheet is subject to the limitations specified at the beginning of thi s document. Red Creek Quarry_WildlifeReport 20230907 Therefore, the likelihood of Greenback cutthroat trout being present within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary is extremely low. 4.2.4 Monarch Butterfly The monarch butterfly is not listed as an endangered or threatened species yet and is therefore not afforded the protections of the ESA. However, a few milkweed plants of three different species (zyzotes, broadleaf and narrowleaf) were observed during the vegetation surveys. Therefore, it is possible that monarch butterflies could be present within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary, but it is unlikely that they would be present in any large numbers. The Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper, which relies on citizen science data, has milkweed locations recorded in the area north of Lake Pueblo State Park and east of Florence, CO, but no recorded sightings of monarch butterflies. The closest monarch butterfly sightings were recorded in Canon City and in the northern area of Pueblo. 4.2.5 Bald and Golden Eagles According to the online Cornell Lab of Ornithology eBird map (https://ebird.org/map), both bald and golden eagles are abundant along the Arkansas River and its tributaries, including Hardscrabble Creek which is to the north and east of the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary. Numerous sightings have also been reported along Route 96 which is the closest road south of the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary. Therefore, it is highly likely that Bald and Golden eagles may be present within the Mining Permit and Af- fected Area Boundary. However, there are very few areas that would be suitable for eagles to build nests , so the project area would likely be a hunting ground for the eagles rather than supportive of any breeding pairs. 4.2.6 Southern redbelly dace The southern redbelly dace is an energetic, schooling fish that inhabits clear, cool waters in small to medium streams in the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri river drainages. Their populations are widely scattered across the Great Plains, but most of their population range occurs to the east. In the western part of their range, southern redbelly dace are restricted to rather small, scattered populations near the headwaters o f tributar- ies of larger rivers like the Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas rivers. They are restricted to relatively small re- gions where the cold water from springs and headwater streams creates similar conditions to the last glacial retreat from the Great Plains Region. The optimal habitat for dace is clear, cool streams which are fed by groundwater with heavy vegetation for cover and gravel or sand substrate. Southern redbelly dace require clean gravel substrates for reproduction and feeding. They rely on their sight to feed and recognize brilliant color patterns of potential mates during spawning. While Red Creek is a tributary to the Arkansas River, the creek is intermittently fed by connection to the groundwater along its length within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary. It is possible that South- ern redbelly dace could occur within Red Creek, but with the lack of consistent flow within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary portion of the creek, it is unlikely that they would occur in that portion given the lack of clear stream flow and heavy riparian vegetation. 4.2.7 Black-tailed prairie dog and associated species (Black-footed ferret, Burrowing owl) Black-tailed prairie dogs are found within the area that borders the Mining Permit and Affected Area Bound- ary. Prairie dogs were observed a good distance off to the west of Transect 17 of the vegetation survey. In Colorado, it is unlawful to capture, transport, and relocate black-tailed prairie dogs from one site to another suitable site without a permit from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The burrowing owl and the black-footed ferret are species closely associated with, and dependent on, black- tailed prairie dogs. The black-footed ferret was extirpated from this area but there are release sites in the vicinity.