2024-01-31_REVISION - M1977344 (22)

Home Browse Search

Portland Limestone Quarries (M-1977-344) Permit Amendment-02 Holcim US Inc, 3500 Highway 120, Florence, CO 81226 Revised pursuant to preliminary adequacy review November 20, 2023 Phone (719) 288-1443 www.holcim.us 102 Therefore, it is highly likely that Bald and Golden eagles may be present within the Mining Permit and Affected 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 support any breeding pairs. 2.8.6 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 of tributaries of larger rivers like the Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas rivers. They are restricted to relatively small regions 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 spaw ning. 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 Southern 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. 2.8.7 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 Boundary. 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. As of this report, there are no black-tailed prairie dogs, burrowing owls or black-footed ferrets within the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary. 2.8.8 Mountain plover The mountain plover nests in flat, dry landscapes characterized by very short, sparse vegetation (preferably less than 3 inches), with at least 30% bare ground and a slope less than 5 degrees (less than 2 degrees optimal). A conspicuous object (e.g., manure pile, clump of vegetation, rock) is usually found near nest sites. In Colorado, the mountain plover is commonly associated with heavily grazed blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) or buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides) on the eastern plains. The mountain plover is strongly associated with black-tailed prairie dog towns in some parts of its breeding range. The mountain plover feeds almost exclusively on invertebrates. Grasshoppers and beetles have been reported as the most common prey. According to the online Cornell Lab of Ornithology eBird map (https://ebird.org/map), the most recent sighting of mountain plovers near the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary was in 2014. Older sightings range from 1975 to 2010.