2024-01-31_REVISION - M1977344 (25)

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Red Creek Quarry, Exhibit J - Vegetation Information 12 DRAFT for review purposes only. Use of contents on this sheet is subject to the limitations specified at the beginning of this document. Red Creek Quarry_VegReport_20230911 4.2.2 Noxious weeds Species observed that are on the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Noxious Weeds list (https://ag.colorado.gov/conservation/noxious-weeds/species-id) included saltcedar (List B), Russian olive (List B) and common mullein (List C). List B includes species for which the continued spread in Colorado should be halted. List C includes species for which local agencies have authority to decide management strategies for elimination. There were no List A species observed, which include species that have newly ar- rived and/or are less common in Colorado but still need to be eradicated. Saltcedar was abundant within and in the vicinity of Transects 10 and 11, which were located along Red Creek. This area is also where Rus- sian olive was observed and was in an area uphill of but in a tributary drainage of Red Creek. Common mul- lein was only observed in one location, Transect 5, in an area near to the middle of Parcel 3 of the Mining Permit and Affected Area Boundary. Additional information about each of the observed noxious species is below. 4.2.2.1 Salt Cedar Eight species of Tamarix were first brought to North America in the 1800s from southern Europe or the east- ern Mediterranean region. Many of the species escaped cultivation and by the 1920s invaded about 4,000 ha of riparian habitat in the southwestern United States. The success of saltcedar in the southwest can be attributed to several factors related to its growth habit, reproduction, water usage, ability to tolerate highly saline conditions, and redistribution of salt from deep in the soil profile to the soil surface. The high evapo- transpiration rates of saltcedar can lower the water table and alter the floristic composition in heavily in- fested areas. Mature plants are tolerant to a variety of stress conditions, including heat, cold, drought, flood- ing, and high salinity. In addition, the leaves of saltcedar excrete salts that are deposited on the soil surface under the plant, inhibiting germination and growth of competing species (Di Tomaso, 1998). 4.2.2.2 Russian Olive Russian olive is a perennial tree or shrub that is native to Europe and Asia. Russian olive invades mostly open and riparian areas, including prairies, savannas and streambanks. In its favored habitats, Russian olive out-competes native trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants by forming dense thickets. Russian olive may alter hydrology and streamflow through its water uptake in riparian areas and this is likely of greater concern in drier western climates (Nagler et al. 2009). Russian olive is a nitrogen fixing plant, meaning that it trans- forms nitrogen from the atmosphere into useable soil nitrogen. This can dramatically alter ecosystem chem- istry, particularly in riparian systems (Shah et al. 2010). 4.2.2.3 Common Mullein Common mullein is a biennial herb with felt-like leaves that is native to Europe and Asis. It was originally in- troduced to Virginia as a piscicide in the mid-1700s. This plant has small, pitted seeds that have the capabil- ity of lying dormant for decades. Common mullein threatens natural meadows and forest openings, where it adapts easily to a wide variety of site conditions. Once established, it grows more vigorously than many na- tive herbs and shrubs, and its growth can quickly displace native plants. Common mullein produces prolific seeds which last a very long time in the soil. This is a pioneer plant, so it is one of the first things to grow in a disturbed area. An established population of common mullein can be extremely difficult to eradicate.