2025-03-14_PERMIT FILE - M2025016 (26)

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Natural Resources Assessment P125 Gravel Mine - Southwest of State Highway 66 and County Road 17 Weld County, Colorado ERO Project #24-180 19 ERO Resources Corporation Aquatic Native Species Conservation Waters Species Background Aquatic native species are found throughout Colorado, wherever water resources are present. They are typically sensitive to changes in water quality factors such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. The health of a water resource can often be evaluated based on the presence or absence of certain aquatic species. A major threat to the aquatic native resources in Colorado is urban development, which leads to consumptive water use and dams, as well as aquatic nuisance species, which often outcompete native species for resources (CPW, n.d.-b). Suitable Habitat and Effects In the project area, St. Vrain Creek coincides with the Aquatic Native Species Conservation Waters HPH (CPW 2021b). The presence of water moving through St. Vrain Creek provides suitable habitat for native species. Recommendations As currently designed, the project area is located outside of the limits of St. Vrain Creek. Best Management Practices should be used during construction to discourage any sedimentation or construction runoff from entering St. Vrain Creek. Any impacts on the project area wetlands would likely required a Section 404 Permit, which may require a combination of restoration and mitigation of permanent impacts. Restoration or mitigation could provide resiliency to the Aquatic Native Species Conservation Waters HPH area. Mule Deer Species Background Mule deer are found in all ecosystems in Colorado from grasslands to alpine tundra. Spring and summer ranges are typically mosaics of meadows, aspen woodlands, alpine tundra-subalpine forest edges, or montane forest edges (Fitzgerald 1994). Seasonally, mule deer are relatively sedentary, although most will spend the summer at higher elevations and migrate to lower elevations in the winter. Mule deer diets vary seasonally but generally consist of browsing trees and shrubs, forbs, and grasses. Suitable Habitat and Effects As discussed above, the project area overlaps Mule Deer Migration Corridors and Severe Winter Range, which is designated as HPH (CPW 2021b). Although no mule deer were observed during the 2024 site visit, it is likely that mule deer forage and migrate through the project area during all seasons. Mule deer could be temporarily displaced from the project area during construction. Recommendations For any work conducted within Mule Deer Migration Corridors and Severe Winter Range, CPW recommends no permitted or authorized human activities be conducted from December 1 to April 30; however, some development may be allowable while protecting the identified resource values with special constraints (CPW 2021b). ERO recommends contacting the local CPW district manager early in