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t _ • 1241° ESTATES ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO UTE LADIES'-TRESSES ORCIIID SURVEY REPORT (Spirontlres diluvia/is) Prepared by Savage and Savage Jaly 2001 SUMMARY Savage and Savage conducted a pedestrian survey for the presence of the federally listed threatened Ute Ladies'-Tresses orchid (Sprranthes diluvialis) within potential critical habitat at the site. The survey was conducted for Banks and Gesso, LLC on behalf of 124th Estates Partners al the proposed 124"' Estates project located in Adams County, Colorado on July 25, 2001. The survey was conducted in accordance with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Survey guidelines and during the period of anthesis of the type population of the orchid in neighboring Boulder County, Colorado. No individuals of Sprranthes drluvralrs were found during the survey. INTRODUCTION Banks and Gesso, LLC requested the survey in advance of final planning for a mineral extraction plan for 124's Estates Partners at the 124'" Estates sand and gravel operation. As part of the development plan Banks and Gesso, LLC requested identification and survey of any potentially critical Ute ladies'-tresses orchid (Sprranthes diluvialis) habitat. The site comprises approximately 35 acres located within in the NE'/,SW'/, and a portion of the NW'/.SE'/. of Section 35 in TIS, R67W of the 6'~ Prime Meridian in Adams County, Colorado. The property is located east of Henderson, Colorado, south of 124's Avenue, and immediately west of U.S. Highway 85. (See general location map) The 124` Avenue property is bounded on all sides by a fall chain link fence. The Ute Ladies'-Tresses orchid (Sprranthes dilrrvralis) is a federally listed, threatened plant species known to occur in Colorado. Interim U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey requirements (USFWS, 1992) for the orchid require surveys along the South Platte River 100-year floodplain and perennial tributaries and in potentially critical orchid habitat. Characteristic orchid habitat requiring a survey includes sites below 6500 feet elevation with seasonally high water tables, wet meadows, stream channels, floodplains, jurisdictional wetlands, and azeas where vegetation falls into the facultative wet or obligate classification. Sites excluded from the survey requirement include upland sites (short grass prairie and sagebrush rangeland) and highly disturbed or modified sites. Based on the above requvements, and a site visit, Savage and Savage staff determined that the proposed gravel development project area could not be disqualified from the requirements for a pedestrian survey. On July 25, 2001, Savage a~ Savage staff conducted a pedestrian survey of the proposed project area in order to detemvne the presence of the orchid.