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.,~ Species that are commonly associated with both the Fish Creek and the Middle Creek riparian areas include a small variety of fish and amphibians; numerous species of migratory birds - including greater sandhill cranes, a variety of waterfowl species, and numerous migratory songbirds; numerous species of small mammals - includmg bats, mink, weasels, and red fox; and the occasional large mammals such as mule deer, elk, and black bear. Furthermore, both of these drainages are linked with the Upper Colorado River Basin, which has been identified as critical habitat for the following endangered fish species: Colorado squawfish, humpback chub, bonytail chub, and razorback sucker. The upland area is predominately a mixture of two vegetative types: upland shrub and shrub steppe. trambel oak brush is the dominate shrub species, but setvicebetry, chokecherry, and sage brush are also relatively common. In addition, much of the vegetative ground cover consists of a variety of gramanoid species. 'This area has been utilized primarily for agricultural purposes in the recent past. The upland area has a fairly significant value to wildlife in the area. Species that are commonly found utilizing these two vegetative types include the following: a wide variety of bird species - includmg avariety of raptor species, migratory songbirds, and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse; numerous species of small mammals - including jackrabbhs, coyotes, and red fox; and large mammals such as elk, mule deer, black bear, and mountain Gons. Most notably, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse utilize this area throughout the year, but most importantly, they rely on the area for breeding purposes. Cohtmbian sharp-tatted grouse are currently being reviewed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service as s species with potential for being listed as a threatened or endangered species. The Colorado Division of Wildlife is currently in the process of developing a wildlife management plan for the species. There are 12 known Columbian sharp-tailed grouse lek sites within the area of the six proposed exploration dn71 sites. Columbian sharp-tailed grouse leks are located in the following: Township 5 North; Range 86 West; Sections 12, 13, 19, 20, 24, 23, 26, 27, 30, and 36; in Routt County, CO. Both of the two riparian habitats may incur negative impacts that range from minimal to moderate in their severity due to the proposed project. Sediment runoff from potential road construction, road use, stream crossings, and drill site construction presents the largest potential problem for species m both Fish Creek and Middle Creek, as well as downstream Bank erosion is also a significant concern at stream crossings.