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03-26-2001 01~17PM FROM TO 19709295]_7.7 _a A~--- ' III IIIIIIIIIIIII III 999 Threatened and Endangered Species Assessment Oxbow Mining, Inc., Sanborn Creek Mine CBM 4 -11 and Road Segments March 2001 Savage and Savage conducted a threatened and endangered species assessment on behalf of OiFbow Mining, Inc. at the request of the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (CDl't4G) and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Both agencies requested threatened and endangered species assessments for eight emergency degasification wells that were recently drilled and two road segments located south and west; of CBM-1 between Hawksnest drainage and a jeep trail (CDMG Permit # C-81-022). The areas of disturbance aze located northeast of the mining facilities that aze near the Town of Somerset. The degasification well drill sites are located south and west of CBM-I. Trhe azea of distutbance for each of the eight drill pads is 84' wide and 260' long (approximately 0.5 acres). In addition to the drill pads two road segments are included in 'the azea of disturbance. The first n)ad segment begins at CBM-1 and follows a line southwest to CBM 6, 7, and 8 and continues west. A second road segment is located between the .first road segment and jeep trail. (See attached location map) i The elevations for the degasification well drill sites and road segments 7ange from approximately 7,720 feet to 8,020 feet. Three drainages below the degasification well drill isites and road segments flow into the North Fork of the Gunnison River at approximately 6,250 feet. Soils within the area consist of the Fughes-Curecanti stony loam', series (USDA, 1976). These soils are formed in glacial outwash, landslide deposits, and old alluvial fans on strongly sloping to steep slopes. Annual precipitation is approximately 18 inches. Fughes-Curecanti soils aze found at elevations from 6,500 to 8,500 feet. The Fughes and Curecanti soils aze deep and well drained.Tlte Fughes surfat;e layer is made up of very dazk grayish brown stony loam, and the subsurface layer is dazk grayish brown clay loam The Curecanti surface layer consists of dazk grayish brovtiin stony loam and the subsurface layer is made up of dazk brown veryl gravelly or very icobbly clay loam. A closed canopy tnotmtain shrubJand is the dominant vegetation community at the degasification well sites and the road segments. The mountain shrubland community is domi!rtated by Gambel's oak (OMI, 2000). Other shrubs included in this cormunity are mountain snowberry, big sagebrush, fourwing saltbush, skunkbush sumac, speazleaf buckwheat, cliff fendlerbush, low rabbitbrush, Saskatoon serviceberry, Oregon grape, mountain mahogany, rubber rabbitbrush, antelope bitterbruslr, and Wood's rose. Grasses occur in limited sunspot openings in the canopy and include Indian ricegrass, native bluegrass, quackgrass, Letterman needlegrass, basin wildrye, cheatgrass, Japanese brome, western wheatgrass, beazdless bluebunch wheatgrass, and squirrehail. Forb species also