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t i CRAPTERFIVE cummative ~muacts 5.9 WETLANDS Cumulative effects would occw if two or more projects had a net reduction in wetland azea or quality, resulting in a regional decline in wetlands. Construction of the CIG, TransColorado and Yankee Gulch pipelines would distwb wetland vegetation and soils, but the effects would be temporary. Groundwater pumping for the White River Nahcolite Project may cause a slight decrease in wetland area in Yellow Creek in dry yeazs, but the affected area is less than 1 acre. No cumulative impacts would occw to wetlands. 5.10 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES Cumulative effects may occw where projects would adversely affect the same species and lead to a cumulative reduction on populations or in habitat quantity or quality. Species which would be affected by two or more projects include sage grouse and Colorado River endangered fish. The Yankee Gulch, TransColorado, and CIG projects all would (or have) affected sage grouse. The TransColorado Pipeline would affect 2 leks, which may lead to local population declines. The CIG project has already affected the same leks as would be affected by the Yankee Gulch pipeline corridor. The Stewart lek has moved into the CIG ROW since construction. These three ' projects could have a cumulative adverse effect on sage grouse, which are declining throughout the Piceance Basin. The White River Nahcolite Project and the Yankee Gulch Project both involve depletions (consumptive use of water for processing) from the Colorado River system. Although this is a cumulative impact, it is mitigated by depletion compensation required under the Endangered Species Act and the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program. 5.11 CULTURAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES Distwbance and/or loss of unidentified cultwal sites or paleontological localities could add to the cumulative loss of information about ow heritage in the BLM White River Resowce Area and ' throughout the region if these resowces aze not properly identified, inventoried, and/or appropriately protected prior to distwbance. However, such losses are not expected since mitigation measwes as identified in Section 4.11.3 would be implemented under all proposed ' and potential futwe regional projects. 5.12 LAND USE AND RECREATION Cumulative projects examined in this analysis include the White River Nahcolite Project, the ' TransColorado and Colorado Interstate Gas pipelines, and the Colorado Oil and Gas Leasing and Development Project. All of the cumulative projects were issued special use permits by the local counties and the BLM and are in conformance with land use policies of the counties and the ' BLM. White River Nahcolite is located about 1.5 miles from the southwest corner of the Yankee Gulch lease azea. Together with the Yankee Gulch project the two facilities have dedicated land to an industrial land use that precludes other uses in azeas where permanent (life of project) facilities aze, or would be built. Hunting opportunities in the vicinity of the project azeas would i be reduced, as would the grazing capacity of the Squaze S Allotment. None of these potential 5-7