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East Salt Creek flows year round although its flow is affected significantly by seasonal precipitation and spring runoff. The dominate vegetation in the East Salt Creek drainage in the vicinity of the mines consists on greasewood, (Sareobatus vermicarlatus), big sagebrush, (Anemisia tridentata), coyote willow, (Salix exigua), tamarisk, (Tamarix spp.), and Rio Grande cottonwood (Populous deltoides). The cottonwoods are confined to East Salt Creek's channel banks and are small and scattered. Thickets of dense tamarisk and willow or greasewood occupy channel banks, transitioning to stands of pure greasewood across the floodplain, to big sagebrush near the floodplain canyon side slopes. McClane Canyon supports a narrow ephemeral drainage dominated by greasewood and big sagebrush near the mouth of the canyon transitioning to sparse Gamble oak, (Quercus gambelii), servicebetry, (Amelanchier utahensis), and occasional Rock Mountain Maple, (Ater glabrum). North facing canyon slopes support pinyon-juniper woodlands with a mixed under story of rabbitbrush, (Chyrsothamnus nauseosus) big sagebrush, serviceberry, and shadscale, (Atriplex confertifolia). South facing slopes support shadscale, scattered small junipers, cheatgrass, (Bromus tectorum), and other native bunchgrasses. Bald eagle The bald eagle, (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), is a bird of aquatic ecosystems, frequenting estuaries, large lakes, reservoirs, major rivers, and some seacoast habitats. Prey during the breeding season primarily consists of fish, but waterfowl, seagulls, and carrion are also eaten. The species may also use prairies if adequate food is available. Bald eagles usually nest in trees near water, but are known to nest on cliffs and (rarely) on the ground. Nest sites are usually in large trees along shorelines in relatively remote areas that are free of disturbance. The trees must be sturdy and open to support a nest that is often 5 feet wide and 3 feet deep. Adults tend to use the same breeding areas year after year, and often the same nest, though a breeding area may include one or more alternate nests. The major components of habitat in wintering grounds include an adequate food source and suitable trees for diurnal perching and nocturnal roosting. Bald eagles are known to use the Colorado River corridor around Fruita as winter foraging range and several bald eagles regularly occupy the Grand Valley in winter. Baseline surveys of the McClane Canyon and Munger Canyon permit areas found no suitable roosting habitat, nest sites or concentrated prey or camon sources. Migrant bald eagles in the East Salt Creek drainage, however, have a potential to be involved in vehicular collisions while foraging along roads on road kills, or to be injured by contact with power lines and poles at the mines. Therefore, OSM has determined that continued mining and reclamation operations at the McClane Canyon and Munger Canyon mines "may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect" the continued existence of the bald eagle. Mexican spotted Owl The Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), is medium sized with dark eyes and no ear tufts, brownish in color and heavily spotted with white or beige. This species occupies habitat ranging from mountains with dense, multi-storied forests with moderately closed canopies, to canyon systems with little or no tree cover ranging from 4,900 to 9,000 feet above mean sea level.