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Al1G-10-2001 FRI 0323 PM LARGE NORTHERN FAX N0. 9~ 407 3900 P. 04 <br />L INTRODUCTION <br />This report summarizes results from a trapping survey conducted to determine the presence or <br />absence of the Preble's meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hvdsonius preblei) at the Taft Hill <br />Bridge Replacement Site, located just west of the current Taft Hill bridge over the Poudre River <br />in Lorimer County, Colorado. Z h. preblei was officially listed as a threatened species by the <br />U. 5. Fish and Wildlife Service on May 13, 1998. This species has a limited range, occurring <br />only along the Rocky Mountain Front Range in Colorado and in the southern part of Wyoming <br />(Armstrong 1972). <br />The Taft Hill Bridge Replacement Site is located in the city of Fort Collins (see map -Appendix <br />l). Latimer County has proposed to build a new bridgo across the river to replace the old one at <br />this location. Specific UTM coordinates for the survey site are provided in Appendix 3. <br />All aspects of this trapping survey, including the habitat assessment, were conducted in <br />compliance with the Revised Interim Survey Guidelines of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br />(1999). The survey was restricted to the immediate vicinity of the project site, and results <br />contained herein are not applicable to any other area. <br />Site Description and Aistory <br />The survey area is a section of the Poudre River which runs adjacent to previously mined gravel <br />pits reclaimed as ponds, existing mine facility areas, and active mine pits. The site is a section <br />of the north shore of the Poudre River that begins immediately west of the first reclaimed gravel <br />pit just west of the Taff. Hill bridge on the south side of the dirt road on the LaFarge properties. . <br />Vegetation structure at this site was generally homogeneous, likely resulting from the high level <br />of distwbance associated with past and present mining activities. Dominant woody vegetation in <br />the overstory consisted of mature plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides), narrow-leaf <br />cottonwood (P. pngustifolia), Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), and several species of <br />willow (5alix spp.). Smooth brome (Bromus inermis) was the dominant grass in the understory, <br />although sedges (Cares spp.) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poo pratensis) were also present. Other <br />herbaceous vegetation present at this site includes leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.), thistle <br />(Cirsium spp.), hemp dogbane (Apocynum cannabrnum L.), showy milkweed (Asclepius <br />speciosa), common mullein (~erbascum thapsus L.), common teasel (Dipsacus fullonum L.), <br />wild asparagus (Asparagus o~cinalis L.), houndstongue (Cynoglossum offrcinale L.), white <br />horehound (Marrubium vulgate L.), curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa), and purple aster <br />(Machaeranthera canescens). <br />2 <br />