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• to be impacted in the Colony permit areas. There are many breaks <br />in the cliffs which the deer utilize to move freely between the <br />uplands and lowlands. However, local disruption of small-scale <br />movement patterns is likely in the mine bench (Middle Fork Canyon) <br />and disposal area (Davis Gulch). Perhaps the greatest effect <br />related to big game. movement will be increased mortality along <br />the Parachute Creek corridor during winter. Roadkill rates prob- <br />ably will be highest early in the project (due to rearrangements <br />in movement patterns of the local deer population), but should <br />gradually diminish through the life of the project. Since elk <br />generally do not frequent the Parachute Creek corridor, it is <br />not anticipated that there will be any roadkill. Colony may <br />provide bus service for construction and operational employees <br />in order to reduce the amount of traffic. It is Colony's belief <br />that reduction of traffic in this manner will have the greatest <br />effect in reducing impacts. Colony considered the possibility <br />of wildlife fencing or underpasses along the access road. Such <br />a fence would inhibit deer movements. The cost of the fence <br />• and underpasses cannot be justified when other mitigation methods <br />are employed. <br />IMPACTS -- AQUATIC <br />Possible direct impacts to fishes and other aquatic life include <br />increased sedimentation and habitat alteration due to diversion, <br />channelization, road encroachment, dam construction, or other <br />modifications to the streams. There is also the possibility <br />of accidental spills of potentially toxic substances. <br />Construction of mining facilities and access roads may increase <br />sedimentation of nearby watercourses. Deposition of this sediment <br />on the stream bottom may cover fish spawning areas and incubating <br />eggs. Suspended sediments cause increased turbidity, which in <br />turn inhibits light penetration and thereby reduces primary <br /> <br />H-15 <br />