PERMFILE113388

• Permit No: M1999025
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 4/19/1999
• Doc Name: SOARING EAGLE GRAVEL PIT FN M-99-025
• From: GRAND JUNCTION PIPE & SUPPLY CO
• To: DMG
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

•
SPATE OF COLORADO
Bill Oweas, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
All RVVAL OIfOR7llrlrrl' 6Mr1.OYRR
John W. Mumma, Director
6060 Broadway
Deover, Colorado 80216
Telephone: [phone]
711 lndepeodem Avewe
Grand Junction, CO 81606
97azss~too
Lt. Col. Michael J. Walsh
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Sacramento District
1325 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-29;.1
Dear Mr. Walsh,
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Received
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For Wildlife-
Far Pe~rle
March 27, 1999
The Colota~'o Division of Wildlife has reviewed Public Notice #199875455 concerning the
proposed Sa~ring Eagle gray cl pit in Mesa County. We have commented to the County on that issue and
copied your Western Colo ado Regulatory Office with that correspondence. The following comments
address only the wetlands . _ue and the resultant pond that will be connected to the Colorado River as per
the negotiated agreement I :tween the USFW~ and the developer.
It appears i:tat mining of the site may result in the disturbance of up to 10 acres of
wetlands. The developer I as proposed a phased wetlands mitigation plan in which temporary wetland
benches aze created simulbineously with wetland disturbance. He proposes a wetland mitigation target
ratio of 1.5:1 for the pr.>ject. The -proposal reduces the temporal losses of wetlands during the
development phase and wit i result in a net gain in wetland acreage following reclamation. We support
that plan.
Our goal is to have fatty functional wetlands following the completion of this project. We
encourage the Corps to recommend the use of native plant species in the re-created wetlands along with
the active suppression of undesirable invaders such as tamazix and Russian olive in peripheral azeas. If
the wetland sites have not been successfully reestablished within 3 years, the proponent should be required
to take corrective action until such time as the newly created wetlands are functional. We also encourage
you to recommend permanent fencing of all wetland areas following establishment to reduce the negative
impacts of livestock overuse currently occurring on the property.
Gravel extraction at the site will result in the creation of a large pond following project
completion. impoundments in the floodplain can have severe negative impacts on native threatened and
endangered fishes by encouraging the proliferation of non-native competitors. After consul4 tion with
the USFWS, the developer agreed to create a "Texas crossing" inlet with 5 outlet channels to link the
pond with the River during high flow events. We defer to the technical expertise of the USFWS on this
issue. We foresee future problems with siltation blocking the flow of water through the system and
recommend that an access be granted in perpetuity by the petitioner to the Corps or the U: •FWS to
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Grcg Walther, Ezeative Director