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STATE OF COLORADO • Bill Owens• Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DiVlSIOIV OF WILDLIFE AN EQUAL OPPORNNITY EMPL01'ER John W Mumma, Director 9000 Rr~ oway Dem~ Coloraoo 80219-1000 ephane: (003j 297-1192 Ed T. Gorman Habitat Biologist Colorado Division of Wildlife 1204 East Olive Lamar, CO 81052 James C. Stevens _ _CF_1V c~ ,r +~ s .i ,~Gr_lcS; r - Senior Environmental Protection Specialist Division of Minerals and Geology 1313 Sherman St., Room 215 Denver, CO 80203 Jim: • REF-cR 7M `plARipO ~~p®~ `V OF ~~ For Wildlife- For People 11 Mazch 1999 The Colorado Division of Wildlife has recieved notification of the proposed mining operation, Permit No. M-99-005, filed by All Rite Paving and Redi-Mix of La Junta- As always the CDOW appreciates the opportunity to review and comment on mining activities such as this. The CDOW has been in contact with Ed Kite of All Rite Paving, and conducted a site tour on March 5, 1999. Included in this site visit were La Junta District Wildlife Manager Jim Schreivogel, Mr. Kite, and myself. Mr. Kite was very helpfiil in our comprehension of the specifics of the mining plan, several of which aze of interest and concern to wildlife interests. The Division's comments and wildlife recommendations are as follows: The mining operations will result in the creation of a large lake located at the north end of the area included within the permit boundary. The CDOW expects no adverse impacts to accrue to wildlife species from the creation of the lake, indeed, the lake should provide excellent habitat for a variety ofwaterfowl species and shorebirds. The CDOW suggests that several wildlife improvements could be made to ensure the quality of the lake, including: 1. Inclusion of a 5 acre island composed of pebbly, gravelly substrate. The creation of such an island could possibly be used by federally threatenned and endangered piping plovers and least terns, respectively, which do occur in the general area- Creation of secure nesting sites is a key to the recovery of these species, for which this project shows excellent potential. In particular, the Division beleives that least terns aze most likely to use this island, whereby the island should be built using a pebbly substrate approximately 3/4 of an inch in diameter. The eland should be centrally placed in the lake, and surrounded by fairly deep water to m;nimi~e the possibilitites of terrestrial mammal predation on nests. 2. The Division suggests the lake could be sloped at a minimum of 6:1 to a distance of 30 feet from the shoreline. Doing so will result in shallow water habitats that dabbling ducks prefer for DEPARTMENT OF NATURPL RESOURCES, Greg WakJxr, Emcrfite Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION: Chuck Lswis, Chair • Mark LeValky, YceChair • Bemaro L Black Ser2elary, Rick Enstrom, Merrrba • Philip Jane, Mends • Marianna Rallopoulos, Mehbrt • Ampld Salaar, Member • Robert Shoenaka, Member