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STATE OF COLORADO • • REFER ro <br />Bill Owens, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ~yUR,tQ <br /> <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE ~ <br />o <br /> <br />AN EQUAL OPPOR1LNr1Y EMPLOYER {ya. <br />~ <br />~' <br /> <br />John W. Mumma. Director ~ <br />Y <br />\~~yy// <br />6080 Rrcetlway `~ OF <br />Denver. Coloratla 90 21 6-1 0 0 0 ' <br />Telephone'. (000) 297-1192 For W'ildlije- <br /> For People <br />foraging. <br />3. The Division believes that buffers, a minimum of 100 feet wide should be left on all sides of <br />the lake, to m;n;mne soil erosion and bank degradation. Buffers would preferably be seeded to <br />native grasses. The possibilty of planting grasses that waterfowl, particularly geese, feed on could <br />help mitigate some of the goose concentration problems that the city of La Junta experienced this <br />winter. <br />In addition: <br />The mining plan calls fora 200 foot setback from the Arkansas River channel The CDOW <br />suggests that a more appropriate setback would be 200 feet from the edge of the riparian <br />vegetation present at the site. The riparian zone in this azea supports white-tailed deer, wild <br />turkeys, bobwhite quail, pheasants, wintering ducks and geese, and a myriad of other species. <br />The setback would m;n;m;~e any undo disturbances to these species, in addition to conserving <br />important riparian habitats that these species use. <br />State endangered suckermouth minnows aze known to occur above and below the project site. <br />Suckermouth minnows require shallow, gravelly, silt-free stretches of river for breeding purposes, <br />thus, any direct mining activities within the river channel or channelization of the river could <br />conceivably result in negative impacts for this species. Duriag the site tour, Mr. Kite indicated <br />that mining within the river channel might be considered as an option, thus our concern. <br />If tamarisk (salt-cedaz) is removed at any point during mining operations, the Division suggests <br />reclamation to the native cottonwoods and willows. <br />Regazding the specifics of the mining operation, the Division suggests: <br />Any soil that will be stockpiled for one growing season be temporarily seeded to m;n;mne losses <br />to wind and water erosion. <br />Reclamation can be done concurrent with mining activities, either on an acre for acre basis, or on <br />a `mining phase' basis. Doing so m;n;m;7es the azea disturbed at any one time, as well as allowing <br />the pelTnittee to measure reclamation efforts and redo any unsuccessfial phases. <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. Greg Walther, Emcutne Ovector <br />WILDLIFE COMMISSION: Chuck Laurie, Chair • Mark LeValky, Vice-Chair • Bernard L Black, Secretary, <br />RirJc Enstrom, Mertlber • Philip James, Member • Mananne Raflapoulos, Manber • Purldd Salazar, Member • Robert Shoemaker, Member <br />