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The backfilling and grading as required in Section 4.14.2 will assure that topographic <br />• features and drainage patterns will be returned to approximate original contour. <br />Wildlife species inhabiting the permit area that have the most potential for being affected <br />include deer, elk, sage grouse, and raptors. However, experience to date has shown that all of <br />these species have adapted to the presence of the Colowyo operation, resulting in minimal <br />impact. Most of the mitigation measures, protection measures, and habitat improvement <br />techniques are directed toward this wildlife group. <br />Ranire and Wildlife Manasement Proerams <br />Data collected during pre-mine studies during 1974 - 1976 indicated overuse by cattle, deer, <br />and elk. A majority of the browse species (serviceberry, oak, snowberry, bitterbrush, sage, <br />chokecherry) showed overutilization to varying degrees. (It has been evident both past and <br />present that many of the shrubs are in a decadent condition.) <br />The results of past poor range management practices and heavy browse use have been a <br />reduction in growth with less available forage. [n addition, species such as oak and <br />serviceberry have grown taller, with palatable growth being limited to a height which can be <br />reached only by the largest animals. <br />As oak and serviceberry have grown taller, large windbreaks have been created. In the <br />winter, these areas hold the snow, which becomes deep enough to limit all access by deer and <br />elk. Fifteen years of observations on the permit area have shown that winter use of the <br />• mountain shrub type by elk and deer is highly dependent on snow depth and severity of <br />winter weather conditions. The use of the serviceberry has been limited to shrubs near the <br />edges of the stands where less snow buildup occurs. Depending on snow depth, elk .and deer <br />populations tend to concentrate on south facing hill slope areas where snow depth is minimal. <br /> <br />2.05-66 <br />