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.: Q The herbaceous understory of the riparian zone is highly variable where upland species ~} dominate. In the Elk and Beaz Creek drainages riparian habitat is very limited and in poor L condition. Species such as cottonwoods and willows are limited. Many cottonwoods are old and beginning to die out and there is little regeneration to replace these trees. The (i poor quality of these riparian azeas is reflected in the low amount of use by species of ~j wildlife normally associated with this type. There is some better riparian habitat in the Hubbazd Creek drainage that does support more wildlife. Due to the 500 foot setback ("'~ stipulation in the Elk Creek Federal Coal Lease, none of this habitat will be affected by activities associated with the mining operations. There are small pockets of riparian habitat in other azeas, such as the lazge slump azea in the upper reaches of the Elk Creek drainage, but none of this habitat will be affected. Mass WastinQlSluma areas The project area is typified by the presence of landslides. Landslides involve the mass movement of earth materials down slopes and can include debris floes, soil creep, and slumping of large blocks of material. The mass downslope movement of earth materials is also referred to as mass wasting. Within the project area landslides and mass wasting aze common. Small slides are found in the Hubbazd and Beaz Creek drainages. Slides or slumping in these azeas are generally small and do not affect many acres. In the upper reaches of Elk Creek between the drainage bottom and the ridge just south of Thousand Acre Flats there aze very extensive azeas of mass wasting. This azea has been slumping r for thousands of years and will continue to do so. As slumping occurs Aspen and L~ mountain shrub habitat is lost. This habitat is replaced with willows and cottoawoods that become established in these azeas. This situation actually adds diversity to the habitat and some species of wildlife take advantage of this condition. The slumping that occurs in the Elk Creek drainage extends to the drainage bottom above the forest boundary. This at time interrupts flows in the stream and causes high sediment loading. As a result conditions are lacking that would support a viable fishery in the ' stream. Small slides in the Bear Creek drainage add to the sediment toad which could affect a fishery if one existed. However, the stream can be intermittent and in the summer stream flows are commonly less than one CFS, which would preclude this stream from being a viable fishery within the project azea WILDLIFE 12s-ptors During surveys conducted in May and June, both active and inactive nests for several species of raptors were located (Figure I }. Nests were found in three habitat types: Aspen, Douglas-fir and cliffs. Nests most commonly located were those of accipiters in mature Aspen and Douglas-fir stands. The only raptor nest found in a cliff was that of a golden eagle. All raptor nest locations are shown on Figure 1. Nest numbers on Figure 1 correspond to data for each nest site found in Table 1. 10