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• ~a <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br />Bill Owens, Governor <br />DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES <br />DIVISION OF WILDLIFE <br />wN EVUwL OPPORTUNII Y EMPLOYER <br />Jahn W. Mumma. Drrector <br />6060 Droadu•ay <br />Dcnvcr, Colorado 80216 <br />Telephone. (307)297-1192 <br />Wesl Region <br />711 Indcpcndcm Avamc <br />Grand Juncuun, CO 81505 <br />970-255-b1UU <br />Mesa County Planning <br />Attn.: Mr. Jeff liofman <br />P.O. Box ?0000 <br />Grand Junction, CO 81502 <br />Dear Mr. Holman, <br />s <br />~;r <br />Received <br />JUN 0 4 1999 <br />Divisan of M ~er~ g GepJoBY <br />0 <br />~~~ o <br />Op®y~ <br />~ OF `~ <br />For Wildlile <br />For People <br />t`iarch 26, 1999 <br />The Division of Wildlife has reviewed Conditional Use Permit NC38-99. concerning <br />the Soaring Eagle gravel pit. Anon sire tour of the property with Project Manager t`9r. Ed Settle was <br />conducted on March l0, 1999. This project is located adjacent to the Walker State Wildlife Area and <br />lays within the 100-year floodplain of the Colorado River. Approxnnately l0 acres of wetlands occur <br />on site. An island with significant wildlife habitat values lies adjacent to the proposed disturbance <br />area. While mining of this property will reduce irs value to wildlife, negative impacts can be <br />minimized by protecting critical areas from development. Mitigation for unavoidable habitat losses <br />may be necessary in some cases. <br />The project area consists mainly of agricultural fields separated from the Colorado <br />River by a variable width strip of lowland riparian vegetation. This riparian zone contains numerous <br />cottonwood trees, the preservation of which is critical for wildlife. It also acts as a buffer that <br />decreases disturbance of wildlife using the river and adjacent island. The island contains a great blue <br />heron rookery and is also used by bald eagles as a winter roost area. In order to preserve the existing <br />wildlife values of the project site and adjacent areas, we recommend no diswrbant:e of riparian habitat <br />within 300 feet of the ordinary high water line. A minimum 150 feet buffer is recommended between <br />the agricultural fields and the River where riparian habitat is absent. We also recommend <br />preservation of all existing large cottonwood trees on the property. including a buffer of ?times the <br />diameter of the crown around each tree. The buffer is necessary to prevent root damage and soil <br />compaction that would reduce dlc ability ul the tree to take up v,'ater. 'I hose trc~s are noted on the <br />attached Vegetation Associations map. <br />Mining of the site may result in disturbance of up to 10 acres of \vetlands. The <br />developer has proposed a phased wetland mitigation plan in which temporary wetland benches are <br />created simultaneously with exca\•ation. They also propose wetland mitigation wrgel ratio of I.S: I <br />constructed vs. excavated for the project. -fhe proposal reduces the temporal losses of \+etlands <br />Ulil'ANI'Alr.\rril NA~I~IiI</tl. lt11441!R('Iiti. Grc_Wal~hcr. l.vi~wivc lhrc.l~~i <br />WII-UL119' CUMMISSUJ\ ('buck Lcui.. Chainnau • Merk Le\'niky. Vuc ~IIJII 14e ni,nd Iliad, tieereL~r. <br />Rick Hn.linm. Mnnber 1'hdip l.nne. \I vrnher • Maii.um.i ItalLtln ml.nn. Mrmher •Arro.l,l 1:d alai Alembo •R~J~eii ~h-~ra.,Ao Mcn,hn <br />