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MINED LAND b'ILDLIFE STATEPfENT/EVALUATION (Revised) for limited impact and select regular mine appllcatlons The following information pertaining to wildlife is provided for use by Mined Land Reclamation Board in their consideration of a mining permit for: Oakleaf Pit; Sand and Gravel; Pueblo Co., T20S, R64W, portions of the NWT of the N'Wk - - - Name/Type and Location of Hine (Legal) of the SW~ of the NW'-L, Section I.'ildlife Species list: Mule and whitetailed deer, cottontail and jackrabbits, fox squirrel, coyote, red fox, raccoon, striped skunk, rock squirrel, and assorted other small mammals; Kestral, merlin, red-tailed hawk, Swainsons hawk, rough-legged hawk, bobwhite quail, Canada geese, numerous species of ducks, killdeer, great horned owl, common flicker, red-headed, downy and hairy woodpeckers, brown thrashers, magpie, barn swallows, and numerous other small birds, chorus frog, leopard frog, and bull frog, bull snake and ~oachwhip snake, great blue heron, night heron angered/critical species/impacted: none known Critical habitats/vegetative communities impacted: The main habitat impacted will be the Arkansas Riverbottom, which is vegetated primarily with tamarisk and mature cottonwood, with an understory of a variety of grasses and herbaceous vegetation. A fair portion of the area to be mined, either under this permit or proposed future permits, is a fairly extensive marsh rimmed with cottonwoods and grown up in rushes and other marsh vegetation. Assessment of impact: The riparian habitat in the mined area would be lost. The area is presently very densely vegetated and is inhibiting a northward progressing bend in the river from doing extensive erosion. The loss of the mature cottonwoods and the marsh area would be unfortunate as these vegetative types are declining. This area of the river and the marsh is fairly heavily used in the fall and winter by migrating and wintering waterfowl andnn as a resting and feeding area for herons. I would like to see a distance of e°osilnkan~OEofereven[feinlnft 9~~~~ r~t~vf ~ined area and the river to slow the river Y.ine Reclamation ~ecommen~ationspl nc go a ey species habitats for which restoration is designed). Excavated areas should be sloped 3:1 as a safety measure for humans using the area. The area on the north end of the tract away from the riparian vegetation should •e recovered with topsoil and reseeded with a mixture of blue gramme, side-oates gramme, galleta and western wheatgrass at a rate in pounds per acre of 0.2/0.6/0.3/1.0 respectfully, and preferably drill planted in the 6 week period before April 1. This would speed vegetative covering of the soil.. The riparian area should be allowed to revegetate with cottonwood and tamarisk. =re-arcd By: Ronald D. DQbs4iL~istrict Wildlife Manazer Date: 5-3-84 Sib-.:rted By:_ Roh Ravies._Wildliie R;r,~~o;sr _ Dacei 5_7=84 ~.?s stare-c•n[ is void if not processed within 1 year.