2008-02-04_PERMIT FILE - C1982056A

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northwest boundary of the permit area. A scattered population of mule deer inhabit the foothills around the • perimeter of the permit area from spring to fall until snow levels force them into their winter range as shown on Map 20, Mule Deer Biological Features. Most big game road-kill studies have focused on stretches of major highways where a high incidence of mule deer/vehicle collisions has been documented. Myers and Reed (n.d.) in their study of deer/vehicle collisions throughout Colorado found that 53.2 percent of deer road-kills occurred between sunset and four hours after sunset. Only 9.7 percent were killed from three hours before sunrise to sunrise, and an additional 17.6 percent were killed at other times of the night, for a total of 80.5 percent killed from sunset to sunrise. Myers and Reed (n.d.) also presented data that the majority (87 percent) of mule deer/vehicle collisions occurred at highway speeds greater than 40 mph and that 70 percent of all collisions occurred at speeds greater than 50 mph. In a study along High 82 south of Glenwood Springs, 52 percent of the deer fatalities occurred between 6:00 and 10:00 pm (Reed 1969). Reed (1969) also found that the sections of highway where the greatest number of deer were killed did not always correlate with the sections of highway where the most live deer were counted during night spotlight surveys. Reed (1969) concluded that, in order to identify problem road-kill areas, a knowledge of the magnitude and location of deer road-kills is needed in addition to knowing where deer congregate along a highway. It is assumed that the conclusions made in these studies would also be applicable to elk, but few studies focusing on elk/vehicle collisions could be found. The general lack of studies on elk road-kills may be an indication that the frequency of elk vehicle collisions is much less than that for deer/vehicle collisions. This could be a result of an elk's much greater size (making it easier to see and avoid at night) and/or be related to different aspects of an elk's behavior along roads as compared [o deer. In studies by Ward et al. (1976), it was found that elk were more sensitive to traffic than were mule deer and pronghorn. They noted that elk preferred to stay at least 0.25 mi (400 m) from moving traffic, and that most highway crossings by elk occurred at night during low traffic periods. Elk avoidance of roads is more pronounced for main roads and roads that pass through open vegetation types (Perry • and Overly 1975). Ward et al. (1980) showed that elk preferred to cross roads where the slope perpendicular to the road was less than 20 percent. This preference for shallow slopes when approaching a road would increase their visibility to approaching motorists, thereby reducing the potential for collision. Based on the information presented and discussed above on elk and mule deer numbers in Twentymile Park, it appears that the greatest potential for big game road-kills may be associated with elk during fall migration. A low potential would be expected for spring migrating elk and for wintering elk and mule deer where haul and access roads travel in proximity to critical winter range. The actual magnitude of these potentials is impossible to derive without baseline information on the number of road-kills versus traffic levels. In the studies reviewed, no attempts were made to project number of road-kills versus increased traffic levels. Variables such as weather, changes over time in animal movement and numbers, timing of traffic levels, topography, etc. make it extremely difficult to make such projections. Historically, areas in Colorado that have had the highest incidence of mule deer/vehicle collisions have been where major highways crossed traditional migration routes (e.g., Interstate 70 near Rifle) or where roads run through mule deer winter concentration areas or critical winter range (e.g., the Piceance Creek Road through Piceance Basin or the Parachute Creek Road from Parachute (Grand Valley) to the Union Oil Shale Plant). The potential for big game road-kills associated with the Foidel Creek Mine would be expected to be much less than these situations due to differences in the total number of animals involved and in the locations of roads with respect to critical winter ranges. Several other factors tend to reduce the potential for road-kills associated with the Foidel Creek Mine operation. First and foremost, employee shifr changes will not coincide with the time period when road-kill incidence is highest (sunset to four hours after). Secondly, the principal species of concern would be elk, which by virtue of its size and behavior appears to be less prone to vehicle collisions. And lastly, the posted speed limit for the haul road is 35 mph and will also be 35 mph for the Fish Creek Borehole/Shaft Area access road. These speed limits should significantly reduce the potential for big game/vehicle collisions. • Aside from trying to assess the incidence of or potential for big game road-kills, the effectiveness of existing mass transit systems and the cost/benefit ratio of installing such a system should also be analyzed for determining the need for a mass transit system. There are few cases in the state where mass transit systems have been installed to MR 97-154 2.04-77 Revised 10/02/97