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Endangered Fish: Four federally listed endangered species (Colorado pikeminnow, <br />humpback chub, bonytail chub, and razorback sucker) occur in offsite areas <br />including the Gunnison and Colorado river (USFWS) 1994). Offsite areas inhabited by <br />Colorado pikeminnow include the lower 30 to 40 miles of the Gunnison River and the <br />Colorado River near Palisade, Colorado downstream to Lake Powell. The closest offsite <br />areas inhabited by razorback sucker include the Gunnison River (below Hartland Dam to <br />the Colorado River confluence) and the Colorado River between Palisade, Colorado and <br />Westwater Canyon. The occurrence of humpback chub is limited to one recent record in <br />the lower Gunnison River and the Black Rocks and Westwater Canyon reaches of the <br />Colorado River. The humpback chub has been collected in the Colorado River in the <br />Black Rocks area, Cataract Canyon and Lake Powell. The limited amount of water to be <br />removed during development activities should not affect these species. Water depletion <br />allowances developed between Mountain Coal Company and the USFWS will not be <br />exceeded. <br />No streams within the project area support a fish population. <br />Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly: The Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly is restricted to <br />the higher San Juan Mountains in southern Colorado (Eager - per. comm.). There are no <br />records of this butterfly being found in or near the North Fork Valley. This species is not <br />expected to occur in the project area due to habitat constrictions. <br />Clay-loving wild buckwheat: The clay-loving wild buckwheat grows in alkaline clay <br />' soils, locally referred to as adobes, on sparsely vegetated badlands of Mancos shale <br />(USFS 1984). The only known population of this plant is restricted to an adobe hills area <br />located between Montrose and Delta (Ellen Mayo, per. comm.). There are no records of <br />this plant being found in the North Fork Valley. This species is not expected to occur in <br />the project area due to habitat constrictions. <br />' Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus: To date no Unita Basin Hookless Cactus have been <br />located during surveys in this portion of the Gunnison Forest (Bradford USFS and <br />Ferguson BLM, per. comm.). The nearest known plants were observed North-northwest <br />' of Paonia along the foot of Grand Mesa (Ferguson, per comm.). The species is found at <br />an elevational range of 4,500 to 5,900 feet within the desert shrub vegetation community. <br />Conditions suitable for this plant are lacking in the project area. <br />' Yellow-billed Cuckoo: To date no yellow-billed cuckoos have been located during <br />surveys in potentially suitable habitat in the Gunnison Forest and North Fork Valley. In <br />' recent years, none have been observed during breeding bird surveys in this portion of <br />western Colorado. Suitable habitat for this species is lacking in the project area. <br />Gunnison sage grouse: To date no Gunnison sage grouse have been located during <br />surveys in this portion of the Gunnison Forest. The Gunnison sage grouse is a sagebrush <br />obligate species and suitable sagebrush habitat is not found within or near the project <br />area. The nearest known populations of this bird are found more than ten miles away in <br />the Black Canyon of the Gunnison area. <br />19