2008-06-09_REVISION - C1980007 (3)

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Vegetation _. • vegetation is limited in extent due to the short duration of soil saturation. Historic range management practices may have enhanced these features (USES personal communication with Doug Marah, 2007 The water influence zone (WIZ) is 100 feet on either side of a stream. This vegetation buffer zone filters runoff and erosion, provides valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and is critical for maintaining stream function and water quality by filtering out pollutants, stabilizing streambanks, dissipating energy during high flow events, and moderating water temperature. Development of access roads is currently restricted by a no surface occupancy lease stipulation (USDA FS 2006a). The Forest Service would need to grant relief from this lease stipulation before disturbance could occur in riparian, wetland, or floodplain areas. The Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek bisects the center of the project area (Figure 10), which is dominated by a shrub cover type consisting mainly of tall willows and alders (Wang 2004). This shrub-dominated area is probably a tall willow type consisting of Geyer's willow (Salix geye~°iana), mountain willow (S. eastwoodiae), or Drummond's willow (S. dYUnzmondiana) with patches of Bebb willow (S. bebbiana) (Johnston 2004). This riparian ecosystem reaches a maximum width of approximately 500 feet and a length of approximately 2,500 feet (an estimated 28.0 acres). However, the stream channel through this area has been heavily impacted by beaver dam blowouts and the increased flows originating from the Deep Creek Interbasin Ditch (Wang 2004). Aspen, with a few stringers of spruce-fir communities, dominates the upstream remainder of the Dry Fork of Minnesota Creek. Stringers of spruce-fir exist in the drainage bottoms, primarily in the headwaters of the Deep Creek drainage, totaling an estimated 76 acres (Wang 2004). More open bench-land riparian areas characterize the upper reaches of Deep Creek; what were once beaver dams are now filled in with tall. willow, alder, and sedges (Carex spp.). In addition to these natural riparian areas, there are some roan-made stock ponds located in some of the intermittent streams that feed into Deep Creek from the west. These stock ponds are spring-fed by small perervlial seeps and springs. Federally Listed Plants The Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Scle~rocactus glaucus) is the only federally listed, threatened plant occun-ing near the GMUG, but it has not been documented in the project area or on the Forests (USDA FS 2006b). It is endemic to alluvial benches, rocky hills and mesa slopes of desert shrub communities in west-central Colorado and Utah (CNHP 1999). This species was listed as threatened throughout its entire range in October 1979 (USFWS 2006). Occurrences have been documented in Delta County on alluvial terraces along the Gunnison River (USFWS 1990). Habitat for this species is not found within the GMUG National Forest and therefore, will not be included in any further analysis. Sensitive Plants Table 3-5 displays the sensitive plants or habitat known or likely to occur on the GMUG and in the project area. According to Paonia Ranger District Range Management Specialist, two Forest Service sensitive plant species, Rocky Mountain thistle (Cirsiu~n pe~plexans) and Colorado tansy-aster (Machaeranthera coloradoensis) are known or likely to occur on or near the Paonia Ranger District. Species that are not known or not likely to occur in the project area will not be affected by the proposed action; therefore, they will not be discussed further. Rocky Mountain thistle (Ci~~sium perplexans) is a westeni Colorado endemic found in diy, sparsely vegetated or disturbed areas associated Deer Creek Ventilation Shaft and E Seam Methane Drainage Wells FEIS S1