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IRIS <br />MITIGATION AND DESIGN, INC. <br />SCHWARTZWALDER MINE PHASE 1 - UPSTREAM CUTOFF WALL AND LOW FLOW BYPASS <br />PIPELINE - BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT <br />considered critical PMJM habitat. In addition, because much of Ralston Creek flows through public <br />land upstream of Ralston Reservoir, the USFWS considers this reach of Ralston Creek to provide <br />excellent continued PMJM habitat connectivity along the creek for the mouse (personal <br />communication, Peter Plage, USFWS). <br />3.3 Description of Species and General PMJM habitat <br />Requirements <br />PMJM is a small rodent approximately 9 inches in length with large hind feet adapted for jumping and a <br />long bicolor tail (accounting for 60 percent of its length). The PMJM has a distinct dark stripe down the <br />middle of its back, followed by gray to orange -brown fur on either side of its body. This mainly <br />nocturnal rodent lives in heavily vegetated, shrub - dominated riparian habitat and immediately adjacent <br />upland habitat along the foothills of the Front Range of Colorado from southeastern Wyoming to <br />Colorado Springs. The PMJM hibernates between mid- to late- October through early May. PMJM diet <br />changes seasonally and consists of insects, seeds, fungus, fruit, and additional foods. <br />PMJM habitat includes well - developed plains riparian vegetation with adjacent, relatively undisturbed <br />grassland. Riparian area vegetation includes a combination of grasses, forbs, and shrubs. PMJM are <br />known to move into adjacent uplands to feed and hibernate. <br />The PMJM's recently documented distribution includes Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, <br />El Paso, Elbert, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties in Colorado. The Colorado portion of this area <br />has undergone rapid residential, commercial, and industrial development that has. impacted PMJM <br />habitat. <br />Good quality habitat for the PMJM is typical found near open water with multi - layered vertical plant <br />diversity such as shrubs and grasses, and high species diversity. <br />Page 22 August 2011 <br />