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Mapping within the NDIS indicates that the project area is completely outside any winter <br />activity areas for mule deer. Mule deer severe winter range in this area is associated with <br />the Paradox Valley and the Dolores and San Miguel River canyons. Winter <br />concentration areas are in West Paradox Valley and the lower elevations of Atkinson <br />Creek and Mesa Creek east of the Dolores and San Miguel Rivers. Both Kevin and Brad <br />confirmed the lack of mule deer winter range in the project area as well as the adjacent <br />Martin Mesa and Carpenter Flats. I did not observe any mule deer or their tracks during <br />our field review on January 27 which occurred the afternoon following a snow storm <br />the night before. <br />The NDIS mapping indicates that the project area is located within a large expanse of <br />severe winter range for elk. The closest winter concentration areas are located <br />approximately 2 miles west of the project area on Carpenter Ridge, 3 miles south of the <br />project area in the Paradox Valley, and 3 miles east of the project area on Atkinson Mesa. <br />The roads accessing the project area do not pass through any of these winter <br />concentration areas. Kevin indicated that he has seen elk move into the Martin Mesa and <br />Carpenter Flats areas to avoid hunting pressure in the fall but he does not see much use <br />there in the winter. When we reviewed the project area on January the 27 we saw a few <br />areas with old elk tracks in the snow. Jess Fulbright of Energy Fuels said that a small <br />group of elk had previously been there for a short time around the middle of December. <br />At the present time they appear to be gone. <br />Severe winter range is defined by the Colorado Division of Wildlife as "That part of the <br />range of a species where 90 percent of the individuals are located when the annual <br />snowpack is at its maximum and/or temperatures are at a minimum in the two worst <br />winters out of ten. The winter of 1983 -84 is a good example of a severe winter". <br />To evaluate present winter conditions in relation to this definition I reviewed climate data <br />available for several Western Colorado locations from the Colorado Climate Center and <br />the National Weather Service. When I compared data on observed snow depths and <br />minimum temperatures for this winter (December 2011 & January 2012) with the same <br />variables for the last 10 to 30 years it is apparent that we are experiencing a very dry and <br />mild winter this year. The average snow depth for this winter is below the 30 -year <br />average and the average minimum temperatures are higher than the 30 -year average <br />temperatures at the sites I looked at. It appears that the last severe winters in our area <br />were in 2008 and 2010. <br />Conclusion <br />Based on available resource data and personal knowledge of the local wildlife managers, <br />the project area is not within any mule deer winter ranges or occupied desert bighorn <br />sheep habitat. The project area is located within severe winter range for elk but the <br />current weather conditions do not indicate that we are experiencing a severe winter and <br />elk use appears to be very low this winter. <br />2 <br />