Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.12 Wildlife and Vegetative Impact AnalysisO\OLSSON A SSOCIATES Wildlife and Vegetative Impact Analysis Larry D. Knox Juniper Hills Private Landing Strip OAProject No. 012 -1776 760 Horizon Drive, Suite 102 1 Grand Junction, CO 81506 N TEL 970.28 3.7800 1 FAX 970.203.7456 Tilda Evans From: Thompson, Rob < Rob .Thompson @energytransfer.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 4 :23 PM To: Jeff Hofman Subject: RE: Juniper Hills Up -date Yes Jeff, Jake Latham & I agree that you can use ETC's Wallace Creek Compressor information obtained from the Garfield County's Planning Department or any other public source. Rob Thompson Right -of -Way Manager ETC Canyon Pipeline, LLC 970- 270 - 9368 -C From: Jeff Hofman [ mailto :jhofman @olssonassociates.com] Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 2:40 PM To: Thompson, Rob Subject: RE: Juniper Hills Up -date Rob, Thanks for authorizing the use of ETC's information from your Wallace Creek Compressor Station LIR for Michael Knox's project. Could you please acknowledge this understanding by a quick returned e-mail us so we have something for our file. Thanks again Jeff Hofman, AICP 1 Olsson Associates 826 211/2 Road 1 Grand Junction, CO 81505 I jhofman@olssonassociates.com TEL 970.263.7800 1 FAX 970.263.7456 O\OLSSON to ASSOCIATES M OD Please consider the environment before printing this e -mail. From: Thompson, Rob [mailto: Rob .Thompson @energytransfer.com] Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2012 11:40 AM To 'Knox, Michael D.' Cc: Jeff Hofman Subject: RE: Juniper Hips Up -date Jeff, please call me when you can. 970 - 270 - 9368 -C Rob NATURAL HABITAT STATEMENT ENERGY TRANSFER - WALLACE CREEK COMPRESSOR wario ENERGY TRANSFER Garfield County, CO Garfield County Unified Land Use Resolution Article IV Prepared by: If KL E /NPEL DE Bright People. Right Solutions. 1 11 % 1 1 II 11 111 i• 11 1 II 1 ,In.(11111ItI 300 C. Mineral Avenue, Suite 7 Littleton, CO 80122 303,78L8211 (phone) 303.781.1167 (fax) 1,∎• LT e n� November 2, 2011 INTRODUCTION Energy Transfer Company (ETC) is posing to construct the Wallace Creek Compressor (Compressor) located in Lot 4 of Section 2, 'Towns iifiVi, Range 96 West in Gar ieleinty, Colorado. The purpose of the Natural Habitat Statement is to identify existing ecological conditions on the r2 acre site where the compressor is proposed and to address the how activities associated within the compressor-Will affect these resources. 4.5 Natural Features The two acre site is located on a slightly sloped hillside above the Colorado River Valley. The vegetation at the proposed site is fairly homogenous and consists of young to middle aged dense juniper trees. The area to the east and west is composed of similar rolling hills bisected and incised by streams flowing from the higher hills located to the south. Steep cliffs rise dramatically to the north side of the Colorado River Valley. A stream in a steeply sloped valley is located approximately 0.1 miles to the northeast of the proposed site. Wetlands along the stream consist of dense shrubs, and sporadic cottonwood trees. Due to the homogeneous nature of the juniper vegetation community, few other natural features exist at the proposed site or in the vicinity of the site. 4.6 Drainage Features The topography at the site Is slightly sloped. Water drains to the northwest, then into an un -named stream, and eventually into the Colorado River located north of the site. Water travels approximately 1.4 river miles between the site and before reaching the Colorado River. Several drainages are located in the vicinity of the site. Three drainages and associated tributaries are located within half a mile of the site, including an unnamed stream, Spring Creek, and Wallace Creek. The closest drainage to the site is Spring Creek, which is located approximately 0,1 miles northeast of the site. Spring Creek is located in a steeply sloped valley. Wetlands along the Spring Creek consist of dense shrubs, and sporadic cottonwood trees. The stream flows north and drains into the Colorado River. The following species were observed along Spring Creek: Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), clematis (Clematis ligusticifolia), slender wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus), sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), coyote willow (Salix exigua), hound's tongue (Cynoglossum officinale), musk thistle (Carduus nutans), and plains cottonwood (Populus deltoids). No other drainage features or impoundments are located in close proximity to the site. 4.11 Natural Habitat Kleinfelder /Buys and Associates, Inc. (KLF /B&A) was retained to assess the current ecological conditions at the Wallace Creek Compressor in Garfield County southeast of Parachute, Colorado. An ecological habitat assessment was conducted by a KLF /B&A biologist on October 20, 2011, The Wallace Creek Compressor is located on approximately 2 acres within Section 2 of Township 8 South, Range 96 West. At the time of the survey, the entire proposed compressor site was dominated by native juniper trees, and the site was being used for grazing. Colorado provide habitat for the following common mammals: badger (Taxidea taxus), bobcat (Fells rufus), Colorado chipmunk (Tamias quadrivittotus), coyote (Canis latrans), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionu), elk (Cervus elaphus), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), black - tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), mountain lion (Felis concolar), canyon mouse (Peromyscus crinitus), porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), ringtail (Bassariscus astutus), stripped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), rock squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus), bushy - tailed woodrat (Neotoma cinerea), and Mexican woodrat ( Neotoma mexicana). A large variety of migratory birds utilize these habitats, they include: mountain bluebird (Sicilia currucoides), bushtit (Psaltriparus minims), mountain chickadee (Parus yambeh), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus), blue -gray gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea), red - tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), pifion jay (Gymnorhinus cyanochephalus), Steller's jay (Lyanocitta stelleri), America kestrel (Falco sparverius), black - billed magpie (Pica pica), great horned owl (Bubo viginianus), common poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallir), chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), lark (Chondestes grammacus), plain titmouse (Parus inornatus), canyon towhee (Pipilo fuscus), and wild turkey (Meleagrisgallopavo). Reptiles and amphibians that utilize these habitats include: collard lizard (Crotaphytus collaris), eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus), northern side - blotched lizard (uta stansburiana), northern tree lizard (urosaurus ornatus), sagebrush lizard ( Sceloporus graciosus), short - horned lizard (Phrynosomo douglassii), and western rattlesnake (Crotalus vlridis). A general wildlife survey was conducted on October 20, 2011. This survey included a raptor nest inventory of all potential nesting habitats within 1 mile of the proposed location. Overall, raptor nesting habitat is limited within' mile of the compressor site and no raptor nests were observed during the survey. The following species were observed while conducting the on -site survey: Common raven (Corvus corax), black - billed magpie (Pica hudsonia), spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus), plus signs of mule deer, cattle, and horses. Presence and Estimated Population of Special Status Wildlife Species According to the USWFS, nine federally listed threatened, endangered, and candidate wildlife species have the potential to occur in Garfield County, Colorado (Table 2). Table 2. Federally listed threatened, endangered, and candidate wildlife species with the otential to occur in Garfield County, Colorado, Species Scientific Name Status Bonytail , Gila elegans FE, SE Canada Lynx Lynx canadensis FT, SE Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus Lucius FE, ST rGreater sage - grouse Centrocercus urophasianus FC Greenback cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki stomias FT, ST Humpback chub Gila cypha FE, ST Mexican spotted owl Strix occldentalis lucido FT, ST Razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus FE, SE Yellow - billed cuckoo Coccyzusamericanus FC FE = Federally Endangered SE = State Endangered 11' = Federally Threatened ST = State Threatened FC = Federally Candidate Existing habitat on the proposed Wallace Creek Compressor site is of poor quality with limited Determination of the effect on designated environmental resources, including critical wildlife habitat As no federally designated critical habitat for vegetative or wildlife species have been identified within the vicinity of the proposed compressor site, the project would have no effect on these areas. The proposed compressor site has been identified by the Colorado Division of Wildlife as Critical Winter Range for Mule Deer. Construction of the facility would decrease the available habitat for this species and could deter use of adjacent habitats due to increased noise and human activity. According to Colorado Division of Wildlife's Natural Diversity Information Source GIS data, the following wildlife species have ranges within 1 mile from the Willow Creek Compressor Site. Table 3. Wildlife and range types within 1 mile of the Willow Creek Compressor (CDOW -NDIS 2009). Species I Range Types Mammals Black Bear (Ursus americonus) Overall Range Mule Deer (Odacoileus hemionus) Critical Winter Range Winter Range Overall Rape Elk (Cervus elaptrus) Concentration Area _Winter Overall Range Birds Bald Eagle jlaliaeetus leucocephalus) [ Roost Sites impacts to wildlife or domestic animals are anticipated to be minimal from the creation of hazardous attractions associated with the proposed Wallace Creek Compressor. Such impacts could be the natural curiosity of certain wildlife species as well as the attraction from trash or materials left on site during and after construction. The proposed compressor site also has the potential to increase avoidance of the area by wildlife due to loss of habitat, increased noise, and increased human activity. This may disrupt the overall use of the area by wildlife but due to the relatively small footprint, is not anticipated that the project will permanently block natural wildlife movement.