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ARAPAHO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Walden, Colorado Also

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ARAPAHO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Walden, Colorado Also . ARAPAHO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Walden, Colorado also BAMFORTH, HUTTON LAKE AND PATHFINDER NWR' administered from Walden, Colorado ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1979 NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM Fish and.Wildlife Service U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ARAPAHO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Walden, Colorado also BAMFORTH, HUTTON LAKE AND PATHFINDER NWR' administered from Walden, Colorado ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1979 NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 1. Eugene C. Patten, Refuge Manager, GS-11, PFT 2. William J. Wilson, Refuge Manager, GS-9, PPT 3. Gale F. Brewer, Biological Technician (W/L), GS-7, PFT 4. Barbara J. Smith, Administrative Clerk, GS~5, PFT 5. Gregory L. Hogue, Biological Aid (W/L), GS-3 (EOD 2/6/79 - Terminated 8/2/79 - not pictured) 6. Guy H. Stees, Biological Aid (W/L), GS~4 (EOD 4/23/79 - Terminated 6/19/79 - not pictured) 7. Rachel M. Davidson, Biological Aid (W/L), GS~4 (EOD 4/30/79 - Terminated 10/25/79 - not pictured) 8. Joan E. Lapham, Biological Aid (W/L), GS-4 (EOD 4/30/79 - Tettalnated 10/19/79 - not pictured) 9. Mark L. Llndvall, Biological Aid (W/L). GS-4 (EOD 8/13/79 - Transferred to Parlor River NWR 12/1/79 - not pictured) Review and Approvals :?-oo-^o ^f1 j £&l Submitted by Date Are©/Office Date Refuge Regional Office Date TABLE OF CONTENTS I• GENKHAL Page A. Introduction 1 B. Climatic and Habitat Conditions ......... 1 C. Land Acquisition 3 D. System Status 4 IX. CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE A. Construction 5 5. Maintenance ............... 7 C. Equipment ............. 8 D. Wildfires 9 HI. HABITAT MANAGEMENT A. Cropland 10 3, Grassland ....•• 10 C. Wetlands 11 D. Forestlands 11 E. Other Habitat . 11 F. Wilderness and Special Areas . « • • 11 G. Easements for Waterfowl Management 11 IV. WILDLIFE A. Endangered and/or Threatened Species ... 11 B. Migratory Birds 12 C. Mammals and Non-Migratory Birds and Others 15 V. INTERPRETATION AND RECREATION A. Information and Interpretation 17 B. Recreation ..... ...... 18 C. Enforcement 18 VI. OTHER ITEMS A. Field Investigations 19 B. Cooperative Programs 20 C. Items of Interest 21 0, Safety ....... 22 E. Revenue Sharing 22 BAMFORTH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE REPBRT HUTTON LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE REPORT PATHFINDER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE REPORT Land purchased and under our management. Shawver tract - to come under our management January 1, 1981. State-owned land leased by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. BLM land formerly attached to tracts now purchased. Will come under our management when withdrawal Is completed. Private land within the boundaries of the refuge which are to be acquired In the future. ARAPAHO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE UNITED STATES JACKSON COUNTY, COLORADO UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR io«* wrRSOW R79W '06* IT RIFUOE BOUNDARY ESSS ACQUIRED TRACTS UASE LAND 0 TRACT NUMBER R SOW R 79W COMPILED IN SURVEYS AND MAPS FROM SURVEYS BY BLM . USOS AND FWS MCAM SIXTH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN v OCCUHATIOS / If 73 g|»;qS^W- 6R COLO. 788 404 I. GENERAL A, Introduction Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is located in an intermountain glacial basin in Jackson County, Colorado. Forming the headwaters of the North Platte River, the basin opens north into Wyoming and is rimmed on the west by the Park Range, on the south by the Rabbit Ears Mountains and on the east by the Medicine Bow Range. The floor of the basin is known locally as North Park and is interspersed by many slow meandering streams that come together in the north central part of the basin to form the North Platte River. Main tributary rivers are the Michigan, Illinois, Canadian and Grizzly. Host of the bottom land along the various streams is irrigated meadow while the low rises between the streams are dry grassland and sage­ brush. The picture changes suddenly on the edges of the basin where the land pitches abruptly upward to the mountain tops. The slopes are heavily covered with aspen, spruce, pine and fir up to tlmberline at about 11,000 feet, then tundra and rock up to the mountain peaks. Cattle, hay and sheep have dominated the North Park economic scene since the first settlers arrived. Mining and logging are also major industries along with an increasing tourism and recreational trade. Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is situated at an elevation of 8,200 feet immediately south of Walden, Colorado, a small town of approximately 1,000 population. The Illinois River transverses from south to north through the eastern half of the refuge and provides the water needed to irrigate the refuge meadows and maintain waterfowl brood ponds. The higher rises on the refuge are characterized by dry grassland, sagebrush and greasewood. B. Climatic and Habitat Conditions 1. Climatic Temperatures during the month of January were colder than normal with a total of 16 days in which the temperature dipped below zero. The new year started out with a minus 1A degrees. The following winter months of February and March were mild compared to the month of January with a low of -17 degrees on February 5 and the high of A7 degrees on February 13 and March 16, respectively. Snow accumulations for the three month period totaled 28.6 inches in Walden, well above normal. Snow surveys conducted by the SCS during the winter months indicated a well above normal snowpack and prospects for another excellent water year in North Park. The month of April was unseasonably cool with a high of 6A degrees on April 3. Temperatures returned to normal during the month of 2. May, Precipitation during the two month period totaled 1.85 Inches with over half of it arriving in the form of snow. Temperatures during the sunnner months of June and July were normal while the month of August was warmer than normal. A high temperature of 93 degrees was recorded on August 5 which was the highest temperature recorded in Walden in over 40 years. Precipitation during the period was near normal although it was sporadic. A total of 1.20 inches of rain was received in August and most of it was received during the 10 day period between August 10 and August 20. Temperatures were generally warm during the month of September with a high of 84 degrees on September 6 and a low of 17 degrees on September 15. Precipitation was below normal with only .19 inches received during the month. Temperatures remained mild throughout most of the month of October but cold weather returned in November with a minus 28 degrees recorded on November 28 and 29. Snowfall during the two month period totaled 15,1 inches with the first snowfall occurting on October 16. The month of December was warmer than normal with a high of 48 degrees recorded on December 4. There were 22 days during the month when the high temperature for the day exceeded 32 degrees. Snowfall totaled only 4,5 Inches for the month. At year's end snow cover in North Park was extremely light and much more will be needed to insure good water conditions in 1980. 2. Habitat a. Water An above normal snowpack coupled with a cool April delayed the spring runoff on the refuge. Most of the refuge ponds did not break up and fill with runoff water until the last week of April. Irrigation activities did not begin until May 2 which was more than a month later than normal. The opening of the Hubbard #2 Ditch was followed by the opening of the other ditches as water and manpower became available so that the refuge's meadows could be irrigated. The Illinois River flowed over its banks during moat of the month of Hay and continued to flow at high stages well into June. Estimated river flows at the Allard subheadquarters bridge varied between 300 and 500 cfs during this period. The abundant water enabled us to irrigate most of the refuge's meadows even though we wished the water would have been available much earlier. In July, precipitation totaled only .37 of an inch and the flow in the Illinois River dropped considerably. All headgates were 3. closed on July 17 to keep as much water as possible in the river. By July 31 the flow in the Illinois River had diminished to 14 cfs. River flows remained low during the months of August and September varying between 100 and 5 cfs. In October, after most of the willows had become dormant for the winter, the flow in the river picked up considerably. t b. Food and Cover Although winter snows were heavy again this winter, big game feed was readily available on the refuge. Wind swept hills, draws and ridges provided adequate browse and grass species. There was more than an adequate supply of irrigation water this year but it was not available to irrigate the refuge meadows until well into the spring season due to the extremely late spring breakup. The meadows that finally did receive water produced excellent stands of grasses by mid-July but by then it was too late to serve as good nesting cover for most waterfowl. Aquatic plants produced well in established ponds and got off to a good start in the new ponds that were constructed last fall. Aquatics play an important part in providing food to young ducklings and adults during the summer months. Moderate to high invertebrate populations were present in all of the refuge ponds and are important food items for females prior to the initiation of egg laying activities. Invertebrates are also important items in the young ducklings diet.
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