Chapter 3 Affected Environment TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 3. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Organization of Chapter 3 .......................................................................................... 3-2 3.2 Fish and Wildlife ............................................................................................................................ 3-4 BLM ................................................................................................................................... 3-5 Wildlife and Terrestrial Habitat .......................................................................... 3-5 Aquatic Resources ................................................................................................. 3-6 Forest Service ................................................................................................................. 3-7 Sensitive Species ..................................................................................................... 3-7 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................. 3-7 Management Indicator Species ............................................................................ 3-7 Other Wildlife Species .......................................................................................... 3-8 3.2.1 Indicators ......................................................................................................................... 3-9 Management Indicator Species ................................................................................... 3-9 3.2.2 Existing Conditions ........................................................................................................ 3-9 Conditions of the Planning Area ................................................................................ 3-9 Conditions on BLM-Administered Lands ............................................................... 3-10 Wildlife .................................................................................................................... 3-10 Fish and Aquatic Wildlife .................................................................................... 3-16 Conditions on National Forest System Lands ...................................................... 3-17 Routt National Forest ......................................................................................... 3-17 3.2.3 Trends ............................................................................................................................ 3-22 Trends on BLM-Administered Lands ...................................................................... 3-22 Wildlife .................................................................................................................... 3-22 Fish and Aquatic Wildlife .................................................................................... 3-24 Trends on National Forest System Lands .............................................................. 3-24 Routt National Forest ......................................................................................... 3-24 3.2.4 References ..................................................................................................................... 3-30 3.3 Special Status Species ................................................................................................................. 3-33 BLM ................................................................................................................................. 3-34 Forest Service ............................................................................................................... 3-35 3.3.1 Existing Conditions ...................................................................................................... 3-36 Conditions of the Planning Area .............................................................................. 3-36 Greater Sage-Grouse .......................................................................................... 3-55 Conditions on BLM-Administered Lands ............................................................... 3-59 Colorado River Valley Field Office .................................................................. 3-59 Grand Junction Field Office ............................................................................... 3-59 Kremmling Field Office ....................................................................................... 3-61 Little Snake Field Office ...................................................................................... 3-62 White River Field Office ..................................................................................... 3-64 Other Special Status Species ............................................................................. 3-66 Conditions on National Forest System Lands ...................................................... 3-66 Routt National Forest ......................................................................................... 3-66 3.3.2 Trends ............................................................................................................................ 3-68 Trends on BLM-Administered Lands ...................................................................... 3-68 Greater Sage-Grouse .......................................................................................... 3-68 June 2015 Northwest Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed LUPA/Final EIS 3-i Table of Contents Other Special Status Species ............................................................................. 3-76 Trends on National Forest System Lands .............................................................. 3-77 Routt National Forest ......................................................................................... 3-77 3.3.3 References ..................................................................................................................... 3-77 3.4 Lands and Realty ......................................................................................................................... 3-81 3.4.1 Existing Conditions ...................................................................................................... 3-81 Conditions of the Planning Area .............................................................................. 3-81 Conditions on BLM-Administered Lands ............................................................... 3-83 Land Tenure .......................................................................................................... 3-83 Land Use Authorizations .................................................................................... 3-85 Conditions on National Forest System Lands ...................................................... 3-87 Routt National Forest ......................................................................................... 3-87 3.4.2 Trends ............................................................................................................................ 3-90 Trends on BLM-Administered Lands ...................................................................... 3-90 Land Tenure Adjustments .................................................................................. 3-90 Land Use Authorizations .................................................................................... 3-91 Trends on National Forest System Lands .............................................................. 3-91 Routt National Forest ......................................................................................... 3-91 3.4.3 References ..................................................................................................................... 3-92 3.5 Vegetation (Forest, Rangelands, Riparian and Wetlands, and Noxious Weeds) ......... 3-92 3.5.1 Existing Conditions ...................................................................................................... 3-93 Conditions of the Planning Area .............................................................................. 3-93 Sagebrush Steppe ................................................................................................. 3-94 Agriculture/Irrigated Meadows ......................................................................... 3-95 Mountain Shrub .................................................................................................... 3-95 Desert Shrub/Scrub ............................................................................................. 3-96 Grasslands .............................................................................................................. 3-97 Forest and Woodlands ....................................................................................... 3-97 Subalpine Meadow ............................................................................................... 3-98 Riparian and Wetland Vegetation .................................................................... 3-98 Other ...................................................................................................................... 3-99 Noxious Weeds ................................................................................................... 3-99 Conditions on BLM-Administered