Noxious Weed Report. Grass Mesa Telecommunication Tower July, 2017 Garfield County Limited Impact Review

Transcription

1 Noxious Weed Report Grass Mesa Telecommunication Tower July, 2017 Garfield County Limited Impact Review

2 Grass Mesa Telecommunications Tower Garfield County, Colorado Noxious Weed Survey Report Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction Survey Methods Applicable Laws, Regulations, and Policies Site Characteristics Topography Noxious Weeds Conclusion References... 3 Appendix A Noxious Weed Survey Map Appendix B Colorado Noxious Weed List Appendix C Garfield County Noxious Weed List

3 Noxious Weed Survey Report Grass Mesa Telecommunications Tower 1.0 Introduction HRL Compliance Solutions, Inc. (HRL) was contracted by Mountain Radio Systems (MRS) on behalf of David Hatch, the private landowner, to conduct a noxious weed survey and prepare a survey report to be included in the Grass Mesa Tower LIR application packet. The survey was conducted on a portion of the 35-acre property located at 1885 County Road 319, Rifle, Colorado (Township 6 South, Range 93 West, in the NW¼SW¼ of Section 23). The Noxious Weed Survey Map in Appendix A depicts the location of the subject property and the area surveyed. This document reports the findings of the desktop and field assessments conducted on April 24, 25, and 26 of 2017, and provides descriptions of Colorado and Garfield County listed noxious weeds observed within the survey area. 2.0 Survey Methods A preliminary desktop review of the project area was conducted using satellite imagery and topographical maps to familiarize HRL s environmental scientists with the project area and to help determine the potential presence of noxious weed species. The desktop survey included review of state and County noxious weed species lists provided by the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) and Garfield County Vegetation Management. Review of plant species was assisted through occurrence records collected by SEINet Specimen Records (SEINet). On April 26, HRL environmental scientists Brackett Mays and Kaiti Dillion collected a site-specific inventory of noxious weed species and their extents within the project s boundaries. Additionally, a list of all vascular plant species observed onsite was compiled. Field data was collected with the aid of a Trimble GeoXT GPS unit utilizing NAD83 map datum, with all coordinate locations based on the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate system in Zone Applicable Laws, Regulations, and Policies The CDA has officially designated 82 plant species as noxious, which are separated into three (3) lists. List A species are noxious weed species that are not common to the state and are subject to eradication wherever detected to protect neighboring lands and the state as a whole. List B species are noxious weed species with discrete statewide distributions, for which the Commissioner, in consultation with the state noxious weed advisory committee, local governments, and other interested parties, develops and implements state noxious weed management plans to stop the continued spread of the species. List C species are generally widespread and well-established species for which control is recommended but not required by the state. State noxious weed management plans support local governing bodies to provide education, research, and biological control resources to jurisdictions that choose to require management to List C species. An additional watch list was created for species that have been determined to pose a potential threat to the agricultural and environmental values of the state. Page 1

4 Noxious Weed Survey Report Grass Mesa Telecommunications Tower The watch list is provided for advisory and educational purposes only. Appendix B contains the Colorado Noxious Weed List (including the watch list), effective March 31, The Garfield County Noxious Weed Management Plan was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on May 1, The Garfield County Weed Advisory Board has specified certain plants as noxious weeds of concern in Garfield County. The purpose of the plan is to provide guidelines for managing designated noxious weeds which represent a threat to the economic, environmental, and agricultural value of lands in Garfield County. Refer to Appendix C for the Garfield County Designated Noxious Weed List. The Garfield County Noxious Weed Management Plan can be accessed at: documents/weed_management_plan_adopted_.pdf. 4.0 Site Characteristics 4.1 Topography The proposed tower location is positioned at the latitude and longitude of N, W and at an elevation of 6,175 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). The western half of the subject property is comprised of relatively flat, dry, non-irrigated grasslands sitting atop Grass Mesa. The eastern and southern portions of the survey area in the property are comprised of rocky, moderate slopes supporting a pinyon pine-juniper woodland ecotype. For further information on the site s natural resources, please refer to the Biological Assessment Report completed for the survey area on the subject property. 4.2 Noxious Weeds The field survey took place prior to the predominate flowering period for many plant species in the area. Detection and identification remained effective due to identification of plant species based on active and remnant growth stages, basal rosettes, and residual flower remains. Two (2) noxious weed species were identified within the survey area: Downy brome (Bromus tectorum) and Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense). The small patches of noxious weeds were observed in low densities solely within the dry, non-irrigated grassland vegetation community on the northwestern portion of the property. The noxious weed locations were concentrated along the roadsides, roadside ditches, and within the low-lying swale on the northwest side of the property. Refer to the Noxious Weed Survey Map in Appendix A for noxious weed locations. 5.0 Conclusion The small patches of noxious weeds observed within the survey area were insignificant, with low densities of the two noxious species found. Based on the small footprint needed for the project and the minimal amount of temporary land disturbance, noxious weed species introduction and propogation is expected to be minimal. Noxious weed control will be managed by the private landowner and noxious weeds should be controlled using an integrated approach according to Garfield County s Noxious Weed Management Plan. Page 2

5 Noxious Weed Survey Report Grass Mesa Telecommunications Tower 6.0 References CDA Colorado Department of Agriculture. Noxious Weed Species. Accessed April 21, Garfield County Vegetation Management Noxious Weed List. Accessed April 21, Garfield County Noxious Weed Management Plan vegetation-management/documents/weed_management_plan_adopted_.pdf. Accessed June 27, "SEINet - Arizona Chapter Collections. < Accessed April 21, Page 3

6 Appendix A Noxious Weed Survey Map

7 ± Quick Silver Way Grass Mesa Tower Noxious Weed Survey Map # * USGS Quads: Silt and Rifle Section 23, Township 6 South, Range 93 West Map Features Parcel Boundary Survey Area 40' x 36' Tower Site # * 160' Tower 8' x 20' Building Driveway Boundary Overhead Powerline Local Road Quick Silver Way Noxious Weeds Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) Downy Brome (Bromus tectorum) 56' 13 «6 «40' # * 36' 70 25' 44 ' Pole Diagram not to scale T:\CLIENTS\MOUNTAIN RADIO SYSTEMS\GRASS MESA TOWER\PERMITTING\MRS Grass Mesa Tower Nox Weed Survey Map x17 REV mxd Feet Miles Author: E. Fought Revision: 2 Date: 7/13/2017

8 Appendix B Colorado Noxious Weed List

9 Colorado Noxious Weeds (including Watch List), effective March 31, 2017 List A Species (25) Common African rue Bohemian knotweed Camelthorn Common crupina Cypress spurge Dyer's woad Elongated mustard Flowering rush Giant knotweed Giant reed Giant salvinia Hairy willow-herb Hydrilla Japanese knotweed Meadow knapweed Mediterranean sage Medusahead Myrtle spurge Orange hawkweed Parrotfeather Purple loosestrife Rush skeletonweed Squarrose knapweed Tansy ragwort Yellow starthistle List B Species (40) Common Absinth wormwood Black henbane Bull thistle Bouncingbet Canada thistle Chinese clematis Common tansy Common teasel Corn chamomile Cutleaf teasel Dalmatian toadflax, broad-leaved Dalmatian toadflax, narrow-leaved Dame's rocket Diffuse knapweed Scientific (Peganum harmala) (Polygonum x bohemicum) (Alhagi maurorum) (Crupina vulgaris) (Euphorbia cyparissias) (Isatis tinctoria) (Brassica elongata) (Butomus umbellatus) (Polygonum sachalinense) (Arundo donax) (Salvinia molesta) (Epilobium hirsutum) (Hydrilla verticillata) (Polygonum cuspidatum) (Centaurea nigrescens) (Salvia aethiopis) (Taeniatherum caput medusae) (Euphorbia myrsinites) (Hieracium aurantiacum) (Myriophyllum aquaticum) (Lythrum salicaria) (Chondrilla juncea) (Centaurea virgata) (Senecio jacobaea) (Centaurea solstitialis) Scientific (Artemisia absinthium) (Hyoscyamus niger) (Cirsium vulgare) (Saponaria officinalis) (Cirsium arvense) (Clematis orientalis) (Tanacetum vulgare) (Dipsacus fullonum) (Anthemis arvensis) (Dipsacus laciniatus) (Linaria dalmatica) (Linaria genistifolia) (Hesperis matronalis) (Centaurea diffusa)

10 List B Species (40) continued Common Eurasian watermilfoil Hoary cress Houndstongue Jointed goatgrass Leafy spurge Mayweed chamomile Moth mullein Musk thistle Oxeye daisy Perennial pepperweed Plumeless thistle Russian knapweed Russian-olive Salt cedar Scentless chamomile Scotch thistle Spotted knapweed Spotted x diffuse knapweed hybrid Sulfur cinquefoil Wild caraway Yellow nutsedge Yellow toadflax Yellow x Dalmatian toadflax hybrid List C Species (16) Common Bulbous bluegrass Chicory Common burdock Common mullein Common St. Johnswort Downy brome Field bindweed Halogeton Johnsongrass Perennial sowthistle Poison hemlock Puncturevine Quackgrass Redstem filaree Velvetleaf Wild proso millet Scientific (Myriophyllum spicatum) (Cardaria draba) (Cynoglossum officinale) (Aegilops cylindrica) (Euphorbia esula) (Anthemis cotula) (Verbascum blattaria) (Carduus nutans) (Leucanthemum vulgare) (Lepidium latifolium) (Carduus acanthoides) (Acroptilon repens) (Elaeagnus angustifolia) (Tamarix chinensis, T. parviflora, and T. ramosissima) (Tripleurospermum perforata) (Onopordum acanthium, O. tauricum) (Centaurea stoebe) (Centaurea x psammogena = C. stoebe x C. diffusa) (Potentilla recta) (Carum carvi) (Cyperus esculentus) (Linaria vulgaris) (Linaria vulgaris x L. dalmatica) Scientific (Poa bulbosa) (Cichorium intybus) (Arctium minus) (Verbascum thapsus) (Hypericum perforatum) (Bromus tectorum) (Convolvulus arvensis) (Halogeton glomeratus) (Sorghum halepense) (Sonchus arvensis) (Conium maculatum) (Tribulus terrestris) (Elymus repens) (Erodium cicutarium) (Abutilon theophrasti) (Panicum miliaceum)

11 Watch List Species (24) Common Asian mustard Baby's breath Bathurst burr, Spiney cocklebur Brazilian egeria, Brazilian elodea Common bugloss Common reed Garden loosestrife Garlic mustard Himalayan blackberry Hoary alyssum Japanese blood grass/cogongrass Meadow hawkweed Onionweed Purple pampas grass Scotch broom Sericea lespedeza Swainsonpea Syrian beancaper Water hyacinth Water lettuce White bryony Woolly distaff thistle Yellow flag iris Yellow floatingheart Scientific (Brassica tournefortii) (Gypsophila paniculata) (Xanthium spinosum) (Egeria densa) (Anchusa officinalis) (Phragmites australis) (Lysimachia vulgaris) (Alliaria petiolata) (Rubus armeniacus) (Berteroa incana L.) (Imperata cylindrica) (Hieracium caespitosum) (Asphodelus fistulosus) (Cortaderia jubata) (Cytisus scoparius) (Lespedeza cuneata) (Sphaerophysa salsula) (Zygophyllum fabago) (Eichhornia crassipes) (Pistia stratiotes) (Bryonia alba) (Carthamus lanatus) (Iris pseudacorus) (Nymphoides peltata)

12 Appendix C Garfield County Noxious Weed List

13 GARFIELD COUNTY NOXIOUS WEED LIST Common name Scientific name Leafy spurge Russian knapweed Yellow starthistle Plumeless thistle Houndstongue Common burdock Scotch thistle Canada thistle Spotted knapweed Diffuse knapweed Dalmatian toadflax Yellow toadflax Hoary cress Saltcedar Saltcedar Oxeye Daisy Jointed Goatgrass Chicory Musk thistle Purple loosestrife Russian olive Euphorbia esula Acroptilon repens Centaurea solstitalis Carduus acanthoides Cynoglossum officinale Arctium minus Onopordum acanthium Cirsium arvense Centaurea maculosa Centaurea diffusa Linaria dalmatica Linaria vulgaris Cardaria draba Tamarix parviflora Tamarix ramosissima Chrysanthemum leucantheum Aegilops cylindrica Cichorium intybus Carduus nutans Lythrum salicaria Elaeagnus angustifolia