Resources

3.5.3 Cumulative Environmental Effects Related to Fish and Aquatic Resources

As noted in Table 3.2-1, the geographic scope for fish and aquatic resources is the HUC-8 watersheds in the Project vicinity since impacts within a HUC-8 watershed sufficiently accounts for impacts on fish and aquatic resources that would be directly affected by construction activities and for indirect impacts such as changes in habitat availability and displacement of transient species. The HUC-8 watersheds that comprise the geographic scope are the Pathfinder-Seminoe Reservoirs watershed (HUC 10180003) and the Medicine Bow watershed (HUC 10180004). As detailed in Table 3.2-2, there are six projects that occur within the geographic scope for fish and aquatic resources: 1) WPCI Project, 2) Two Rivers Wind Energy Project, 3) Lucky Star 1 Wind Project, 4) Gateway West Transmission Line Project, 5) Gateway South Transmission Line Project, and 6) Rock Creek Wind Energy Center.

Given that water quality and aquatic habitats are highly interrelated, this section is supported by the assessment of cumulative impacts on water resources (Section 3.4.3).

Issues Identified for Analysis

Habitat quality is the primary limiting factor of any fish or aquatic species population and can be tied directly to recruitment and fecundity, as well as short-and long-term survivability. Large scale development projects and the introduction of nonnative species are big casual factors.

Modification of habitat components can result in cumulative impacts on populations at the local level and/or across a species’ known range. Special status species are highly prone to adverse impacts from project related disturbance resulting in habitat alteration.

Modification of aquatic habitats supporting fish, amphibians, and other aquatic organisms can result from cumulative impacts including ground disturbance, water draw down, and direct take from recreation.

Results

Construction of the Project and other projects in the geographic scope could have temporary cumulative impacts on surface water quality, as well as on fish and other organisms that inhabit affected waters. Past and present development has contributed to some level of ground disturbance that, over time, is expected to be reclaimed in compliance with federal and state requirements. However, long-term impacts could result in the removal or modification of riparian and wetland habitats and destabilization of soils in the watersheds feeding areas where fragile soils are highly prone to erosion.

Ground disturbance from implementation of the Project and other reasonably foreseeable future actions is expected to result in localized short-term cumulative effects on fish and aquatic resources, namely though sediment loading, increased turbidity, and modification of habitats in the watershed. Short-term impacts could include destabilization of sensitive or otherwise fragile soils and modification of upland, riparian, and wetland habitats potentially supporting amphibians and other aquatic or semi-aquatic species. Impacts on