HomeMy WebLinkAboutWATERGLEN PUD PDP - 71 93A - CORRESPONDENCE - WILDLIFE DOCUMENTSApril 13, 1994
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We feel that pond management in the area should include
managing water levels in the ponds and shaping the ponds for
maximum wildlife benefits. Ponds should be shaped with
irregular shorelines and with small islands built in the
middle also with irregular shorelines. The reason for this
is to increase the total edge of the shorelines, and to give
ducks a visual barrier to each other during nesting and
brood rearing. Enclosed is a diagram that visualizes this
concept. Wildlife respond better to ponds of this nature
than those with a simple round shape. Water management
would include having one of the ponds on the west side
mostly full throughout the spring, summer and fall to
provide escape cover for duck broods, and a resting area for
migrating waterfowl. The other ponds should be managed by
fall flooding with high water levels, and then gradually
drawn down in the spring to a depth of about 18 inches.
During the summer, these ponds could be drained. This will
allow moist area plants to grow in the pond bottoms, and
will allow better production of aquatic invertebrates such
as snails which are very important duck foods. The pond
edges could also be planted with some Japanese millett
which would provide food for migrating ducks in the fall.
By using a fill -drain cycle such as this, natural
decomposition will be allowed to take place and a cycle
closer to a natural cycle will be established.
The Division of Wildlife would be happy to meet with the
developer of this proposal to help design the ponds and
berms, and to decide on grass mixtures and shrubs which
would benefit wildlife. We would also like to do some
baseline studies of the water quality and quantity and the
number and types of plant and animal species in the slough
so any changes can monitored in future years. Thank you for
the opportunity to comment on this proposal, and please
call if you have any questions about these comments.
Sincerely
Mark Leslie
District Wildlife Manager
Colorado Division of Wildlife
317 W.Prospect; Fort Collins CO 80526 303-484-2836
STATE OF COLOR -ADO
Roy Romer, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
G��O
DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
W
Perry D. Olson, Director
6060 Broadway
'1'OF`
Denver, Colorado 80216
Telephone: (303) 297-1192
For Wildlife —
For People
April 13,, 1994
Karen Manci
City of Fort Collins
Natural Resources Division
281 N. College Ave.
Fort Collins, CO 80522
RE: Proposed Waterglen Subdivision
In response to your request dated April 5, 1994, the
Division of Wildlife would like to comment about specific
management practices that we feel should be addressed with
the Waterglen Proposal. We feel that the comments we have
made both in our first and second responses are still valid
concerning disturbance to wildlife along the slough, the
need for a 100 yard buffer between the edge of the
subdivision and the edge of the wetland area, and the
potential negative impacts to the slough from the location
of the detention ponds at the head of the slough. We also
have concerns about siltation of the slough during the
construction phase of the project.
During construction of the detention ponds, the dirt that
is removed from the ponds could be used to build berms
linearly along each side of the slough to create a visual
and noise barrier from the subdivision. These berms should
not be constructed on the very edge of the water of the
slough, but rather on the outer edge of the buffer zones
nearest the subdivision. We feel that no trees should be
planted along the slough, so as not to encourage avian
predators to use the area which might prey on waterfowl.
The buffer zone between the slough and the subdivision
should be planted in tall native grass species to provide
nesting cover for ducks and other birds, and hiding cover
for many species.of reptiles, amphibians and mammals. The
actual grass mix should be determined by consultation with
the Soil Conservation Service taking into account the type
of soil, and which grasses would have the best chance of
growing in the area. Some -shrubs such as plum could be
planted along the tops or outer edges of the berms to offer
food and cover to species such as raccoons and skunks, and
passerine birds.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Kenneth Salazar, Exeeutive Director
WILDLIFE COMMISSION, George VanDenlierg, Chairman•Thomas M. Eve, Vice Chairman•Louis F. Swift, Secretary
Felix Chavez, Member•Eldon Cooper, Member•Rcbecca Frank, Member•William R. Hegberg, Member•Amold Salazar, Member