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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 3
<br />230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Affected Environment
<br />PAGE 3-15
<br />COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME STATUS1 RANGE GLOBAL/STATE RARITY OF
<br />SPECIES2
<br />REGIONAL
<br />INFORMATION3
<br />PRIMARY THREATS/RESPONSE TO
<br />DISTURBANCE REQUIRED HABITAT PHENOLOGY
<br />ROUTE SEGMENT(S) LOCATED WITHIN
<br />ONE MILE OF
<br />KNOWN OCCURRENCE
<br />DOCUMENTED DURING PLANT
<br />SURVEY (ROUTE
<br />SEGMENT)
<br />Bristle-flowered
<br />collomia
<br />Collomia
<br />macrocalyx
<br />BLM-STR,
<br />WS
<br />Bristle-flowered collomia occurs from
<br />north-central Oregon into central
<br />Washington. In Washington, it is known
<br />from Kittitas and Yakima counties in the
<br />Columbia Basin physiographic province.
<br />G3G4/S1 Nine populations
<br />occupying approximately
<br />869 acres are known to
<br />occur within the region.
<br />The primary threat to the species is
<br />invasion of habitat by non-native species, in
<br />particular cheatgrass. Other threats include
<br />grazing, OHV use and military training.
<br />Dry, open places at lower
<br />elevations; sparsely
<br />vegetated and associated
<br />with sagebrush steppe; a
<br />cryptogram crust is present
<br />on the rocks and soil; early
<br />spring, flowers ephemeral;
<br />850-2,100 feet.
<br />April to May 3b, NNR-7, NNR-8 -
<br />Caespitose
<br />evening-primrose
<br />Oenothera
<br />caespitosa ssp.
<br />caespitosa
<br />BLM-STR,
<br />WS
<br />Caespitose evening-primrose is known
<br />from eastern Oregon eastward, through
<br />Montana and Wyoming, to the Dakotas. In
<br />Washington, it occurs in Kittitas, Yakima,
<br />Grant, and Benton counties in the
<br />Columbia Basin physiographic province.
<br />G5/S2 Nine populations,
<br />occupying approximately
<br />1,737 acres are known to
<br />occur in the region.
<br />Primary threats to caespitose evening-
<br />primrose include habitat disturbance by
<br />grazing, road construction and
<br />maintenance, land conversion and mineral
<br />extraction.
<br />The occurrences in Washington are located
<br />in areas that have undergone, or are
<br />undergoing, natural and human-caused
<br />disturbances and in areas with no evidence
<br />of disturbance. The degree to which it may
<br />require some level of disturbance is
<br />unclear.
<br />Talus slopes, road cuts and
<br />dry hills; as well as along
<br />the flat river terrace of the
<br />Columbia River; associated
<br />with sagebrush (Artemisia
<br />tridentata or Artemisia
<br />rigida); 400-1,200 feet.
<br />June to August 3b, 3c, NNR-6,
<br />NNR-7, NNR-8
<br />3b
<br />Columbia cress Rorippa columbiae SOC, BLM-
<br />S, WE
<br />Columbia cress is endemic to
<br />Washington, Oregon, and California,
<br />currently found in two separated regions:
<br />along the Columbia River in Washington
<br />and Oregon, and in south-central Oregon
<br />and northern California. In Washington, it
<br />is known from two segments of the
<br />Columbia River: the arid Hanford Reach in
<br />the Columbia Basin, and the Lower
<br />Columbia Reach within the Columbia
<br />Gorge.
<br />G3/S1S2 One population occupying
<br />approximately 13,679
<br />acres is known to occur
<br />within the region.
<br />Short-term inundation during the growing
<br />season may depress the vigor of the
<br />species over the long-term. In addition,
<br />current management of the Columbia River
<br />appears to affect the ability of the species to
<br />successfully produce seeds. Woody
<br />vegetation may alter the community
<br />structure of the species’ habitat.
<br />Columbia cress appears to be adapted to
<br />periodic catastrophic flooding and unstable
<br />substrates typical of riparian areas, which
<br />appear to help maintain the species’ habitat
<br />by limiting siltation and decreasing
<br />competition.
<br />Moist, sandy or cobbly soil,
<br />such as river floodplains
<br />and ephemeral ponds.
<br />Associated with the
<br />Columbia River, snow -fed
<br />streams and lakes, wet
<br />meadows, irrigation ditches
<br />and roadside ditches;
<br />apparently requires wet soil
<br />throughout the growing
<br />season.
<br />July to
<br />October
<br />3c -
<br />Columbia
<br />milkvetch
<br />Astragalus
<br />columbianus
<br />SOC, BLM-
<br />S, WS
<br />Restricted to an area approximately 25
<br />miles by 5 miles along the west side of the
<br />Columbia River in Yakima, Kittitas, and
<br />Benton counties, Washington.
<br />G3/S3 Nineteen populations
<br />occupying approximately
<br />34,579 acres are known to
<br />occur within the region.
<br />Primary threats are the continued
<br />degradation of habitat by military training
<br />activities and livestock grazing and
<br />increased competition by exotic invasive
<br />species. Orchard development has also
<br />resulted in recent losses of habitat and
<br />populations.
<br />Columbia milkvetch increases in numbers
<br />following low intensity fires. Erosion events,
<br />such as along dirt roads, can also create
<br />suitable habitat for colonization; however, it
<br />does not use these disturbed habitats to
<br />expand its range.
<br />Dry often sandy places with
<br />sparse vegetation usually
<br />on slopes but sometimes
<br />on flats; associated with
<br />shrub-steppe vegetation
<br />zone; 500-2,100 feet.
<br />March to May 2b, 2c, 2d, 3b, 3c,
<br />NNR-7, NNR-8
<br />2b, 2d, 3b
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