Memo from Klara Varga to Michael Johnson regarding Ute ladies’-tresses 2016 survey results at Ora Bridge

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Botanist Klara Varga conducted a survey for Ute ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes diluvialis; ULT) on August 6 and 12 in support of a replacement project for the Ora bridge in Fremont County, Idaho. Klara has been doing rare plant surveys in eastern Idaho for over twenty years. She has conducted multiple ULT surveys for U.S. Forest Service and the Idaho Transportation Department. She has visited several known ULT populations during various stages of development to gain a thorough understanding of the species along with the skills needed to identify it throughout its life cycle. The Ora bridge crosses the Henry’s Fork River approximately three miles west of Ashton, Idaho. The current placement of the bridge requires several sharp curves on Road E 1300 N prior to and after crossing the river from either direction. The bridge alignment has been proposed to be moved to a new location eliminating the sharp curves in Road E 1300 N. ULTs have been witnessed on wetland sites along the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River in Fremont County and potential habitat exists along the banks of the river in the project area. Because ULT have been documented on the Henry’s Fork River and may lay dormant for years at a time, two previous surveys have been conducted in the project area. HDR biologists conducted ULT surveys in 2012 and 2014. Both surveys identified ULT in a specific micro-habitat within a wetland complex adjacent to but not directly connected to the river. In 2012, a total of eight groupings of 57 plants were found during the survey. In 2014, a total of five groupings of 26 plants were found during the survey.

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Reference Code: U16VAR01IDUS

Full Citation: Varga, K. 2016. Memo from Klara Varga to Michael Johnson regarding Ute ladies’-tresses survey results 2016. 27 Aug 2016. 7 pp plus attachments.

Location: ELECTRONIC FILE BOTANY: PLANT SPECIES: {Spiranthes diluvialis}

Keywords: Ute ladies’-tresses, Spiranthes diluvialis, Ora Bridge <br>