Ute Ladies’-tresses survey for the U.S. Route 20, Chester to Ashton, Fremont County, Idaho, 2018.

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Abstract:

BIO-WEST conducted a survey for Ute ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes diluvialus) adjacent to
U.S. Route 20 (U.S. 20) from Chester to Ashton in Fremont County, Idaho, mileposts
352.75 to 363.37. The survey was completed in August 2018.
The project corridor crosses several areas mapped as wetlands according to the US Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Wetlands Inventory. These areas may be
considered waters of the United States under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The
USFWS includes jurisdictional wetlands as areas of potentially suitable habitat for Ute
ladies’-tresses. Therefore, the project corridor was surveyed for Ute ladies’-tresses, and
potential wetland areas within the project corridor were evaluated as suitable or unsuitable
for Ute ladies’-tresses. The purpose of this letter is to provide the results of the Ute ladies’-
tresses survey.
The survey location, illustrated on the attached Figure 1, comprises approximately 774
acres within Sections 24 of Township 8 North, Range 41 East, Sections 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17,
19, and 20, of Township 8 North, Range 42 East, and Sections 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 35,
and 36 of Township 9 North, Range 42 East. The survey area extended approximately 500
feet from the highway centerline to the west side of the highway and approximately 100
feet from the centerline on the east side of the highway. An existing railroad grade parallels
the east side of the highway for the majority of the project corridor and the railroad owns
right-of-way between the rail line and the existing U.S. 20 right-of-way. Therefore, the
Idaho Transportation Department (IDT) does not have plans for future highway
improvements to the east and property access permissions for properties east of the railroad
were not requested for resource surveys.

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Shelf Note: Electronic Files - BOTONY: Multiple Species: U19TAY01IDUS

Taylor 2019. Letter to Tim Cramer of the Idaho Transportation Department regarding Ute ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes diluvialus) adjacent to U.S. Route 20.