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<br />.' <br /> <br />Q: <br /> <br />A: <br /> <br />Cynthia Wooten <br /> <br />Steve Gordon <br /> <br />Q: <br /> <br />Cynthia Wooten <br /> <br />A: <br /> <br />Steve Gordon <br /> <br />~! <br />'.J " <br />h <br />~; !~ <br />. : i~ <br /> <br />Is it true that the number of. heron nests on <br />Confluence Island has been reduced over a <br />period of six or more years; if so, what is the <br />cause and what would be the impact, if these <br />two recommendations are adopted, on the ability <br />of the herons to continue living on the island? <br /> <br />Scott English's report indicated that at one time <br />there were 71 active heron nests - - it was the <br />largest heronry in the Willamette System. More <br />recent surveys have estimated that there may <br />be as few as 54 active heron nests. Mr. Babb <br />has indicated that he has observed some storm <br />damage to the nesting trees which has caused <br />some herons to nest elsewhere. They are not <br />moving out from the periphery of the existing <br />heronry. <br /> <br />It is possible that sand and gravel extraction <br />could take place on the island without damaging <br />the integrity of the heronry. If there is <br />cessation of sand/gravel operations during the <br />nesting season, especially in the early part of <br />the nesting season, there would be no <br />opportunity of disturbance in the heronry. <br /> <br />If the vegetation is maintained, the visual <br />buffer needed from sand/gravel activities will <br />be there. <br /> <br />I don't know how deeply Delta Sand and Gravel <br />plans to extract. If it only excavates six to <br />eight feet, shallow ponds would be created. In <br />the long term, I think this would be beneficial <br />to the heronry. <br /> <br />Scott English's report also indicates that herons <br />spend the majority of their time feeding within <br />1/4 mile of the heronry. This is accord~ng to <br />his observation of other other heronries in the <br />Willamette System). <br /> <br />Would the issue of depth of excavation and <br />other mine-related activities come under the <br />agreements indicated by recommendation 5? <br />What details can and would be laid out by that <br />process? <br /> <br />I have looked at some of the specifics of the <br />Ross I sland sand and gravel excavation in the <br />Portland area. The company can specify depth, <br />explicit plans for revegetation, slope and width <br />of dikes and water quality controls on release <br />water into the Willamette System. <br /> <br />IV-A-3 <br />