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1 ... ~ J> ~ ~~!.:,~';';";';;';--4_..~ ~ J> "!!!!!!!!!!!!!! '" ~~~ ~O E:=== w- ~ Ul :: SUSNA ~= HYDROELECRC PROJEC ;; ~ - FEDERAL ENERGY REGULAORY COMMSSON ==== ~ PROJEC No. 71 U SUMMARY SAEMEN ON NES LOSSES AND CONFLCS FOR BALD AND GOLDEN EAGLES N HE SUSNA HYDROELECRC PROJEC AREA 1 K S8 F472 no.2373 ~A CONRAC O A JON VENURE FNAL REPOR JUNE 1984 DOCUMEN ' "_ALASKA POWER AUHORV_-,

2 - Document No. Susitna File No. 7/< 2373 ~:l.~ ' Sf fl\-:~ no. )7;=j] SUSNA HYDROELECRC PROJEC SUMMARY SAEMEN ON NES LOSSES AND CONFLCS FOR BALD AND GOLDEN EAGLES N HE SUSNA HYDROELECRC PROJEC AREA Repot by LGL Alaska Reseach Associates, nc.... D. G. Roseneau ARLS Alaska Resouces Libay & nfomation Sevices Anchoage. Alaska Unde Contact to Haza-Ebasco Susitna Joint Ventue Pepaed fo Alaska Powe Authoity Final Repot June 1984

3 HO'!'CB ANY QUESONS OR COMMENS CONCERNNG HS REPOR SHOULD BE DRECED O HE ALASltA POWER AUHORY SUS'l'J!iA PROJEC OFFCE

4 '.. ntoduction his'statement has been pepaed to identify all of the bald and golden eagle nests that will be lost as a esult of the Watana and Devil Canyon impoundments and those that potentially have conflicts with cuent plans fo access oads, tansmission lines, boow and quay sites, etc. n the case of these latte conflicts, they have been povided without consideation of the poposed mitigation measues (except whee the poposed mitigation measues have led to alignment changes, such as the oute change along Deadman Ceek). t is ecognized that mitigation measues can and will be implemented to educe o eliminate distubances to nesting eagles by poviding spatial and tempoal buffe zones. hese measues have been poposed in the license application and ae pe~sently being efined. he intention of this sumnay statement is to povide an up-to-date listing of the nests that will be lost due to the impoundment and the~ nests whee othe conflicts will equie mitigation. he infomation povided has been updated to include the esults bf the June 1984 middle Susitna Basin apto suvey. 2. Golden Eagle 2.J. Watana 2. L 1 Diect Losses due to the mpoundment WE!lve of the 23 golden eagle nesting locations that ae known to occu nea the poject aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage ae located upsteam of a point even with the poposed Watana damsite., """" Five of the 12 nesting locations will be diectly lost as a esult of filling of the~ Watana esevoi to a maximum opeating level of 2,185 ft and a maximum flood level of 2,202 ft. All five of these nesting locations (GE-4, GE-5, GE-6, GE--8 and GE-9) ae located within the impoundment zone at elevations that vay between about 1,700 ft and 1,850 ft. A sixth nesting location (GE-2) will be patially lost because one of the thee nest sites at it is situated at about 2,100 ft. his nest site will be inundated, but two othe nest sites at this 1

5 i nesti~g location ae situated at about ft, and will emain about 115 ft. abov~-maximum opeation level and about 100 ft above maximum flood level. hey j wi11,~ti11 be usable by golden eagles Othe Potential Conflicts.,... - Eight of the 12 golden eagle nesting locations located upsteam of the Watana damsite (GE-l though GE-6, GE-8 and GE-9) would be potentially vulneable to distubing activities as a esult of Watana esevoi cleaing, if those cleaing activities wee to occu duing the nesting season in yeas when these nesting locations wee occupied. wo of these eight nesting locations (GE-8 and GE-9) would also be potentially vulneable to distubing activities as a esult of Watana boow site excavation, if constuction activities at Watana Boow Site J wee to occu duing the nesting season in yeas when these nesting locations wee occupied. Howeve, Boow Site J is not cuently planned fo use as a mateial site (Haza-Ebasco Susitna Joint Ventue 1984, memo of 24 Septembe 1984 fom C.L. Elliott to R.G.B. Sene). Five of the eight nesting locations (GE-4, GE-5, GE-6, GE-8 and GE-9), including the two that ae potentially subject to distubance fom Boow Site J, will eventually be inundated. wo additional golden eagle nesting locations that ae located between the ljatana and Devil Canyon damsites (and that will not be inundated by filling Devil Canyon Resevoi) would also be vulneable to potentially distubing activities as a esult of Watana boow site excavation, if excav?tion activities wee to occu duing the nesting season at Watana Boow Site E (GE-ll) and Watana Boow Site H (GE discoveed in 1984). One of these nesting locations (GE-l1; consisting of thee nest sites) was peviously thought to occu within Watana Boow Site E and, as a esult, to be subject to physical destuction. his is incoect; mateial will be excav-ated fom the ceek bottom at elevations of about 1,650 ft o less, wheeas the thee nest sites ae located at elevations of between about 1,750 ft and 1,800 ft and at hoizontal distances of seveal hunded feet beyond the boow site's nothen bounday. Howeve, it is noted that Watana Boow Site E will be a majo souce of 2

6 "''" i : i mate:.:1i~l. t's boundaies ae not fixed and excavation may occu' to within a felo', iiunded feet of the nest sites at GE-11. t is also noted that Watana BoJw Site H is of low pioity and may not be used. n the event it is used, excavation may occu to within seveal hunded feet of the nest site at GE Devil Canyon Diect Losses due to the mpoundment Eleven of the 23 golden eagle nesting locations that ae known to occu nea the poject aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive ae associated with the Devil Canyon poject aea. en ae located upsteam of a point even with the poposed Devil Canyon damsite. but downsteam of a point even with the Watana damsite. and one is located a shot distance downsteam of the Devil Canyon damsite. i : :,, One of the 11 nesting locations associated with the Devil Canyon poject aea is likely to be diectly lost as a esult of filling of the Devil Canyon esevoi to a maximum opeation level of ft and a maximum flood level of ft. Although the exact location of this histoical nest (GE-14) cannot be detemined with cetainty, it was pobably located on one of thee ock outcoppings that occu along a 1.5-mile section of the ive at an elevation of less than ft. (he thee ock outcoppings cuently do not have nests on them.) Seveal possible nesting ledges on these outcoppings ae at elevations of about 1,450 ft o less. n the event that the actual nest ledge is not inundated. it will likely be so nea maximum opeating level that it will no longe be usable...,...., Anothe of the nesting locations (GE-13) will be patially inundated duing filling of the Devil Canyon esevoi and may become unusable; the nest site at the..location will emain only about 55 ft above maximum opeating level and 45 ft above maximum flood level. t should be noted. howeve. that golden eagles occasionally nest at elevations of 50 ft o less above wate bodies in - AlaLska. Futhemoe, about 100 ft of excellent cliff-face will emain above wate-level, and a new nesting ledge and nest could be constucted ft above maximum wate-level duing implementation of mitigative measues. An i, 3 --' """"1"""---

7 i att:aetive natual-appeaing nest site constucted at that height should assue the~ntinued viability of this nesting location fo golden eagles., Othe Potential Conflicts Fou of the 11 golden eagle nesting locations associated with the Devil Canyon poject aea (GE-13, GE-14, GE-16 and GE-18) would be potentially vulneable to distubing activities duing cleaing of the Devil Canyon impoundment zone, if the cleaing opeations wee to occu duing the nesting season in yeas when the!se nesting locations wee occupied. (t has been assumed that adequate c1e!aing would aleady be complete nea GE-ll as a esult of ealie opeations at Watana Boow Site E, and that cleaing opeations will emain 0.5 mi o moe fom GE-12 and GE-23.) Only one of these fou nesting locations (GE-14: see sec:tion 2.2.1) may be lost late as a esult of esevoi filling. One of these fou golden eagle nesting locations that would be potentially vulneable to distubing activities and that is not in dange of inundation is located downsteam of the Devil Canyon damsite. his nesting location (GE-18) lies in close poximity to (1) the poposed Watana-to-Devi1 Caiyon access oad and bidge (the oadbed is about 0.25 mi noth of the top of the cliff, and the access oad bidge-cossing is about 0.5 mi downsteam to the west), (2) the Devil Canyon damsite (about 0.6 mi upsteam to the east), and (3) the Devil Canyon dam substation and tansmission oute (about 0.5 mi noth). t is noted that the acc:ess oad cannot be ealigned. t is also noted that the cuent poposed loc:ation of the access oad bidge is not fixed; it may be epositioned 1/10 mile o moe eithe side of the cuent alignment because of engineeing constaints. Consideable distubance will occu nea this nesting location duing constuction of the Devil canyon damsite and associated facilities, and if constuction wee to occu duing the nesting season in yeas when eagles attempted to occupy it, the nesting location would likely be abandoned. Futhe~oe, the close poximity of so many pemanent featues and souces of.ongoing potentially distubing activities may cause this nesting location to ~e pel:manent1y abandoned (i.e., it may be unusable not only duing the constuction phase, but also afte constuction is completed). 4

8 'i' F'",, 3.1,!" Watana \, Diect Losses due to the mpoundment.,... i.,..! 1"'1'"..., Seven of the 10 bald eagle nesting locations that ae known to occu nea the pclj ect aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage ae located upsteam of a point even with the Watana damsite. hee of the seven nesting locations' (BE-3 [a tee-nest], BE-4 [a cliff-nest] and GE-5 [a tee-nest]) will be diectly lost as a esult of filling of the Watana Resevoi to a maximum opeating level of 2,185 ft and a maximum flood level of 2,202 ft. All thee of the:se nesting locations ae located within the impoundment zone at elevations that vay between about 1,630 ft and 1,910 ft. (Estimated elevations of teenests ae the appoximate elevations of the bases of the tees. n both cases sited hee, actual nest sites ae located about ft above the bases of the te:es containing them., Estimated elevations given fo cliff-nests ae elevations of the actual nest sites.) he loss of the thee nesting locations is judged to epesent the loss of a minimum of two and maximum of thee actual nesting pais of bald eagles. A fouth nesting location (BE-2 [a tee-nest]) is located vey nea 2,200 ft; the base of the nest tee will emain about 15 ft above maximum opeating level, but may be flooded to a depth of a few feet wheneve a maximum flood level of 2,202 ft occus. Although this bald eagle nesting location is unlikely to be lost, the potential exists fo some damage to occu to the nest tee duing events of maximum flooding. (t should be noted, howeve, that duing implementation of mitigative measues, steps can be taken to shoe up, bace and potect the nest tee against ice o debis' caied past it duing occasional floods, and seveal natual-appeaing nest sites can be constucted in othe neaby spuce tees beyond the potential dange zone. Potective measues fo the cuent nest tee and constuction of seveal neaby altenate nest sites should assue the continued viabil:' ty of this nesting location fo bald eagles.) Othe Conflicts ' Fou of the seven bald eagle nesting locations located upsteam of the Watana damsite (BE-2, BE-3, BE-4 and BE-5) would be potentially vulneable to distub- 5

9 ing a~~ivities duing esevoi cleaing. Howeve, thee of the fou locations Ț.. will eventually be lost as a esult of a combination of Watana esevoi cleaing and filling (BE-3 and BE-5) o of filling alone (BE-4). As a consequence, only one location that will not be inundated (BE-2) will emain potentially vulneable to distubing activities duing the last phases of esevoi cleaing. One of the seven bald eagle nesting locations located upsteam of the "atana damsite that is not nea the impoundment zone and that will not be inundated (BE-6) was initially in dange of physical destuction as a esult of constuction of the Denali-to-Watana potion of the poposed access oad. he access oad has been ealigned about 0.5 mi noth and west of nesting location BE-6 to avoid this loss, and to minimize potential distubance at the nesting location duing constuction and opeation of the access oad. 3.2 Devil Canyon ~ Diect Losses due to the mpoundment hee of the 10 bald eagle nesting locations that ae known to occu nea the poject aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage ae located downsteam of a point even with the Watana damsite (including one located well downsteam of the Devil Canyon damsite). Howeve, these nesting locations (BE-7, BE-8 and BE-0) ae not nea the poposed Devil Canyon impoundment zone. Consequently, no complete o patial diect losses of bald eagle nesting locations will occu duing constuction and filling of this esevoi Othe Conflicts i One of the 10 bald eagle nesting locations that.ae known to occu nea the poject aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage is located well downsteam of the Devil Canyon damsite. his nesting location (BE-8), nea the confluence of the Susitna and ndian ives, -will be potentially vulneable to distubing activities associated with the constuction and opeation of the Devil Canyon-to-Gold Ceek aiload link. he poposed ailbed lies only about 6

10 0.25.shi southeast acoss the ive. (his nesting location would also be :.. potent:ially vulneable to the same distubing activities, if a Watana-only optidn includes a simila aiload link.) 4. Summay of Golden Eagle Nest Losses and Conflicts 4.1 Watana welve (52.2%) of the 23 golden eagle nesting locations that ae known to occu nea the poject aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage ae found upsteam of a point even with the poposed Watana damsite. Five nesting locations (21. 7% of the 23 total known nesting locations) will be completely lost and one additional nesting location (4.3% of the total 23 known nesting locations) will be patially lost as a esult of Watana esevoi filling. he nesting location that will be patially lost will still be usable, as two of the thee nest sites and a lage aea of cliff will emain well above maximum flood level. he five nesting locations that will be completely lost do not necessaily epesent the diect loss of an equivalent numbe of nesting pais of golden eagles in the middle Susitna basin. Golden eagles often have seveal altenate nesting locations, and it is possible that the loss of the five nesting locations may only epesent the loss of only two o thee actual nesting pais. (No moe than two of the five locations have been occupied in the two yeas fo which complete data ae available.) n addition to the complete and patial diect losses outlined above, five othe nesting locations (21.7% of the 23 total known nesting locations) that will not be eventually lost as a esult of esevoi filling would be potentially vulneable to distubing activities (esevoi cleaing and boow site excavation) as a esult of Watana constuction, if constuction and othe associated activities wee to occu nea the nesting locations duing the nesting season in yeas when these locations wee occupied. 4.2 Devil Canyon en (43.5%) of the golden eagle nesting locations that ae known to occu nea the poject aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage ae found 7

11 upst;iam of a point even with the poposed Watana damsite. and an additional nes~ing location (4.3%) that lies downsteam of the poposed Devil Canyon i dams~fe is in close poximity to it and to othe poject facilities. he following losses will occu as a esult of Devil Canyon constuction, in addition to the losses as a esult of.watana constuction.,.. Diect complete losses fom filling the Devil Canyon esevoi, and fom constuction and opeation of the Devil Canyon damsite, access oad, and associated bidge will not exceed a total of thee nesting locations (13.0% of the 23 total known nesting locations), and ae not expected to exceed a total of two nesting 10c:ations (8.7% of the 23 total known nesting locations). One nesting location is judged likely to be completely lost as a esult of inundation, and anothe will be 'patia11y inundated and may become unusable unless mitigative measues ae~ taken to constuct a new nest site at a highe elevation on the cliff-face. A thid nesting location may be abandoned as a esult of its close poximity to the~ damsite, access oad and bidge. he complete loss of these thee nesting locations, if it occus, may 'epesent the loss of one o two pais of nesting eagles. he complete loss of two nesting locations (consideed the moe likely evemt) may epesent the loss of only one pai of golden eagles. (Only one of the two locations that ae most likely to be lost has been occupied in the two yeas fo which complete data ae available.) n addition to the losses outlined above, two othe nesting locations (8.7% of th~~ 23 total known nesting locations) that will not be lost as a esult of esevoi filling and placement of poj ect facilities, would be potentially vulneable to distubing activities (esevoi cleaing) as a esult of Devil Canyon constuction, if constuction and othe activities wee to occu duing the~ nesting season in yeas when these nesting locations wee occupied. (he above assumes that cleaing opeations will emain 0.5 mi o moe fom nesting 10(~ations GE-12 and GE-23.) 4.3 Combined Watana and Devil Canyon A total of 23 golden eagle nesting locations ae known to occu nea the poject aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage. At least five (21.7%) 8

12 .... ;" and ~tobably seven (30.4%) of these nesting locations will be completely lost as. a e~lt of poject actions, and two (8.7%) additional nesting locations will be pati,ally lost as a esult of poj ect actions. (One of the two patially lost locations will emain usable by golden eagles in its pesent condition; the othe can easily be modified to maintain its viability as a suitable golden eagle nesting location.) he loss of seven nesting locations may epesent the loss of only thee o fou actual nesting pais of golden eagles. Seven (30.4%) othe nesting locations that will not completely o patially lost as a esult of inundation o placement of poject facilities will be potentially vulneable to distubing activities as a esult of esevoi cleaing and mateial excavation fom boow sites. 5. Summay of Bald Eagles Nest Losses and Conflicts 5.1 Watana Seven (70.0%) of the 10 bald eagle nesting locations that ae known to occu nea the poject aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage ae found upsteam of a point even with the poposed Watana damsite. hee nesting loeations (30.0% of 10 known locations) will be completely lost as a esult of Watana esevoi cleaing (two nesting locations) and filling (one nesting loeation). A fouth nesting location 00.0% of the 10 total known locations) may incu some damage as a esult of Watana esevoi filling. (Damage to this nesting location might occu only on those occasions when the esevoi eaches maximum flood level.) hese fou nesting locations will also be potentially vulneable to distubing activities duing esevoi cleaing. he loss of the thee nesting locations as a esult of esevoi cleaing and filling is judged to epesent the loss of a minimum of two and a maximum of thee actual nesting pais of bald eagles Devil Canyon hee (30.0%) of the 10 bald eagle nesting locations that ae known to occu nea the poj ect aea in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage ae found downsteam of a point even with the Watana damsite (including one located 9

13 .. / well.,downsteam of the Devil Canyon damsite). None of these nesting locations will he lost o damaged as a esult of Devil Canyon constuction. Howeve, one nesting location 00.0% of the 10 total known locations) will be potentially 'lvulneable to distubing activities duing constuction and opeation of the Devil Canyon-to-Gold Ceek aiload link. 5. :3 Combined Watana and Devil Canyon A total of 10 bald eagle nesting locations ae known to occu in the vicinity of thl! poject in the middle basin of the Susitna Rive dainage. hee nesting locations 00.0%) will be completely lost.' he loss of these thee nesting locations is judged to epesent the loss of a minimum of thee actual nesting pa:is of bald eagles. One additional nesting location (10.0%) may incu some damage as a esult of poj ect actions (inundation of the base of the tee at maximum flood levels). hese fou nesting locations will also be potentially vulneable to distubing activities duing esevoi cleaing. A fifth nesting location 00.0%) that,will not be lost o damaged by poject actions will also be vulneable to distubing activities. 10

14 ~ -1 -i =------:, REVSED ABLE E.3.l27. Location and Status of Golden and Bald Eagle Nesting Locations in the Middle Susitna Basin, Alaska (aa of June 1984). _. Coesponding.. ~...~.,..>' U of A Museum USGS No. (Kessel alkeetna Nesting et a a; Status a, Mountains Location Estimated f Location B. Coope b 1982 d 15\ x 30' Elevation Species No. pes. C01lllll.) 1980 c 1981 c Quad No. ownship Range Section m (ft) Golden GE-l V, C, H - x x Ne x c-1 non RlE Eagle ( ) GE-2 0,, gg - x x NC x 0-2 nln R9E ( ) GE-3 E, kk x x NC nln RBE ( ) GE-4 qq x nln R8E 22 55B (1830) GE-5 F - x 0 NC nln R8E 9/ bounday (1850) GE NC * 0-2 nln R8E 8/9 533 bounday (1750) GE-7 R - - x NC x N R7E (3170) GE-8 G - x 0 NC N R6E 28 SB (1700) GE-9 ff HC N R6E (1750) GE NC N R5W (3950) GE-ll dd NC H R4E 25& ( ) GE HC lN R3E 14/ bounday ( ) GE-13 Z NC N R3E (1510) GE NC 1< 0-4 nln R3E 12 < 457 «1500) GE-15 X, Y NC N R2E 22& ( ) continued

15 et =-j -J c_, F~VSED ABLE E (continued) Coesponding U of A Museum USGS No. (Kessel alkeetna Nesting c a a; Status a Mountains Location Estimated, Location B. Coope b 1980 c 1981 c H82 d 1984 e 15' x 30' Elevation ~pec:ies No. pes. comm.) Quad No. ownship Range Section m (ft) ~ -4" F '.' Golden GE x x NC 1<1 0-5 n2n R2E Eagle ( ) GE-17 pp NC nln R2E (1930) GE-18 M - - x NC -(1<1) N RE (1100) GE-19 - NC NC NC NC N RllE (J ) GE-20 - NC NC HC NC 0 c-2 non R8E (2450) GE-21 - HC NC NC HC n2n R5E ( ) GE-22 - NC NC NC NC x C-4 non R3E (2400) 1._-23 - NC1 - - NC' 0 D-4 3lH R4E (1840) Bald BE HC C-1 nlh Rl2E & Esgle (2250) RBH h HP NP NP HC x C-l 3lN Rl2E (2350) BE-2 B - x x HC x C-l 29H RllE & (2200) BE-3 hh x - 0 NC 0 C-2 30N R0E & (1910) BE-4 5 x - x NC x 0-2 nh R8E 533 (1750) BE-5 A x x < NC < D-3 nlh R7E g (1630) RBN h NP NP NP NC x D-3 3lH R g (1625)...;..:', continued

16 =-=--, " i ~ ~ ~ ~ REVSED ABLE E (continued) Coesponding... U of A Museum USGS.~'... ;. ~ ~ No. (Kessel a alkeetna Nesting et a a; Status Mountains Location Estimated Location B. Coope 1982 f 1974 b 1981 c 1982 d 15' x 30' Elevation Species No. pes. comm.) 1980 c 1984 e Quad No. ownship Range Section D (ft) - Bald Eagle BE-6 K - x x NC x 0-3 J3N R5E g BE-7 N - - x NC 0 C-4 JON R3E (1860) BE-8 L 07 x x NC : N R2W g BE-9 RBN h NP NP NP NC x C-l 30N R12E (2240) BE-lO NC 0 C-4!JON R2E (1775) (2475) (725) a X ~ activei 07. appaently inactivei O inactivei although suitable habitat was pesent in most casesi b Data fom White (1974). * nest no longe pesenti _. not epoted (1974) o not located ( ), NC a not checkedi NP not pesent. c d Data fom Kessel et al. (1982a), B. Kessel and B. Coope (unpubl. data). Data fom B. Kessel and B. Coope (unpubl. data). e Data fom LGL Alaska Reseach Associates, nc. suvey, May f Diffeences occu between elevations given hee and those epoted by Kessel et al. (1982). Oi8inal estimates wee obtained by attempting to locate nests as accuately as possible on USCS 1: maps with contou intevals of 100 ft (majoity) o 50 ft (alkeetna Mtns C-l), but it was often difficult to pecisely locate nests and to locste them elative to tightly-spaced contou intevsls (Coope pes. comm.). All elevations wee checked with a helicopte altimete (±30-foot accuacy 1n 20-foot intevals) and with an Ameican Paulin pecision altimete (accuacy estimated at about ±10 ft in a hoveing helicopte in -foot incements) on May Ranges in elevati~n include two o moe nest sites at the same nesting location. g Estimated elevations given fo bald eagle nests in tees ae appoximate elevations of the bases of the nest tees. tees ae estimated to aveage about 14 m (45 ft) above gound level (ange m 13S - 7S ft]), h. RBN ecently built nest. Nest sites in these

17 REVSED ABLE E.3.127b: Locations of Golden and Bald Eagle Nests in the Middle Susitna Basin (as of June 1984),, ':+ GE km (1.5 mi) upive fom Vee Canyon and 1.1 km (0.7 mi) up a naow canyon on the noth side of the Susitna Rive. hee nests epoted: 1980 nest 26 m (85 ft) up a 33 m (110 ft) cliff, 100 m (330 ft) back fom and 67 m (220 ft) above unnamed ceek; 1981 nest 8 m (26 ft) up 12 m (40 ft) cliff 81 m (265 ft) back fom and 67 m (220 ft) above unnamed ceek (Kessel et ala 1982a; Kessel, unpubl. data); 1984 nest fathest upsteam and highest of the thee sites. GE km (2.6 mi) up the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of Jay Ceek and in a canyon on the noth side of the Susitna Rive. hee nests epoted: 1980 nest 5 m (15 ft) up 13 m (40 ft) cliff, 10 m (35 ft) back fom and 18 m (60 ft) above unnamed ceek; 1981 nest 1 m (5 ft) up 5 m (15 ft) vegetated cliff, 14 m (45 ft) back fom and 33 m (110 ft) above unnamed ceek (Kessel et ala 1982a; Kessel, unpubl. data); 1984 nest highest of the thee sites. GE km (1.5 mi) up Jay Ceek fom its confluence with the Susitna Rive. hee nests epoted: 1981 nest 5 m (15 ft) up 30 m (100 ft) cliff, 150 m (490 ft) fom west bank and 115 m (375 ft) above Jay Ceek (Kessel et ala 1982a; Kessel, unpubl. data); the nests wee still pesent in GE km (1.0 mi) up Kosina Ceek fom its confluence with the Susitna Rive and on the east side of Kosina Ceek. A single nest was identified as an inactive aven nest,in 1981 but golden eagles constucted a nest thee in 1982 (B. Coope 1982 pes. comm.). he nest was still pesent in 1984.!. GE km (0.6 mi) down the Susitna Rive fom the mouth.of Kosina Ceek. A single nest epoted: 32 m (los ft) up 38 m (125 ft) cliff on noth ive bank (Kessel et ala 1982a). he nest was still pesent in GE km (1. 7 mi) down the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of Kosina Ceek on the noth bank of the ive. White (1974) epoted a golden eagle nest at this location in 1974, and his location was thought to coespond to GE-5 since the aea he indicated did not appea to contain suitable

18 ,. 0- -~' GE-7 GE-8 nesting habitat. Howeve, the small cliff, was eevaluated in Although a nest was clealy no longe pesent. the cliff was compaable to some othe maginal locations whee golden eagles have built nests in Alaska (D.G. Roseneau, unpubl. data). 9.6 km (6.0 mi) down the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of Kosina Ceek. A single nest epoted: 7 m '(25 ft) up a 12 m (40 ft) cliff on a southfacing hillside high above the south bank of the ive (Kessel et ale 1982a). he nest was still pesent in a km (2.5 mi) down the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of Watana Ceek. A single nest epoted: 13 m (45 ft) up a 23 m (75 ft) cliff, 40 m (130 ft) back fom and 34 m (ld ft) above the noth bank of the ive. he nest was inactive in 1981 although it contained a fesh spuce lining (Kessel et ale 1982a; Kessel, unpubl. data). he nest was still pesent in GE km (3.4 mi) up the Susitna Rive fom the mout~ of Deadman Ceek. A single next epoted on a c~iff on the noth bank of the ive (Kessel, unpubl. data). he nest was still pesent in 1984 but it contained a lage ock (the nest is no longe usable). GE km (7.0 mi) noth of the poposed Watana damsite. A single nest epoted high on the southeast side of susena Butte (Kessel, unpubl. data). he emains of the nest and a good ledge wee still pesent in GE-11 GE km (0.6 mi) down the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of susena Ceek and 0.8 km (0.5 mi) up a small unnamed dainage. A single nest epoted on the east side of the ceek (Kessel, unpubl. data). he nest on the east side of the ceek was still pesent in n 1984 two additional, olde altenate nests wee also discoveed on the west side of the ceek. White (1974) epoted a golden eagle nest about 10 km (6.3 mi) down the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of Fog Ceek but his location was thought to coespond to GE-13, since the aea he indicated did not contain suitable nesting habitat. Howeve, two nests and a peviously used ledge wee discoveed in 1984 in a side canyon 8.6 an (5.4 mi) downsteam of Fog Ceek and 1.6 km (1 mi) up an unnamed ceek on the noth side of the 'ive. he side canyon is now consideed as the coect location of GE-12.

19 J ;. P9'" ~ ~,i GE-13 " ' GE-14 GE-15 GE-16 GE km (5.9 mi) up mouth of Devil Ceek. cliff on the noth unpubl. data). he the Susitna Rive fom the A single nest epoted on a bank of the ive (Kessel, nest was still pesent in 5.6 km 0.5 mil up the Susitna Rive fom the 'b- mouth of Devil Ceek. White (1974) epoted a golden eagle nest at this location on the west side of the ive, but the neaest suitable habitat appeaed to be 1.4 km (0.9 mi) and 2.0 km (1.3 mi) fathe downsteam (B. Coope, pes. comm. 1982). All thee possible locations wee seached in '1984; habitat tended to be maginal, but the nest epoted by White (1974) might have occued at anyone of the thee locales. (he exact location of this nest will likely neve be known. ) 2.8 km (1.8 mi) up Devil Ceek fom its confluence with the Susitna Rive. At least two nests epoted: one on the cliffs on the west side of Devil Ceek and one on the cliffs on the noth side of a small, unnamed tibutay that empties into Devil Ceek (Kessel, unpubl. data). Both nests wee still pesent in 1984~ and a thid nest was discoveed on the noth side of the unnamed tibutay. 0.6 km (0.4 mi) up Devil Ceek fom its confluence with the Susitna Rive. A single next epoted: 30 m (l00 ft) up 45 m (150 ft) vegetated cliff, 100 m (330 ft) back fom and 120 m (395 ft) above Devil Ceek on the west bank (Kessel et al. 1982a). he nest appeaed to be gone in km (4.3 mi) down the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of Devil Ceek and 3.5 km (2.2 mi) up a small dainage that J01ns the ive fom the south. A single nest epoted on the east side of the unnamed ceek (Kessel unpubl. data). he nest was still pesent in GE-18 GE km (2.1 mi) up the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of Potage Ceek. A single nest epoted on a modeate-sized cliff on the. noth bank of the ive (Kessel et al. 1982a). Effects to elocate the nest in 1984 wee unsuccessful. (his section of the canyon is difficult to suvey--the nest may still be pesent.) 2.4 km (1.5 mi) upive fom Vee Canyon and 9.5 km (5.9 mi) up a lage unnamed tibutay on the noth side of the Susitna Rive. Fou nests discoveed

20 1 in 1984: thee on the east side.of the ceek and one on the west side of the ceek. GE-20 GE-21 GE-22 GE km (6.0 mi) up Kosina Ceek on the southeast side about 0.5 km (0.3 mi) above the confluence of Gilbet Ceek. A single nest discoveed in km (3.0 mi) up susena Ceek on the southeast side. hee nests discoveed in km (3.0 mi) up a west-flowing. unnamed tibutay of Paiie Ceek on the noth side and about 4.2 km (2.6 mi) due east of Daneka Lake. hee nests discoveed in km (1.3 mi) up Fog Ceek on the noth side. he emains of one old nest discoveed in BE km (2.6 mi) up the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of yone Rive on the east bank. White (1974) epoted two closely associated nests on the east side of the Susitna Rive in 1974 that wee no longe pesent by (hese nests wee pobably constucted in white spuce.) Sometime afte 1981 bald eagles eoccupied this section of the ive. n 1984 a ecently constucted nest was found in a live white spuce on the east side of the ive only 0.8 km(0.5 mi) upsteam fom the two pevious histoical nest sites. BE km (2.1 mi) up the Oshetna Rive fom its confluence with the Susitna Rive. A single nest epoted 4 m (15 ft) fom edge of the west bank in the top of a live 22 m (70 ft) white spuce (Kessel et al. 1982a). he nest was still pesent in BE-3 BE km (2.5 mi) down the Susitna Rive fom the midpoint of Vee Canyon on the south bank of the Susitna Rive, just west of the mouth of a small unnamed tibutay. A single nest epoted in a live balsam popla (White 1974; Kessel unpubl. data). he nest was still pesent in km (1.1 mi) up the Susitna Rive fom t'1e mouth of Kosina Ceek. A single nest epoted 25 m (80 ft) up a 33 m (110 ft) cliff on the noth bank of the ive (White 1974; Kessel et al. 1982a). he nest. possibly oiginally constucted by golden eagles, was still pesent in BE km (5.5 mi) up the Susitna Rive fom the mouth of Watana Ceek. A single nest epoted on

21 ( ;' '...' ;. a wooded island in a live white spuce (White 1974; Kessel et al. 1982a). he nest. elocated in was no longe pesent in Sometime afte 1981 bald eagles eoccupied this section of the ive. n 1984 a ecently constucted nest was found in a live white spuce on the south side of a small island 0.4 km (0.25 mi) fom the oiginal island. and 0.8 km (0.5 mi) fom the nest site. J BE-6 BE km (5.7 mi) up Deadman Ceek fom its confluence with the Susitna Rive. A single nest epoted on top of a 15 m (50 ft) live bokentopped balsam popla, 25 m (80 ft) fom the noth bank of Deadman Ceek (Kessel et al. 1982a). he nest was still pesent in A single nest epoted on the south shoe of a small pond (WElDS), 1.2 km (0.7 ni) east of the notheast end of Stephan Lake and on top of a 13 m (45 ft) live boken-topped balsam popla (Kessel et al. 1982a). he nest was still pesent in BE-8 BE-9 BE km (0.6.mi) up the Susitna Rive fom its confluence with ndian Rive. A single nest epoted on top of a 23 m (75 ft) live boken-topped popla, 4 n (15 ft) fom the noth ive bank (White 1974; Kessel et al. 1982a). he nest was still pesent in km (0.3 mi) up the yone Rive and about 100 m fom the notheast Jbank:. A esently-constucted single nest discoveed in he nest is in a live white spuce -- it was not pesent in 1981 (D.G~ Roseneau, unpubl. data). 5.6 km (3.5 oi) downsteam fom the south end of Stephan Lake on the west bank of Paiie Ceek and 1.4 lan' (0.9 mi) southwest of the south end of Daneka Lake. A single nest discoveed in he nest is in a live boken-topped popla.