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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 157 / Wednesday, August 18, 2021 / Rules and Regulations underground location of the salamanders, representing the extent of the subsurface critical habitat.
Unit 1: Hog Hollow Spring Unit Unit 1 consists of approximately 68 ac 28 ha of private land located in southwestern Bell County, Texas. The unit is primarily undeveloped ranch land. This unit contains Hog Hollow Spring, which is occupied by the Salado salamander. The unit is located on a tributary to Rumsey Creek in the Salado Creek drainage and contains the physical or biological features essential for the conservation of the species. In 2016, the owners of the spring entered into an agreement with The Nature Conservancy for a perpetual conservation easement that provides long-term protection for this site. We have excluded the entire unit from this final critical habitat designation see Exclusions, below.
Unit 2: Solana Spring Unit Unit 2 consists of approximately 68 ac 28 ha of private land located in southwestern Bell County, Texas. The unit is primarily undeveloped ranch land. This unit contains Solana Spring, which is occupied by the Salado salamander. The unit is located on a tributary to Rumsey Creek in the Salado Creek drainage and contains the physical or biological features essential for the conservation of the species. In 2016, the owners of the spring entered into an agreement with The Nature Conservancy for a perpetual conservation easement that provides long-term protection for this site. We have excluded the entire unit from the final critical habitat designation see Exclusions, below.

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Unit 3: Cistern Spring Unit Unit 3 consists of approximately 68 ac 28 ha of private land located in southwestern Bell County, Texas, on the same private ranch as Units 1 and 2 for the Salado salamander. The unit is primarily undeveloped ranch land. This unit contains Cistern Spring, which is occupied by the Salado salamander. The unit is located on a tributary to Rumsey Creek in the Salado Creek drainage and contains the physical or biological features essential for the conservation of the species. In 2016, the owners of the spring entered into an agreement with The Nature Conservancy for a perpetual conservation easement that provides long-term protection for this site. We have excluded the entire unit from the final critical habitat designation see Exclusions, below.

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Unit 4: IH35 Unit Unit 4 consists of approximately 175
ac 71 ha of private, State, and City of Salado land located in southwestern Bell County, Texas, in the southern part of the Village of Salado. The unit extends along Salado Creek on both sides of Interstate Highway 35 IH 35.
The unit contains the physical or biological features essential for the conservation of the species. The IH 35
right-of-way crosses Salado Creek and is owned by the Texas Department of Transportation. The unit is a mixture of residential and commercial properties on its eastern portion, with some undeveloped ranch land in the western part west of IH35. This unit contains Robertson Springs complex, located on private property. West of IH35 consists of two springs, Creek Spring and Sam Bass Spring, and five spring openings, Bathtub, Beaver Upper, Beaver Middle, Headwaters, and Maria, occupied by the Salado salamander. East of IH35, the Downtown Spring complex of Unit 4
contains five springs, Anderson Spring, Big Boiling Spring, Lazy Days Fish Farm, Lil Bubbly Spring, and Side Spring, which are all located on private property and occupied by the Salado salamander.
The spring habitat within this unit has been modified. In the fall of 2011, the outflow channels and edges of Big Boiling Spring and Lil Bubbly Spring were reconstructed by a local organization, with large limestone blocks and mortar, to increase human access and visitation. In addition, in response to other activity in the area, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a cease-and-desist order to the Salado Chamber of Commerce in October 2011, for unauthorized discharge of dredged or fill material that occurred in this area Brooks 2011, U.S. Corps of Engineers, in litt.. This order was issued in relation to the need for a section 404
permit under the Clean Water Act 33
U.S.C. 1251 et seq.. A citation from a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department TPWD game warden was also issued in October 2011, due to the need for a sand and gravel permit from the TPWD for work being conducted within TPWD
jurisdiction Heger 2012a, pers. comm..
The citation was issued because the Salado Chamber of Commerce had been directed by the game warden to stop work within TPWD jurisdiction, which they did temporarily, but work started again contrary to the game wardens directive Heger 2012a, pers. comm.. A
sand and gravel permit was obtained on March 21, 2012. The spring run modifications were already completed by this date, but further modifications in
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the springs were prohibited by the permit. Additional work on the bank upstream of the springs was permitted and completed Heger 2012b, pers.
comm..
Unit 5: Kings Garden Main Spring Unit Unit 5 consists of approximately 68 ac 28 ha of private land in northern Williamson County, Texas. The unit is undeveloped land. The unit contains Kings Garden Main Spring, which is occupied by the Salado salamander. The surface population of Kings Garden Main Spring has been observed at the springs outlet. The unit contains the physical or biological features essential for the conservation of the species.
Unit 6: Cobbs Spring Unit Unit 6 consists of approximately 68 ac 28 ha of private land located in northwestern Williamson County, Texas. The unit is undeveloped land.
This unit contains Cobbs Spring, which is occupied by the Salado salamander.
Cobbs Springs is located on Cobbs Springs Branch. The subsurface population of Cobbs Spring has been observed in Cobbs Well Gluesenkamp 2011a, TPWD, pers. comm., which is located approximately 328 ft 100 m to the southwest of the spring. The unit contains the physical or biological features essential for the conservation of the species.
Unit 7: Cowan Creek Spring Unit Unit 7 consists of approximately 68 ac 28 ha of private land located in westcentral Williamson County, Texas. The northern portion of the unit is residential development; the remainder is undeveloped. This unit contains Cowan Creek Spring, which is occupied by the Salado salamander. The spring is located on Cowan Creek. The unit contains the physical or biological features essential for the conservation of the species.
Unit 8: Walnut Spring Unit Unit 8 consists of approximately 68 ac 28 ha of private and Williamson County land located in west-central Williamson County, Texas. The western, eastern, and northeastern portions of the unit contain low-density residential development; the southern and northcentral portions are undeveloped. The extreme southeastern corner of the unit is part of Williamson County Conservation Foundations Twin Springs Preserve. This unit contains Walnut Spring, which is occupied by the Salado salamander. The spring is located on Walnut Spring Hollow. The unit contains the physical or biological
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