[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 77 (Thursday, April 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-9601]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 21, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Corps of Engineers

 

Availability for Lower Snake River Biological Drawdown Test Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and National Marine Fisheries 
Service, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY:  This Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was prepared 
in response to a need for data which measures the effects on increased 
water velocity on juvenile salmonid survival and travel time, and also 
for data measuring the effects of reservoir drawdown on upstream 
passage and survival of adult salmon, resident fish wildlife, bottom-
dwelling organisms, and water quality. This document describes 
different alternatives for a proposed drawdown test of the Lower Snake 
River Reservoirs to improve conditions for smolts during their 
migration to the ocean.
    The comment period for this document will begin April 29, 1994 and 
will run through June 13, 1994. In order to meet the expedited 
implementation schedules of the alternatives, comments must be received 
by June 13, 1994.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions on this DEIS or requests for 
copies of this document should be addressed to Mr. Pete Poolman at 509/
522-6619 or Mr. Chris Hyland at 509/522-6927: Corps of Engineers, 
Planning Division, ATTN: CENPW-PL-ER, Walla Walla, WA 99362-9265.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action
    The preferred alternative is option 3A, a two month drawdown of 
Lower Granite Reservoir in the spring of 1996. The test could be done 
for only one migration season or could be repeated for up to four 
years.

Alternatives

    Alternative #1:--No Action: No Action alternative would involve the 
continued operation of the Lower Granite project under existing water 
management plans. Lower Granite reservoir is operated within one foot 
above Minimum Operating Pool, or elevation 733 feet, during the 
juvenile salmon migration period (April through the end of July), as 
prescribed in the Biological Opinion for operation of the Federal 
Columbia River Power System from 1994 through 1998. Prescription for 
juvenile collection/bypass, spill, and powerhouse operation would also 
be as in the Biological Opinion.
    Alternative #2:--Lower Granite Drawdown Test with Dipnets or 
Gatewell Baskets: Under this alternative, Lower Granite Reservoir would 
be drafted to elevation 710 or 690 feet during the test period. 
Discharges from Lower Granite Dam would be managed to maximize spill. 
Fish guided to the gatewell slots at the dam would be removed with 
sanctuary dipnets or gatewell baskets, which could be constructed 
relatively quickly. Therefore this test could be implemented as soon as 
1995. If the drawdown test were initiated in 1995, the drawdown 
elevation would be 710 feet because the adult fish ladder exit 
modifications would not be completed until the winter of 1995-1996. In 
1996 or subsequent years, this alternative would be implemented with a 
drawn to elevation 690 feet. The joint-lead agencies have identified 
two options for Alternative 2:
    (1) Option 2A: Spring 1995 Test (April 10 through June 20).
    (2) Option 2B: Summer 1995 Test (July 1 through August 31).
    Alternative #3 Lower Granite Drawdown Test with New Gatewell Tank 
System: Under Alternative 3, Lower Granite Reservoir would be drafted 
to elevation 690 feet for a specified period. Juvenile fish would be 
removed from the gatewells with a system of new tanks that would fit 
within the existing gatewell structure. Alternative 3 would be 
implemented in 1996 because the gatewell tank system and the adult fish 
ladder would not be completed until the winter of 1995-1996 period for 
inriver work. This alternative would allow for collection of baseline 
data in 1994 and 1995. Alternative 3 has four options that differ with 
respect to seasonal timing and spillway/powerhouse operation:
    (1) Option 3A: Spring 1996 Test, Maximize Powerhouse Operation.
    (2) Option 3B: Spring 1996 Test, Maximize Spill.
    (3) Option 3C: Spring-Summer 1996 Test, Maximize Powerhouse 
Operation.
    (4) Option 3D: Spring-Summer 1996 Test, Maximize Spill. Alternative 
#4 Lower Granite Drawdown Test with New Low-Level Bypass System: The 
primary feature of this alternative is construction of new low-level 
bypass system in the Lower Granite Powerhouse, to allow operation of 
the juvenile fish bypass system under drawdown conditions. Construction 
of the new system would occur in 1995 and 1996, so testing would begin 
in 1997. Alternative 4 has four options, all of which involve a 
drawdown to 690 feet:
    (1) Option 4A: Spring 1997 Test, Maximize Powerhouse Operation.
    (2) Option 4B: Spring 1997 Test, Maximize Spill.
    (3) Option 4C: Spring-Summer 1997 Test, Maximize Powerhouse 
Operation.
    (4) Option 4D: Spring-Summer Test, Maximize Spill.

Public Meetings

    Public hearings/workshops will be held at the following four 
locations in the region. These meetings will be held in connection with 
the System Configuration Study (SCS) public meetings. The reason for 
this is twofold: (1) To limit the number of meetings held in the 
region, and more importantly, (2) these two subjects are very closely 
related. One of the long-term structural alternatives to improving 
salmon migrating conditions being evaluated under the SCS is annual 
drawdowns of the Lower Snake River reservoirs. All meetings will begin 
at 6 p.m. The dates and locations for these meetings are as follows:

Monday, May 16, 1994, Red Lion Downtowner, 1800 Fairview Boise, ID.

Tuesday, May 17, 1994, Ramada Inn, 621 21st Street, Lewiston, ID.

Wednesday, May 18, 1994, Cavanaugh's Inn, 1101 N. Columbia Center 
Blvd., Kennewick, WA.

Thursday, May 19, 1994, Red Lion Lloyd Center, 100 NE Multnomah, 
Portland, OR.

Availability

    The DEIS will be available for distribution to the public on April 
29, 1994.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Alternate Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-9601 Filed 4-20-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M