[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 5, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17341-17343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8241]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Intent to Supplement the December 1991 Joint EIS/EIR
(Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report) for the
ARWI (American River Watershed Investigation) Originally Filed With EPA
in January 1992 With a Joint DSEIS/SDEIR (Draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact
Report) on the ARWI
AGENCIES: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD, in cooperation with the
State of California, The Reclamation Board, and with the Sacramento
Area Flood Control Agency.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a joint DSEIS/SDEIR.
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SUMMARY: The reevaluation of the ARWI includes a DSEIS/SDEIR
identifying and assessing new flood control alternatives and
reanalyzing measures presented in the December 1991 EIS/EIR. When
complete, this document will become part of the SIR (Supplemental
Information Report). The DSEIS/SDEIR will describe the significance of
the impacts of potential alternatives on the area's natural and
cultural resources and mitigation requirements for the alternatives
evaluated. The study area includes lands within the American River
watershed and the Deer Creek area of the Cosumnes River basin. These
alternatives examined in detail include construction of a peak flow
detention dam, with various outlet configurations, near Auburn on the
North Fork, American River; modifications to Folsom Dam; levee
improvements on the lower American River; and increasing the flood
storage allocation space in Folsom Reservoir.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Please address comments and/or questions regarding this DSEIS/SDEIR to
Colonel John N. Reese, District Engineer, ATTN: Mr. Michael Welsh,
Planning Division, Environmental Planning Section, CESPK-PD-R, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, 1325 J Street, Sacramento, California 95814-
2922, telephone area code (916) 557-6718.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action
A DSEIS/SDEIR prepared by the Corps of Engineers, the State of
California, The Reclamation Board and Department of Water Resources,
and SAFCA (the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency) will expand upon
the ARWI feasibility report approved by the Board of Engineers for
Rivers and Harbors in June 1992. This supplemental investigation will
identify and assess new flood control measures [[Page 17342]] and
reevaluate previously studied measures using new baseline conditions.
The Defense Appropriations Act of 1993 authorized the Natomas
portion of the project, subject to certain conditions being complied
with. Since that time, SAFCA has applied for, and received, a
Department of the Army Permit pursuant to Section 404(b)(1) of the
Clean Water Act to construct the levees described in the 1991 EIS/EIR.
As part of the permit review process, SAFCA prepared and circulated a
separate NEPA/CEQA (National Environmental Policy Act, and the
California Environmental Quality Act) document describing the Natomas
levee work. Work was initiated on the local project in 1994, and is
expected to be completed in 1997. The Bureau of Reclamation and SAFCA
have entered into an interim agreement to reoperate Folsom Reservoir to
remove the Sacramento area from flooding from storm events having a one
percent chance of occurring in any given year. This agreement is for a
five year period, and may be extended an additional five year period,
if mutually agreed upon.
The Defense Appropriations Act of 1993 also authorized this
reevaluation of the ARWI. This reevaluation analyzes the American River
watershed for its contribution to Sacramento area flooding. The DSEIS/
SDEIR will fulfill requirements of NEPA and CEQA. The document will
discuss alternatives and plan features and impacts on the American
River watershed areas natural resources. The results of the
investigations will be presented in a final SIR/EIS/EIR combined report
submitted to Corps headquarters for approval and eventual submission
for congressional consideration in mid 1996.
2. Alternatives
The SIR and accompanying DSEIS/SDEIR will reassess flood control
plans that consider improvements within the American River watershed
and the Deer Creek area to increase protection to the Sacramento area
from flooding on the American River. In addition to the alternatives
discussed in the 1991 Feasibility Report and a no action alternative,
this DSEIS/SDEIR will analyze the following major alternatives:
Increase Folsom Reservoir Storage--This alternative includes
modifying the outlets and spillway at Folsom Dam, and requiring that
between 495,000 and 670,000 acre-feet of space be reserved in the
reservoir each year, depending on the amount of water contained in the
private reservoirs on the north and middle forks of the American River.
Folsom Storage/Step Release Alternative--This alternative includes
modifying the spillway and outlets at Folsom Dam, requiring that
between 400,000 and 670,000 acre-feet of space be reserved in the
reservoir each year, modify the levees along the lower American River
to accommodate an objective release of 145,000 cfs with a maximum step
release of 180,000 cfs, and lengthen and modify the Sacramento Weir and
bypass and modify the levees along Yolo Bypass to accommodate the
increased flows.
Maximum Objective Release Alternative--This alternative includes
modifying the spillway and outlets at Folsom Dam, requiring that
between 425,000 and 670,000 acre-feet of space be reserved in the
reservoir each year, modify the levees along the lower American River
to accommodate an objective release of 180,000 cfs, and lengthen and
modify the Sacramento Weir and bypass and modify the levees along Yolo
Bypass to accommodate the increased flows.
Flood Detention Dam Alternative--This alternative consists of a
498-foot high concrete gravity dam constructed using roller compacted
concrete. This dam would be constructed on the North Fork American
River near Auburn, and would be able to temporarily detain
approximately 894,000 acre-feet of water during a major storm event.
The dam would have 20 operable gates and 2 ungated sluices to control
the drawdown rate and minimize the affects of inundation during
inundation events. The operation of Folsom Reservoir would be returned
to a fixed space requirement of 400,000 acre-feet of storage. The
objective releases from Folsom Dam would remain at 115,000 cfs.
The DSEIS/SDEIR will analyze impacts and mitigation requirements,
which them becomes part of the project's mitigation commitment in
compliance with Federal and State statutes.
3. Public Involvement
a. A notice outlining the ARWI and tentatively proposed
alternatives was sent to public agencies, organizations, and
individuals in the study area prior to the first public forum conducted
in November 1993. Additional public forums, meetings, and workshops
were conducted during the remainder of 1993, and throughout 1994. The
initial notice and subsequent public meetings provided the public an
opportunity to identify their concerns on area flooding and on
significant natural resources in the area. Responses to the notice and
public hearings helped develop an environmental inventory for use in
preparing the DSEIS/SDEIR.
b. The feasibility report was completed in December 1991. Prior to
its completion, comments were received from the public concerning the
flood control alternatives and environmental impacts of those
alternatives. Numerous public workshops and coordinating meetings were
held to assist the State and SAFCA to determine a preferred flood
control plan. For the restudy of the ARWI this process will continue
with a final SEIS/EIR and SIR scheduled for December 1995. Coordination
has been maintained with Federal, State and local agencies, concerned
individuals and organizations. Through this Notice of Intent, all
segments of the affected public and agencies are invited to participate
in this reevaluation.
c. Significant issues discussed in the public meetings include the
degree of protection offered by the alternatives, hydrology of the
area, planning objectives, alternatives analysis, impacts on fish and
wildlife resources, recreation, endangered species, vegetation,
esthetics, cumulative impacts, cultural resources and, hazardous and
toxic waste; and the mitigation requirements to compensate for impacts
to significant resources.
d. Other agency review and consultation for this DSEIS/SDEIR will
occur with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who will provide a Fish
and Wildlife Coordination Act Report under authority of the Fish and
Wildlife Coordination Act. The National Marine Fisheries Service will
provide information on the anadromous fishery of both the American and
Sacramento rivers under the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act. In
addition, both agencies will provide information and opinions on how
best to avoid impacts to species protected under the Endangered Species
Act under their jurisdictions. Coordination on cultural resources will
be accomplished through the State Historic Preservation Office in
accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act. Water quality
issues will be addressed by an updated evaluation conducted pursuant to
Section 404(b)(1) of the Clean Water Act, and will include coordination
with the California Regional Water Quality Control Board and the United
States Environmental Protection Agency. All resource agency input,
including recommendations on avoiding or minimizing impacts to natural
resources, becomes part of the final ARWI SEIS/EIR. [[Page 17343]]
4. Availability
The DSEIS/SDEIR is scheduled to be distributed for public review
and comment in August 1995. All interested persons are encouraged to
respond to this notice and provide a current address if you wish to be
contacted about the DSEIS/SDEIR public involvement process.
Dated: March 24, 1995.
Michael P. Stuhr,
LTC, EN, Colonel, Corps of Engineers Deputy District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 95-8241 Filed 4-4-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-BF-M