[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 234 (Friday, December 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64365-64366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31942]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army
Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for the Proposed Rio Salado Environmental Restoration, Salt River and
Indian Bend Wash, Cities of Phoenix and Tempe, Maricopa County, AZ
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has prepared a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement and a Feasibility Report for the
Proposed Rio Salado Environmental Restoration which will restore native
type habitat along a five mile stretch of the Salt River in downtown
Phoenix, and along lower Indian Bend Wash, and along the Salt River
upstream and downstream of Tempe Town Lake in the City of Tempe.
The proposed project will restore 550 acres in the Phoenix reach
and 150 acres in Tempe. In the Phoenix Reach, a 200 foot wide incised
low flow channel will be constructed in the river bottom to carry storm
flows of less than the ten year event. The low flow channel will
contain four pools connected by a perennial stream which will stretch
for 2.5 miles, as well as 51 acres of aquatic strand habitat. In
addition to the low flow channel the project calls for the
establishment of 58 acres of wetland marsh, 99 acres of cottonwood/
willow riparian habitat, and 130 of mesquite upland on the benches,
banks and overbanks of the river channel. Irrigation water for the
habitat will be supplied from the shallow aquifer through six wells
located on both banks of the river. The proposed project would
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also include the construction of maintenance roads along the river
channel, which would also serve as recreational trails. Three park
areas are planned for construction on the overbanks of the channel to
serve as public gateways to the river.
In the Tempe Reach the proposal is to supply water, from an
existing well, to Indian Bend Wash at McKellips Road, allow the water
to flow downstream to a point just above the confluence with the Salt
River, where it will be piped by gravity flow to a location just above
the upstream dam to Tempe Town Lake. The water will pond across the
Salt River, and will be pumped out on the south bank, and piped
downstream past the Town Lake, where it will be reintroduced to the
Salt River. The habitat to be established in the Tempe reach consists
of 50 acres of aquatic strand, 16 acres of wetland marsh, 20 acres of
cottonwood/willow, and 30 acres of mesquite upland.
The proposed project is expected to have significant beneficial
environmental impacts. Restoring native riparian and wetland vegetation
to the Salt River is expected to benefit several native wildlife
species and threatened and endangered species. No long-term adverse
ecological or environmental health effects are expected due to the
proposed environmental restoration. No significant impacts are expected
to occur.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the Draft
Feasability Report contact Mr. Mike Ternak, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Los Angeles District, Attn: CESPL-PD-WC, 3636 N. Central
Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85012-1936 at (602) 640-2003, and for information on
the DEIS contact Mr. Alex Watt, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los
Angeles District, Attn: CESPL-PD-RQ, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles CA
90053 at (213) 452-3860.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army Corps of Engineers has prepared a
DEIS to assess the environmental effects associated with the proposed
Rio Salado environmental restoration. The public will have the
opportunity to comment on this analysis before any action is taken to
implement the proposed action.
Scoping: The Army Corps of Engineers conducted two scoping meetings
prior to preparing the Environmental Impact Statement to aid in
determining the significant environmental issues associated with the
proposed action. These meetings were held in the City of Tempe on June
10, 1996, and in the City of Phoenix on June 11, 1996.
Two public hearings to receive comments on the DEIS will be held in
conjunction with the public meetings to present the feasibility report.
The public hearings are to be held in the City of Tempe on January 7,
1998 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the City of Tempe Police Auditorium, 120 E.
5th Street, Tempe, AZ 85281, and in the City of Phoenix on January 8,
1998 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Phoenix City Council Chambers, 200 W.
Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003. The location, date, and time of
the public hearings will be announced in the local news media, and
separate notice will also be sent to all parties on the project mailing
list.
Individuals and agencies may present oral or written comments
relevant to the DEIS by attending either of the two public hearings, or
by mailing the information to Mr. Alex Watt at the address below prior
to January 20, 1998. Comments, suggestions, and requests to be placed
on the mailing list for announcements and for the Draft DEIS, should be
sent to Alex Watt, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District,
Attn: CESPL-PD-RQ, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles CA 90053.
Availability of the Draft EIS: Copies of the DEIS are available for
review at the following locations:
City of Phoenix, Planning Department, 200 W. Washington Street, 6th
Floor, Phoenix, AZ.
City of Tempe, Rio Salado Project Office, 31 E. 5th Street, 2nd Floor,
Tempe, AZ.
Phoenix Central Library, 1221 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ.
Ocotillo Branch Library, 102 W. Southern, Phoenix, AZ.
Harmon Branch Library, 411 W. Yavapai St., Phoenix, AZ.
Arizona State University, Hayden, Library, Reference Department, Tempe,
AZ.
University of Arizona, Main Library, Main Reference Department, 1510 E.
University, Tucson, AZ.
Flood Control District of Maricopa County, 2801 West Durango, Phoenix,
AZ.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Planning Section C, 3636 N. Central
Avenue, Suite 740, Phoenix, AZ.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, Environmental
Resources Branch, 911 Wilshire Boulevard, 14th Floor, Los Angeles, CA.
For a copy of the DEIS or for further information, please contact
Mr. Mike Ternak, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District,
Attn: CESPL-PD-WC, 3636 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85012-1936 at
(602) 640-2003. Written comments on the DEIS can be sent to Mr. Alex
Watt, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, Attn: CESPL-
PD-RQ, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 90053 or Faxed to him at (213)
452-4204.
Dated: November 25, 1997.
Robert L. Davis,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 97-31942 Filed 12-4-97; 8:45 am]
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