[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 60 (Monday, March 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15183-15184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8253]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS); 
Marble Bluff Fish Passageway Enhancement Project, Lower Truckee River, 
Nevada

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), lead agency under 
the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Pyramid Lake Paiute 
Tribe (PLPT), non-federal sponsor, intend to prepare a document to 
evaluate the environmental effects of the proposed fish spawning and 
passageway enhancement project in the vicinity of Marble Bluff Dam.
    The study purpose is to identify and evaluate alternative measures 
to increase fish passage on the lower Truckee River between Pyramid 
Lake and Marble Bluff Dam and to increase spawning and rearing habitat 
for the migratory cui-ui and Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT) along the 
Lower Truckee River. The investigation will analyze several measures 
evaluated in the reconnaissance phase study, and will identify a 
feasible habitat restoration and fish passage enhancement plan. 
Operational measures considering changes to river flow regime and 
reservoir operations and structural measures including a meandering 
fish channel and dual lock system will be further evaluated.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
An issues scoping meeting for the investigation is scheduled for April 
1, 1998, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Council 
Chambers, 208 Capital Hill, Nixon, NV 89424. Please address any 
questions regarding the EIS to Mr. Mario Parker, Planning Division, 
Environmental Resources Branch, Corps of Engineers, 1325 J Street, 
Sacramento, California 95814-2922. He can also be reached by telephone 
at (916) 557-6701.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Project Location

    (a) The Truckee River system is located in the western Great Basin 
along the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. The river flows out of 
Lake Tahoe on the California side and winds its way for about 140 miles 
through Reno, Nevada and other smaller towns to its terminus in Pyramid 
Lake. The primary study area is on the PLPT Reservation and includes 
those reaches of the Truckee River, extending from about the town of 
Wadsworth to Pyramid Lake. Overall, the Truckee basin consists of 
approximately 3,600 square miles from Lake Tahoe, California, to 
Pyramid Lake, Nevada. The area includes nine small reservoirs and Lake 
Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains, as well as Pyramid Lake and 
Winemucca Dry Lake in the eastern portion of the basin. The upstream 
reservoirs and lakes strongly influence downstream hydrology along the 
lower reaches of the river.
    (b) Marble Bluff Dam and fish passageway was constructed in 1975 by 
the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). The dam was constructed by the 
Bureau for the dual purpose of reducing riverbed downcutting and to 
help in the passage of fish from Pyramid Lake to the Lower Truckee 
River. The PLPT and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service jointly manage the 
fish facility at Marble Bluff Dam, while the BOI maintains the dam and 
the fish facility. In the summer of 1997, the BOR modified the existing 
fish lock to compensate for several on-going facility operations 
problems. Additional modifications to the existing fish facility appear 
to be necessary to restore effective cui-ui passage to the lower 
Truckee River. The migration of Lahontan cutthroat trout is not 
expected to be significantly inhibited by the fish lock.

2. Proposed Action and Alternatives

    (a) The Corps and the PLPT (non-Federal sponsor) are conducting a 
feasibility study to (1) develop long-term fish passage for cui-ui and 
LCT at Marble Bluff Dam and (2) develop flow regimes to improve 
spawning, migratory, and rearing habitat for the cui-ui and LCT, 
restore native riparian and wetland habitat, and generally optimize 
Lower Truckee River biota.
    (b) The feasibility report and EIS will include the measures 
analyzed in the 1995 reconnaissance report and carried forward for 
analysis in the feasibility phase. The report will evaluate the no-
action alternative and the following measures: (1) Construction of a 
meandering channel within the width of the existing fish passageway; 
(2) construction of a meandering channel along a new alignment that 
connects Pyramid Lake and the Truckee River upstream of Marble Bluff 
Dam; (3) elimination of the barrier created by the Pyramid Lake delta 
and low lake levels; (4) modification of the existing fish passageway; 
and (5) partial or full removal of Marble Bluff Dam.

3. Environmental Consequences

    (a) The lead agencies have identified potential environmental 
effects of the proposed action in the following areas:
     Riparian habitat.
     Cultural resources.
     Land use.

4. Scoping Process

    (a) ``Scoping'' is process of identifying the range of actions, 
alternatives, and impacts to be evaluated in an environmental document. 
The public is invited to assist the lead agency in scoping this EIS. 
This process provides an opportunity for the public to identify 
significant resources within the study area that may be affected by the 
project. To facilitate this involvement, a public scoping meeting will 
be held April 1, 1998, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Pyramid Lake Paiute 
Tribe Council Chambers,

[[Page 15184]]

208 Capital Hill, NV 89424. A summary of the meeting will be made 
available. Individuals, organizations, and agencies are also encouraged 
to submit written scoping comments by April 22, 1998.
    (b) After the draft EIS is prepared, it will be circulated to all 
interested parties for review and comment. Public meeting will be held 
to receive verbal and written comments. All comments will be considered 
and responded to in the final EIS.

5. Availability

    The draft EIS is scheduled to be distributed for public review and 
comment in late 1998. All persons interested in receiving the draft 
document should contact Mr. Mario Parker at (916) 557-6701.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-8253 Filed 3-27-98; 8:45 am]
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