[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 151 (Friday, August 4, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47972-47973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19798]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for the Lake Tohopekaliga Extreme Drawdown and Habitat Enhancement, 
Osceola County, FL

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the 
South Florida Water Management District intend to prepare a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the feasibility of 
implementing a plan for the Lake Tohopekaliga Extreme Drawdown and 
Habitat Enhancement Project, Osceola County, Florida.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS may be addressed to Ms. Heather Carolan or Ms. Lizabeth R. 
Manners, U.S. Army Engineer District, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, 
Florida 32232-0019; Telephone 904-232-2016/3923.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Proposed Project

    a. Lake Tohopekaliga, located in Central Florida, has previously 
undergone three extreme drawdowns in 1971, 1979, and 1987. The 
drawdowns are designed to improve aquatic habitat that has been 
negatively impacted by flood control practices, which have resulted in 
detrimental stable lake levels and nutrient enrichment. Following 
refill of Lake Tohopekaliga after the three previous drawdowns the 
numbers of fish food organisms, sport fish and forage fish increased 
significantly; new aquatic vegetation communities became established; 
and organic sediments decreased in the lakes.
    b. The purpose of this project is to improve the environmental 
ecosystem of Lake Tohopekaliga and thus provide quality habitat for 
fisheries, birds and other wildlife. Beneficial effects associated with 
the drawdown plan include bottom substrate improvements as organic 
build-up is reduced. Reduction of muck will lead to an increase in 
diversity and density of desirable vegetation. The drawdown will also 
allow the control of nuisance aquatic plants, such as hydrilla, water 
hyacinth, cattails, alligator weed, smartweed and pickerelweed, which 
proliferate under the unnatural static lake level conditions. In 
addition, the water quality of Lake Tohopekaliga will be enhanced by 
the nutrient uptake and filtration abilities by the recruitment of 
native plant species. Restoring littoral habitat, which favors bass, 
will increase native fish species.
    c. Approximately 2,844 acres (40%) of shoreline along Lake 
Tohopekaliga will be exposed during the drawdown. Organic bottom 
sediments should compact and consolidate during the scheduled low water 
period. Coverage of beneficial aquatic vegetation such as knotgrass, 
maidencane and bulrush should increase following refill due to 
germination of seeds exposed during the drawdown. The subsequent 
increase in vegetation communities should significantly increase fish 
food organisms and sport fish populations.
    d. Muck removal will be performed to enhance aquatic habitat and 
improve

[[Page 47973]]

boating conditions. Approximately 5 million cubic yards of organic 
material will be removed. The material will be disposed of on upland 
sites or used to create in-lake wildlife islands. Wildlife islands 
serve as excellent rookery sites for wading birds and also serve as 
resting and basking areas for reptiles.

2. Alternatives

    a. Several drawdown alternatives will be identified and evaluated 
during the study.
    b. Potential environmental resources and issues to be evaluated in 
the DEIS include project impacts on:
    (1) Fish and wildlife resources.
    (2) Wetlands resources.
    (3) Wildlife habitat & values.
    (4) Vegetation.
    (5) Water quality.
    (6) Surface & groundwater resources.
    (7) Endangered or threatened species.
    (8) Historical or archeological resources.
    (9) Aesthetics.
    (10) Nuisance and exotic plant species.
    (11) Downstream effects.
    (12) Air quality & noise.
    (13) Soils.
    (14) Navigation and recreation.
    (15) Freeze protection.
    (16) Local tropical fish farms.
    c. Because of the magnitude and duration of this project the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation 
Commission and the South Florida Water Management District have 
determined that a DEIS should be prepared for the Project pursuant to 
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

3. Scoping

    The scoping process as outlined by the Council on Environmental 
Quality will be utilized to involve Federal, State, and local agencies; 
and other interested persons and organizations. A scoping letter will 
be sent to interested Federal, State, local agencies and interested 
parties requesting comments and concerns regarding issues to consider 
during the study. Responses to this letter will help identify the 
potential environmental impacts to be evaluated in the DEIS. Additional 
comments are welcome and may be provided to the above address. Public 
meetings may be held in the future. Exact dates, times, and locations 
will be published in local papers.

4. Schedule

    It is estimated that the DEIS will be available to the public by 
the spring of 2001.

Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-19798 Filed 8-3-00; 8:45 am]
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