[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 67 (Friday, April 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18231-18232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8553]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
Pertaining to the Santa Cruz River Where Its Course From the South 
Enters the City of Tucson, Pima County, AZ

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Analyses of foreseeable environmental impacts from potential 
actions along the Santa Cruz River in the City of Tucson, Pima County, 
Arizona, will commence. No explicit plans have been advanced as yet, so 
contents of the Draft EIS remain to be determined during the public 
scoping process. The portion of the river to be studied extends from 
about Valencia Road (upstream) to about Congress Road (downstream), a 
distance of about 6.9 river miles. Pima County has identified within 
this length of the river needs associated with loss of riparian habitat 
and the presence of cultural resources. Those needs will guide the 
formulation of plans for this region, the Paseo de las Iglesis (way, or 
walk of the churches) segment of the Santa Cruz River.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Pima County, Arizona, will 
cooperate in conducting this feasibility study.

ADDRESSES: District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles 
District, ATTN: CESPL-PD-RP, P.O. Box 532711, Los Angeles, California 
90053-2325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John E. Moeur, Environmental

[[Page 18232]]

Coordinator, telephone (213) 452-3874, or Mr. John E. Drake, Study 
Manager, telephone (602) 640-2033. The cooperating entity, Pima County, 
requests inquiries be made to Ms. Mary Lou Johnson, telephone (520) 
740-6444, for any additional information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Authorization

    Feasibility studies for Paseo de las Iglesias were authorized by 
Section 6 of the Flood Control Act of 1938. The 75th Congress of the 
United States passed what became Public Law 761. This legislation 
states, in part: ``* * * the Secretary of War [Secretary of the Army 
since 1947] is hereby authorized and directed to cause preliminary 
examinations and surveys * * * at the following locations * * * Gila 
River and tributaries, Arizona, * * *.'' The Santa Cruz River once 
flowed into the Gila when a wetter climate prevailed in the southwest, 
and its watershed still joins that of the Gila near Laveen, Arizona.

2. Background

    The Santa Cruz River arises in southeastern Arizona, passes 
southwesterly into Sonora, Mexico, then turns northward again and re-
enters the United States at Nogales, Arizona. Since before the late 
16th century when the Spanish explored the southwest, the Santa Cruz 
River never ran continuously all the way to the Gila. Where underlying 
bedrock along its course forced water to the surface, the Santa Cruz 
was perennial. Historically, reliable surface flows along the Santa 
Cruz could be found intermittently between Nogales and Martinez Hill, 
to the east Mission San Xavier in the southerly parts of what is now 
metropolitan Tucson. Subsurface flow farther north sustained a riparian 
community. Downstream of the confluence with the so called West Branch 
of the Santa Cruz the water table again rose above the surface around 
Sentinel Hill. Year-round water supplied the needs of Mission San 
Agustin, built on the west side of the river at the foot of the hill 
where Tohono O'Odham people kept a village (called stjukshon by them), 
and the presidio on the east side of the Santa Cruz. These two historic 
locations became the origin modern day Tucson.
    The Feasibility Studies to be evaluated by this Draft EIS will 
evaluate: (1) Alternative means of structural stabilization to the 
river's banks between Valencia Road (upstream) and the site of Mission 
San Agustin (downstream); (2) opportunities to reclaim lotic properties 
of the Santa Cruz near downtown Tucson, and elements of the riparian 
community on its banks; (3) modifications of upland surfaces adjacent 
to the incised banks to promote growth of appropriate native upland 
vegetation; (4) designs for recreational facilities which would feature 
prehistoric elements, historic properties, and biological traits of 
this portion of the Santa Cruz; (5) integrate these recreational 
considerations into the Juan Bautista de Anza National Trail; and (6) 
the efficacy of recharging subsurface aquifers by means of water 
released into the river bottom downstream of Valencia Road.
    Prehistoric and historic cultural resources are abundant along this 
stretch of the Santa Cruz. Neither Federally protected species nor 
critical habitat for listed species have been identified here.

3. Proposed Action

    No plan of action has yet been identified.

4. Alternatives

    a. No Action: No improvement or reinforcement of existing banks or 
uplands.
    b. Proposed Alternative Plans: None have been formulated to date.

5. Scoping Process

    Participation of all interested Federal, State, and County resource 
agencies, as well as Native American peoples, groups with environmental 
interests, and all interested individuals is encouraged. Public 
involvement will be most beneficial and worthwhile in identifying 
pertinent environmental issues, offering useful information such as 
published or unpublished data, direct personal experience or knowledge 
which inform decision making, assistance in defining the scope of plans 
which ought to be considered, and recommending suitable mitigation 
measures warranted by such plans. Those wishing to contribute 
information, ideas, alternatives for actions, and so forth can furnish 
these contributions in writing to the points of contacts indicated 
above, or by attending public scoping opportunities.
    The scoping period will conclude 30 days after publication of this 
NOI and simultaneous publication in newspapers circulated in the 
greater Tucson area.
    When plans have been devised and alternatives formulated to embody 
those plans, potential impacts will be evaluated in the DEIS. These 
assessments will emphasize at least fourteen categories of resources: 
Land use, impromptu historic landfills created by dumping trash over 
the banks, hazardous wastes, physical environment, hydrology, 
groundwater, biological, archaeological, geological, air quality, 
noise, transportation, socioeconomic, and safety.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-8553 Filed 4-5-01; 8:45 am]
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