[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49039-49040]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23887]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

[INT-FES-01-29]


Keechelus Dam Safety of Dams Modification, Yakima Project, 
Washington

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability for the Keechelus Dam Safety of Dams 
Modification, Yakima Project, Washington, Final Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Department of the Interior, Bureau 
of Reclamation (Reclamation), has prepared a final environmental impact 
statement (FEIS) examining the impacts of structural and nonstructural 
alternatives to correct safety deficiencies identified at Keechelus 
Dam.

[[Page 49040]]

    The impacts of four alternatives that would correct safety 
deficiencies at Keechelus Dam, as well as the No Action Alternative are 
evaluated in this FEIS. The alternatives include: Modify Existing Dam 
(Preferred Alternative); Replace Existing Dam on New Alignment; Dam 
Breach; and Permanent Reservoir Restriction. The No Action Alternative 
is considered to be continued operation at the interim restriction to 
2510 feet (7 feet below full pool), implemented in November 1998 to 
protect public safety. The impacts of the other alternatives were 
compared to the No Action Alternative.
    The preferred alternative of modifying the dam would provide for 
the safe operation of Keechelus Dam and also maintain benefits from 
Keechelus Lake that include meeting existing contractual commitments 
for storage space for irrigators within the Yakima Project and 
controlling seasonal downstream flooding.
    The FEIS includes all comment letters received on the DEIS and 
Reclamation's responses to those comments, as well as a summary of the 
comments from the public hearings. It also includes minor revisions and 
additions to the analysis as a result of review comments.
    A Record of Decision (ROD) will be completed no sooner than 30 days 
after the publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's Notice 
of Availability of the FEIS in the Federal Register. The ROD will state 
the alternative that will be implemented and will discuss all factors 
leading to the decision. It is scheduled for issuance in October 2001. 
However, consultations under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act 
with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine 
Fisheries Service are continuing and the ROD will not be signed until 
they are completed.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS are available for public inspection and 
review at the following locations:
     Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Room 7455, 18th and C Streets NW, Washington, DC 20240.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Denver 
Federal Center, Building 67, Room 167, Denver, Colorado 80225.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, 
1150 North Curtis Road, Suite 100, Boise, Idaho 83706-1234.
     Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Columbia Area Office, 1917 
Marsh Road, Yakima, Washington 98901.

Libraries

    Carpenter Memorial Library, 302 N Pennsylvania Ave., Cle Elum, WA 
98922; (509) 674-2313.
    Central Washington University Library, 700 E 8th Ave., Ellensburg 
WA 98926; (509) 963-1777.
    Ellensburg Public Library, 209 N Ruby, Ellensburg WA 98926; (509) 
962-7250.
    Yakima Valley Regional Library, 102 N 3rd St, Yakima WA 98901; 
(509) 452-8541.
    University of Washington Campus, Suzzallo Library, Government 
Publications Division, Seattle WA 98195; (206) 543-1937.

Internet

    The FEIS is also available on the Internet at: http://www.pn.usbr.gov/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dave Kaumheimer at (509) 575-5848, 
extension 232. Those wishing to obtain a copy of the FEIS in the form 
of a printed document or on compact disk (CD-ROM with reader included) 
or a Summary of the FEIS may contact Mr. Kaumheimer.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Keechelus Dam was completed in 1917 as part 
of Reclamation's Yakima Project, storing Yakima River water in central 
Washington for irrigation of part of 443,400 acres of prime farmland 
and for flood control. Recent investigations have shown that the wooden 
railroad trestle, used to deliver earth material and rocks while 
constructing the dam, has deteriorated, forming vertical paths where 
earthen materials within the dam can move, leaving voids in the dam. 
Examination of the seepage problems indicates the material is 
internally unstable and is subject to failure, with an associated 
potential for loss of life and property downstream. Because of the 
deficiencies identified, Keechelus Lake has been operated at a 
restricted pool elevation 7 feet below the normal full pool elevation 
of 2517 feet since November 1998, with increased monitoring and 
surveillance at the dam. This was identified as the No Action 
Alternative in the FEIS, and elevation 2510 was used in comparing 
impacts of the other alternatives.
    The Safety of Dams Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-578) and amendments 
of 1984 (Public Law 98-404) authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
analyze existing Reclamation dams for changes in the state-of-the-art 
criteria and additional hydrologic and seismic data developed since the 
dams were constructed. For dams where a safety concern exists, the 
Secretary is authorized to modify the structure to ensure its continued 
safety. Section 3 of the Safety of Dams Act states that construction 
authorized by the Act shall be for dam safety and not for specific 
purposes of providing additional conservation storage capacity or 
developing benefits over and above those provided by the original dams 
and reservoirs.
    The major issue identified during the review of the DEIS was that 
fish passage is not provided as part of any of the alternatives. 
Reclamation indicated during scoping that this was outside the scope of 
the project which is to correct safety deficiencies in order to protect 
life and property. In addition, neither authority or funding for fish 
passage is provided under the Safety of Dams Act. None of the 
alternatives preclude addition of fish passage in the future and this 
will be pursued under a separate planning action. An appendix 
discussing fish passage concerns has been added to the FEIS.

    Dated: August 30, 2001.
Kenneth R. Pedde,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region.
[FR Doc. 01-23887 Filed 9-24-01; 8:45 am]
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