[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5099-5101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2598]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Bonneville Power Administration; Salmon Creek Project

AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

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ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) and notice of floodplain and wetlands involvement.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces BPA's intention to prepare an EIS on the 
Salmon Creek Project, a proposal by the Confederated Tribes of the 
Colville Indian Reservation (CCT) and the Okanogan Irrigation District 
(OID) to enhance fish habitat and fish passage and increase instream 
flows in lower Salmon Creek, a tributary to the Okanogan River in 
Okanogan County, Washington. The goal of the project is to re-establish 
self-sustaining anadromous fish populations in the creek while 
maintaining OID's ability to continue water delivery to its irrigators 
and, therefore, helping maintain the economic viability of the 
agricultural community.

DATES: Written comments on the NEPA scoping process are due to the 
address below no later than March 6, 2002. Comments may also be made at 
EIS scoping meetings to be held on February 21 and 22, 2002, at the 
addresses below.

ADDRESSES: Send letters with comments and suggestions on the proposed 
scope of the Draft EIS to Communications, Bonneville Power 
Administration--KC-7, P.O. Box 12999, Portland, Oregon, 97212. You may 
also call BPA's toll-free comment line at 1-800-622-4519 and record 
your complete name, address, and comments. Comments may also be sent to 
the BPA Internet address: [email protected]. To be placed on the project 
mail list, call 1-800-622-4520. In all communications, please specify 
the Salmon Creek Project.
    Comments may also be made at a public EIS scoping meeting to be 
held on Thursday, February 21, 2002, 6:30 p.m., at The Cedars Inn, 
lower-level ballroom, 1 Apple Way Road, Okanogan, Washington. A scoping 
meeting for staff of government agencies will be held on Friday, 
February 22, 10 a.m., at the Wenatchee Red Lion Hotel, 1225 N. 
Wenatchee Avenue, Wenatchee, Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Nancy Weintraub, Project 
Environmental Manager, Bonneville Power Administration--KEC-4, P.O. Box 
3621, Portland, Oregon, 97208-3621; toll-free telephone 1-800-282-3713; 
direct telephone 503-230-5373; fax number 503-230-5699; or e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: BPA's need in proposing to fund this project 
is to mitigate for the loss of anadromous fish and fish habitat due to 
the operation of the Federal Columbia River hydrosystem and to meet its 
responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act. The project is 
proposed to include the rehabilitation of stream channel geometry, 
revegetation of the streambanks, and provision of increased flows in 
the lower 4.3 miles of Salmon Creek between OID's diversion dam and the 
Okanogan River. The Northwest Power Planning Council (Council) has 
recommended this project to BPA for funding as one of the measures 
under the Council's program.
    This action may involve floodplain and wetlands located in Okanogan 
County, Washington. In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance 
with floodplain and wetlands environmental review requirements, BPA 
will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment and will perform this 
proposed action in a manner so as to avoid or minimize potential harm 
to or within the affected floodplain and wetlands. The assessment and a 
floodplain statement of findings will be included in the EIS being 
prepared for the proposed project in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Proposed Action

    BPA proposes to fund the rehabilitation of the lower 4.3 miles of 
Salmon Creek to achieve long-term channel stability, erosion control, 
and dependable water supply, thus allowing the passage of spring 
chinook and summer steelhead to the high-quality habitat existing 
upstream between Conconully Dam and the OID Diversion Dam on Salmon 
Creek. Proponents and participants in this action include BPA, CCT, 
OID, the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), the Natural Resource Conservation 
Service, the Okanogan Conservation District, and the Washington 
Department of Ecology. BOR, CCT, and OID have been identified as 
cooperating agencies for this EIS process. The project proponents 
further propose to develop a long-term stream management plan to 
address daily reservoir operations, water management to meet the needs 
of the various life cycles of anadromous fish, adaptive management for 
the channel rehabilitation, and the repopulation of the stream with 
salmon and steelhead.
    Anadromous fish species known to have historically occurred in 
Salmon Creek include spring chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and 
summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Before the construction of 
Conconully Dam in 1910 and the OID diversion dam in 1916, these 
anadromous fish probably utilized a substantial portion of the 
watershed, which includes approximately 66 miles of perennial streams. 
Both of these species are listed as ``endangered'' under the Endangered 
Species Act. Spring chinook are thought to be extirpated from Salmon 
Creek, although steelhead are occasionally observed in the creek during 
high-water years.
    Today, conditions in the lower reaches of Salmon Creek (downstream 
of the OID diversion dam) are inadequate for fish passage. For more 
than 80 years, the lower 4.3 miles of Salmon Creek have been dewatered 
under normal irrigation operations, except during high runoff years 
that result in uncontrolled spill at the reservoirs and diversion dam. 
The lack of streamflow below the diversion dam has significantly 
impaired fish access into the potentially productive upper reaches of 
Salmon Creek from the Okanogan River. Historical land uses on uplands 
have altered vegetation and increased sediment production. These 
changes, together with alterations of streambanks and riparian 
vegetation, have adversely affected the channel geometry, streambank 
stability, and riparian and aquatic habitat values of lower Salmon 
Creek. Despite these problems, the Council has identified Salmon Creek 
as having the best potential for improved fish habitat of all Okanogan 
River tributaries. Increased instream flows and rehabilitation of the 
stream channel in the lower reaches of Salmon Creek would allow the 
passage of spring chinook and summer steelhead to the suitable habitat 
upstream of the OID diversion dam and would substantially increase the 
available spawning and rearing habitat for these species in the United 
States' portion of the Okanogan River Basin.

Process to Date

    The project proponents have assessed the feasibility of 
rehabilitating lower Salmon Creek, have preliminarily identified 
potential water supply sources for the stream channel and irrigation 
needs, have conducted field surveys along the affected stream reaches, 
and have developed a draft conceptual plan for rehabilitating lower 
Salmon Creek. The proponents have engaged in public outreach and 
consultation including the landowners within the affected stream 
reaches, the residents of the project area, and a variety of 
stakeholders in the stream rehabilitation process.

Alternatives Proposed for Consideration

    The rehabilitation of Salmon Creek involves engineering/
construction activities in the lower 4.3 miles of the

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stream channel, establishment of adequate water supply (to be achieved 
through a combination of measures) to maintain sufficient instream flow 
in the stream channel in future years while preserving irrigation water 
supply, and activities both now and in the future to facilitate the 
redevelopment of viable populations of spring chinook and summer 
steelhead. Salmon Creek rehabilitation will be accomplished through a 
combination of (1) stream channel reconstruction, (2) streambank 
revegetation, and (3) increased instream flows. Alternatives from each 
of these three areas will be combined in a preferred Salmon Creek 
rehabilitation program. The No Action alternative will also be 
considered. Alternatives currently under consideration in each of these 
areas include:

No Action Alternative

    Under this alternative, no changes to the existing environment 
would occur, and migration of spring chinook and summer steelhead into 
the upper reaches of Salmon Creek would not be facilitated.

Water Supply Alternatives

    Previous studies have determined that, in order to continue full 
water supply delivery to OID and provide adequate water supply to meet 
the various life cycle requirements of anadromous fish in Salmon Creek, 
7,122 to 9,737 acre-feet of water would be required in addition to the 
existing supply. The following alternatives, identified in earlier 
studies, will be considered in the EIS. A combination of these 
alternatives, in conjunction with existing water conservation efforts, 
would satisfy irrigation and fish requirements:
     Replace Salmon Lake feeder canal. Under this alternative, 
the existing feeder canal diverting water from North Fork Salmon Creek 
to Salmon Lake (the upper reservoir) would be repaired and resized to 
allow OID to capture additional water for storage in Salmon Lake.
     Construct new pump station. Under this alternative, a new 
pump station on the Okanogan River would be built along with a new 
water supply pipeline from the pump station to OID Diversion 2. Under 
this alternative, the Okanogan River would replace the Conconully 
reservoirs as the major source of irrigation water supply. The 
reservoirs would provide year-round instream flows for Salmon Creek and 
partial water supply to OID.
     Upgrade existing pump station. Under this alternative, the 
existing pump station on the Okanogan River would be upgraded and the 
pipeline resized to allow transfer of water to OID Diversion 4. The 
Conconully reservoirs would supply partial water supply to the 
irrigation district and year round instream flows in Salmon Creek.
     Raise Salmon Lake Dam. Under this alternative, Salmon Lake 
Dam would be raised 2 feet, and OID would dedicate a third foot of 
Salmon Lake storage for instream flows for Salmon Creek.
     Water rights acquisition. Under this alternative, stored 
water in Conconully would be taken out of permanent supply to the 
irrigation district, and would be dedicated to instream flows for fish. 
Partial water rights acquisition may also be considered. Water rights 
acquisition might reduce the need for pumping water out of the Okanogan 
River.
     Long-term water lease. Under this alternative, existing 
water rights would be leased and might provide instream flows for one 
or more phases of anadromous fish life-cycle requirements.

Stream Channel Alternatives

    These alternatives provide for reconstruction of stable stream 
channel geometry in lower Salmon Creek and will be developed during 
ongoing engineering studies.

Streambank Revegetation Alternatives

    These alternatives provide for erosion control and streambank 
stabilization in lower Salmon Creek by the recovery or reestablishment 
of riparian vegetation. They will be developed during ongong 
engineering studies.

Public Participation and Identification of Environmental Issues

    At the informal meetings, a brief opening presentation will be made 
to introduce the proposal, followed by an open house where people can 
circulate among information stations to discuss specific issues and 
have questions answered by members of the project team. Nancy Weintraub 
of BPA will be available to discuss BPA's purpose and need for the 
proposed action and the overall EIS process. Hilary Lyman of CCT will 
discuss the project history, the participants in project planning to 
date, and the overall project goals. Tom Sullivan of OID will describe 
the role of OID in project development and the alternatives currently 
under review for water availability within lower Salmon Creek. Woody 
Trihey of ENTRIX Environmental Consultants will present the conceptual 
plan for stream rehabilitation in the lower 4.3 miles of Salmon Creek. 
Written information will also be available, and BPA and project staff 
will answer questions and accept oral and written comments.
    BPA has established a 30-day scoping period during which affected 
landowners, concerned citizens, special interest groups, local 
governments, and any other interested parties are invited to comment on 
the scope of the proposed EIS. Scoping will help BPA ensure that a full 
range of issues related to this proposal is addressed in the EIS, and 
also will identify significant or potentially significant impacts that 
may result from the proposed project. When completed, the Draft EIS 
will be circulated for review and comment, and BPA will hold public 
comment meetings on the Draft EIS. BPA will consider and respond in the 
Final EIS to comments received on the Draft EIS.
    Environmental issues identified to date include: socioeconomic 
impacts, fish and wildlife impacts and benefits, water use, water 
quality, flood control/safety, land use, recreational use, and cultural 
resources.
    Maps and further information about the project are available from 
BPA at the address above.

    Issued in Portland, Oregon, on January 22, 2002.
Steven G. Hickok,
Acting Administrator and Chief Executive Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-2598 Filed 2-1-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P