[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 153 (Friday, August 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 47301]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20264]



[[Page 47301]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for El 
Rio Medio, Santa Cruz River, a Feasibility Study of a Portion of the 
Santa Cruz River in the City of Tucson, Pima County, AZ

AGENCY: Department of the Army, 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 alternative plans have been advanced as yet, 
so contents of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) remain 
to be determined during the public scoping process. The portion of the 
river to be studied extends from about Congress Road (upstream), to 
about Prince Road (downstream), a distance of about 4.5 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 El Rio Medio (Middle of the River) segment of the Santa 
Cruz River.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Pima County, Arizona, will 
cooperate in conducting this feasibility study.

DATES: Submit comments by September 22, 2003.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Fink, Environmental 
Manager, telephone (602) 640-2001, ext. 232, or Mr. John E. Drake, 
Study Manager, telephone (602) 640-2021, ext. 271. The cooperating 
entity, Pima County, requests inquiries to Mr. Lauren E. Robsin, 
telephone (520) 740-6371, for any additional information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Authorization

    Section 6 of the Flood Control Act of 1938 authorized feasibility 
studies for El Rio Medio. 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 of 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 
Agust[iacute]n, built in 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 DEIS will evaluate: 
(1) Alternative means of structural stabilization to the river's banks 
between Prince Road (upstream) and W. Congress Street (downstream); (2) 
opportunities to reclaim biotic 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 W. Congress Street.
    Prehistoric 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. Notice of public 
scoping meeting will be published in the local newspapers.
    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.

    Dated: July 18, 2003.
Richard G. Thompson,
Colonel, US Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 03-20264 Filed 8-7-03; 8:45 am]
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