[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52382-52383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22419]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Finding of No Significant Impact for Buck and Duck Creeks 
Watershed, Nemaha County, NE

Introduction

    The Buck and Duck Creeks Watershed is a federally assisted action 
authorized for planning under Pub. L. 83-566, the Watershed Protection 
and Flood Prevention Act. An environmental assessment was undertaken in 
conjunction with the development of the watershed plan. This assessment 
was conducted in consultation with local, State, and Federal agencies 
as well as with interested organizations and individuals. Data 
developed during the assessment are available for public review at the 
following location: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources 
Conservation Service, Federal Building, Room 152, 100 Centennial Mall 
North, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508-3866.

Recommended Action

    Proposed is the development of one floodwater retarding dam on Buck 
Creek with a permanent pool surface area of 45 acres, and one multi-
purpose floodwater retarding and recreation dam on Duck Creek with a 
permanent pool surface area of 49 acres. The Buck and Duck Creeks 
Watershed contains 17,880 acres of which 4595 acres are upstream of the 
Buck Creek dam and 4096 acres are upstream of the Duck Creek dam.

Effect of Recommended Action

    More efficient drainage will occur on 6000 acres of floodplain 
cropland, which will reduce standing crop and stored crop damages. An 
additional 188 acres of floodplain land, within the project area, will 
have floodwater totally eliminated.
    Water quality will be enhanced by decreased concentrations of 
phosphorus and sediment bound pesticides downstream of the dams.
    Sediment delivery to the Missouri floodplain, from this watershed, 
will be significantly reduced by the two structures, which will control 
most of the upland drainage area in the watershed. In total, sediment 
delivery to the Missouri floodplain, from the watershed, will be 
reduced by 76 percent or 20,700 tons annually. This project will 
eliminate need for any future construction of sediment basins by the 
Peru Drainage District.
    Fish habitat will be improved by the addition of the pools behind 
the dams. Deliberate in lake measures, as recommended by the Nebraska 
Game and Parks Commission, will be installed in the Duck Creek 
reservoir to enhance fisheries.
    Water based recreation will be planned at the Duck Creek dam. This 
will provide an estimated 9692 annual public recreational visits.
    Based on cultural resource identification and evaluation efforts 
there are no significant historic properties in the project area of 
potential effect. Consultation has been completed with the Nebraska 
State Historic Preservation Officer and the nine Indian tribal 
governments who have indicated historic interests in the general area.
    If cultural resources are discovered during construction, 
appropriate notice will be made by NRCS to the State Historic 
Preservation Officer, the National Park Service, and the Advisory 
Council on Historic Preservation. NRCS will take action as prescribed 
in NRCS GM 420, Part 401, to protect or recover any significant 
cultural resources discovered during construction.
    No threatened or endangered species in the watershed will be 
affected by the project.
    No significant adverse environmental impacts will result from 
installations except for minor inconveniences to local residents during 
construction.

Alternatives

    Three alternatives were analyzed in the plan.
    Alternative 1: Without Project. The problem of flooding and 
sedimentation requiring the Peru Drainage District to find another 
location for a sediment catchment basin would persist. The regional 
shortage of recreation would continue. The value of the Without Project 
Alternative damages is estimated to be $50,806 annually.
    Alternative 2: National Economic Development (NED) Plan. This 
alternative, the selected alternative, consists of a floodwater 
retarding dam on Buck Creek. This dam has 345 acre feet of sediment 
storage and 1137 acre feet of floodwater storage. A multi-purpose 
floodwater retarding and recreation dam will be located on Duck Creek. 
This dam will have 379 acre feet of sediment storage, 321 acre feet of 
recreation storage, and 1123 acre feet of floodwater storage.
    Alternative 3: This alternative consists of two floodwater 
retarding dams, one on Buck Creek and one on Duck Creek. The floodwater 
retarding dam on Buck Creek would have 345 acre feet of sediment 
storage and 1137 acre feet of floodwater storage. The floodwater 
retarding dam on Duck Creek would have 379 acre feet of sediment 
storage and 981 acre feet of floodwater storage.

Consultation-Public Participation

    An application for assistance was submitted by the Nemaha Natural 
Resources District on November 19, 1999. The request was a result of 
local concern and interest in addressing flood protection, 
sedimentation, fish and wildlife, and recreation.
    A scoping meeting was held June 27, 2001 to assemble an 
interdisciplinary team. The purpose of the interdisciplinary was to 
review all interest and or concerns of the project area. Nebraska Game 
and Parks Commission, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, 
Resource Conservation and Development, Nemaha Natural Resources 
District, University of Nebraska, Cooperative Extension, local 
residents and the Natural Resources Conservation Service were in 
attendance.
    Consultation was completed with the Nebraska State Historic 
Preservation Officer and with the nine Indian tribal governments who 
have identified historical interests in the watershed area.
    The environmental assessment was transmitted to all participating 
and interested agencies, groups, and individuals for review and comment 
in January 2002. Public meetings were held throughout the planning 
process to keep all interested parties informed of the study progress 
and to obtain public input to the plan and environmental evaluation.
    Agency consultation and public participation to date have shown no 
unresolved conflicts with the implementation of the selected plan.

[[Page 52383]]

Conclusion

    The Environmental Assessment summarized above indicates that this 
Federal action will not cause significant local, regional, or national 
impacts on the environment. Therefore, based on the above findings, I 
have determined that an environmental impact statement for the Buck and 
Duck Creeks Watershed Plan is not required.

    Dated: August 25, 2003.
Stephen K. Chick,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 03-22419 Filed 9-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P