[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66082-66083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29418]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a 
Proposed Mill Creek Watershed Plan Including Potential Flood Damage 
Reduction Measures and Ecosystem Restoration, Davidson County, TN

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Corps of Engineers, Nashville District, is preparing a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for a proposed Mill Creek 
Watershed Plan that includes Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem 
Restoration Alternatives. The Corps of Engineers is studying the 
possible impacts of maintaining, modifying, or adding to existing 
aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial habitat in combination with 
potential flood damage reduction measures. Forecasts of future 
development, floodplain management, stream habitat, endangered species 
protection, stream bank stabilization, storm water management, and 
water quality could be made to assess possible cumulative impacts for 
each of these resources within the watershed.

DATES: Written scoping comments on issues to be considered in the DEIS 
will be accepted by the Corps of Engineers until January 1, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Scoping comments should be mailed to: Ms. Joy Broach, 
Biologist, Project Planning Branch, Nashville District Corps of 
Engineers, PO Box 1070 (PM-P), Nashville, TN 37202-1070, or may be e-
mailed to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information concerning 
the proposed action and DEIS, please contact Ms. Sue Ferguson, Project 
Manager, Project Planning Branch, (615) 736-7192.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Study authority was granted by a resolution of the U.S. House 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure adopted September 14, 
1995. The DEIS is necessary to provide National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) compliance for proposed changes to the water quality, 
aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial habitat, and potential flood damage 
reduction measures within Mill Creek and its tributaries. Historical 
information regarding flooding, landuse, aquatic, and terrestrial 
ecology would be used as a baseline and has been described in previous 
NEPA documents including the 1986 report: Metro Region of Nashville, 
Tennessee, Mill Creek, Final Interim Feasibility Report and 
Environmental Impact Statement. The Nashville Metropolitan Water 
Services is the sponsor for this project.
    2. The Mill Creek watershed has had a history of floods dating 
1979, 1984, 1998, 2000, and 2003 that have endangered residents and 
have resulted in millions of dollars of flood related damage. Continued 
development within the watershed, has increased the flood potential and 
associated cost of damages. The intent of the DEIS is to provide NEPA 
compliance for changes in hydraulics and hydrology that could occur 
with implementation of any flood reduction measure. These measures 
could include detention ponds, swales,

[[Page 66083]]

depressions, channel widening, levees, floodwalls, vegetative berms, 
low-water dams, and dry dam storage. Structures might be raised or 
removed from the floodway fringe. Computer models would be used to 
predict water drainage patterns that would guide future planning in 
placing structures out of the floodway fringe. The Mill Creek models 
and data take a composite view of hydrology, hydraulic, and water 
quality processes occurring in the watershed. This includes future 
development effects, floodplain locations, erosion, storm water 
management, and point and non-point sources. Models would be used to 
compare different types, placement, or of combinations of flood 
reduction measures to minimize damage to existing and future 
structures.
    3. The Mill Creek watershed is home to the state and Federally 
listed Nashville Crayfish (Orconectes shoupi). This endemic crayfish 
evolved in Mill Creek and is rarely found outside this watershed. 
Accelerated development within the watershed has reduced and fragmented 
the aquatic and riparian habitat of not only this endangered species, 
but also other native aquatic and riparian communities as well. The 
Mill Creek models and data would evaluate the impact of changing 
hydraulics and hydrology on the aquatic ecosystem. The Mill Creek model 
would be used to find stream locations where restoration and habitat 
protection measures would be the most successful. Preliminary 
restoration alternatives under consideration include restoration of 
wetlands, aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial habitats, sediment 
management structures, and bank stabilization. Land use changes could 
be considered to provide a continuous stream corridor that could 
include a greenway. The study aims to improve the overall health of the 
stream and its corridor and protect ecologically sensitive habitat of 
the endangered Nashville crayfish, while also reducing flood damage.
    4. Key proposed project features to be evaluated in the DEIS 
include the following:
    a. Flood Damage Reduction measures including peak flow retention 
structures, low-water dams, channel widening, levees, flood proofing or 
removing structures out of the floodplain.
    b. Protection, enhancement, expansion, or creation of aquatic, 
riparian, and connected terrestrial habitat for listed species and 
increased ecosystem diversity.
    c. The effects of modifying the flow of Mill Creek on streamside 
public, private, and commercial properties; fish spawning and nesting 
areas; adjacent low lying farmlands; creek bank erosion; cultural, 
archaeological, and historic sites; and overall changes to the 
hydraulics and hydrology of Mill Creek.
    d. Development and use of computer models that predict flooding, 
identify placement of habitat structures and streambank protection 
features, and forecast effects of future development on the existing 
water resources within the watershed.
    5. This notice serves to solicit scoping comments from the public; 
federal, state and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and 
other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts 
of this proposed activity. Any comments received during the comment 
period will be considered in the NEPA process. Comments are used to 
assess impacts on fish and wildlife, endangered species, historic 
properties, water quality, water supply and conservation, economics, 
aesthetics, wetlands, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, 
navigation, shore erosion and accretion, recreation, energy needs, 
safety, food and fiber production, mineral needs, considerations of 
property ownership, general environmental effects, cumulative effects, 
and in general, the needs and welfare of the people. Public meetings 
may be held, however, times, dates, or locations have not been 
determined.
    6. This notice also serves to initiate the public involvement 
requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 
of 1966, as amended. Section 106, implemented by regulations at 36 CFR 
part 800, requires the Corps of Engineers to consider the effects of 
its undertakings on historic properties. If required, appropriate 
architectural and archaeological investigations will be conducted 
within those areas affected by the proposed activities and resulting 
findings will be coordinated with the Tennessee State Historic 
Preservation Officer and other offices as necessary.
    7. Other Federal, state and local approvals required for the 
proposed work include coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, including a Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report and 
consultation under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act; and state 
section 401 Water Quality Certification.
    8. Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the DEIS include 
flood damage reduction measures and ecosystem modifications that impact 
fisheries, endangered species, recreation, economics, water quality, 
historic and cultural resources, stream bank erosion, future 
development demands, and cumulative impacts. A DEIS should be available 
in April 2005.

Byron G. Jorns,
Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 03-29418 Filed 11-24-03; 8:45 am]
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