[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 24 (Thursday, February 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 5515]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2498]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a General Reevaluation Report/Supplemental 
Environment Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the Merced 
County Streams Project, Merced County, CA

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the 
Sacramento District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is preparing 
a draft General Reevaluation Report/Supplemental Environment Impact 
Statement/Environmental Impact Report (GRR/SEIS/EIR) to evaluate the 
opportunities to reduce flood damages and to restore riparian habitat 
in the City of Merced in Merced County, California. The Merced County 
Streams, California, project was authorized by Section 201 of the Flood 
Control Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-611). The authorized plan includes the 
construction of new reservoirs, enlargement of existing reservoirs, and 
levee and channel modifications on three stream groups in the vicinity 
of Merced. The non-Federal sponsor for this study is the California 
Reclamation Board (Board). Co-sponsoring the project with the Board is 
Merced County.

DATES: Submit comments regarding the study by March 13, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning this study 
to Donald Lash, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, 
Attn: Planning Division (CESPK-PD-R), 1325 J Street, Sacramento, CA 
95814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald Lash, E-mail at 
[email protected] telephone (916) 557-5172, or fax (916) 
557-5138.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Public Involvement: The study will be coordinated between 
Federal, State, and local governments; local stakeholders; special 
interest groups; and any other interested individuals and organization. 
The Corps held a public meeting to discuss the scope of the draft GRR/
SEIS/EIR in January 2004. The meeting place, date and time was 
advertised in advance in local newspapers, and meeting announcement 
letters were sent to interested parties. The purpose of this meeting is 
to involve local stakeholders and the public early in the study 
process. The meeting collected public input regarding the study scope, 
historic and current problems, and potential opportunities. All public 
comments were documented for future consideration and reference. 
Written comments may also be submitted via mail (see DATES) and should 
be directed to Donald Lash at the address listed above. The Corps 
intents to issue the draft GRR/SEIS/EIR in the summer of 2007. The 
Corps will announce availability of the draft document in the Federal 
Register and other media, and will provide the public, organizations, 
and agencies with an opportunity to submit comments, which will be 
addressed in the final GRR/SEIS/EIR.
    2. Project Information: The Merced County Streams Project is 
located in the eastern portion of the San Joaquin Valley, between the 
Merced and Chowchilla Rivers, in Merced and Mariposa Counties, 
California. The study area lies east and north of the city of Merced, 
with downstream channels along Fahrens and Black Rascal Creeks, 
downstream to Santa Fe Drive. Existing flood control facilities consist 
of flood retention dams on Burns, Bear, Castle, Owens, and Mariposa 
Creeks, Black Rascal and Owens Diversion Canals, and channel 
improvements on associated streams. These facilities protect 16,000 
acres of land from flooding and reduce the peak flood flows into the 
San Joaquin River.
    3. Proposed Action: The project is undergoing a general 
reevaluation study to (1) redefine the flood problems and risks in the 
Merced County Streams project area by updating hydrology and flood 
plains, physical, biological and socioeconomic conditions; (2) 
reevaluate alternatives for reducing flood damages in the area; and (3) 
reaffirm the Federal interest by recommending a plan that is 
economically feasible. The results of this study will be presented in 
the GRR/SEIS/EIR. The formulation and evaluation of alternatives, 
benefits and costs, and implementation requirements will be presented 
in the GRR/SEIS/EIR.
    4. Alternatives. In addition to the No Action, other potential 
alternatives to reduce flood damages include a combination of the 
following components: Raise Bear Dam; install a series of detention 
basins/seasonal wetland habitat near Fahren's Creek, Cottonwood Creek 
and/or Black Rascal Creek; raise the existing levees along Black Rascal 
and Fahren Creeks confluence and/or Bear Creek; build setback levees on 
Black Rascal Creek; improve existing channels along Black Rascal and 
Fahren's Creeks confluence and/or Bear Creek, and install a bypass 
channel off of Bear creek to divert excess flows into wetlands south of 
Merced.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-2498 Filed 2-4-04; 8:45 am]
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