[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 12, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39308-39309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6139]


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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 First Broad First Reservoir in Cleveland County, NC

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The Cleveland County Sanitary District (CCSD) is applying for 
a Department of the Army permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water 
Act (33 U.S.C. 134) to impact approximately 24 miles of river and 
stream habitat and approximately 1 acre of wetlands with the 
construction of a dam and water supply reservoir on the First Broad 
River. The proposed dam site is one mile north of the Town of Lawndale 
in Cleveland County, NC. The CCSD is proposing this action for the 
purpose of increasing the water supply for its service area and the 
region. Based on current rates of growth, CCSD has projected that water 
needs for its customers will double by the year 2050. Projected 
regional water demand indicate that existing water supplies are 
inadequate for future needs. The proposed reservoir would also lessen 
the occurrence of water shortages during drought conditions. In 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) will be prepared to evaluate and 
compare alternatives for increasing water supply and to assess 
associated impacts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by: Mr. David Baker, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, 151 Patton Avenue, Room 208, Asheville, NC 28801-5006; 
telephone: (828) 271-7980 x225.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Construction of a dam to create the First 
Broad River Reservoir will also require certification from the North 
Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) pursuant to Section 401 of 
the Clean Water Act, as amended, that the project can be undertaken 
without violating the state water quality standards.
    The following description of the proposed dam and reservoir is 
subject to change as analysis and additional designs are completed. 
Initial feasibility estimates indicate that an earth-filled dam across 
the First Broad River may be approximately 83 feet high and 1,245 feet 
wide at the base. The associated emergency spillway, located south of 
the dam, would be approximately 1,000 feet wide. The dam would create a 
reservoir with a surface area of approximately 2,245 acres, impounding 
those areas below 860-feet msl. A 100-foot buffer would likely surround 
the reservoir. Flooding impacts would potentially include the loss of 
approximately 24 miles of river and stream habitat and roughly 1,400 
acres of forested and agricultural land. The project would likely 
inundate less than one acre of wetland, subject to field verification.

Alternatives

    Through the NEPA process, a number of potentially alternatives to 
meeting future water supply demands will be considered. It is 
anticipated that those potential solutions could include, but are not 
limited to, the following:
    Conserve Water--Per capita water usage could be decreased through 
the implementation of a water conservation program. The CSSD has a 
voluntary water conservation program and enforces a mandatory program 
of water conservation during periods of drought. According to the CCSD, 
an aggressive water conservation plan will not negate the demand for an 
additional water supply in the future.
    Utilize Groundwater--Smaller communities and residences could be 
served by individual groundwater wells. However, there are no aquifers 
of large enough capacity to serve large municipal systems in the 
Cleveland County area.
    Purchase Water from other Sources--Under this alternative, water 
would be

[[Page 39309]]

purchased from an existing municipal source, such as the City of 
Shelby, the Town of Kings Mountain, the Broad River Water Authority 
(BRWA), the Town of Forest City, or the City of Hickory.
    Shelby--The City of Shelby utilizes the First Broad River as its 
water source. The CCSD has an emergency use agreement and pipeline 
connection in place with the City of Shelby. The volume of water 
available to the CCSD is limited.
    Kings Mountain--Moss Lake provides potable water to the Town of 
Kings Mountain. There is currently no direct connection between the 
town and CCSD. In 2002, an emergency pipeline connection with the City 
of Shelby was constructed to supplement the city's water supply during 
the drought.
    Broad River Water Authority (BRWA)--The BRWA utilizes the Broad 
River as its water source with an intake near the Town of Rutherfordton 
and a 12.0 MGD water treatment plant. The CCSD has an emergency use 
agreement and pipeline connection in place with the BRWA.
    Town of Forest City--The Town of Forest City utilizes the Second 
Broad River as its water source with an intake located north of the 
town and a 12.0 MGD water treatment plant. The CCSD does not currently 
have a connection in place with the Town of Forest City.
    Hickory--The City of Hickory uses the Catawba River (Lake Hickory) 
as a raw water supply. The city currently has available excess capacity 
to meet the projected future CCSD demands. This alternative would 
require permission from the North Carolina Environmental Management 
Commission to transfer the required amount of flow from the Catawba 
River basin to the Broad River basin.
    Other Regional Sources--Other feasible regional sources of water to 
meet future demands, including during emergency situations, would be 
explored.
    Increase Withdrawal at Existing Intake Site--Withdrawals at the 
existing intake site are constrained by normal flows of the First Broad 
River and the required instream flow requirements established by the 
North Carolina Division of Water Resources. The projected safe yield of 
the First Broad River at the existing CCSD intake is 10.0 MGD. However 
during the 2002 drought the available supply dropped to less than 4.0 
MGD.
    Construct a Reservoir (no pumped storage).
    First Broad River--A reservoir on the First Broad River would 
consist of an impoundment of the river to meet the needs of the CCSD to 
provide a reliable water source. Preliminary studies on several sites 
were performed to consider the volume; surface area; shoreline; safe 
yield; and number of roads, bridges, cemeteries and schools that would 
potentially be affected (McGill, 1997, Feasibility Study, First Broad 
River Reservoir).
    Other Rivers in the Region--Other rivers may not be feasible due to 
size constraints, cost estimates, existing water demands on the system 
(such as the Broad River), distance to the CCSD water treatment 
facility, or location within other regional utility service areas.
    Construct Several Reservoirs--This alternative would construct 
several reservoirs in the First Broad River watershed instead of one 
main impoundment.
    Intake System on the Broad River (no storage reservoir)--This 
alternative would consist of construction of a new run of the river 
type intake on the Broad River and the utilization of the river for a 
raw water supply in addition to the First Broad River. This alternative 
would require the classification of the river and a portion of the 
watershed for use as a water supply. Several other municipalities have 
expressed interest in future utilization of the Broad River for water 
supply and have commenced the reclassification process for a portion of 
the river. Other demands for water from the river will impact the 
amount of water available for the CCSD.
    Construct an Intake System on the First Broad River with one 
Storage Reservoir--This alternative would consist of the construction 
of an ``off-stream reservoir.'' The reservoir would be maintained at 
full pool elevation during periods of normal to high flows by pumping 
water from the First Broad River to the reservoir. During periods of 
low flow in the First Broad River, raw water would flow from the ``off-
stream reservoir'' through a water line to the water treatment plant.
    No Action--Under the no-action alternative, the CCSD would continue 
to take water from the current intake on the First Broad River.
    After an evaluation of such potential alternatives, a determination 
will be made as to the Reasonable Alternatives to be fully evaluated in 
the DEIS.
    Proposed Scoping Process. This Notice of Intent initiates the 
scoping process whereby the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will 
refine the scope of issues to be addressed in the DEIS and identify 
potential significant environmental issues related to the proposed 
action.
    The primary issues to be addressed in the DEIS are the impacts of 
the project related to hydrology (including floodplains, floodways, and 
geomorphology), water quality, aquatic habitat and wildlife, 
jurisdictional waters, terrestrial habitat and wildlife (including 
migratory birds), protected species, soils, topography, geology, 
hazardous materials, underground storage tanks, transportation network, 
recreational opportunities, air quality, noise, cultural resources, 
aesthetics, socioeconomics, and land use. In addition, the DEIS will 
address indirect and cumulative effects. This list of issues may be 
modified and/or expanded through the scoping process.
    The USACE will, through the scoping process, invite the 
participation of all local, state, and federal agencies which have 
jurisdiction by law or special expertise with the affected resources, 
as well as other interested parties. These include, but are not limited 
to, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the Endangered Species 
Act and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, the State Historic Preservation Officer and the 
Tribal Historic Preservation Office under the National Historic 
Preservation Act, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, and the North 
Carolina Department of Transportation.
    An initial scoping meeting will be held in the community to 
describe the proposed project and solicit suggestions, recommendations, 
and comments to help refine the issues, measures, and alternatives to 
be addressed in the DEIS. The specific location, date, and time of the 
meeting will be published in local newspaper(s) or other media, and 
provided to those persons receiving this notice and those who call or 
write after seeing a published version of this notice.
    All private interests and Federal, State, and local agencies and 
officials, Indian Tribes, and others having an interest in the project 
are hereby notified that their participation is invited.
    Availability. It is anticipated that the DEIS would be distributed 
to the public in late 2008.

    Dated: June 8, 2006.
John E. Pulliam, Jr.,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 06-6139 Filed 7-11-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-CE-M