[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 147 (Tuesday, August 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43439-43440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12349]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Construction in the Matanuska River of Spur Dike 5, at 
Circleview Estates, Palmer, AK

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of a finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Guidelines (40 
CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service 
(formerly the Soil Conservation Service) Guidelines (7 CFR part 650); 
the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Robert Jones, State Conservationist, finds that neither 
the proposed action nor any of the alternatives is a major federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, 
and determine that an environmental impact statement is not needed for 
the Construction in the Matanuska River of Spur Dike 5, at 
Circleview Estates, Palmer, AK.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Jones, State 
Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Alaska State 
Office, 800 West Evergreen Avenue, Suite 100, Palmer, AK 99645-6539; 
Phone: 907-761-7760; Fax: 907-761-7790.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental assessment of this 
Federally assisted action indicates that the project will not cause 
significant local, regional, or national impacts on the environment. As 
a result of these findings, the preparation and review of an 
environmental impact statement are not needed for this project.
    The Matanuska River is a glacially fed river system with highly 
braided channels. Severe bank erosion in the Circle View Estates area 
has been addressed previously through the installation of rock and 
earthen spur dikes. Erosion has continued downstream of the dikes, 
threatening adjacent bank and personal property (homes, buildings, 
appurtenances) and public infrastructure. The purpose of the project is 
to protect river bank, private homes and public infrastructure from 
loss to the erosive forces of the river at this subdivision site.
    The preferred alternative is to install a barb-head spur dike, 
having river-directing flow features, which is believed to be 
potentially more fish-friendly than the previous adjacent dike designs. 
Completion of the project will reduce the risk of personal property 
loss, extend downstream protection of the existing four dikes, reduce 
emergency requests and response (as well as associated capital 
expenditures) by local government units, reduce potential harm or loss 
of human life, and protect public infrastructure in the area of 
influence of the dikes protection.
    The Notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been 
forwarded to the Environmental Protection Agency and other interested 
parties. A limited number of copies of the Environmental Assessment and 
the FONSI are available to fill single copy requests at the above 
address. Basic data developed during the environmental assessment are 
on file and may be reviewed by contacting Robert Jones.
    No administrative action on implementation of the proposal will be 
taken until 30 days after the date of this publication in the Federal 
Register.

Finding of No Significant Impact for the Construction of the Matanuska 
River, Spur Dike 5 at Circle View Estates, Palmer, AK

Introduction

    The Construction of the Matanuska River, Spur Dike 5 at 
Circle View Estates, Palmer, AK is a Federally assisted action 
authorized through funding under the Watershed Protection and Flood 
Prevention Act (PL-83-566) 1954. An environmental assessment was 
undertaken in conjunction with the development of the implementation 
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, Alaska State 
Office, 800 West Evergreen Avenue, Suite 100, Palmer, AK 99645-6539, 
Phone: 907-761-7760, Fax: 907-761-7790.

Recommended Action

    The Matanuska River is a glacially fed river system with highly 
braided channels. Severe bank erosion in the Circle View Estates area 
has been addressed previously through the installation of rock and 
earthen spur dikes. Erosion has continued downstream of the dikes, 
threatening adjacent bank and personal property (homes, buildings, 
appurtenances) and public infrastructure. The purpose of the project is 
to protect river bank, private homes and public infrastructure from 
loss to the erosive forces of the river at this subdivision site.
    The preferred alternative is to install a barb-head spur dike, 
having river-directing flow features, which is believed to be 
potentially more fish-friendly than the previous adjacent dike designs. 
Completion of the project will reduce the risk of personal property 
loss, extend downstream protection of the existing four dikes, reduce 
emergency requests and response (as well as associated capital 
expenditures) by local government units, reduce potential harm or loss 
of human life, and protect public infrastructure in the area of 
influence of the dikes protection.

Alternatives

    Two alternatives were not carried forward for additional 
development. These are nonstructural and combined actions. The 
nonstructural approach cannot be achieved by the proposed project as 
this requires state and/or local public policy changes. As the 
nonstructural approach is not being brought forward, the combined 
actions alternative cannot be further evaluated either.
    Two alternatives were brought forward for further development. 
These are the bank protection alternative and no action alternative.
    The preferred alternative selected is the installation of the barb-
headed version of an additional spur dike. The proposed spur dike with 
barb head is a composite structure, consisting of a spur dike shank 
with the head of the dike designed as an overtopping barb. This design 
incorporates the overtopping feature of the barbs that work well in 
small streams and is considered more fish-friendly than the round-
headed spur dike that has been shown to

[[Page 43440]]

function in the braided channel. Barbs are built at an angle into the 
flow of water to redirect flows away from the bank and back towards the 
center of the channel, whereas the rounded spur dike head may direct 
flow back towards the bank between dikes. However, building a full barb 
structure into the Matanuska River would require a large amount of 
material and land due to the long distance from the shore to where the 
channel is being directed. The composite structure is intended to 
minimize rock fill requirements in the river while presenting a more 
fish-friendly approach to bank protection in a challenging braided 
river system.

Effect of Recommended Action

    1. The spur dike is a proven bank protection technology on this 
stretch of river. The existing four spur dikes have protected the bank 
in their area of influence.
    2. The modification to the head of the spur dike is expected to 
provide a more fish-friendly migration pathway than the round-head 
style currently on site. The barb-headed spur dike design allows the 
water to move differentially across the submerged portion of the dike 
head and thus adjust to flows. At higher flow rates, the barb-head 
design spreads the flow out and slows the velocity.
    3. The affects of the spur dike are expected to be localized to the 
project area.
    4. Approximately 0.5 to 1 acre of recovered riparian area for the 
spur dike will be established. Natural revegetation will occur along 
the bank and is expected to consist of locally available grasses, 
shrubs, and trees.
    5. Reduce loss of land (approximately 1-4 acres) over next 50 
years.
    6. Reduction of long term maintenance and repair costs of lost 
infrastructure and residential structures (estimated at $0.5-1 
million).
    7. The new spur dikes will have minor effects on navigation in the 
river. The barb head design alternative features a submerged weir tip 
which is designed to overtop. This should not pose a significant hazard 
to navigation, however, because only shallow draft river boats will 
typically be present in the river, and the boaters are accustomed to 
shallow conditions which prevail in many areas of the river.
    8. While there are initial capital and annual O&M costs for 
construction of the spur dike, these could be outweighed by the short 
and long-term costs to the community for loss of land, structures, 
infrastructure, and utilities.
    General effects on the river will include:
    9. Local diversion of the thalweg upstream and downstream of the 
spur dikes away from the river bank. Based on observations of this 
river and conventional experience with spur dikes, the influence zone 
is roughly 500 feet up and downstream of each dike. Beyond this 
distance, the Matanuska River could easily swing into the bank again.
    10. Increase in erosive effects at or near structures due to 
increased flow velocities near tip of structures.
    11. Possible increase of bank erosion immediately upstream or 
downstream of structures due to repositioning of thalweg.
    There are no threatened and endangered species or state species of 
concern, known in the project area. However the river represents an 
important migratory corridor for five species of salmon. There are no 
known sole source aquifers, prime and unique farmlands, wild and scenic 
rivers or wilderness areas designated in the project area.
    There will be no irretrievable and irreversible loss of natural 
resources, except for fossil fuel during construction activities and 
portions of needed equipment and materials which have no recycling 
potential. No impacts to cultural or historic resources will occur. No 
environmental justice issues are at risk.
    No significant environmental impacts will result from installation 
of the proposed measures.

Consultation--Public Participation

    An ongoing series of monthly meetings are held open to the public 
by the Circleview and Stampede Estates Erosion Service Area. The Draft 
Environmental Assessment for the project was published May 26, 2006. No 
comments or questions were received by the NRCS or the project 
sponsors.
    A pre-application meeting was held on August 24, 2005 to discuss 
both the permitting and EA for this project. The purpose of this 
meeting was to introduce the project to the agency personnel who will 
be reviewing the permit applications and to ensure that their comments 
and concerns were incorporated into the EA and permit application.
    Other agency contact includes several e-mails and phone calls 
between the Borough hired consultant and the agencies regarding 
structures or methodologies the agencies recommended for review.
    At the request of NRCS, the consultant contacted via phone and e-
mails the following Alaska native villages:
    1. Chickaloon Village, Angie Wade.
    2. Knikatnu Corp, Jennifer Raschke.
    3. Native Village of Eklutna, Marc Lamoreaux.
    An interdisciplinary group including the Matanuska-Susitna Borough 
Project Planning and Land Development Staff, PND Consulting Engineers, 
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), biologists, 
engineers, environmental specialist, cultural resources coordinator, 
resource conservationist, and others helped gather basic project 
information, developed the preliminary determinations of the 
environmental and social effects of the alternatives, and provided 
input for the development of this document. Local area residents, as 
well as other private individuals and agencies, were contacted during 
plan development to provide needed information and coordinate 
activities.
    Agency consultation and public participation to date have shown no 
unresolved significant conflicts with implementation of the selected 
plan.

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 
determine neither the proposed action nor any of the alternatives is a 
major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human 
environment, and that an environmental impact statement is not needed 
for the Construction in the Matanuska River of Spur Dike 5, at 
Palmer, Alaska.

    Dated: July 20, 2006.
Thomas Hedt,
Assistant State Conservationist--Programs, NRCS.
 [FR Doc. E6-12349 Filed 7-31-06; 8:45 am]
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