[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6079-6080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01723]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Sediment 
Dredging Activities at John Redmond Dam and Reservoir, KS

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is to 
address alternatives and environmental impacts associated with proposed 
dredging (sediment removal and disposal) activities by the State of 
Kansas at John Redmond Dam and Reservoir, Kansas. The State of Kansas, 
acting through the Kansas Water Office (KWO), proposes to fund and 
perform removal of excessive accumulated sediment from John Redmond 
Reservoir for the purpose of at least partially restoring conservation 
pool storage capacity. The proposed action would restore water supply 
storage for water users as well as regain lost aquatic habitat to the 
benefit of recreational users and the lake ecosystem. Dredging 
activities are proposed by the State of Kansas in response to 
accumulation of excessive amounts of sediment at unanticipated in-lake 
settling locations and resulting adverse impacts to a critical water 
supply as well as an important recreational and biological resource.

ADDRESSES: Questions or comments concerning the proposed action should 
be addressed to Mr. Stephen L. Nolen, Chief, Planning and Environmental 
Division, Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CESWT-PE, 1645 
S. 101st E. Ave., Tulsa, OK 74128-4629.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Stephen L. Nolen, (918) 669-7660, 
fax: (918) 669-7546, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers manages John Redmond Dam and Reservoir, KS for the authorized 
purposes of flood control, water supply, water quality control, and 
recreation. John Redmond Dam is located on the Grand (Neosho) River at 
river mile 343.7, about 3 miles northwest of Burlington in Coffey 
County, KS. The project was completed for full flood control operation 
in September 1964 with all major construction completed in December 
1965. The KWO is under contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
for all water supply storage in John Redmond Reservoir and provides 
water for the Cottonwood and Neosho River Basins Water Assurance 
District Number 3 (CNRWAD) and the nearby Wolf Creek Generating 
Station, a nuclear power facility. The CNRWAD includes 13 cities, one 
wholesale water supplier, and five industrial water users. As such, the 
reservoir serves as a critical source of municipal and industrial water 
for the region. The reservoir also provides scarce and important 
recreational opportunities for the region in the form of fishing, 
hunting, boating, swimming, and related water-based activities. Water 
supply and recreational purposes are severely impacted owing to loss of 
lake capacity resulting from excessive sedimentation and deposition in 
unanticipated areas since reservoir construction. In addition to a 
potential increase in conservation pool elevation currently being 
considered in ongoing storage reallocation studies, dredging provides a 
means of restoring storage or at least slowing the rate of loss storage 
capacity at John Redmond Reservoir. Proposed dredging would be fully 
funded and performed by the State of Kansas. In addition to 
considerations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 
proposed action would also likely require review and approval of 
alterations/modifications of Corps of Engineers projects under 33 
U.S.C. 408.
    In addition to a no action alternative, reasonable alternatives to 
be considered could include varying combinations of the quantities, 
locations, and phasing of sediment removal from the reservoir. 
Alternatives could also consider varying locations, design, and methods 
of disposal for removed sediments, including potential beneficial use 
of dredged materials.
    Issues to be addressed in the EIS include but are not limited to: 
(1) Geology and soils, including sediment composition; (2) hydrology 
and water resources to include both surface and groundwater; (3) air 
quality; (4) aesthetics; (5) biological resources to include wildlife, 
fisheries, vegetation, threatened and endangered species; (6) prime and 
unique farmlands; (7) socioeconomic issues to include economic and 
population considerations, land use, recreation, transportation; (8) 
cultural resources; (9) issues related to potentially contaminated 
sediments and their disposal; (10) safety; (11) impacts to wetlands and 
permitting requirements under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act; and 
(11) cumulative impacts associated with past, current, and reasonably 
foreseeable future actions at John Redmond Reservoir.
    A public scoping meeting for the proposed action is currently 
planned for 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at the Coffey County 
Courthouse, 110 S. 6th Street, Burlington, KS 66839. News releases and 
notices informing the public and local, state, and Federal agencies of 
the proposed action and date of this and any additional public scoping 
meeting(s) will be published in local newspapers. Comments received as 
a result of this notice, news releases, and the public scoping meeting 
will be used to assist the Tulsa District Corps of Engineers in 
identifying potential impacts to the quality of the human or natural 
environment. Affected Federal, state, or local agencies, affected 
Indian tribes, and other interested private organizations and parties 
are encouraged to participate in the scoping

[[Page 6080]]

process by forwarding written comments to (see ADDRESSES) or attending 
the scoping meeting. Scoping comments must be postmarked by March 12, 
2013.
    The draft EIS will be available for public review and comment. 
While the specific date for release of the draft EIS has yet to be 
determined, all interested agencies, tribes, organizations and parties 
expressing an interest in this action will be placed on a mailing list 
for receipt of the draft EIS. In order to be considered, any comments 
and suggestions should be forwarded to (see ADDRESSES) in accordance 
with dates specified upon release of the draft EIS.

    Dated: January 17, 2013.
Michael J. Teague,
Colonel, U.S. Army, District Commander.
[FR Doc. 2013-01723 Filed 1-28-13; 8:45 am]
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