[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 192 (Friday, October 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62284-62285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21763]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Notice of Availability of and Request for Comment on an Interim 
Report for the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries, Texas Resiliency Study

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

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) requests comments on 
the alternatives considered to date by the Buffalo Bayou and 
Tributaries, Texas Resiliency Study (BBTRS) to help inform the Study 
Team's recommendation to the Chief of Engineers on reducing the flood 
risk along Buffalo Bayou and its tributaries in Harris and Fort Bend 
counties, Texas. An Interim Report has been prepared to document 
alternatives considered to date. The Interim Report, which does not 
include recommendations or decisions, is being published to solicit 
input from the public. Seeking this public input prior to identifying a 
preferred alternative will help ensure the analysis of a complex 
problem--and ultimately decisions--are effective, responsive, 
sustainable and understood by the region's communities.

DATES: Written comments on the Interim Report must be received by email 
or post-marked by November 2, 2020.

ADDRESSES: The Interim Report and additional pertinent information 
about the- study can be found at: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/Buffalo-Bayou-and-Tributaries-Resiliency-Study/.
    Interested persons may submit written comments by email to 
[email protected] or by mail to: USACE, Galveston District, Attn: 
BBTRS, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553-1229.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Melinda Fisher, USACE, Regional 
Planning and Environmental Center, at 918-669-7423 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Introduction and Background. USACE, in partnership with the 
Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), as the non-Federal 
sponsor, began a feasibility study in 2018 to identify, evaluate, and 
recommend actions to reduce flood risks along Buffalo Bayou and its 
tributaries, both upstream and downstream of Addicks and Barker dams. 
The study will also complete a Dam Safety Modification Evaluation on 
Addicks and Barker dams. The BBTRS is authorized under Section 216 of 
the Flood Control Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-611) and existing project 
authority. Section 216 authorizes USACE to review a completed 
navigation, flood risk reduction, water supply, or related project due 
to significantly changed physical or economic conditions, and to report 
to Congress with recommendations regarding modification of the 
project's structures or operation, and for improving the quality of the 
environment in the overall public interest.
    Existing flood risk management (FRM) projects in the watersheds 
include the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries, Texas Project (Project), 
which was authorized by Congress in the 1930s for the purpose of 
providing flood control for the City of Houston and Port of Houston. In 
the 1940s, Addicks and Barker Dams were constructed and a portion of 
Buffalo Bayou was straightened as part of the completed Project. Since 
Project completion, a number of physical improvements and operational 
changes have been made to attempt to mitigate changing conditions 
within Addicks, Barker, Buffalo Bayou and surrounding watersheds. 
However, the watersheds continue to experience major flood events, most 
recently and most significantly Hurricane Harvey in 2017. These flood 
events, combined with documented increases in precipitation 
frequencies, continued urbanization of the watersheds, and the 
potential for flooding events in the future, indicate the Project may 
need to be modified to further mitigate flood risks.
    The study will evaluate ways to reduce flooding in three 
watersheds--Addicks Reservoir, Barker Reservoir, and Buffalo Bayou--
focusing on areas upstream and downstream of Addicks and Barker dams 
and along Buffalo Bayou. A portion of Cypress Creek Watershed is being 
considered because overflow from this watershed contributes to flooding 
in the Addicks Reservoir Watershed. Brays Bayou and White Oak Bayou 
could be affected by actions benefiting Buffalo Bayou, so impacts to 
these watersheds will be evaluated. The scope of the study does not 
include identifying ways to lower flood risk in the lower Cypress 
Creek, Brays Bayou or White Oak Bayou watersheds.
    Since the public scoping meetings held in May 2019 and a newsletter 
sent in January 2020, the alternatives (potential ways to address the 
problems) have evolved based on the preliminary results of modeling the 
physical and economic performance of these actions. The study team used 
this information to advance the evaluation of several alternatives, 
remove some from further consideration and add some additional measures 
for more detailed consideration. To explain this updated information 
and present the focused array of alternatives, the Study Team is adding 
a step to the process: release of an Interim Report for public review 
and comment.

    Note: This is not a Notice of Availability associated with the 
release of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. This is an 
interim step intended to gather public feedback before a Draft EIS 
is released.

    2. Interim Report. The Study Team prepared this Report to present 
preliminary findings and a focused array of alternatives considered to 
date that manage risk and reduce damages under existing and future 
conditions.

[[Page 62285]]

The report describes the process to identify and screen potential 
measures to address the problems and meet the purpose and need of the 
study. The report also describes engineering, economic, social, and 
environmental analyses conducted to date; it does not identify a 
preferred alternative nor does it make any recommendations or 
decisions.
    The Interim Report identifies three main problems in the study 
area--upstream risks to life safety and property when inflows exceed 
reservoir capacity, dam safety risks if a dam component were to fail 
during a flood, and downstream risks to life safety and property when 
flows exceed channel capacity. To address each of these concerns, a 
number of structural and non-structural measures were considered 
including but not limited to: Bypass channels, new reservoirs, 
detention ponds, tunnels, dredging of existing detention ponds and 
reservoirs, spillway modifications, levees/floodwalls, channel 
modifications, property acquisition, changes in operations, structure 
modifications, and prairie/wetland restoration. The Study Team screened 
an initial array of measures based on technical feasibility, 
performance, cost, and benefits. Eight alternatives are identified in 
the interim report as the focused array. These include:
     No Action. No Federal action is taken to reduce future 
flood risks. This alternative serves as the baseline condition to 
compare the action alternatives' benefits and costs and is required by 
policy.
     FRM Alternative 2: Cypress Creek Reservoir. This 
alternative investigates the feasibility of increasing storage capacity 
in the upper watersheds through construction of a third reservoir in 
the vicinity of the Harris-Waller County line in the far western part 
of the study area.
     FRM Alternative 6: Buffalo Bayou Channel Improvements. 
This alternative facilitates more efficient conveyance of water by 
widening and deepening Buffalo Bayou, while preserving or enhancing the 
natural characteristics of the aquatic and riparian ecosystem.
     FRM Alternative 7: Non-Structural Only. This alternative 
utilizes actions that reduce human exposure and vulnerability to 
flooding, but does not attempt to change the hazard. Property 
acquisition along Buffalo Bayou would lower the risk to lives and 
properties downstream during all precipitation events, while also 
allowing for non-damaging larger releases from the reservoirs during 
more severe events.
     FRM Alternative 8: Combination Plan. This alternative 
utilizes a combination of FRM Alternative 2 and 6, which includes 
construction of a third reservoir and channel improvements to Buffalo 
Bayou.
     Dam Safety (DS) Alternative 4: Tolerable Risk. This 
alternative increases the spillway capacity and prevents overtopping by 
reinforcing all four spillways of Addicks and Barker dams. The north 
spillways would be removed and replaced with stepped roller compacted 
concrete (RCC) and the south spillways would be replaced with 
articulated concrete block.
     DS Alternative 5: Tolerable Risk + As Low as Reasonably 
Practicable. This alternative is similar to DS Alternative 4, except 
that all four spillways would be removed and replaced with stepped RCC.
     System Operations. This alternative involves acquiring 
additional lands to efficiently and safely operate the reservoirs given 
the changed circumstances. A range of reservoir elevations are being 
considered and could extend from current Federally-owned government 
land to elevation 112 at Addicks Reservoir and elevation 105 at Barker 
Reservoir. This would involve acquisition of between 14,868 and 24,707 
tracts of land and involve relocation of 10,606 to 21,302 residential 
properties and 259 to 492 commercial properties.
    3. Public Participation. USACE and HCFCD are committed to 
proactively informing and engaging with the community and stakeholders 
to reach effective and implementable flood risk management solutions. 
These agencies intend for public review of the Interim Report to 
provide input on the alternatives and the complexity of developing 
solutions. Public and resource agency feedback on the Interim Report 
will inform the next level of evaluation to identify a Tentatively 
Selected Plan (TSP). The TSP may be a single alternative or comprised 
of several alternatives from the focused array under consideration.
    Solicitation of Comments: The USACE is soliciting comments on the 
Interim Report from the public, Federal, State, and local agencies, 
elected officials, Tribal Nations, and other interested parties. The 
public comment period will begin [DATE OF PUBLICATION] and written 
comments may be submitted by email or through postal mail at the 
addresses provided above.
    Meetings: Due to the ``Proclamation on Declaring a National 
Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) 
Outbreak'' issued on March 13, 2020, no in-person meetings will be 
held. The USACE will host informational sharing sessions intended to 
provide an overview of the report and findings to date. The study 
website provides the dates and times of the information sessions, as 
well as up-to-date access details.
    4. Identification of Tentatively Selected Plan and Availability of 
Draft EIS. Depending on input received on the Interim Report, USACE 
estimates issuing a Draft Feasibility Report and Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement for public review and comment in early 2021. At that 
time, USACE will provide a 45-day public review period, in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). USACE will notify 
all interested agencies, organizations, and individuals of the 
availability of the draft document at that time.

Christopher G. Beck,
Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. 2020-21763 Filed 10-1-20; 8:45 am]
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