[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15641-15642]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06049]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket No. NRCS-2020-0006]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the West Fork Kickapoo Watershed, Monroe and Vernon Counties, Wisconsin

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wisconsin 
State Office announces its intent to prepare an EIS for the West Fork 
Kickapoo Watershed Project in the proximity of Cashton, Westby, 
Viroqua, and Liberty, Wisconsin. NRCS is requesting comments to 
identify significant issues and alternatives to be addressed in the EIS 
from all interested individuals. The EIS process will examine existing 
flood control measures and evaluate additional (new) alternatives 
identified during scoping.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by April 23, 2021. 
Comments received after this date will be considered to the extent 
possible.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments in response to this notice. 
You may submit your comments through one of the methods below:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for docket ID NRCS-2020-0006. Follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments; or
     Mail or Hand Delivery: Keri Hill, Project Manager, 
Sundance Consulting, Inc., 305 N 3rd Ave., Ste. B, Pocatello, ID 83201.
    For written comments that are submitted via mail, specify the 
docket ID NRCS-2020-0006. All comments received will be posted without 
change and publicly available on www.regulation.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Biggs, telephone: 608-662-4422; 
email: [email protected]. In addition, for questions related to 
submitting comments via Sundance Hill Consulting: Kari Hill at 202-274-
9004, Fax (208) 478-2032, inc.net">khill@sundance-inc.net, or the project 
website at: www.wfkandccwatershed.com. Persons with disabilities who 
require alternative means for communication should contact the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Target Center at (202) 720-2600 
(voice).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need

    The primary purpose for watershed planning and preparation of an 
EIS is flood prevention and flood damage reduction in the West Fork 
Kickapoo Valley. Watershed planning was authorized under Public Law 83-
566, the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954, as 
amended, and Public Law 78-534, the Flood Control Act of 1944.
    This proposed action is prepared under the authority of the 
Watershed Prevention and Flood Protection Act (Pub. L. 83-566). This 
action is needed because two flood control dams failed, and two 
additional dams over-topped during an 11-inch rainstorm on August 27-
28, 2018. These dams are critical to prevent future flood damages and 
loss of life.
    Initial agency scoping of this federally assisted action indicates 
that proposed alternatives may have significant local, regional, or 
national impacts on the environment. Angela Biggs, State 
Conservationist, has determined that the preparation of an EIS is 
needed. This EIS will be prepared as required by section 102(2)(C) of 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); and NRCS 
regulations that implement NEPA in 7 CFR part 650.

Description

    A watershed project plan was developed in 1961 to reduce flood 
damages in the West Fork Kickapoo Valley. Major problems in the 
watershed were floodwater damages to crops and pasture, fences, 
farmsteads, machinery, buildings, livestock, county and township roads 
and bridges, and urban areas in the Town of Liberty. Nine flood control 
dams and a multitude of land treatment measures were implemented 
between 1956 and 1971 under the Watershed Protection and Flood 
Prevention Act of 1954, as amended in 1956.
    On the night of August 27, 2018, two dams over-topped and two dams 
failed as a result of rainfall amounts up to 11 inches over a 6-hour 
period. The dams breached along the interface between the earthfill and 
bedrock abutments. Each breach extended full depth to the valley floor. 
No one was injured or killed. Large debris fields were observed 
downstream of the dams for about \1/4\ mile. An unoccupied house was 
moved off its foundation. Agricultural lands and road crossings were 
damaged. The Sponsors and NRCS are concerned about the commonality in 
breach

[[Page 15642]]

descriptions. The consensus is that flow through the foundations during 
high pool stage contributed to the failures. A similar vulnerability 
may exist in the remaining seven dams.
    NRCS is proposing to develop a Watershed Project Plan (Planning-
EIS) to evaluate alternatives to reduce flood damage in the West Fork 
Kickapoo valley including analysis of the flood control structures and 
the watershed. Watershed planning under the EIS will evaluate the 
effectiveness, environmental effects, and socio-economic impacts of the 
original project measures over the last 64 years. The results of these 
analyses will provide the context for determining the environmental, 
economic, and social effects of considered alternatives for additional 
(new) flood prevention or flood damage reduction measures. Potential 
impacts (beneficial and adverse) related to the project include 
modifications to ecological habitat, fish and wildlife resources, 
downstream effects, flood control capability, floodplain alteration, 
safety and engineering improvements, cultural resources, environmental 
justice, and recreation. An in-depth analysis of impacts will be 
evaluated for each alternative in the draft Planning-EIS. The focused 
planning area is 63,761 acres (99.6 square miles).

Scoping Process

    Two scoping meetings will be held to present the project and 
develop the scope of the draft EIS. The first meeting was Wednesday, 
September 16, 2020 at the Cashton Community Hall. Comments received, 
including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of 
the public record. Scoping meeting presentation materials will be 
available on the project website when this notice is published: 
www.wfkandccwatershed.com. The date, time, and location for the second 
meeting will be announced on the project website.

Alternatives

    The objective of the EIS is to formulate and evaluate alternatives 
for flood prevention or flood damage reduction in the West Fork 
Kickapoo Valley through the Town of Liberty. Alternatives to be 
evaluated include the repair, replacement, relocation, or removal of 
the two failed dams, final disposition of future dams that fail or 
require major rehabilitation, upland watershed treatments to reduce 
runoff, and land use changes in the floodplain.
    Implementation of the proposed federal action would require a Clean 
Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers. 
The project would also require water quality certification under 
Section 401 of the CWA. Permitting under Section 402 of the CWA 
(National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit) may be 
required. Local dam safety and floodplain permits may be required 
dependent upon the selected alternative. A draft EIS will be prepared 
and circulated for review and comment by agencies and the public per 40 
CFR 1503.1, 1502.20, 1506.11, 1502.17, and 7 CFR 650.13. The draft EIS 
is estimated to be complete and available for public review in 2021. 
NRCS invites agencies and individuals who have special expertise, legal 
jurisdiction, or interest in the West Fork Kickapoo Watershed to 
participate and identify potential alternatives.

Federal Assistance Programs

    The title and number of the Federal assistance program in the 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance to which this NOFA applies: 
10.904 Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention and is subject to the 
provisions of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental 
consultation with State and local officials.

Angela Biggs,
Wisconsin State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-06049 Filed 3-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P