[Federal Register: December 29, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 248)]
[Notices]
[Page 74949-74950]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29de03-36]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Intent to Prepare a Joint Draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report for the Wilson Creek/Oak Glen Creek
Feasibility Study in the City of Yucaipa, San Bernardino County, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Los Angeles
District, in cooperation with the County of San Bernardino Flood
Control District, will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) in support of the proposed Wilson
Creek/Oak Glen Creek Feasibility Study for flood protection for City of
Yucaipa, in San Bernardino County, California. The study will also
investigate the feasibility of habitat restoration opportunities and
preservation of watershed resources in balance with the need for
economic development. The drainage from Wilson Creek/Oak Glen Creek
creates a high volume of sediment and debris through the City of
Yucaipa. This condition creates a threat of flood damage to existing
residential and commercial development and infrastructure along these
creeks. The EIS/EIR will address foreseeable environmental impacts,
including beneficial effects, associated with alternative flood
protection plans. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the County of
San Bernardino Flood Control District will cooperate in conducing this
Feasibility Study. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the lead Federal
Agency for this study.
DATES: A public scoping meeting is scheduled at the City of Yucaipa
Council Chambers, 34272 Yucaipa
[[Page 74950]]
Boulevard, Yucaipa, California 92399 from 6 pm to 9 pm on January 14,
2004.
Comments: Written comments concerning the Draft EIS/EIR should be
submitted by February 12, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to District Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Los Angeles District, ATTN: CESPL-PD-RL (L. Goodman), P.O.
Box 532711, Los Angeles, CA 90053-2325.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lois Goodman, Environmental
Coordinator, telephone (213)-452-3869, or Mr. Robert Stuart, Study
Manager, telephone (213)-452-3811. The cooperating entity, the County
of San Bernardino Flood Control District, requests that inquiries be
addressed to Mr. Jim Borcuk, at (909)-387-7962.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Authorization. Congress has authorized
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a Feasibility Study to
investigate flood damage prevention and related opportunities along the
Wilson Creek and Oak Glen Creek confluence area in Yucaipa, California,
pursuant to House Resolution of the Committee on Public Works, dated
May 8, 1964. Section 105 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986
(Pub. L. 99-662, as amended) specifies the cost sharing requirements
applicable to this study.
2. Background. The proposed study will investigate the feasibility
of providing improved flood protection for the City of Yucaipa in San
Bernardino County, California. The city of Yucaipa is located
approximately 20 miles southeast of the city of San Bernardino. Wilson
and Oak Glen Creeks originate in the San Bernardino Mountains and flow
in a southerly direction through the city of Yucaipa, where they join.
Wilson Creek is an earth-bottomed channel from Yucaipa Boulevard,
downstream to Interstate 10. A system of rail, cable, wire fencing, and
corrugated steel protects the toe of the banks. The channel width
averages about 50 feet, and the channel depth is about 10 feet. At
Yucaipa Boulevard, the low bridge clearance severely restricts the
channel depth. This constriction would likely divert major flood
overflows to the southeast, away from the channel, where they could
inundate a large portion of the developed area of Yucaipa before
returning to the channel near the freeway. Based on Flood Insurance
Rate Maps (FIRM), the 100-year floodplain is up to one half mile wide
along one and one half miles of the north bank of Wilson Creek. The
FIRM also indicates a significantly wide floodplain from 2nd street
downstream top Oak Glen Boulevard, a distance of about two miles.
Proposed new development along both sides of the creek may increase
runoff in the near future. Overflows from Oak Glen Creek could inundate
existing structures located along about one mile of the south overbank.
The County of San Bernardino Flood Control District owns and operates a
series of five large, interconnected, off-line water conservation
basins along the south overbank of Wilson Creek, between Fremont Street
and Bryant Street.
3. Proposed Action/Preliminary Alternatives. Two preliminary
alternatives, in addition to the No Action alternative, were identified
in the Reconnaissance Study. Preliminary Alternative 1 involves
converting the off-line water conservation basins on the south overbank
of Wilson Creek to flood detention basins. These basins appear to have
the potential to contain substantial flood storage volume. Preliminary
Alternative 2 involves deepening and widening sections of the channel
in order to control the 100-year flood event, possibly in combination
with additional detention basins upstream from the flooding problem.
Subsequent to completion of the Reconnaissance Study, the City of
Yucaipa developed a preliminary plan that includes a series of six
interconnected in-stream detention basins at the confluence of Wilson
Creek and Oak Glen Creek and immediately upstream on both Creeks. This
preliminary plan also includes a nature trail and interpretive
features.
4. Scoping Process. All interested Federal, State, County and local
resource agencies, as well as Native American peoples, groups with
environmental interests, and all interested individuals are encouraged
to participate in the scoping process. Benefits of public involvement
include: identification of pertinent environmental issues that need to
be addressed; identification of issues that are not significant that
may be eliminated from detailed study; contribution of useful
information, such as published or unpublished data, direct personal
experience, or knowledge which may support the decision-making process;
assistance in defining the scope of appropriate plans and alternatives
to be considered; and recommendations for suitable measures to mitigate
potential adverse impacts of implementing plans or alternatives.
A public scoping meeting is scheduled on January 14, 2004 (see
DATES). The purpose of the scoping meeting will be to gather
information from the general public and interested organizations about
issues and concerns that they would like to see addressed in the EIS/
EIR. Comments may be delivered verbally at the meeting or sent in
writing to the Los Angeles District. (See DATES and ADDRESSES above.)
5. Availability of the Draft EIS/EIR. The Draft EIS/EIR is expected
to be available to the public for review and comment beginning in late
2005.
Dated: December 16, 2003.
Richard G. Thompson,
Colonel, US Army, District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 03-31894 Filed 12-24-03; 8:45 am]