[Federal Register: September 3, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 170)]
[Notices]
[Page 52382-52383]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03se03-21]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Finding of No Significant Impact for Buck and Duck Creeks
Watershed, Nemaha County, NE
Introduction
The Buck and Duck Creeks Watershed is a federally assisted action
authorized for planning under Pub. L. 83-566, the Watershed Protection
and Flood Prevention Act. An environmental assessment was undertaken in
conjunction with the development of the watershed 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, Federal Building, Room 152, 100 Centennial Mall
North, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508-3866.
Recommended Action
Proposed is the development of one floodwater retarding dam on Buck
Creek with a permanent pool surface area of 45 acres, and one multi-
purpose floodwater retarding and recreation dam on Duck Creek with a
permanent pool surface area of 49 acres. The Buck and Duck Creeks
Watershed contains 17,880 acres of which 4595 acres are upstream of the
Buck Creek dam and 4096 acres are upstream of the Duck Creek dam.
Effect of Recommended Action
More efficient drainage will occur on 6000 acres of floodplain
cropland, which will reduce standing crop and stored crop damages. An
additional 188 acres of floodplain land, within the project area, will
have floodwater totally eliminated.
Water quality will be enhanced by decreased concentrations of
phosphorus and sediment bound pesticides downstream of the dams.
Sediment delivery to the Missouri floodplain, from this watershed,
will be significantly reduced by the two structures, which will control
most of the upland drainage area in the watershed. In total, sediment
delivery to the Missouri floodplain, from the watershed, will be
reduced by 76 percent or 20,700 tons annually. This project will
eliminate need for any future construction of sediment basins by the
Peru Drainage District.
Fish habitat will be improved by the addition of the pools behind
the dams. Deliberate in lake measures, as recommended by the Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission, will be installed in the Duck Creek
reservoir to enhance fisheries.
Water based recreation will be planned at the Duck Creek dam. This
will provide an estimated 9692 annual public recreational visits.
Based on cultural resource identification and evaluation efforts
there are no significant historic properties in the project area of
potential effect. Consultation has been completed with the Nebraska
State Historic Preservation Officer and the nine Indian tribal
governments who have indicated historic interests in the general area.
If cultural resources are discovered during construction,
appropriate notice will be made by NRCS to the State Historic
Preservation Officer, the National Park Service, and the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation. NRCS will take action as prescribed
in NRCS GM 420, Part 401, to protect or recover any significant
cultural resources discovered during construction.
No threatened or endangered species in the watershed will be
affected by the project.
No significant adverse environmental impacts will result from
installations except for minor inconveniences to local residents during
construction.
Alternatives
Three alternatives were analyzed in the plan.
Alternative 1: Without Project. The problem of flooding and
sedimentation requiring the Peru Drainage District to find another
location for a sediment catchment basin would persist. The regional
shortage of recreation would continue. The value of the Without Project
Alternative damages is estimated to be $50,806 annually.
Alternative 2: National Economic Development (NED) Plan. This
alternative, the selected alternative, consists of a floodwater
retarding dam on Buck Creek. This dam has 345 acre feet of sediment
storage and 1137 acre feet of floodwater storage. A multi-purpose
floodwater retarding and recreation dam will be located on Duck Creek.
This dam will have 379 acre feet of sediment storage, 321 acre feet of
recreation storage, and 1123 acre feet of floodwater storage.
Alternative 3: This alternative consists of two floodwater
retarding dams, one on Buck Creek and one on Duck Creek. The floodwater
retarding dam on Buck Creek would have 345 acre feet of sediment
storage and 1137 acre feet of floodwater storage. The floodwater
retarding dam on Duck Creek would have 379 acre feet of sediment
storage and 981 acre feet of floodwater storage.
Consultation-Public Participation
An application for assistance was submitted by the Nemaha Natural
Resources District on November 19, 1999. The request was a result of
local concern and interest in addressing flood protection,
sedimentation, fish and wildlife, and recreation.
A scoping meeting was held June 27, 2001 to assemble an
interdisciplinary team. The purpose of the interdisciplinary was to
review all interest and or concerns of the project area. Nebraska Game
and Parks Commission, Nebraska Department of Natural Resources,
Resource Conservation and Development, Nemaha Natural Resources
District, University of Nebraska, Cooperative Extension, local
residents and the Natural Resources Conservation Service were in
attendance.
Consultation was completed with the Nebraska State Historic
Preservation Officer and with the nine Indian tribal governments who
have identified historical interests in the watershed area.
The environmental assessment was transmitted to all participating
and interested agencies, groups, and individuals for review and comment
in January 2002. Public meetings were held throughout the planning
process to keep all interested parties informed of the study progress
and to obtain public input to the plan and environmental evaluation.
Agency consultation and public participation to date have shown no
unresolved conflicts with the implementation of the selected plan.
[[Page 52383]]
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
have determined that an environmental impact statement for the Buck and
Duck Creeks Watershed Plan is not required.
Dated: August 25, 2003.
Stephen K. Chick,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 03-22419 Filed 9-2-03; 8:45 am]
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