News Release
| Release Number: | 04-002 |
| Dated: | 1/5/2004 |
| Contact: | Public Affairs Office, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application to create a pond adjacent to the Nehalem River in Columbia County, Ore., for emergency water supply for the Mist-Birkenfeld Rural Fire District.
The proposed project would create a dependable year-round emergency water supply for the district’s 110-square-mile service area.
The proposed project would require the construction of a dam on a farmed wetland pasture that has shallow seasonal intermittent flow. The structure would be 7.4 feet high with a top-width of 12 feet. The structure would store about 11.1 acre-feet of water. Total fill within the farmed wetland would be 32,624 cubic yards, resulting in .15 acre of impact to waters of the United States.
As part of its permit evaluation process, the Corps is requesting public review and comment on the proposed project prior to making its permit decision.
For a copy of the Corps’ Public Notice 2003-00458, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP (John Barco), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946 or call (503) 808-4385. A copy of the public notice, including photocopies of supporting drawings, is posted on the Corps’ Internet site at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/notices/200300458.pdf.
Written comments must reach the Corps by Jan. 31, 2004, and should be mailed to the above address. Send e-mail comments to John.W.Barco@usace.army.mil. Comments must reference the public notice number.
The Corps also is soliciting input from federal, state and local agencies and officials, Indian Tribes, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity on endangered species, cultural resources, water quality, general environmental effects and other public interest factors.
The Corps will evaluate the permit request under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States.
A permit will not be issued until the state has concurred that the proposed project complies with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
Preliminary determinations indicate that the described activity will not affect endangered species, or their critical habitat designated as endangered or threatened, under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
The proposed project is not located on property registered in the latest version of the National Register of Historic Places. This notice has been provided to the State Historic Preservation Office.