News Release
| Release Number: | 01-157 |
| Dated: | 12/6/2001 |
| Contact: | Heidi Y. Helwig, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), which is seeking authorization to rehabilitate Fourth Creek and Tarheel Creek dams near Coos Bay, Ore.
The proposed work is needed to meet current dam safety standards and to allow the Coquille Indian Tribe to carry out their plans to diversify their economy with an expanded irrigation project.
BIA proposes to remove about 10,900 cubic yards of material from Tarheel Creek Dam's existing embankment and 3 feet of foundation; the same amount of material would be removed for Fourth Creek Dam's rehabilitation. The material from both would be temporarily stockpiled on an upland site.
At each dam site, a new dam would be constructed in about the same location, with the upstream toe of the dams extending slightly out into the reservoirs. The downstream edges would extend about 13 feet beyond the existing structures. At Tarheel Creek Dam, about 9.5 acres of emergent wetlands would be converted to ponded wetlands when the new reservoir is filled. At Fourth Creek Dam, about 0.14 acres of wetlands would be filled.
The rehabilitation of the dams would include adding anchored sheet piles, constructing new concrete chute spillways and, at Tarheel Creek Dam, installing a 12-inch polyethylene pipe at the outlet works for the dam.
As part of its permit evaluation process, the Corps is requesting public review and comment on the proposed project prior to making its permitting decision for the work.
For a copy of the Corps' Public Notice 2000-01007, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946. A copy of the public notice is posted on the Corps' Internet site at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/notices/200001007.pdf. Photocopies of drawings supporting the proposed project are included in the public notice.
Written comments must reach the Corps by Dec. 13, 2001, and should be mailed to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CENWP-OP-GP (Ron Marg), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, Ore., 97208-2946. Send e-mail comments to ron.e.marg@usace.army.mil.
The Corps also is soliciting input from federal, state and local agencies and officials, Indian Tribes, and other interested parties to help permit reviewers consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed project on endangered species, historic properties, 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. Also, because the proposed work may affect an endangered or threatened species or its critical habitat, the applicant will initiate consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service. A permit will not be issued or denied until the consultation process is completed. The applicant also has initiated consultation under section 305 of the Magnusen-Stevens Act, which addresses impacts to essential fish habitat.