News Release
| Release Number: | 04-078 |
| Dated: | 4/26/2004 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service propose to complete an environmental restoration project on Crims Island, according to a public notice issued by the Corps today.
The project would benefit salmon, deer, waterfowl, and other species on Crims Island, located at river mile 57 on the Columbia River, near Clatskanie, Ore.
Long-term effects of the proposed project are beneficial to nearly all species present in the Crims Island area. Without this restoration, the productivity of habitat for fish and wildlife resources in this area will not attain its full potential, the public notice said.
The Corps and USFWS propose to restore 92 acres of native tidal emergent marsh, mudflat, and side channel habitats; restore tidal flow to 88 acres of forested swamp/freshwater marsh; and reestablish 115 acres of native riparian forest habitat on Crims Island. The work would be completed under the Corps' Section 536 authority.
The restoration of tidal flow to the 88 acres of forested swamp/freshwater marsh is contingent upon acquisition of the land by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Corps' environmental assessment, addressing the environmental effects of the proposed action, is now available for public review. To comment on, or to receive a copy of, this EA, write to: District Engineer, U.S. Army Engineer District - Portland, Attn: CENWP-PM-E (Dorsey), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946, or call Geoff Dorsey, Environmental Resources Branch, at (503) 808-4769. A copy is available on the Internet at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/pm/e/crims_draft.htm. Written comments should be mailed no later than May 25, 2004. Please refer to Corps ID number CENWP-PM-E-04-03 in any correspondence.
The construction actions, consisting of placing a plug and tidegate at the mouth of the channel to dewater the site, excavating two feet of surface material within the existing high tidal marsh footprint, and constructing tidal channels would result in short-term environmental effects, according to the public notice. These include precluding fisheries access during construction and lessened productivity for 2 to 3 years following construction while natural revegetation of the tidal marsh habitat occurs. The plug and tide gate would be removed upon construction completion, thus restoring tidal connection to the Columbia River. An additional channel connecting the tidal marsh restoration site to Bradbury Slough and the Columbia River also would be constructed.
The adjacent upland habitat, currently used for cattle pasture, would be used as a disposal site for material excavated from the tidal marsh. Once construction of the tidal marsh is completed, the upland area would be converted to native riparian forest habitat via planting and natural seeding, according to the public notice.
Improvements in tidal inundation and additional tidal channels are intended to promote better habitat conditions for juvenile salmonids and to improve transport of detritus (dead marsh vegetation) to the Columbia River.
Restoration of habitat for juvenile salmonids migrating through the lower Columbia River and estuary is an important component of regional recovery plans. The proposed project addresses numerous limiting factors and fish and wildlife needs identified in the 2001 Lower Columbia River and Columbia River Subbasin Summary. It is consistent with and will help achieve the Northwest Power Planning and Conservation Council's biological objectives outlined in their 2000 Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The proposed project addresses the 2000 Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives for listed salmonids and will aid in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's recovery efforts for the endangered Columbian white-tailed deer, according to the public notice.
The proposed project is in compliance with the Clean Water Act through public review under both Sections 404 and 401 and issuance of the 401 Water Quality Certification under Nationwide Permit #27 (Federal Register 67(10): 2082-2083) and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality letter dated Aug. 16, 2002.