Interim Operation of the VARQ Flood Control Plan at Hungry Horse Dam

Overview

The VARQ flood control plan is one of several actions recommended by NOAA Fisheries Service and USFWS in their biological opinions to improve river and reservoir conditions for several ESA-listed species in the Columbia River Basin including bull trout, Kootenai River sturgeon, and anadromous steelhead and trout. The VARQ plan reduces the amount of space required for flood control at Hungry Horse and Libby dams. The net result is a more normal spring flow regime that benefits listed species and increases the likelihood of full reservoirs and water supplies for summer flow needs.

An Environmental Impact Statement was completed in April 2006 on the proposed long-term VARQ operations at Hungry Horse and Libby Dams actions. The Corps of Engineers was the lead agency in the preparation of the document and Reclamation was a cooperating agency.

Reclamation will adopt and/or expand upon portions of the final EIS that apply to its actions and issue a Record of Decision (ROD) on the proposed implementation of VARQ flood operations at Hungry Horse dam. The Corps of Engineers will issue a ROD for the operations at Libby Dam. In the interim, Reclamation will continue to implement such operations as described in Reclamation’s March 2002 voluntary Environmental Assessment. Reclamation will issue the ROD following completion of NHPA Section 106 consultation and NEPA analysis and documentation.

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Environmental Assessment/FONSI & EIS

03/2002

Interim Operation of the VARQ Flood Control Plan at Hungry Horse Dam EA and FONSI PDF 1.10 mb

04/2006

Upper Columbia Alternative Flood Control and Fish Operations FEIS & Record of Decision (June 2008)