Great Plains Region

Lower Yellowstone Project

The Lower Yellowstone Project (Project) was authorized by the Secretary of the Interior on May 10, 1904. The Project was designed to provide a dependable supply of irrigation water to support approximately 54,000 acres of land located on the west side of the Yellowstone River. Approximately two-thirds of the irrigated lands are in Montana with the remaining lands located in North Dakota.

Construction of the Project began in 1905, which included Intake Diversion Dam (also known as Yellowstone River Diversion Dam) – a wood and stone diversion dam that spans the Yellowstone River and is submerged under water year-round. The Intake Diversion Dam is located approximately 70 miles upstream from the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers near Glendive, Montana.

The Project consists of four districts:

• Lower Yellowstone #1
• Lower Yellowstone #2
• Intake
• Savage

There are three pumping plants within the Project: one at Thomas Point on the main canal, one at Crane on the main canal, and one on Drain 27. These pumps provide water to bench lands located above the main canal that cannot be serviced by gravity feed. These pumps are associated with the Intake and Savage Irrigation Districts.

Pallid Sturgeon Passage and Entrainment Project

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the pallid sturgeon as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1990. The best available science suggests that Intake Diversion Dam impedes upstream migration of pallid sturgeon and their access to potential spawning and larval drift habitat. The Lower Yellowstone River is considered to be one of the best opportunities for recovery of pallid sturgeon.

Section 7(a)(2) requires each Federal agency to consult on any action authorized, funded or carried out by the agency to ensure it does not jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species. Reclamation has been in formal consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service to identify potential conservation measures to minimize adverse effects to pallid sturgeon associated with the continued operation of the Project. The Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Plan identifies providing passage at Intake Diversion Dam to protect and restore pallid sturgeon populations. By providing passage at Intake Diversion Dam, approximately 165 river miles of potential spawning and larval drift habitat would become accessible in the Yellowstone River.

Section 3109 of the 2007 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) authorizes the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to assist Reclamation with funding from the Missouri River Recovery and Mitigation Program for the design and construction of Reclamation's Lower Yellowstone Project at Intake, Montana for the purposes of ecosystem restoration. Planning and construction of the project is a Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA) for the Corps in the 2003 Missouri River Amended Biological Opinion as amended by letter exchanged in 2009, 2010, and 2013.

In 2010, Reclamation and the Corps authorized the construction of a rock ramp and new screened headworks with the completion of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact. The construction of the new headworks is complete and began operation during the 2012 irrigation season. During the final design of the rock ramp important new information on the design, constructability and sustainability of the proposed rock ramp surfaced along with new information regarding pallid sturgeon movement which led to a reevaluation of fish passage options.

In 2013, the Corps and Reclamation conducted a planning effort to examine new and previously considered alternatives. Following this effort, the Corps and Reclamation identified the bypass channel for detailed analysis which included a constraint related to Reclamation's obligation to deliver water necessary to continue viable and effective operation of the irrigation project. A Supplemental Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact selecting the bypass channel were completed in April of 2015. In response to concerns about the selected bypass channel alternative, the Corps and Reclamation are proposing to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

Current Public Involvement – National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process

2016 Environmental Impact Statement

Record of Decision – Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project

• Press Release
• Record of Decision
• Defenders of Wildlife Petition – November 2nd, 2016
• Defenders of Wildlife Petition – July 8th, 2016

Final Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project EIS

• Notice of Availability of Final EIS (October 21, 2016) – PDF and Federal Register Notice
• Press Release – Final Lower Yellowstone EIS
• Executive Summary/Chapter 1 – 5*
• Appendix A – Engineering
• Appendix B – Cost Engineering
• Appendix C – Section 404(b)(1)
• Appendix D – FPCI/CEICA
• Appendix E – Monitoring and Adaptive Management
• Appendix F – Public Involvement*
• Appendix G – Actions to Minimize Effects
• Appendix H – Cultural Resources
• Appendix I – IEPR Documentation

Note: Files with an * were updated on October 20, 2016.

June 28^th – 30^th Public Meetings Materials

• Presentation Slides
• Alternative Posters
• NEPA and Alternative Handouts
• Public Comment Form
• Sidney June 28^th Public Meeting – Transcript
• Glendive June 29^th Public Meeting – Transcript
• Billings June 30^th Public Meeting – Transcript

Draft Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project EIS Addendum

• Addendum to Draft Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project EIS

Draft Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project EIS

• Notice of Availability of Draft EIS (June 3, 2016) – PDF and Federal Register Notice
• Notice of Additional Public Meeting (June 14, 2016) – PDF and Federal Register Notice
• Executive Summary/Chapters 1-5 (20.48MB)
• Appendix A – Engineering (39.6MB)
• Appendix B – Cost Engineering (18.9MB)
• Appendix C – Section 404(b)(1) (3.82MB)
• Appendix D – FPCI/CEICA (1.46MB)
• Appendix E – Adaptive Management (3.70MB)
• Appendix F – Correspondence (1.79MB)

Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project – Peer Review Plan

• Peer Review Plan for the Lower Yellowstone Project - Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project
• Final Independent External Peer Review Report – Lower Yellowstone EIS
• Addendum to the Final Independent External Peer Review Report – Lower Yellowstone EIS
• Comment Response Record for the Independent External Peer Review of the Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project, Montana Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project – Public Scoping

• Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage Project, Montana - Environmental Impact Statement Final Scoping Summary Report
• Notice of Intent PDF file and Federal Register Link to Notice of Intent
• Press Release
• Public Scoping Posters (14.32MB)
• Alternatives Handout
• NEPA Handout

Previous Public Involvement – National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process

2015 – Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

Final Supplement to the 2010 Final Environmental Assessment

• Final Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
• Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment (3.91MB)
• Appendix A.1 – Plan Formulation (2.09MB)
• Appendix A.2 – Engineering (101.58MB)
• Appendix C – List of Federally Listed Species and State Species of Concern
• Appendix D – Biological Assessment for Operations of the LYIP
• Appendix E – Cost Effectiveness Incremental Cost Analysis (2.81MB)
• Appendix F – Species Common and Scientific Names
• Appendix G – National Historic Preservation Act Consultation (1.07MB)
• Appendix H – Indian Trust Assets
• Appendix I – Actions to Minimize Affects
• Appendix J – Adaptive Management Plan
• Appendix K – Waters of the U.S. Delineation Report (1.22MB)
• Appendix L – Public Comment Disposition
• Appendix M – Clean Water Act Compliance
• Appendix N – Flood Plain Management
• Appendix O – Fish and Wildlife Service Memo (10.40MB)

Draft Supplement to the 2010 Final Environmental Assessment

• Draft Supplemental EA (3.38MB)
• Appendix A.1 – Plan Formulation (2.13MB)
• Appendix A.2 – Engineering (27.57MB)
• Appendix C – List of Federally Listed Species and State Species of Special Concern
• Appendix D – Biological Assessment for Operations
• Appendix E – Cost Effectiveness Incremental Cost Analysis
• Appendix F – Species Common and Scientific Names
• Appendix G – National Historic Preservation Act Consultation
• Appendix H – Indian Trust Assets
• Appendix I – Actions to Minimize Effects
• Appendix J – Adaptive Management Plan
• Appendix K – Waters of the U.S. Delineation Report (1.29MB)
• Appendix L – Comment Disposition
• Draft Supplemental EA and Appendices (36.34MB)

Public Meetings

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• Alternatives (2.94MB)

2010 – Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

• Final Finding of No Significant Impact
• Final Environmental Assessment
  • Executive Summary (24.70MB)
  • Final EA (9.09MB)
  • Appendixes (15.37MB)
  • Supporting Reports

Reclamation and the Corps Planning and Design Reports

• 2014 – Lower Yellowstone River Intake Diversion Dam Fish Bypass Physical Model Report (3.39MB)
• 2013 – Lower Yellowstone Fish Passage Alternatives Planning Study (2.81MB)
• 2011 – Physical Hydraulic Model Study of the Lower Yellowstone Diversion Dam Rock Ramp (10.3MB)
• 2005 – Lower Yellowstone Fish Passage Alternatives Value Planning Study (38.8MB)
• 2004 – Intake Diversion Dam Fish Protection and Passage Concept Study Report II (28.52MB)
• 2002 – Value Engineering – Intake Diversion Dam Fish Protection and Passage Concept Design (26.38MB)
• 2002 – Lower Yellowstone River Intake Dam Fish Passage Alternatives Analysis (19.04MB)
• 2000 – Intake Diversion Dam Fish Protection and Passage Concept Study Report I (3.10MB)

Reclamation Endangered Species Act Consultation

• 2015 Biological Opinion (35.85MB)
• 2015 Amended Biological Assessment (3.45MB)
• 2015 Adaptive Management Plan
• 2014 Biological Assessment (3.47MB)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Design Criteria (1.73MB)

Reclamation Pallid Sturgeon Monitoring

• 1999 – Fish Entrainment at the Lower Yellowstone Diversion Dam, Intake Canal, Montana (5.01MB)
• 1996 – Habitats and Movements of Pallid and Shovelnose Sturgeon (6.76MB)

Intake Diversion Dam Modification Project History Reports

• Project History Reports (November 1993 – 2009)