PUBLIC NOTICE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Adult Fish Release Site Improvements Project, Lane, Linn, and Marion counties, Oregon
CENWP-PM-E-13-08
30-Day Notice
Issue Date: June 21, 2013
Expiration Date: July 20, 2013
Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, and U.S. Forest Service, Willamette National Forest have issued a draft Environmental Assessment addressing the impacts associated with the proposal to improve adult fish release sites on lands managed by the WNF in Lane, Linn, and Marion counties of Oregon. The Corps is the lead federal agency and the WNF is a cooperating agency for the purposes of satisfying the National Environmental Policy Act and jointly prepared the draft EA in compliance with NEPA and other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations.
The purpose of the proposed Adult Fish Release Site Improvements is to improve the truck access to and provide site modifications at seven release sites in the upper tributaries of the Willamette River. This proposed action is required by Reasonable and Prudent Alternative, measure 4.7, from the 2008 National Marine Fisheries Service biological opinion on the operation and maintenance of the Corps Willamette Basin Projects. The objective of the fish transporting is to provide adult salmonids access to the habitat above the dams to complete their life cycle, including spawning, as well as for nutrient cycling and production of forage fish for bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus). The current method for “unloading” the fish from the transport trucks varies by site but is often limited by terrain and poor access to desirable pools in the rivers/streams. This results in excessive and rough handling of the fish during the release process increasing the physiological stress on the fish. As a result, mortality rates are elevated, spawning success is reduced. The Corps and ODFW requested that the WNF assist them in the program by allowing access to release sites on the WNF and to make them more “fish friendly” and providing access to other desirable release sites while minimizing or avoiding potential adverse site impacts created by the truck transport and release operations.
Fish release site improvements would include:
- installing 2’x2’x4’ concrete blocks for pipe stands,
- installing fish delivery pipes,
- cutting and/or pruning small trees and shrubs for fish truck access,
- adding surface aggregate on access roads, and
- replacing or installing gates.
An existing eroded asphalt ramp would be replaced with precast concrete panels at one location. The total area of fish release site improvements is approximately one acre for all seven sites. The release sites are located on the Breitenbush, North Santiam, South Santiam, South Fork McKenzie, North Fork Middle Fork Willamette Rivers and Fall Creek.
The Corps and WNF prepared the draft EA in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality’s NEPA regulations [Federal Register 40 CFR 1508.9(a)]. The Corps and WNF will consider all comments on the assessment received by the Public Notice expiration date and make a determination of the significance of impacts resulting from the proposed action.
Environmental Document:
The draft Environmental Assessment for the proposed activity is available for public review and comment on the Corps’ website, at: http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Media/Announcements.aspx
The WNF also issued a separate public notice for this project in local newspapers.
Endangered Species Act:
The Corps of Engineers has completed section 7 consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service that the proposed Gold Creek fish release site is consistent with “” programmatic biological opinion; email confirmation was received from NMFS on June 20, 2013. The WNF determined that the minimal potential impacts to terrestrial habitat are within the level of impact consulted on for the WNF FY 2013 habitat modification programmatic Biological Opinion addressing effects to ESA-listed species under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Corps of Engineers has completed section 7 consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service that the proposed Gold Creek fish release site is consistent with “” programmatic biological opinion; email confirmation was received from NMFS on June 20, 2013. The WNF determined that the minimal potential impacts to terrestrial habitat are within the level of impact consulted on for the WNF FY 2013 habitat modification programmatic Biological Opinion addressing effects to ESA-listed species under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
State Water Quality Certification:
Pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, the proposed improvements of the Gold Creek site are consistent with NWP 36. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued its State Water Quality Certification (401 WQC) for the 2012 NWPs on April 9, 2012.
Pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, the proposed improvements of the Gold Creek site are consistent with NWP 36. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued its State Water Quality Certification (401 WQC) for the 2012 NWPs on April 9, 2012.
All General and Region Conditions associated with NWP 36 and 401 WQC general conditions will be followed.
Additional Information and Comments:
Questions or comments regarding the draft EA should be directed to:
Gregory Smith, 503-808-4783, or by email: Gregory.M.Smith@usace.army.mil, or to the address below. Mailed comments must be postmarked by the above closing date and sent to:
District Engineer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineer District, Portland
Attn: CENWP-PM-E / Greg Smith
P.O. Box 2946
Portland, OR 97208-2946
In your response, please refer to the above public notice number, title, and date.
A “no comment” response will be assumed if no response is received prior to or postmarked by the above expiration date.