Corps seeks comments on draft Environmental Assessment for Post Office Lake habitat restoration

PORTLAND, ORE. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeks comments on a draft Environmental Assessment and a draft Finding of No Significant Impact for a habitat restoration project at Post Office Lake in Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Clark County, Wash.

The Corps and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are cooperating agencies in this proposed restoration, which is expected to restore tidal sloughs and riparian habitat by improving their connection to the Columbia River.

The restoration project at Post Office Lake offers an opportunity to reintroduce juvenile salmonids to an historic floodplain lake and backwater slough that is an isolated body of water. Currently there is very limited tidal connection and no fish access between Post Office Lake and the Columbia River. Restoration of habitat for juvenile salmonids migrating through the lower Columbia River and the estuary is an important component of the regional recovery plan. The lake has an existing levee system that is deteriorating and undergoing progressive breaching. The Corps will create a permanent opening of about 250 feet and create a swale that connects the lake to the Columbia River.

The draft EA and FONSI are available for public review and comment under the “Announcements” tab at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil.

Questions or comments regarding the draft EA should be directed to Barbara Cisneros, Environmental Resources Branch, telephone (503) 808-4784, via email at Barbara.G.Cisneros@usace.army.mil, or mailed to the address below. Mailed comments regarding this notice must be postmarked by Feb. 21, 2013 and sent to:

District Engineer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District
Attn: CENWP-PM-E/Barbara Cisneros
P.O. Box 2946
Portland, Oregon 97208-2946

Responses should refer to the public notice number CENWP-PM-E-13-01, and include the public notice title and date. The Corps will consider all comments received or postmarked by Feb. 21, 2013.