Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) is seeking public comment on its Avian Dissuasion at Lower Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel Dredged Material Placement Sites Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (DSEA).
This Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (DSEA) is a supplement to the original Environmental Assessment (EA) titled Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel Operations and Maintenance Dredging and Dredged Material Placement Network Update, River Miles 3 to 106.5, Washington and Oregon dated June 10, 2014. (USACE, 2014). This DSEA documents the potential effects of additional measures to deter colonial piscivorous waterbirds from nesting in areas designated for dredged material placement during continued Operations and Maintenance dredging of the 43foot (ft) deep Columbia River (CR) Federal Navigation Channel (FNC). These deterrence measures aim to reduce or prevent avian congregation, roosting, and nesting at upland dredged material placement sites while avoiding adverse effects to Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed Streaked Horned Larks (SHLA, Eremophila alpestris strigata) or Columbian White-tailed Deer (CWTD, Odocoileus virginianus leucurus).
USACE proposes to continue existing deterrence measures described in the 2014 EA and implement additional non-lethal deterrence measures). Dissuasion actions will only occur at locations identified for material placement during the current dredging season. Note: the proposed action does not include routine disturbance of active nests; egg or nest removal; or lethal control. USACE also proposes to update its use of best management practices (BMPs) to avoid and minimize adverse effects during dissuasion activities:
- Site Evaluation
• Confirm whether the site is within designated SHLA habitat or has documented SHLA or CWTD presence or has suitable SHLA habitat.
• Review historical survey data and critical habitat maps.
- Method Selection
• If no ESA-listed species are present, the full range of approved dissuasion tools may be used.
• If SHLA is present, only dissuasion methods included in the 2024 BiOp and known to avoid SHLA impacts (e.g., green lasers, human presence) would be used in occupied habitat areas, coordinating with USFWS as needed.
• If CWTD are present, only dissuasion methods known to avoid CWTD impacts would be used, though likelihood of presence is very low due to habitat preferences, coordinating with USFWS as needed.
- Spatial Adjustment
• If colonial piscivorous waterbirds relocate to areas away from SHLA habitat, additional dissuasion methods may be implemented in those areas where ESA-listed species are not present.
This adaptive, site-specific approach allows USACE to effectively deter colonial waterbird nesting while maintaining compliance with ESA requirements and minimizing effects to SHLA and CWTD.
Comment period: Corps is accepting comments on the DSEA for 15 days.
Comments must be submitted no later than January 23, 2026.
How to comment: Please include “Avian Dissuasion at Lower Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel Dredged Material Placement Sites DSEA” in the subject line. All comments received will become part of the administrative record and are subject to public release under the Freedom of Information Act including any personally identifiable information such as names, phone numbers, and addresses.
Questions or comments regarding the draft document should be directed to Mrs. Jess Hamilton, (541) 506-8317, jessica.t.hamilton@usace.army.mil at 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/Jess Hamilton
P.O. Box 2946, Portland, Oregon 97208-2946