[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 219 (Monday, November 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61859-61861]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29731]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report
for the Santa Rosa Ecosystem Restoration Project, City of Santa Rosa,
Sonoma County, CA
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: Santa Rosa Creek watershed encompasses approximately 78.6
square miles in Sonoma County, California, and includes most of the
City of Santa Rosa. The area of interest includes the approximately 6.5
miles of the Creek from Railroad Street to Laguna de Santa Rosa, which
is proposed for restoration. The project also includes construction of
a fish passageway along a 1,400-foot portion of Matanzas Creek in
downtown Santa Rosa. The Corps has determined that the proposed action
may have significant effect on the quality of the human environment. To
comply with the requirements of Section 102(2)(c) of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and Environmental Quality
regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA). The Corps of Engineers (Corps) is required to
prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact
Report (EIS/EIR) with the City of Santa Rosa, County of Sonoma, and
with Sonoma County Water Agency. The Corps will also prepare a
Feasibility Study report.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about the
project and the alternatives, contact Ms. Elizabeth Dyer of the Plan
Formulation Section, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco
District, 333 Market Street, 717H, CESPN-ET-PF, San Francisco, CA
94105-2197. Phone number (415) 977-8676, Fax: 415-977-8695, Email:
edyer@spd.usace.army.mil. Written comments and questions regarding the
scoping process or preparation of the EIS/EIR may be directed to Roger
Fernwood, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, 333
Market Street, 717V, CESPN-ET-PP, San Francisco, CA 94105-2197, (415)
977-8544, Fax: 415-977-8695, Email: rfernwood@spd.usace.army.mil. Mr.
Roger Golden is the Project Manager, and can be contacted at U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, 333 Market Street, 822D,
CESPN-PM, San Francisco, CA 9405-2197, (415) 977-8703, Fax: 415-977-
8431, Email: rgolden@spd.usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Authority
Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) of 1969 as implemented by the Council on Environmental
Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Corps, City of Santa Rosa, County
of Sonoma, and the Sonoma County Water Agency hereby give notice of
intent to prepare a joint (EIS/EIR) for the Santa Rosa Creek Ecosystem
Restoration Project, Santa Rosa California.
2. Comments/Scoping Meeting
Interested parties are requested to express their views concerning
the proposed activity. The public is encouraged to provide written
comments in addition to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the scoping
meeting. To be most helpful, scoping comments should clearly describe
specific environmental topics or issues that the commentator believes
the document should address. Oral and written comments receive equal
consideration. Please address all correspondence, including requests
for additional information, to the District Engineer, USAED San
Francisco, 333 Market Street, San Francisco, California 94105-2197. A
scoping meeting will be held Wednesday, December 8, 1999 at 7:00 p.m.
for all interested parties. The meeting will be held in Elsie Allen
High School Performing Arts Center, aka The Theater, 599 Bellevue Road,
Santa Rosa, California.
3. Availability of EIS/EIR
The EIS/EIR should be available for public review in the winter of
2002.
[[Page 61860]]
4. Agencies Supporting Project
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, City of Santa Rosa, County of
Sonoma, and the Sonoma County Water Agency will be the lead agencies in
preparing the combined EIS/EIR. The EIS/EIR will provide an analysis
supporting both requirements of NEPA and CEQA in addressing impacts
that may result from implementation of the channel widening measures.
5. Purpose and Need for Action
The focus will be on restoring Santa Rosa Creek by returning the
channelized creek reaches to more natural geomorphic and ecological
form and function and improving water quality, while maintaining
existing levels of flood protection. The restoration may benefit
steelhead, a listed threatened species, and other aquatic life. The
project will be consistent with the Santa Rosa Creek Master Plan which
on September 21, 1993 by the City of Santa Rosa, the County of Sonoma,
and the Sonoma County Water Agency.
6. Study Area Description
In the City of Santa Rosa Master Plan, the 12.8 mile-long project
has been divided into seven reaches, distinguished by vegetation,
hydrology, adjacent land use, ownership, channel morphology, and
access. Reaches A and B, which are between Highway 12 near Los Alamos
Road and E Street, are characterized as natural channel. The vegetation
represents a mature, native riparian community. This area is in private
property ownership with limited access. Commercial, residential, and
undeveloped land uses are located adjacent to the creek. Reaches C, D
and E, are between E Street and Piner Creek west of Fulton Road. They
are characterized by a relatively steep; trapezoidal shaped channel
with grouted rock in Reach C and riprap in Reaches D and E. There is
very little riparian vegetation. The Sonoma County Water Agency owns
the two maintenance roads on either side. Adjacent land use is
commercial, residential, and industrial. The Rural Reaches F and G are
between Piner Creek and Laguna de Santa Rosa. A wider and shallower
channel with more sediment bars characterizes them, less rip rap (none
in Reach G) and some riparian vegetation. There are levees in Reach F
and maintenance roads along both sides of the creek in both reaches.
The adjacent land use is agriculture and floodplain. The boundaries of
the proposed restoration project include part of Reach C (Pierson
Street to Dutten Street) and all of Reach D through Reach G. No action
is proposed for Reaches A or B except a proposed fish passageway
enhancement project, which would be located on Matanzas Creek in the
area generally located between Reach B and Reach C.
7. Project Alternatives
Alternatives associated with the Santa Rosa Creek Ecosystem
Restoration Project are No-Action and several Action Alternatives. The
selected alternatives will be implemented in the project area. It is
assumed that the City of Santa Rosa will continue to participate in the
National Flood Insurance Program. It is expected that flooding will
continue at the same frequency and intensity as it has in the past in
areas around Santa Rosa Creek. Habitat values would remain the same.
The Action alternatives are to restore habitat and to improve water
quality by implementing one or more of the following measures in the
various reaches of the Creek.
Measure 1: Enlarge channel capacity by removing existing grouted
riprap, replacing the southern bank with a steeper engineered wall
system which will allow for vegetative growth, and by stepping the
north bank with a series of retaining walls which will allow for
multiple use, pedestrian and maintenance paths. A soft naturalized
creek bottom will be vegetated with native riparian grasses, sedges and
shrubs. This restoration measure is proposed for sections of creek
between Santa Rosa Avenue and Pierson Street.
Measure 2: Enlarge the channel capacity by removing the existing
rip rap, laying back the southern bank to a more stable angle, and
terracing the northern bank to allow for path installation. The newly
constructed channel will be vegetated using native riparian species.
The creek bottom will provide a soft meandering low flow channel, which
will be shaded and will feature rocks and anchored logs for fish
habitat. This restoration measure is proposed for sections of creek
between Pierson Street and Piner Creek.
Measure 3: Enlarge channel capacity and expand the existing cross
sectional area of the creek by removing existing rip rap, laying back
one bank, and excavating the other bank to create vegetated terraces on
which paths would be placed. The entire creek channel will be
revegetated with native riparian plant materials. This restoration
measure is proposed for limited sections of creek between Stony Point
Road and Piner Creek.
Measure 4: Increase the channel width by relocating one or both
levees away from the creek a total of not more than 100 feet. The creek
channel would be re-contoured to create a naturalized meander pattern
with riparian plantings throughout. This restoration measure is
proposed for sections of creek between Piner Creek and Willowside Road.
Measure 5: The area of riparian vegetation would be expanded by 100
feet or less between Willowside Road and Laguna de Santa Rosa to
enhance the riparian vegetation and to allow the development of a
meandering low flow channel.
In Measures 1 through 5 above, rocks would be placed in the creek
to create pools, riffles, runs and define low flow channel. In
addition, anchored logs with root wad exposed to the creek will be
installed. These features will enhance the structural diversity of the
channel bottom and improve fish habitat.
Measure 6: Restore salmonid spawning access to Matanzas Creek by
raising water levels and decreasing velocities throughout the 1,400
linear-foot Matanzas Creek flood control project. The proposed fish way
consists of installing inflatable bladders across the bottom of the
culvert to create a series of small dams inside the culvert. A trench
will be excavated into the splash apron on the downstream side of the
culvert to allow access to the fish way. Fish will pass the inflated
bladders by swimming or leaping over them and then continue upstream
out of the culvert and into Matanzas Creek.
8. Study Process
The Feasibility Study will identify and evaluate measures to
restore the creek ecosystem as follows:
Define Existing Conditions and Formulate Alternatives
The future without-project conditions in the study area will be
projected. Input will be sought from resource agencies.
Alternative Development
Preliminary alternatives will be developed using hydraulic
modeling, economics, and cost analysis.
Detailed Evaluation
Preliminary alternatives will be screened to final alternatives for
impact analysis. A draft Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report
including a Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP) will be prepared to help
provide the basis for identifying the most cost-effective alternative
acceptable to the agencies and community.
Draft Report Preparation
The draft Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement/
Report
[[Page 61861]]
(DEIS/R) will analyze all reasonable impacts and mitigation, as well as
alternatives, and evaluate compliance with federal and state
environmental requirements. A formal public review and comment period
will be started.
Final Report Preparation
The last phase of the study includes preparing the final
Feasibility Report recommending a preferred alternative and completing
the final EIS/R, which will respond to all comments on the draft EIS/R
9. Other Environmental Review and Consultation Requirements
The focus of the DEIS/R will be on the restoration of the natural
conditions and the construction of a fish passageway. The local
sponsors will use the DEIS/R to meet their responsibilities under the
California Environmental Quality Act. It may also be used by the North
Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board to meet its source of Clean
Water Act Section 404 (b) 1 guidelines and responsibilities under the
Porter-Cologn Act. Other reviews which the DEIS/R will be used for an
information source include the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act and
Endangered Species Act Consultation.
10. DEIS/R Availability
The DEIS/R will be available to the public in summer 2001.
Peter T. Grass,
LTC, EN Commanding.
[FR Doc. 99-29731 Filed 11-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-09-U
