[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 230 (Thursday, November 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61523-61525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29242]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Lake Carlinville Watershed, Macoupin County, Illinois; Notice of
a Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations
(40 CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service
Regulations (7 CFR part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice that an
environmental impact statement is not being prepared for the Lake
Carlinville Watershed, Macoupin County, Illinois.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas Christensen, State Conservationist, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, 1902 Fox Drive, Champaign, IL 61820, 217/398-
5267.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental assessment of this
federally assisted action indicates that the project will not cause
significant local, regional, or national impacts on the environment. As
a result of these findings, Thomas Christensen, State Conservationist,
has determined that the preparation and review of an environmental
impact statement are not needed for this project.
[[Page 61524]]
The project purpose is to improve water quality by trapping
sediment and nonorganic materials. The element included in this plan is
one sediment retention structure.
The notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been
forwarded to the Environmental Protection Agency and to various
federal, state and local agencies and interested parties. A limited
number of copies of the FONSI are available to fill single copy
requests at the above address. Basic data developed during the
environmental assessment are on file and may be reviewed by contacting
Thomas W. Christensen.
No administrative action on implementation of the proposal will be
taken until 30 days after the date of this publication in the Federal
Register.
(This activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance under No. 10.904--Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention and is subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372
which requires intergovernmental consultation with state and local
officials.)
Thomas W. Christensen,
State Conservationist.
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for Lake Carlinville
Watershed, Macoupin County, Illinois
Introduction
The Lake Carlinville Watershed is a federally assisted action
authorized for planning under Public Law 83-566, the Watershed
Protection and Flood Prevention Act. An environmental assessment was
undertaken in conjunction with the development of a watershed plan.
This assessment was conducted in consultation with local, state, and
federal agencies as well as interested organizations and individuals.
Data developed during the assessment are available for public review at
the following location: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural
Resources Conservation Service, 1902 Fox Drive, Champaign, Illinois
61820, 217-398-5267.
Recommended Action
Proposed is the installation of one sediment retention structure
that controls 95 percent of the land draining into Lake Carlinville.
This structure will have a significant impact on reducing sediment
entering the lake. It will also reduce non-organic pollutants that
enter the lake, such as nutrients being carried by the sediment. A
straight gabion weir will be installed across the upper end of the
lake. The structure will be built approximately seven feet higher than
the existing Lake Carlinville water surface.
High storm flows will flow over the weir three or more times per
year. Lower storm flows and base flows will be directed through a low
flow pipe on the north end of the structure. A stop log depth control
device will be installed on the front of the pipe to allow the city to
control the water elevation above the weir.
Costs: Total project costs are $554,600. Average annual costs are
$56,300, which includes $12,200 for operation and maintenance.
Project Cost
[Dollars in 1995]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PL 566
Project investment funds Other funds Total funds
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Construction..................... $203,000 $203,000 $406,000
Engineering Service.............. 64,000 0 64,000
Project Administration........... 29,000 9,600 38,600
Land Rights...................... 0 46,000 46,000
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Total...................... 296,000 258,600 554,600
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Benefits: The estimated benefits for this alternative are $75,300
annually. These benefits are derived from maintaining the value of
recreation activities associated with Lake Carlinville, extending the
life of dredging activities,and reducing water treatment costs. The
lake's fishery will improve, while the loss of habitat and fishing
access due to sedimentation will be reduced. The decrease in turbidity
will cause an increase in growth and numbers of fish. Fish populations
will be easier to manage (less problems with reproduction). The
improvement in the lake's fishery will increase the recreational use
and value of the lake.
Effects: The retention structure will control a drainage area of
23.7 square miles or 95 percent of the watershed drainage area.
Sedimentation deposited in the lake will be reduced from 15,300 tons to
3,000 tons annually, or 80 percent. This alternative significantly
reduces the sediment and nutrients that would be delivered to the lake.
The Trophic State index will be reduced from 70 to 59. This gives the
lake a good chance to improve its transparency.
This alternative addresses resource concerns by improving
recreational values, improving water quality, improving sports fishery
populations, significantly reducing loss of fish habitat, and improving
visual quality. This alternative would preserve fish habitat which
would otherwise be lost throughout the 50 year life of the project.
Where tributaries empty into the lake, wetlands have formed on
sediment. The mud flats are vegetated with reed canary grass, cattails,
and willows. Slightly higher areas are vegetated with trees, which are
mostly green ash and silver maple. Less than one acre of shallow lake
will be displaced by the sediment basin structure.
An estimated 32 acres of shallow lake and marsh will fill with
sediment over the life of the basin (50 years), and become vegetated
with emergent wetland plants and willows or silver maple and green ash
trees. Wetland hydrology will remain after the basin is full of
sediment.
Approximately 51 acres of wet meadow and woody vegetation (willow,
silver maple, and box elder) growing on mud flats will continue to grow
upon sediment as the basin fills. The extent of this vegetation type
will expand into areas that are now open water and marsh as the basin
fills with sediment.
Approximately 53 acres of cropland, hayland, and mixed hardwoods
(early successional), will make a transition into wooded wetland. The
temporary inundation of these areas, due to the basin structure, is
expected to average 6 to 10 days in duration 2 to 3 times during the
growing season. This type of inundation will cause the slow transition
of this area to species that can tolerate wetter conditions.
As the sediment retention structure fills, the base water level
(water table)
[[Page 61525]]
can be raised to maintain wetland hydrology in the basin. When the
basin has filled with sediment, larger trees will become established on
most of the 136 acres that are now in grass, trees, crops or open
water.
The long term effect on wetlands is not significant. During
construction and during the period of time that the basin is filling,
there will not be a significant adverse impact on wetlands. Some areas
will gradually shift from one wetland vegetation type to another. Also
over time some areas that are now upland mixed hardwoods will change to
wooded wetlands. This will have the positive effect of adding diversity
to the area. The ability to control the draw down, duration, and
timing, offered by the water control feature in the structure will
enable some management of water levels for optimum use by waterfowl and
other wetland species. It will also facilitate management of problem
plant species.
No threatened and endangered species habitat will be affected.
Mitigation Features: Contractors will be required to comply with
local, state, and federal environmental protection standards, and to
take measures to control sediment and erosion related to construction.
Negative environmental impacts have been avoided or minimized to
the point that they are not significant. Two acres of upland woods will
be cleared to build this project. One acre will be needed for the
construction site and the second acre will be cleared during the
building of the access road to the site. This loss will be mitigated by
the replanting of the construction site to trees after construction is
complete. The second acre will be mitigated by planting one acre of
pasture or cropland that is within the basin to hardwoods.
Alternatives
The planned action is the most practical means of reducing the
sedimentation to Lake Carlinville. Since no significant adverse
environmental impacts will result from the installation of the
measures, the no-project alternative was the only other alternative
considered.
Consultation and Public Participation
On January 1990, the Macoupin County Soil and Water Conservation
District received a request from the City of Carlinville for assistance
in developing a resource plan for Lake Carlinville and its watershed.
To initiate such a plan, the Soil and Water Conservation District
appointed a committee of concerned citizens to help provide guidance
during the planning process. The planning committee met on April 24,
1990 and developed a list of resource concerns for the watershed. These
included:
1. Future water supply
2. Soil erosion
3. Water quality of the lake
4. Impact of above on lake use and recreation facilities
The planning committee appointed a technical advisory committee to
inventory and evaluate the identified resource concerns in the
watershed. Agencies represented on the technical advisory committee
include:
--Illinois Department of Natural Resources
--Macoupin Soil and Water Conservation District
--Natural Resources Conservation Service
--U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
--Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Soil Conservation
The technical advisory committee provided their reports to the
planning committee and a resource plan was developed and presented to
the planning committee in May of 1990. At this time, the planning
committee selected the sediment retention structure to be included in
the plan of work.
A resource plan was completed in August, 1990 and reviewed with the
planning committee.
In July, 1990, a pre-authorization planning meeting was held with
key individuals from NRCS. At this time, various activities were
identified with a timetable for completion. In July, 1990, a standard
form application was completed for federal assistance.
The plan of work was completed in October, 1993. This plan of work
was prepared to show time, cost and schedules to complete the watershed
work plan through to authorization for installation.
It is the opinion of the planning committee that there is evidence
of ample need and overall interest in this project.
On June 22, 1994 an inter-agency meeting was held to discuss
environmental concerns with IDNR, USFWS, IEPA, USDA/FS, Macoupin County
SWCD, and the field area, and state office staff of the NRCS.
The committee sponsored an informational public meeting on June 22,
1994 to review project plans for a sediment basin in the upper end of
the lake.
The planning committee continues to meet monthly.
Conclusion
The Environmental Assessment summarized above indicates that this
Federal action will not cause significant local, regional, or national
impacts on the environment. Therefore, based on the above findings, I
have determined that an environmental impact statement for the Lake
Carlinville Watershed Plan is not required.
Thomas W. Christensen,
State Conservationist.
Dated: November 21, 1995.
[FR Doc. 95-29242 Filed 11-29-95; 8:45 am]
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