[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 181 (Thursday, September 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49027-49028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24831]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Prineville Reservoir Reallocation, Crooked River Project; Oregon
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation) proposes to conduct a study to identify alternatives to
the current allocation of space in Prineville Reservoir and to evaluate
the alternatives, including no action, in an environmental impact
statement (EIS).
ADDRESSES: Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional Office,
1150 N Curtis Road, Boise, ID 83706-1234.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For information on the study contact David Bradley, Activity Manager,
telephone (208) 378-5084. For information regarding the NEPA process
contact Lola Sept, Environmental Specialist, telephone (208) 378-5032.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Prineville Reservoir, a feature of
Reclamation's Crooked River Project, is located on the Crooked River, a
tributary of the Deschutes and Columbia Rivers in Oregon. The reservoir
was created by the construction of Arthur R. Bowman Dam (Bowman Dam)
which was completed in 1961. It is located about 20 miles southeast of
the city of Prineville, near the geographic center of the State of
Oregon.
As the project is now authorized, all of the active capacity can be
placed under contract for irrigation use. Although no reservoir space
is specifically allocated for recreation or fish and wildlife uses,
these purposes are included as part of the Crooked River project and
are considered during annual evaluation of reservoir operations.
Reclamation presently manages the noncontracted space for in-reservoir
use, instream flow, and dry-year supplemental irrigation uses.
During recent years, the high water levels in Prineville Reservoir,
together with a scenic location, pleasant summer weather, good fishing,
and the development of a State park and small resort, have led to the
popularity of the reservoir area for recreation. The State park ranks
in Oregon's top five for occupancy, and the resort is popular during
the summer when reservoir water levels are conducive to water-based
recreation. Recreation use is the second highest of any Reclamation
reservoir in Oregon.
Currently, the authorized minimum flow in the Crooked River below
Bowman Dam is 10 cubic feet per second (cfs). In order to benefit the
downstream fishery and Wild and Scenic River values, Reclamation made
an administrative decision to release up to 75 cfs minimum flows below
Bowman Dam from uncontracted
[[Page 49028]]
storage whenever contractual obligations can also be met.
Reclamation has received requests for sale of about 26,000 acre-
feet of the noncontracted storage for irrigation and requests have been
made that all noncontracted storage be reserved for agricultural use.
Clearly, there is controversy concerning the ``best'' use for the
noncontracted storage in Prineville Reservoir. Any changes in storage
allocation for uses other than irrigated agriculture would require the
Congress to amend the authorization. This study is designed to explore
alternatives, including no action, to water allocations in Prineville
Reservoir.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: Reclamation plans to conduct public scoping
meetings to identify issues and concerns which will be used in the
development of alternatives. These meetings will be held in the late
fall of this year. The dates, times, and locations of public scoping
meetings will be noted in newspapers of general circulation in
Prineville and surrounding communities.
Dated: September 2, 1997.
John W. Keys, III,
Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region.
[FR Doc. 97-24831 Filed 9-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M
