[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 127 (Monday, July 2, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30923-30925]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14187]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers
Notice of Availability of the Draft Feasibility Report and
Integrated Environmental Impact Statement for the Adams and Denver
Counties, Colorado General Investigation Study, Adams and Denver
County, Colorado
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has made available
for public review and comment the Adams and Denver Counties, Colorado
General Investigation Study Draft Feasibility Report and Integrated
Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS). The Draft EIS analyzes and
discloses potential effects associated with the proposed Federal action
to restore aquatic, wetland, and riparian habitat along the South
Platte River and implement flood risk management solutions along Weir
Gulch and Harvard Gulch.
DATES: The public comment period on the Draft EIS begins on July 2,
2018 and will last 45 days. Submit written comments on the Draft EIS on
or before August 16, 2018. Three public meetings to share information
and for the public to provide oral or written comments will be held for
specific study segments at the following locations:
Weir Gulch: Tuesday, July 31, 2018, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
at Barnum Recreation Center, 360 Hooker Street, Denver, CO 80219.
South Platte River: Wednesday, August 1, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
to 7:30 p.m. at REI, 1416 Platte Street, 3rd Floor, Denver, CO 80202.
Harvard Gulch: Thursday, August 2, 2018, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30
p.m. at Porter Hospital, 2525 S Downing Street, Grand Mesa Conference
Room (2nd Floor), Denver, CO 80210.
The parking garage is available and access is through the main
hospital entrance. Each meeting will begin with an open house at 5:30
p.m. followed by a formal 30-minute presentation at 6:00 p.m., with the
rest of the meeting consisting of an open house until 7:30 p.m.
[[Page 30924]]
ADDRESSES: Send written comments, requests to be added to the mailing
list, or requests for sign language interpretation for the hearing
impaired or other special assistance needs to U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Omaha District, ATTN: CENWO-PMA-A, 1616 Capitol Ave., Omaha,
NE 68102; or email to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jeffrey Bohlken, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, 1616 Capitol Ave., Omaha, NE 68102, or
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corps is issuing this notice pursuant to
section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.; the Council on
Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations for implementing the
procedural provisions of NEPA, 43 CFR parts 1500 through 1508; the
Department of the Interior's NEPA regulations, 43 CFR part 46.
Background Information. The Adams and Denver Counties, Colorado
General Investigation Study is located in eastern Colorado in Adams and
Denver Counties. The study area includes three streams--the South
Platte River, Weir Gulch, and Harvard Gulch. The Weir and Harvard
Gulches are tributaries to the South Platte River. Stream-specific
project areas were established for each stream and are as follows:
South Platte River--6th Ave to 58th Ave.
Harvard Gulch--Colorado Blvd. to the confluence
Weir Gulch--Just west of Sheridan Blvd. to the confluence,
including 1st Ave. and Dakota Ave. Tributaries
Original authority for the Adams County, Colorado study was
expanded by a resolution adopted 24 September, 2008, by the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives,
Docket 2813, Adams and Denver Counties, Colorado, directing the USACE
to conduct a study on flood damage reduction, floodplain management,
water supply, water quality improvement, recreation, environmental
restoration, watershed management, and other allied purposes along the
South Platte River and its tributaries in Adams and Denver Counties,
Colorado. Additional study guidelines were provided by the USACE
Northwestern Division, ensuring that the Omaha District developed
measures that focus on environmental restoration (e.g., migratory bird
habitat, wetlands, etc.) rather than primarily targeting improvement of
aesthetic features.
This notice announces the availability of the Draft EIS and begins
a 45-day public comment period on the range of alternatives and effects
analysis. Analysis in the Draft EIS will support a decision on the
selection of an alternative. The Draft EIS can be accessed at: http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Planning/Project-Reports/.
The Corps is serving as the lead Federal agency for the NEPA analysis
process and preparation of the Draft EIS. No Cooperating Agencies were
established for this study.
Project Alternatives. The purpose of the Adams and Denver Counties,
Colorado General Investigation Study is to restore aquatic, wetland,
and riparian habitat along the South Platte River. Along Weir and
Harvard Gulches, the purpose of the study is to implement flood risk
management improvements. The Draft EIS analyzes 10 alternatives which
includes a No Action Alternative for each stream.
South Platte River Alternative 1. The South Platte River No Action
Alternative (NAA) would involve continued ongoing operation and
maintenance of existing flood risk management features, operation and
maintenance of constructed habitat restoration projects, and associated
activities to comply with state and Federal law. Some actions expected
to be taken under the no action alternative would include the
redevelopment of the National Western Center (including some ecosystem
restoration features along the east bank of the South Platte River and
floodplain), relocation of sewage lines along the east bank, minor
ongoing invasive species removal efforts, and ongoing water quality
improvement efforts. Several ongoing master planning efforts and their
proposed activities would also be expected to continue. Large-scale
ecosystem restoration construction would not be expected to be
implemented.
South Platte River Alternative 2. The South Platte River ecosystem
restoration Plan 9 alternative would involve extensive aquatic,
wetland, riparian, and some upland buffer habitat restoration and would
incorporate some incidental flood risk management improvements. The
footprint of this alternative spans approximately 150 acres of
floodplain and approximately 95 acres in-channel. Restoration
activities include dredging and removal of accreted sediment, removal
and modification of multiple in-channel drop structures, regrading of
floodplain banks, installation of rock jetties, construction of wetland
benches, removal of invasive species vegetation, and revegetation of
all disturbed land with native species. The project would result in the
restoration of 85 acres of riparian habitat, 43 acres of wetland
habitat, 95 acres of aquatic habitat, and the removal and replacement
of 24 acres of additional invasive species vegetation with native
riparian species. In addition, construction of the recommended plan
would reconnect approximately 190 acres of existing riparian areas,
ponds, parks, and other ``green'' areas in the urban landscape. These
habitat areas would directly support breeding migratory birds and could
serve as valuable corridors for native wildlife utilizing this area. In
total, almost 450 acres of habitat would see direct and indirect
improvement from this project. Infrastructure improvements conducted
under this alternative would include realignment of a portion of
sanitary sewer lines and the Burlington Canal; replacement of the
Confluence Park diversion structure with flashboards; relocation of a
pedestrian bridge; and relocation of all impacted recreational trails.
Weir Gulch Alternative 1. The Weir Gulch NAA would involve Urban
Drainage & Flood Control District (UDFCD) and City and County of Denver
(CCD) ongoing operation and maintenance of constructed flood risk
management features along the Weir Gulch. Ongoing minor invasive
species management and water quality improvements would be expected to
continue, but construction of habitat restoration or additional flood
risk management features would not be expected to occur.
Weir Gulch Alternative 2. The Weir Gulch flood risk management
channel alternative would involve increasing conveyance through the
project area by widening the channel in reaches 1 through 3 with a
culvert expansion in reach 6. The channel widening in reaches 1 through
3 would involve maintaining the approximately 1-foot wide daily flow
channel, excavating a low flow channel and re-grading the upper channel
sides to a 3H:1V slope. The flood control channel would consist
generally of a trapezoidal low-flow channel designed to convey
approximately 70% of the 50% annual chance exceedance (ACE) flood event
(2-year return interval flood), per UDFCD guidelines. The overall
channel width varies by location and reach, but in general top of
channel widths averages 100 feet. Native species vegetation plantings
would also be incorporated into this alternative to restore some
riparian vegetation along the channel banks as well as to restore
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wetland benches within the daily flow channel.
Weir Gulch Alternative 3. The Weir Gulch nonstructural flood risk
management alternative includes such nonstructural measures as
elevation, buyouts, relocations, wet floodproofing, dry floodproofing,
etc. Incremental nonstructural measures were added to reaches 4, 5, and
7. There were only five structures with an individual benefit-cost
ratio (BCR) over 1.0 in reaches these reaches, therefore to include as
many structures as possible, structures with an individual BCR above
0.5 were included. A total of 13 structures were identified as part of
the nonstructural alternative.
Weir Gulch Alternative 4. The Weir Gulch flood channel and
nonstructural flood risk management combination alternative combines
the measures and properties considered in alternatives 2 and 3 into a
single alternative by looking at how isolated nonstructural measures
could be used to further reduce the existing flood risk and thus
generate higher flood risk reduction benefits.
Harvard Alternative 1. The Harvard Gulch NAA would involve the
UDFCD and CCD ongoing operation and maintenance of constructed flood
risk management features along the Harvard Gulch. Harvard Gulch Park
would continue to be maintained for its current mixed use recreational
purposes. Ongoing minor invasive species management and water quality
improvements would be expected to continue, but construction of habitat
restoration or additional flood risk management features would not be
expected to occur.
Harvard Gulch Alternative 2. The Harvard Gulch flood channel
alternative would involve increasing conveyance through the project
area by widening the channel in reaches 2 through 5 with a culvert
expansion in reach 1. The channel widening in reaches 2 through 5 would
involve maintaining the approximately 1-foot wide daily flow channel,
excavating a low flow channel and re-grading the upper channel sides to
a 3H:1V slope. The flood control channel would consist generally of a
trapezoidal low-flow channel designed to convey approximately 70% of
the 50% ACE (2-year return interval flood), per UDFCD guidelines. The
overall channel width varies by location and reach, but in general top
of channel widths average 80 feet. Native species vegetation plantings
would also be incorporated into this alternative to restore some
riparian vegetation along the channel banks and restore wetland benches
within the daily flow channel.
Harvard Gulch Alternative 3. The Harvard Gulch nonstructural flood
risk management alternative includes structures in all reaches with an
individual BCR above 1.0 and 10 buyouts located in the floodway in
reach 4. The 10 residential buyouts in the floodway were selected based
on flood damages beginning at the 10% ACE (10-year return interval
flood) and inundation depths around 3 feet during the 1% ACE (100-year
return interval flood). Of the structures meeting this criteria, the 10
closest to the channel were selected. This selection criteria also
aligns with the non-Federal sponsor's Harvard Gulch Major Drainageway
Plan. The nonstructural measures for the 96 structures in this
alternative include elevation, basement fill, dry floodproofing, and
buyouts.
Harvard Gulch Alternative 4. The Harvard Gulch flood channel and
nonstructural flood risk management combination alternative combines
the measures and properties considered in alternatives 2 and 3 into a
single alternative by looking at how isolated nonstructural measures
could be used to further reduce the existing flood risk and thus
generate higher flood risk reduction benefits.
The Draft EIS evaluates the potential effects on the human
environmental associated with each of the alternatives. Issues
addressed include: Land use and vegetation, social and economic
conditions, recreation, water resources, climate change, biological
resources, cultural resources, geomorphology, preexisting
contamination, utilities and infrastructure, air quality, noise, and
environmental justice.
Schedule. A 45-day public comment period will begin July 2, 2018.
Comments on the Draft EIS must be received by August 16, 2018. The
Corps will consider and respond to all comments received on the Draft
EIS when preparing the Final EIS. The Corps expects to issue the Final
EIS in the spring of 2019, at which time a Notice of Availability will
be published in the Federal Register.
The public meeting date or location may change based on inclement
weather or exceptional circumstances. If the meeting date or location
is changed, the Corps will issue a press release and post it on the web
at http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/ to announce the
updated meeting details.
Special Assistance for Public Meeting. The meeting facility is
physically accessible to people with disabilities. People needing
special assistance to attend and/or participate in the meeting should
contact: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District, ATTN: CENWO-PMA-
A, 1616 Capitol Ave., Omaha, NE 68102; or email to [email protected]. To allow sufficient time to process special
requests, please contact no later than one week before the public
meeting.
Public Disclosure Statement. If you wish to comment, you may mail
or email your comments as indicated under the ADDRESSES section of this
notice. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
any other personal identifying information in your comment, you should
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made available to the public at any time. While you
can request in your comment for us to withhold your personal
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so.
Dated: June 25, 2018.
Eric Laux,
Chief, Environmental and Cultural Resources Section.
[FR Doc. 2018-14187 Filed 6-29-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P