[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 134 (Thursday, July 13, 1995)] [Notices] [Pages 36122-36123] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-17179] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Corps of Engineers Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Proposed Reallocation of Storage at Jennings Randolph Lake in Mineral County, West Virginia, and Garrett County, Maryland AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD. ACTION: Notice of intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is investigating the feasibility of reallocating existing storage (flood control and/or water quality) to water supply storage at Jennings Randolph Lake. Jennings Randolph Lake is located on the North Branch Potomac River in Mineral County, West Virginia, Garrett County, Maryland. The intent of the reallocation is to meet identified regional water supply demands. A feasibility study of the proposed action is being conducted under Section 301 of the Water Supply Act of 1958, Section 216 of the Rivers and Harbors and Flood Control Act of 1970, and Section 105 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986. The feasibility study was initiated in December 1990. The study was undertaken as a result of the State of Maryland's 1985 consumptive use regulation, as well as identified need by the Washington area water supply utilities for additional storage for future municipal water supply needs. The purpose of the feasibility study is to determine the feasibility of reallocating storage at Jennings Randolph Lake to meet water supply needs and to evaluate the potential impacts on the authorized project purposes and environmental resources. The State of Maryland is the non-Federal sponsor for the feasibility phase of the reallocation study. A notice of intent was first published for the study in the June 6, 1991, Federal Register. However, in the spring of 1992, study activities were suspended due to concerns regarding technical issues. A detailed investigation of the issues and a reassessment of the remaining study tasks resolved the concerns, and study activities were resumed in February 1995. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action and DEIS can be answered by Ms. Laura Seebeck, Project Manager, Baltimore District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENAB-PL-PR, P.O. Box 1715, Baltimore, Maryland 21203-1715, telephone (410) 962- 4958. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Jennings Randolph Lake is located on the North Branch Potomac River, approximately 8 miles upstream of its confluence with the Savage River. It is situated on the border between Mineral County, West Virginia, and Garrett County, Maryland, about 230 miles upstream of Washington D.C. Construction of Jennings Randolph Lake was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1962 (Public Law 87- 874), under the name of Bloomington Lake, to provide water quality control in the North Branch Potomac River, industrial and municipal water supply for the Potomac River basin, flood control protection for the North Branch communities, and recreation associated with the lake and the surrounding facilities. The construction of the dam was initiated in 1971, completed in 1981, and is operated by the Corps of Engineers. In May 1987, Bloomington Lake was renamed Jennings Randolph Lake, in honor of the longtime West Virginia senator. The dam controls 263 square miles of drainage and is authorized to provide flood control, water supply, water quality control, and recreation. The reservoir storage is currently allocated to water supply (41,000 acre- feet), water quality control (51,000 acre-feet) and flood control (36,200 acre-feet). The present use of the Jennings Randolph water quality storage has produced significant improvements to the North Branch Potomac River downstream of the dam, particularly during low flow conditions; however, extensive lake drawdowns have resulted from water quality releases. Jennings Randolph Lake extends 5.5 miles covering 952 acres at the full conservation pool of 1,466 feet, mean sea level. The 4,700 acres of project lands lie in a densely wooded, winding gorge in the Appalachian Highlands. A variety of recreational opportunities exist along the lake. The major attractions offered at Jennings Randolph Lake are a nature trail, sightseeing at two project overlooks, picnic facilities, campgrounds, fishing access, and a boat launch. 2. Increasing population, industrial development and economic growth in the Potomac River basin are causing additional demands on the basin's water and related land resources. In 1985, the State of Maryland enacted consumptive use legislation which regulates facilities that withdraw water from the Potomac River and its tributaries. During periods of low flow, the Maryland regulation mandates that consumptive users replace their consumptive loss or, alternatively, shut down their operation. Several water users are interested in the purchase of storage at Jennings Randolph Lake to meet their consumptive use requirements. The proposed action consists of reallocating some of the existing storage (flood control and/or water quality) to water supply storage. 3. During 1991 and 1992, baseline or existing conditions were identified for environmental and cultural resources, recreational facilities, social and economic conditions, hydrologic and hydraulic conditions, and slope stability within the study area. During the alternative analysis, concerns regarding the intake tower's capability to accommodate the proposed reallocation [[Page 36123]] were raised. In the spring of 1992, study activities ceased while a detailed review of the existing operations manual was conducted, which concluded that the existing intake tower was adequate for the reallocation. 4. The Jennings Randolph Reallocation Feasibility Study will investigate a range of alternatives including: (a) No action. (b) Reallocation of a portion of the present water quality storage to water supply. No increase in the present conservation lake elevation would occur. The maximum amount of storage to be considered for reallocation is 6,000 acre-feet. (c) Reallocation of the present flood control storage to water supply. The present conservation pool elevation would be increased, and maintained at the new level throughout the year, as much as possible. Several levels of reallocation will be investigated ranging from a minimum of a 6-foot rise to a maximum of an 18-foot rise in the present conservation lake level. These rises would mean an additional 5,800 to 18,200 acre-feet of water supply storage, respectively. (d) Reallocation of the present flood control storage to water supply by operating the lake on a seasonal pool basis. The lake would be gradually drawn down throughout autumn, maintained at an elevation of about 1,450 feet over the winter, and gradually brought back up during the spring for the summer season. Historically, lake levels at the project have followed a similar pattern to meet downstream water quality objectives. The feasibility study will evaluate the beneficial and adverse impacts of the proposed reallocation alternatives including the following issues: additional water supply releases, lake drawdowns beyond the current operations, decreased flood control storage, decreased water quality storage, and the increased frequency of gas supersaturation. 5. The Baltimore District is preparing a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) which will describe the impacts of the proposed action on the environmental, cultural, recreational, social and economic resources in the study area, as well as the existing level of flood protection. The overall public interest will also be addressed. If applicable, the DEIS will also apply guidelines issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, under authority of Section 404(b)(1) of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (Pub. L. 95-217). 6. A notice of study status will be distributed to interested private individuals and organizations, as well as Federal, state, and local agencies informing them of the study and our intent to prepare a DEIS, and requesting their comments. The Baltimore District invites potentially affected Federal, state, and local agencies, and other interested organizations and parties to participate in this study. Agencies that will be involved in the feasibility study and EIS process include, but are not limited to, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Geological Survey; U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. National Park Service; West Virginia Department of Natural Resources; Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Maryland Department of the Environment; Maryland Historical Trust; West Virginia Department of Culture and History; Mineral County, West Virginia; Garrett County, Maryland; the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin; the Tri-County Council for Western Maryland; and the Upper Potomac River Commission. Additional study bulletins, notices and workshops will be included as part of the public involvement program, as needed. 7. The DEIS is tentatively scheduled to be available for public review in December 1996. Neal T. Wright, LTC, Corps of Engineers, Acting Commander. [FR Doc. 95-17179 Filed 7-12-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3710-41-M