[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27047-27048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13031]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Colfax Watershed, Richland County, North Dakota; Notice of
Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of finding of significant no impact.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations
(40 CFR Part 1500); and the National Resources Conservation Service
Regulations (7 CFR Part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice than an
environmental impact statement is not being prepared for the Colfax
Watershed, Richland County, North Dakota.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Scott Hoag, Jr., State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation
Service, 220 East Rosser Avenue, P.O. 1458, Bismarck, North Dakota
58502-1458, (701) 250-4421.
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, Scott Hoag, Jr., State Conservationist, has
determined that the preparation and review of an environmental impact
statement are not needed for this project.
The project purposes are for flood control, agricultural water
management, and watershed protection. The planned works of improvement
include a 300 linear foot dike with overflow, 8,800 linear feet of
floodway with pipe drop inlet and grade stabilization structure, 3,000
linear feet of floodway and dike, 12,000 linear feet of floodwater
diversion, and 22,500 linear feet of floodway renovation. Associated
Land Treatment Measures will be planned and installed on a minimum of
50 percent of the watershed above the structural measures. Seven
thousand acres of cropland and 500 acres of grassland are expected to
be benefited through the proposed project.
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
Scott Hoag, Jr., State Conservationist, 220 East Rosser Avenue, P.O.
box 1458, Bismarck, North Dakota 58502-1458.
No administrative action on implementation of the proposal will be
taken until 30 days after the date of this publication in the Federal
Register.
Scott Hoag, Jr.,
State Conservationist.
(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)
Introduction
The Colfax 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 the watershed plan. This assessment
was conducted in consultation with local, State, and Federal agencies
as well as with 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, 220 East Rosser Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58501.
Recommended Action
Proposed is the implementation of both structural and associated
land treatment measures (ALTM) to reduce flood damages and protect the
watershed. The structural components include a 300 linear foot dike
with overflow, 8,800 linear feet of floodway with pipe drop inlet and
grade stabilization structure, 3,000 linear feet of floodway and dike,
12,000 linear feet of floodwater diversion, and 22,500 linear feet of
floodway renovation. The ALTM will be planned and installed on a
minimum of 50 percent of the watershed above the structural measures.
Seven thousands acres of cropland and 500 acres of grassland are
expected to be benefited through the proposed project.
Effect of Recommended Action
The recommended action will protect the watershed hydrologically by
improving the soil cover condition, water quality, and reduce overland
flow quantities and velocities. Existing floodways will be restored, or
built to the extent the peak flood flow rates for a 10 year, 24 hour
flood event can be handled.
The proposed action will have little or not effect on wetlands.
Only 2.2 acres are expected to be impacted to the point of requiring
mitigation. The land treatment applied on 7,500 acres, will improve
rainfall infiltration on both cropland and grassland. Sedimentation
rates will be reduced from high value low residue crop fields.
Integrated crop management will reduce the availability of nutrients
and pesticides from entering the Wild Rice River.
The proposed project still encourage and promote farm units in the
watershed to manage their natural resources in a safe and productive
manner. This action will tend to sustain agricultural diversity and
productivity for land users in the watershed. The reduced threat of
flooding will provide social and economic benefits to watershed
residents.
An initial site leads inventory of cultural resources as they
relate to the planned components has been completed. This inventory
concludes that no significant adverse impacts will occur to cultural
resources in the
[[Page 27048]]
watershed should the plan be implemented. The NRCS has consulted with
the State Historic Preservation Office on the effects of the planned
measures. There is no effect foreseen on significant cultural
resources. However, construction of floodways, dikes, grade
stabilization structures and diversions have the potential for
seriously disrupting individual sites. Therefore, caution shall be
exercised in planning and installing any such measures to avoid serious
disruption of cultural resource sites.
Signficant cultural resources identified during implementation will
be avoided or otherwise preserved in place to the fullest extent
practical. If significant cultural resources cannot be avoided or
preserved, pertinent information will be recovered before construction.
If there is a significant cultural resource discovery during
construction, appropriate notice will be made by NRCS to the State
Historic Preservation Officer and the National Park Service.
Consultation and coordination have been made, and will continue to be
used, to ensure the provisions of Section 106 of Public Law 89-665 have
been met and to include provisions of Public Law 89-523, as amended by
Public Law 93-291. NRCS will take action as prescribed in the NRCS GM
420, Part 401, to protect or recover any significant cultural resources
discovered during construction.
No threatened or endangered species are known to exist in the
watershed.
One of the primary objectives of the project is to reduce
agricultural flooding. Approximately 7,000 acres of prime farmland will
be protected from frequent flood events. An estimated 20 miles of farm
to market roads, and 40 bridges and culverts will be protected by
reduced quantities and velocities of flood waters. Flood damages to
farmstead buildings for machinery and crop storage will be reduced.
Water quality will be improved in the Wild Rice River by reducing
sediment delivery rates, implementing nutrient and pest management
systems, and improved soil health and cover. Sediment control basins,
along with buffer and filter strips adjacent to the proposed floodways
and diversions will significantly reduce non-point source pollutants
runoff. Associated land treatment measures (ALTM) will promote total
resource management systems on 7,500 acres of land in the watershed.
These systems, in addition to addressing management of the soil, water,
air, plant, and animal resources will also address the social and
economic resources of the watersheds land users.
Fish and wildlife habitats may be temporarily disturbed in some
areas of the watershed during the construction phase. These resources
will be restored or enhanced when the project is completed.
Improvements in soil health, water quality, and plant diversity should
result from the implementation of this project. The value of woodland
habitat will not decline. An estimated 2.2 acres of seasonal partially
drained wetlands will be lost due to project impacts. These wetland
values will be properly mitigated for using the Hydro Geologic Model
(HGM).
No wilderness areas are in the watershed.
Scenic values will be complimented with the diversity added by
associated land treatment measures. During installation of structural
features the scenic values will be temporarily decreased at specific
construction locations in the watershed.
No significant adverse environmental impacts will result from
installations except for minor inconveniences to local residents during
construction.
Alternatives
A total of 7 alternatives were evaluated to address the problems
and opportunities the local sponsoring organizations and watershed
residents identified in the planning stages. The first 6 alternatives
were formulated using varied combinations of floodwater diversions,
dikes, and floodways with grade stabilizations structures. Each of
these alternatives provided similar flood protection and land treatment
benefits with varying economic, social and environmental impacts. The
seventh alternative was the ``no action'' alternative.
It was determined by the sponsoring local organizations and
watershed residents that alternative 6 is the recommended plan.
Consultation--Public Participation
Formal agency consultation began with the initiation of the
notification of the State Single Point of Contact for Federal
Assistance (Office of Intergovernmental Assistance) in March 1992. The
Governor and the State Soil Conservation Committee were also notified
of the application for Federal Assistance. Agencies were again notified
when planning was authorized in October 1993.
Scoping meetings were held in September 1992 and June 1993, and
interdisciplinary efforts were used in all cases. An Interagency
Watershed Committee (IAWC) was utilized throughout the planning
process. The process involved five Federal agencies (FSA, FS, F&WS,
COE, and EPA), five State agencies (Department of Health, State Soil
Conservation Committee, Game and Fish Department, State Water
Commission, and State Historical Society), two county agencies
(Richland County Soil Conservation District and Richland County Water
Resource District), and the City of Colfax and the Red River & Western
Railroad in part or all of the scoping and planning processes.
Specific consultation was conducted with the State Historic
Preservation Officer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Office,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and North Dakota Department of Health.
All of these agencies comments were used in the development of this
plan.
The environmental assessment was transmitted to all participating
and interested agencies, groups, and individuals for review and comment
in March 1998. Three public meetings were held during the planning
process to keep all interested parties informed of the study progress
and to obtain public input into the plan and environmental evaluation.
The last public meeting was held March 1998, in the City of Colfax,
during the interagency review process
Agency consultation and public participation to date have shown no
unresolved conflicts with the implementation of the selected plan.
Conculsions
The Environmental Assessment summarized above indicates that this
Federal action will not cause significant local, regional, or national,
impacts. Therefore, based on the above findings, I have determined that
an environmental impact statement for the Colfax Watershed is not
required.
Dated: May 7, 1998.
Scott Hoag Jr.,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 98-13031 Filed 5-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-M