FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT LAUREL RIVER LAKE CUMBERLAND RIVER BASIN LAUREL RIVER KENTUCKY Prepared by U.S. ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT, NASHVILLE NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE February 1975 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT LAUREL RIVER LAKE, KENTUCKY I PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1.01 AUTHORIZATION. The Laurel River Dam and Lake vas authorized under the Flood Control Act of 14 July I960 (Public Lav; 86-645, 86th Congress) as amended !>y Public Law 83-253 (enacted 30 December 1943), in accordance with the recommendations contained In the survey report published as House Document 413, 86th Congress, 2nd Session. The current benefit-cost ratio Is 1.10 to 1. Supplemental project economic data are presented In attach­ ment 4. 1.02 LOCATION OF PROJECT. The project area lies entirely within Whitley and Laurel Counties Kentucky. The damslte and the reservoir, for almost three-quarters of Its length, fall Inside the proclamation boundaries of the Daniel Boone National Forest. As a result, provision and management of the recreation and other related management activities associated with the lake will be the responsibility of the U.S. Forest Service under a Memorandum of Understanding. 1.03 DESCRIPTION OF DAM. The Laurel damslte is at mile 2.3 on the Laurel River, a tributary of the Cumberland River, in south-central Kentucky. The stream flows Into Lake Cumberland, a major downstream Impoundment formed by Wolf Creek Dam. As authorized, primary project purposes.are.recreation _aad_production.J3f-liydroelectrlc power. Major project structures include a rockflll dam approximately 282 feet high and 1,420 feet In length, a single unit powerhouse, and an uncontrolled spillway section. 1.04 DESCRIPTION OF LAKE. The proposed lake will have a surface area of 6,060 acres at spillway crest, elevation 1,013.5, and 206 miles of shore­ line. A maximum drawdown of 36.5 feet for power production will result In a minimum elevation of 932, with 4,200 surface acres of water and 161 miles of shoreline. The project pool extends 19.2 miles upstream along Laurel River to the site of the Corbin water supply dam. Craig Creek, a right bank tributary near the dam, will also have a pool extending about 6 miles to the northeast. Maximum reservoir widths will be in the order of about one-half mile and narrowing to around 400 feet In the upper section. Maximum depths will be about 250 feet. Other statistical data are presented In attachment 1. 1.05 CONSTRUCTION DATA AND SCHEDULE. Construction of the Laurel project was Initiated in 1964 with the award of a contract for the access road located on the right descending bank of the river. Additional contracts which have been completed include the diversion tunnel and phase I con­ struction of the dam which consisted primarily of overburden excavation. Phase II of the construction of the dam which includes the main rockflll structure, spillway, and water intake was completed as of May 1973. Total construction is presently 71 percent complete. Land acquisition is an esti­ mated 93 percent complete. (See photo, attachment 2). Work items still to be completed are property relocations and construction of the powerhouse and recreation facilities. Construction of one major highway relocation consisting of about 4,000 feet of roadway and a bridge is now complete. Construction of the powerhouse began on 10 July 1973, and at present is 14 percent complete. The U.S. Forest Service is proceeding with plans for the development of the recreation areas associated with the project. Closure of the dam was accom­ plished on 22 September 1973. 1.06. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING - BETWEEN CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND U.S. FOREST SERVICE. Under a "Memorandum of Understanding" signed by the Secretaries of the Array and Agriculture in 1964, the Forest Service agreed to assume certain responsibilities. It will administer all reservoir management acti­ vities, exclusive of the darasite area, including operation of public recrea­ tion facilities around the lake. Sites will contain developments ranging from only a small access point to areas with facilities available for launching, picnicking, camping, and commercial services. 1.07 FOREST SERVICE RECREATION PLAN. The Forest Service has prepared a composite recreation plan to provide for the initial and future recreational development and administration of the reservoir and the area surrounding it. The plan will serve as a policy guide to engineers, landscape archi­ tects, line officers, and others of both agencies who will be involved in preparing detailed site plans, action plans, and programs of work. 1.03 RECREATION CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE. Recreation construction and maintenance !'.y the Forest Service will be a continuing program throughout the life if the project. Recreation facilities included in the Forest Service Laurel River Lake Recreation Master Ilan will be programmed and phased over a number of years as demand and funds dictate. Public Facilities now in place, as well as those shown below as planned in the future, are needed as an integral part of the total project benefits. 1.09 There are 4 levels of recreational development planned within the area. The levels of environmental modification and recreation experiences to be planned for on Forest Service recreation sites include: #1 (irimitive) #2 (Semi-primitive) 73 (Intermediate) and #4 (Secondary modern) 1.10 Campgrounds and aiarina facilities developed by concessioners will be developed to experience level ,75 (modern). For the most part, those facilities that will be developed In a general forest environment atmos­ phere will be located along each side of the Craigs Greek embayment and the western end of the Laurel River embayment. The Forest Service is the major landowner in these areas, and the high aesthetic quality of the environment is conducive to this type of development. FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT LAUREL RIVER LAKE TABLE OF CONTENTS Paragraph Title Page I - PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1.01 Authorization 1 1.02 Location of Project 1 1.03 Description of Dam 1 1.04 Description of Lake 1 1.05 Construction Data and Schedule 1 1.04 Memorandum of Agreement - Between Corps of Engineers ^ and U.S. Forest Service 1.0/ Forest Service Recreation Plan 2 1.0)5 Recreation Construction and Maintenance 2 1.14 Use Demand 4 1.1'* Hunting and Fishing /■ 1.14 Wildlife Management 4 1.17 Relocations '• l.lfl Operation of Lake Water Levels c 1.19 Power Production 5 1.20 Access 5 1.21 Plan of Development; Cumberland River and Tributaries 4 1.22 Management Planning Objectives 4 1.22.1 General 4 1.22.1.1 Protection of the Environment fi 1.22.1.2 Management of Natural Resources 6 1.22.1.3 Management of Human Resources 7 II ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING WITHOUT THE PROJECT 2.01 General Description of Project Setting 9 2.02 Ceology 9 2.03 Seismic Risk 9 Paragraph Title page 2.04 Demography 10 2.07 Area Economy 10 2.11 Agriculture 11 2.13 Displacement of People 11 2.14 Forests 11 2.13 Wildlife 11 2.16 Recreation 12 2.17 Archeology 12 2.18 History 12 2.19 Climatology 13 2.20 Water Quality 13 2.23 General Remarks 14 III liELATIONSHIP OF THE PROJECT TO LAND USE PLANS 3.01 General 15 IV ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 4.01 Conversion of Stream to Lake 17 '».02 Relocations 17 4.03 Inundation of Terrestrial Space 17 4.04 Gain in Diversified Recreation Opportunities 17 4.0) Hydroelectric Power Production 17 4.06 Effects on Wildlife 18 4.07 Water Supply and Human Health 13 4.08 Pollution IS 4.0) Sedimentation 19 4.10 Waterfowl 19 4.11 Tourism 19 4.12 Effects on Farm Land Values 19 4.13 Effect of Project Construction 19 4.14 Soli Protection 21 1.11 The north and south shore of the eastern portion of the Laurel River embayment is characterized by a majority of private landholdings outside the 300-foot public ownership strip. The land is generally open and non- forested. This general area of the project is where private and concessioner development will be encouraged to complement the overall public development program. 1.12 The Forest Service's initial development thrust has been, and will continue to be, completion of water access facilities. These include access roads, boat ramps, marinas, and boat access campgrounds. The second major thrust within the 1974-1984 period will be towards the development of major public campgrounds and several picnic areas complemented by visitor information services. The following table Indicates the facilities planned for development during the next 10 years: Facilities Planned for Development During the Ten-Year Period 1974-1984 People at One Site Facilities Time (PAOT) Hightop 2-Lane Boat Ramp w/80 Parking Spaces 200 200-Slip Marina w/131 Parking Spaces 400 50 Picnic Units 250 Laurel Bridge 1-Lane Boat Ramp w/40 Parking Spaces 200 40 Picnic Units 200 Frozen Camp 2-Lane Boat Ramp w/40 Parking'. Spaces 200 Flatwoods 2-Lane Boat Ramp w/60 Parking Spaces 300 White Oak 70 Camping Units, Boat-In & Hike-In 350 Only Scale #2 Sams Branch 200 Camping Units 1000 2-Lane Boat Ramp w/8C Parking Spaces 400 Scale #3 (Intermediate) Holly Bay 2-Lane Boat Ramp w/60 Parking-Spaces 300 200-Slip Marina w/131 Parking Spaces 400 Mouth of Laurel 2-Lane Boat Ramp w/60 Parking Spaces 300 Old Mill 2-Lane Boat Ramp w/80 Parking Spaces 400 Grove 80 Picnic Units 400 Scale #4 (Secondary Modern) Mill Creek Concessioner - 200 Camping Units 1000 Big Fields 50 Picnic Units 250 1.13 Concessioner developments, such as a lodge and associated facilities, will also be considered within the 10-year development period.