Existing Environment Water Resources
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SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC EXISTING ENVIRONMENT A condensed format was used for this Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), as clarified in the Executive Summary of this report. The following discussion on the existing environment describes existing conditions associated with the natural environment, land features, air quality, noise, visual conditions, cultural and community resources, transportation, and infrastructure within the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) Richmond to Raleigh Project Study Area. The Study Area for the natural and physical environment, cultural resources, and infrastructure varies from 300 to 1,000 feet in width depending on the resource, and is centered about the existing rail line or right of way (ROW). In areas where the existing railroad curves do not meet the design standards for high speed rail, the Study Area expands to approximately 500 feet outside of the proposed rail realignments. The Study Areas for the human environment, noise, and air quality are generally larger than the Project area boundaries. The larger Study Areas are defined by regions of influence in which a resource may potentially have noticeable project-related impacts. Regions of influence for human resources account for factors such as community sizes, geographical and political boundaries, and census boundaries. These human resources include social and economic issues, community resources, and land use planning. The air quality Study Area is influenced by local and regional atmospheric conditions. The noise Study Area is determined by the limit of noise intrusions associated with the project. All references to “Study Area” and “Project” below pertain to the Richmond to Raleigh Project, unless otherwise noted. WATER RESOURCES Before determinations can be made on the potential of the Project to impact water resources, it is necessary to review those resources within the Study Area. This section provides discussions on surface waters, wetlands, floodplains and floodways, and Wild and Scenic rivers. SURFACE WATER Numerous waterbodies, including streams, unnamed tributaries, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and swamps/marshes are located in the Study Area. The surface waters in Virginia and North Carolina Much of the existing rail are summarized in Table 3-1, and are depicted in the maps line follows the ridgelines that divide watersheds. included in Appendix R. Streams in the Study Area range from Most of the potential headwater tributaries with undefined, braided channels to impacts are at the streams with well-defined, steep side slopes. These streams, headwaters of tributaries. including some intermittent ones, had flowing water during the survey periods. Within the Study Area, much of the existing rail line follows the ridgelines that divide watersheds. As a result, most of the potential impacts are at the headwaters of tributaries. SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC 3-1 Tier II Final EIS, August 2015 SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC Table 3-1 Summary of Streams, Wetlands, and Other Surface Waters within Study Area by State Streams Other Waters Section River Basin Wetland (acres) (feet) (acres) Virginia AA James 3,919 2.3 0.7 BB James 2,078 5.2 0.4 James 2,405 1.2 0.03 CC Chowan 0 1.4 0 DD Chowan 827 2.4 1.7 A Chowan 3,094 2.8 0.4 B Chowan 760 0.6 0 C Chowan 2,803 2.2 0 D Chowan 1,998 2 0.2 E Chowan 860 1.2 0.01 F Chowan 1,004 0.6 0 G Chowan 510 0.3 0 H Chowan 2,808 0.4 0.06 Chowan 0 0.001 0 I Roanoke 22 0 0 J Roanoke 420 0.2 0 K Roanoke 1,419 0.9 0.1 L Roanoke 497 0.0002 0.3 Virginia Total 25,182 23.70 3.90 North Carolina L Roanoke 2,005 0.7 1.3 Roanoke 442 0 0 M Tar-Pamlico 0 0 0 Roanoke 42 0 0 N Tar-Pamlico 344 1.2 0 Roanoke 53 0 0.2 O Tar-Pamlico 3,049 0.3 0 Roanoke 777 0.5 0.03 P Tar-Pamlico 755 0.4 0.001 Q Tar-Pamlico 1,127 0.03 0 R Tar-Pamlico 438 0 0.002 S Tar-Pamlico 1,620 0.5 0.01 T Tar-Pamlico 0 0 0 SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC 3-2 Tier II Final EIS, August 2015 SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC Table 3-1 Summary of Streams, Wetlands, and Other Surface Waters within Study Area by State Streams Other Waters Section River Basin Wetland (acres) (feet) (acres) Neuse 415 0.1 0 U Neuse 3,394 0.4 0.2 V Neuse 1,036 0.1 0 North Carolina Total 15,497 4.23 1.74 Study Area Total 40,679 27.93 5.64 The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) and the North Carolina Division of Water Resources (NCDWR) use different conventions for identifying streams. Appendix H lists streams in the Study Area by name, river basin, hydrologic unit code, and regulatory classification. More detailed identification of the nature of affected streams (e.g. perennial/intermittent classification) will take place during Section 401 Water Quality Certification and Section 404 permitting required by of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 USC 1344). The determination of compensation ratios for stream mitigation has varied by state, and USACE District. In addition these ratios have changed over the duration of the SEHSR Tier-I EIS and Richmond-Raleigh Project Tier-II DEIS and FEIS. Federal and state protocols for quantifying stream impacts and mitigation for Section 404/401 purposes are still in flux; therefore, it is premature to base NEPA stream impact avoidance decisions on anything other than the basic dimension of the resource (length). Impact minimization and mitigation for NEPA decisions regarding streams are similarly limited by the recent and continuing changes in regulatory approach, which will be refined during the permitting process. DRAINAGE BASINS One way to study a river system is to look at the area drained by the water body. This is called a watershed. A drainage basin is the watershed of the largest river in an area. Often, these drainage basins are divided into smaller watersheds called subbasins. Subbasins can describe a tributary or a portion of a large river. For the purposes of this document, US Geological Survey (USGS) 8-digit cataloging units (CU) are used to describe the subbasins in the Study Area. The Study Area lies within the James, The Study Area lies within the James, Chowan, and Roanoke Chowan, and Roanoke River Basins of Virginia and the Roanoke, Tar-Pamlico, and Neuse River Basins of VA River Basins of North Carolina. Table 3-2 and Figure 3-1 list and and the Roanoke, Tar- illustrate, respectively, the basins in relation to the Study Area. Pamlico, and Neuse The percentage of the river basins within the Study Area was River Basins of NC. determined using a geographic information system (GIS) analysis. Drainage basins within the Study Area ultimately flow into coastal bays and sounds that outlet into the Atlantic Ocean. A discussion of these basins is included below. SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC 3-3 Tier II Final EIS, August 2015 SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC Table 3-2 Major River Basins in the Study Area Drainage Area of Subbasins within Study Percent of Major River Basins Entire Basin (sq. mi.) Area Study Area James 10,265 Appomattox River 16% Lower James Middle James-Willis River Chowan 4,908 Blackwater River 35% Meherrin River Nottoway River Roanoke 6,981 Middle Roanoke River 16% Roanoke Rapids Tar-Pamlico 6,417 Fishing Creek 22% Upper Tar River Neuse 6,062 Upper Neuse River 11% Source: NCDOT and Virginia DRPT, 2004a, 2008 SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC 3-4 Tier II Final EIS, August 2015 SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC Figure 3-1 SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC 3-5 Tier II Final EIS, August 2015 SEHSR Richmond, VA, to Raleigh, NC JAMES RIVER BASIN The James River Basin is Virginia’s largest river basin, covering approximately 25% of the state’s land area. The James River originates in the Allegheny Mountains, along the Virginia/West Virginia state line. The basin continues southeast through the state towards Hampton Roads and ultimately the The Study Area includes approximately 28 acres Chesapeake Bay. The Study Area includes approximately 28 in the Middle James- acres in the Middle James-Willis River (CU 02080205), 2,293 Willis River, 2,293 acres acres in the Lower James River (CU 02080206), and 3,034 acres in the Lower James in the Appomattox River (CU 02080207) subbasins. River, and 3,034 acres in the Appomattox River The northern terminus of the Study Area, in the City of Richmond, subbasins. lies within the Middle James-Willis River subbasin. It then continues into the Lower James River subbasin, where it crosses the James River, Walker Creek, Goode Creek, Grindall Creek, Falling Creek, Kingsland Creek, Proctors Creek, and Great Branch. Continuing south towards the City of Colonial Heights, the Study Area enters the Appomattox River subbasin. It crosses Timsbury Creek, Swift Creek, Oldtown Creek, Fleets Branch, and the Appomatox River before entering the City of Petersburg. Continuing south, the Study Area crosses unnamed tributaries to Lieutenant Run and Rohoic Creeks. Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (CBPA) was enacted in 1988 to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries by requiring the use of effective conservation planning and pollution prevention practices when using and developing environmentally sensitive lands. The CBPA established a cooperative relationship between the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (VDCR) and local governments within Tidewater Virginia.