Snow Lake Water Control Structure, Draft Environmental Assessment
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Draft Environmental Assessment Snow Lake Water Control Structure Chelan County, Washington U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest Region Columbia Cascades Area Office Yakima, Washington October 2017 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation’s natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and our commitments to island communities. MISSION OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Cover Photograph: Existing butterfly valve and valve support. Acronyms and Abbreviations CCT Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Complex Leavenworth Fisheries Complex cfs cubic feet per second DAHP Washington Department of Archelogy and Historic Preservation dB decibel EA Environmental Assessment ESA Endangered Species Act IPID Icicle and Peshastin Irrigation Districts (IPID) ITAs Indian Trust Assets LNFH Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation USFS United States Forest Service USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service Wilderness Act Wilderness Act of 1964 Yakama Nation Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation This page intentionally left blank Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 History .................................................................................................................2 1.2 Ownership ............................................................................................................4 1.3 Water Rights.........................................................................................................7 1.4 Purpose and Need for Action .................................................................................7 1.5 Proposed Federal Action .......................................................................................7 1.6 Public Involvement ...............................................................................................8 1.7 Legal Authority.....................................................................................................8 1.8 Regulatory Compliance .........................................................................................9 1.8.1 Nationa l Environme nta l Polic y Act.................................................................9 1.8.2 Endangered Species Act (1973) ......................................................................9 1.8.3 Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) .......................................................9 1.8.4 National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 ................................................... 10 1.8.5 Executive Order 13007: Indian Sacred Sites ................................................. 10 1.8.6 Secretarial Order 3175: Department Responsibilities for Indian Trust Assets. 10 1.8.7 Executive Order 12898: Environmental Justice ............................................ 11 2 Description of Alternatives ........................................................................................ 11 2.1 No Action Alternative ......................................................................................... 11 2.2 Proposed Action –– Water Discharge Control Valve Removal and Replacement ... 11 2.2.1 Project Construction Details ......................................................................... 12 2.2.2 Project Staging............................................................................................. 14 2.2.3 Project Design Features and Best Management Practices ............................... 18 2.3 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated ............................................................... 21 2.3.1 Use of Foot Traffic....................................................................................... 21 2.3.2 Use of Pack Animals .................................................................................... 21 2.4 Comparison of Alternatives ................................................................................. 23 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ........................................... 29 3.1 Cultural and Historical Resources ........................................................................ 31 i October 2017 – Snow Lake Water Control Structure Replacement Draft Environmental Assessment Table of Contents 3.1.1 Affected Environment.................................................................................. 31 3.1.2 Environmental Consequences....................................................................... 33 3.2 Recreation Values and Uses ................................................................................ 34 3.2.1 Affected Environment.................................................................................. 34 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences....................................................................... 35 3.3 Water Rights ...................................................................................................... 36 3.3.1 Affected Environment.................................................................................. 36 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences....................................................................... 36 3.4 Fish .................................................................................................................... 37 3.4.1 Affected Environment.................................................................................. 37 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences....................................................................... 37 3.5 Wildlife .............................................................................................................. 38 3.5.1 Affected Environment.................................................................................. 38 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences....................................................................... 40 3.6 Threatened and Endangered Species .................................................................... 41 3.6.1 Affected Environment.................................................................................. 41 3.6.2 Environmental Consequences....................................................................... 42 3.7 Environmental Justice ......................................................................................... 48 3.7.1 Affected Environment.................................................................................. 48 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences....................................................................... 49 3.8 Noise.................................................................................................................. 50 3.8.1 Affected Environment.................................................................................. 50 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences....................................................................... 53 3.9 Indian Sacred Sites ............................................................................................. 54 3.9.1 Affected Environment.................................................................................. 54 3.9.2 Environmental Consequences....................................................................... 54 3.10 Indian Trust Assets.......................................................................................... 54 4 Consultation and Coordination .................................................................................. 56 4.1 National Historic Preservation Act ...................................................................... 56 4.2 Endangered Species Act (1973) Section 7 Consultation........................................ 56 ii October 2017 – Snow Lake Water Control Structure Replacement Draft Environmental Assessment Table of Contents 4.3 Tribal Coordination and Consultation .................................................................. 57 5 References ................................................................................................................ 59 Table of Figures Figure 1-1. Overview of Project Area ..................................................................................4 Figure 1-2. Outline of USFWS boundary, proposed campsites and helicopter landing sites....6 Figure 2-1. Existing butterfly valve and valve support (circled in yellow). .......................... 13 Figure 2-2. LNFH staging area and helipad. ....................................................................... 15 Figure 2-3. Adit Tunnel entrance located to the right of the valve control house (shown at right in left photograph) and Adit Tunnel interior (in right photograph). ............................. 16 Figure 2-4. Locations of primary and secondary campsites and helipads located near Snow Lake Water Discharge control valve. ................................................................................. 17 Table of Tables Table 2-1. Summary comparison of alternatives and potential impacts to the affected environment ....................................................................................................................