Reconstruction of the Sauk River Road Snohomish County, WA FEMA-1499-DR-WA (Public Assistance) March 2005
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Draft Environmental Assessment Reconstruction of the Sauk River Road Snohomish County, WA FEMA-1499-DR-WA (Public Assistance) March 2005 U.S. Department of Homeland Security FEMA Region X 130 228th Street SW Bothell, WA 98021-9796 Environmental Assessment for FEMA Reconstruction of the Sauk River Road TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION.......................................................................1 1.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................1 1.2 Purpose and Need for Action............................................................................1 1.3 Location and Background.................................................................................1 2.0 ALTERNATIVES.........................................................................................................5 2.1 Alternatives Analyzed in this EA .....................................................................5 2.1.1 Alternative A – No Action Alternative..............................................5 2.1.2 Alternative B – East Alignment with Low Walls ..............................5 2.1.3 Alternative C – DNR Road................................................................6 2.2 Alternatives Considered But Not Carried Forward ..........................................6 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ....15 3.1 Soils, Geomorphology, and Streambank Stability..........................................15 3.1.1 Affected Environment......................................................................15 3.1.2 Environmental Consequences..........................................................16 3.2 Hydrology and Water Quality.........................................................................20 3.2.1 Affected Environment......................................................................20 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences..........................................................23 3.3 Vegetation and Wetlands ................................................................................24 3.3.1 Affected Environment......................................................................24 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences..........................................................26 3.4 Fish and Wildlife.............................................................................................28 3.4.1 Affected Environment......................................................................28 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences..........................................................29 3.5 Threatened and Endangered Species ..............................................................31 3.5.1 Affected Environment......................................................................31 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences..........................................................34 3.6 Recreation Resources......................................................................................36 3.6.1 Affected Environment......................................................................36 3.6.2 Environmental Consequences..........................................................36 3.7 Visual Resources.............................................................................................38 3.7.1 Affected Environment......................................................................38 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences..........................................................38 3.8 Environmental Justice......................................................................................39 3.8.1 Affected Environment......................................................................39 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences..........................................................40 3.9 Cultural Resources..........................................................................................40 3.9.1 Affected Environment......................................................................40 3.9.2 Environmental Consequences..........................................................41 3.10 Transportation and Access............................................................................41 3.10.1 Affected Environment....................................................................41 3.10.2 Environmental Consequences........................................................42 Draft – March 2005 i P:\2003\3v505_07\Documents\EA\Draft\EA Draft.doc Environmental Assessment for FEMA Reconstruction of the Sauk River Road 3.11 Socioeconomics ............................................................................................43 3.11.1 Affected Environment....................................................................43 3.11.2 Environmental Consequences........................................................43 3.12 Cumulative Impacts ......................................................................................44 4.0 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION ............................................................47 4.1 Scoping ...........................................................................................................47 4.2 Agency and Tribal Coordination ....................................................................48 4.3 Other Laws and Regulations...........................................................................49 5.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................................51 5.1 Literature Cited ...............................................................................................51 5.2 Personal Communications ..............................................................................53 5.3 Internet Sources ..............................................................................................54 6.0 LIST OF PREPARERS ...............................................................................................57 APPENDICES Appendix A – Wetland and Stream Reports (Bound Separately) Appendix B – Mitigation Measures Draft – March 2005 ii P:\2003\3v505_07\Documents\EA\Draft\EA Draft.doc Environmental Assessment for FEMA Reconstruction of the Sauk River Road List of Tables Table 3.3-1. Plant Species Known to Occur in the Project Area ...................................25 Table 3.4-1. Anadromous and Resident Fish of the Sauk River Road Project Area......29 Table 3.5-1. Federally Listed Species That Occur in the Sauk River Road Project Area ...............................................................................................32 Table 3.5-2. Recent Chinook Salmon Redd Counts in the Sauk River Road Vicinity ......................................................................................................33 Table 3.8-1. Race and Ethnicity Profile of Census Tract 537, Snohomish County, WA ............................................................................40 Table 3.11-1. Estimated Cost of Each Alternative for the Sauk River Road Project.......44 Table 4.1-1. Agency Staff that Attended the February 23, 2004 Sauk River Road Scoping Meeting ........................................................................................47 Table 4.1-2. Staff that Attended the September 21, 20004 Sauk River Road Tribal Scoping Meeting ........................................................................................47 List of Figures Figure 1-1. Project Location...........................................................................................3 Figure 2-1. USFS Roads and Sauk River Road Project Area.........................................7 Figure 2-2. Sauk River Road Alternative B Alignment .................................................9 Figure 2-3. Sauk River Road Alternative C Alignment ...............................................11 Figure 3-1. Hydrology, Topography, and Landscape Features ....................................17 List of Photographs Photo 1. Sauk River Road washout from downstream end looking upstream...........2 Photo 2. View from upstream end of washout looking downstream .........................2 Draft – March 2005 iii P:\2003\3v505_07\Documents\EA\Draft\EA Draft.doc Environmental Assessment for FEMA Reconstruction of the Sauk River Road ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS BA Biological Assessment BMP Best Management Practice CAO Critical Areas Ordinance CEQ Council on Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations cfs cubic feet per second Corps U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dbh Diameter at breast height DNR Department of Natural Resources DPS Distinct Population Segment EA Environmental Assessment EIS Environmental Impact Statement EO Executive Order ESA Endangered Species Act ESCP Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan ESU Evolutionarily Significant Unit FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact FR Federal Register or Forest Road ft feet HPA Hydraulic Project Approval mgpd Million gallons per day MSE mechanical stabilized earth NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NF North Fork NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NPS National Park Service OHWM Ordinary High Water Mark ORV outstandingly remarkable value PHS Priority Habitats and Species P.L. Public Law RM River Mile ROW right-of-way SHPO State Historic Preservation Office TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load U.S.C. United States Code USFS U.S. Forest Service USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USGS U.S. Geological Survey WAC Washington