Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
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DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TEMPORARY DEVIATION DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN SAVANNAH RIVER BASIN US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SAVANNAH DISTRICT October 2008 Draft Environmental Assessment October 2008 Savannah River Basin Temporary Deviation to Drought Contingency Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. ACRONYMS ............................................................................................... IV FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ... ..................................................... 1 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ...................................................... 3 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................... 3 *1.1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................. 3 1. 1.1. History ..................................................................................................... 3 1. 1.2. Requirement for Environmental Documentation ..................................................... 4 1. 1.3. General Objectives....................................................................................... 5 1.2. PURPOSE AND NEED ............................................................................................ 5 1.3. SCOPE ............................................................................................................. 5 1.4. STUDY METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................... 5 2.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .................................................................... 6 2.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER BASIN ......................................................... 6 2.2. DESCRIPTION OF CORPS PROJECTS......................................................................... 7 2.3. RECREATION ..................................................................................................... 8 2.3. 1. Public Boat-Launching Ramps and Private Docks ................................................... 8 2.3.2. Swimming ............................................................................................... 11 2.4. WATER SUPPLY................................................................................................ 12 2.5. HYDROPOWER AND PUMPED STORAGE................................................................... 12 2.6. WATER QUALITY IN THE LAKES........................................................................... 13 2.7. WATER QUALITY IN THE SAVANNAH RIVER ..................................................... 14 2.8. BIOTIC COMMUNITIES AT THE LAKES...................................................................... 16 2.8. 1. Fishery Resources at Hartwell Lake................................................................... 16 *2.8.2. Fishery Resources at RBR Laike.. .......................................................................... 16 2.8.3. Fishery Resources at JST Lake ... .................. ................................................. 17 2.8.4. Aquatic Plants at Hartwell Lake....................................................................... 17 2.8.5. Aquatic Plants at RBR Lake........................................................................... 18 2.8.6. Aquatic Plants at JST Lake............................................................................. 18 2.8.7. Aquatic Plants at New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam............................................. 19 2.9. BIOTIC COMMUNITIES IN THE LOWER SAVANNAH RIVER............................................ 19 2.9.1L Fish ....................................................................................................... 19 2.9.2. Wetlands ....................... I.......................................................................... 21 2.9.3. Wildlife.................................................................................................. 22 2.9.4. Endangered Species ..... 1 ... ........................................................................... 23 2.9.5. Special Biological Areas ....... ;........................................................................ 27 2.10. SOCIOECONOMIC ISSUES.................................................................................... 27 2. 10. 1. Environmental Justice...........I...I..........I......................................................... 27 2.10.2. Protection of Children ................................................................................ 27 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION AND OTHER ALTERNATIVES ... 28 3.1. ALTERNATIVE FORMULATION .............................................................................. 28 3.2. ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS ................................................................................... 28 3.2. 1. No Action Alternative .. .... ...................................... *.......-*......,...... ... 28 . .i Draft Environmental Assessment October 2008 Savannah River Basin Temporary Deviation to Drought Contingency Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page No. 3 .2 .2 . A ltern ativ e 1........................................................................................................ I..................... 3 1 3.2.3. Alternatives Considered But Eliminated From Detailed Consideration ............................. 32 3.2.4. Recommended Alternative .................................................................................................. 32 4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES ...................... 33 4.1. WATER QUALITY ........................................................... ............................... 33 4.2. BIOTIC COMMUNITIES-LAKES ...................................................................................................... 41 4.2.1. Largemouth Bass Spawning ................................................................................................ 41 4 .2.2 . A q u atic P lan ts ........................................................................................................................... 4 1 4.3. BIOTIC COMMUNITIES-SHOALS ............................................................................................... 42 4.4. BIOTIC COMMUNITIES-FLOODPLAIN ...................................................................................... 43 4.5. BIOTIC COMMUNITIES-ESTUARY ............................................................................................. 43 4.6. THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES ......................................................................... 47 4.7. ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT ........................ ................................................................................... 48 4.8. RECREATION........................................................................ .................................................. 49 4.8.1. Boat-Launching Ramps and Private Docks ........................................................................ 49 4 .8.2 . Sw imm in g ................................................................................................................................. 4 9 4.9. WATER SUPPLY ........................... ................................................................ ................................ 4949 4.10. COASTAL ZONE CONSISTENCY ................................................................................................... 51 4.11. HYDROPOWER ............................................................................................................................. 52 4.12. CULTURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................................. 52 4.13. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ......................................................................................................... 52 4.14. PROTECTION OF CHILDREN ........................................................................................................ 53 4.15. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ............................................................................................................... 53 5.0 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................... 54 6.0 RELATIONSHIP OF PROJECT TO FEDERAL AND STATE AUTHORITIES ........ 58 7.0 COORDINATION ................................................................................................................ 59 8.0 LITERATURE CONSULTED ........................................................................................ 59 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Hartwell Lake - Unusable Ramps by LakeLevel 658 to 652 feet msl -------------------- 9 Table 2: J.Strom Thurmond - Unusable Ramps by Lake Level 326 to 317 feet msl -------------- 10 Table 3: Federal Endangered, Threatened and Candidate-Species Likely to Occur in the Savannah River Basin Study Area --------------------------------------------------- 24 Table 4: Georgia and South Carolina Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species Occurring in Counties Adjacent to the Savannah River ----------------------------------------- 25 Table 5: Hartwell Action Levels for the NAA --------------------------------------- 29 Table 6: J. Strom Thurmond Action Levels for the No Action Alternative -------------------- 30 Table 7: Impact Summary------------------------------------------------------- 55 Table 8: Summary of Requirements----------------------------------------------- 57 ii Draft Environmental Assessment October 2008 Savannah River Basin Temporary Deviation to Drought