Lyle Falls Fish Passage Project
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
B O N N E V I L L E P O W E R A D M I N I S T R A T I O N Lyle Falls Fish Passage Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement DOE/EIS-0397 March 2008 Lyle Falls Fish Passage Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0397) Responsible Agencies: U.S. Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA); Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (Yakama Nation); Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW); U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS), Title of Proposed Project: Lyle Falls Fish Passage Project State Involved: Washington (WA) Abstract: BPA proposes to fund modification of the existing Lyle Falls Fishway on the lower Klickitat River in Klickitat County, WA. The proposed project would help BPA meet its off-site mitigation responsibilities for anadromous fish affected by the development of the Federal Columbia River Power System and increase overall fish production in the Columbia Basin. The fishway is owned by WDFW and operated by the Yakama Nation. Lyle Falls prevents some upstream migrating fish from reaching the upper watershed, especially when flows are low, and the existing fishway is inefficient. BPA must decide whether to fund the project; WDFW must decide whether to approve the proposed modifications and issue a Hydraulic Project Approval; and the US Forest Service must decide whether the project is consistent with the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The underlying need for the project is to improve fish passage to habitat in the upper part of the watershed. The Draft EIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of two alternatives: No Action alternative and the Proposed Action. These alternatives are described in detail in Chapter 2 of the Draft EIS. In selecting between the alternatives, BPA will consider the following purposes: provide properly functioning year-round adult fish passage; provide facilities to collect biological information to monitor success of fishery management actions; and enhance opportunities for adult salmonids to access and use habitat in the upper Klickitat River. The proposed project could impact geology and soils, water resources, fisheries, vegetation and wildlife, threatened and endangered species, wetlands and floodplains, cultural resources, air quality, noise, human health, public safety, aesthetics, land use, transportation, recreation, and socioeconomics. Chapter 3 of the EIS describes the Affected Environment and potential impacts in detail. Public comments are being accepted through May 12, 2008. For more information contact: Carl J. Keller – KEC-4 Project Environmental Lead Bonneville Power Administration P. O. Box 3621, KEC-4 Portland, OR 97208-3621 Telephone: (503) 230-7692 Email: [email protected] For additional copies of this document, please call 1-800-622-4520and ask for this document by name. The Draft EIS is also on the Internet at: http://www.efw.bpa.gov/environmental_services/Document_ Library/Lyle Falls/. You may also request copies by writing to: Bonneville Power Administration P. O. Box 3621 Portland, OR 97208 ATT: Public Information Center – CHDL-1 For additional information on DOE NEPA activities, please contact Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance, GC-20, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington D.C. 20585-0103, phone: 1-800-472-2756 or visit the DOE NEPA Web site at www.eh.doe.gov/nepa. Table of Contents Executive Summary.......................................................................................................S-1 S.1 Chapter 1: Purpose of and Need for Action ............................................S-1 S.2 Chapter 2: Alternatives ..............................................................................S-2 S.3 Chapter 3: Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences................................................................................................S-4 S.3.1 Geology and Soils........................................................................S-4 S.3.2 Water Resources..........................................................................S-4 S.3.3 Fisheries .......................................................................................S-5 S.3.4 Vegetation and Wildlife...............................................................S-5 S.3.5 Threatened and Endangered Species ...........................................S-6 S.3.6 Wetlands and Floodplains............................................................S-7 S.3.7 Cultural Resources.......................................................................S-7 S.3.8 Air Quality, Noise, Human Health and Public Safety .................S-7 S.3.9 Aesthetics.....................................................................................S-8 S.3.10 Land Use, Transportation and Recreation ...................................S-8 S.3.11 Socioeconomics ...........................................................................S-9 S.4 Chapter 4: Consultation, Review and Permit Requirements .................S-9 Chapter 1 Purpose of and Need for Action ................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Background .................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Need for the Project..................................................................................... 1-2 1.3 Purposes (Objectives) of the Project .......................................................... 1-5 1.4 Decisions to be Made ................................................................................... 1-5 1.4.1 BPA Decisions............................................................................. 1-5 1.4.2 WDFW Decisions........................................................................ 1-6 1.4.3 YN Decisions............................................................................... 1-6 1.4.4 USFS Decisions........................................................................... 1-6 1.5 Scope of this Environmental Analysis........................................................ 1-7 1.5.1 History of the Planning and Scoping Process.............................. 1-7 1.5.2 Issues Studied in Detail................................................................ 1-8 1.5.3 Issues Beyond the Scope of this EIS............................................ 1-8 Chapter 2 Alternatives .................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 No Action Alternative.................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Proposed Action ........................................................................................... 2-4 2.2.1 Location of Proposed Project....................................................... 2-4 2.2.2 Description of the Proposed Action............................................. 2-4 2.3 Alternatives Considered But Eliminated from Detailed Analysis......... 2-17 2.3.1 New East Bank Fishway ............................................................ 2-17 2.3.2 Demolish Existing Fishway and Build a New Fishway............. 2-17 2.3.3 Modify the Waterfall..................................................................2-18 2.4 Comparison of Alternatives ...................................................................... 2-18 Bonneville Power Administration i Executive Summary Chapter 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences...................... 3-1 3.1 Geology and Soils ......................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Affected Environment.................................................................. 3-1 3.1.2 Environmental Consequences...................................................... 3-4 3.1.3 Mitigation Measures.................................................................... 3-6 3.2 Water Resources (Hydrology, Water Rights, Water Quality)................. 3-8 3.2.1 Affected Environment.................................................................. 3-8 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences.................................................... 3-12 3.2.3 Mitigation Measures.................................................................. 3-17 3.3 Fisheries ...................................................................................................... 3-18 3.3.1 Affected Environment................................................................ 3-18 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences.................................................... 3-28 3.3.3 Mitigation Measures.................................................................. 3-42 3.4 Vegetation and Wildlife............................................................................. 3-43 3.4.1 Affected Environment................................................................ 3-43 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences.................................................... 3-52 3.4.3 Mitigation Measures.................................................................. 3-56 3.5 Threatened and Endangered Species....................................................... 3-58 3.5.1 Affected Environment................................................................ 3-58 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences.................................................... 3-65 3.5.3 Mitigation Measures.................................................................. 3-68 3.6 Wetlands and Floodplains......................................................................... 3-69 3.6.1 Affected