WILSON RESERVOIR FINAL RESERVOIR LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN

Volume IX

MULTIPLE RESERVOIR LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

August 2017

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Document Type: EIS Administrative Record Index Field: Final EIS Project Name: Multiple RLMPs & CVLP EIS Project Number: 2016-2

WILSON RESERVOIR Final Reservoir Land Management Plan

VOLUME IX

MULTIPLE RESERVOIR LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Prepared by Valley Authority

August 2017

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Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS APPENDICES ...... IX-II LIST OF TABLES ...... IX-II LIST OF FIGURES ...... IX-III ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...... IX-V CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ...... IX-1 1.1 Authority History ...... IX-2 1.2 Overview of TVA’s Mission and Environmental Policy ...... IX-2 1.2.1 TVA’s Mission ...... IX-2 1.2.2 Environmental Policy ...... IX-3 1.2.3 Land Policy ...... IX-3 1.2.4 Shoreline Management Policy ...... IX-5 1.3 The Natural Resource Plan ...... IX-5 1.4 Purpose of Reservoir Land Planning ...... IX-6 CHAPTER 2. REGIONAL OVERVIEW ...... IX-9 2.1 Muscle Shoals and Wilson Reservation ...... IX-10 2.2 Wilson Reservoir and Present Shoreline ...... IX-12 2.2.1 Land Use and Prime Farmland ...... IX-14 2.2.2 Recreation ...... IX-16 2.2.3 Terrestrial Ecology ...... IX-17 2.2.4 Aquatic Ecology ...... IX-22 2.2.5 Threatened and Endangered Species ...... IX-25 2.2.6 Water Quality ...... IX-38 2.2.7 Wetlands ...... IX-40 2.2.8 Floodplains ...... IX-41 2.2.9 Air Quality ...... IX-41 2.2.10 Cultural and Historic Resources ...... IX-42 2.2.11 Natural Areas and Ecologically Significant Sites ...... IX-45 2.2.12 Aesthetics and Visual Resources ...... IX-45 2.2.13 Noise ...... IX-45 2.2.14 Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice ...... IX-47 2.3 Major Features of Muscle Shoals and Reservation and Wilson Reservoir ...... IX-49 2.3.1 Muscle Shoals National Recreational Trail ...... IX-49 2.3.2 /Wilson Dam Nonessential Experimental Population ...... IX-51 2.3.3 Wilson Dam Tailwater Restricted Mussel Harvest Area ...... IX-51 2.3.4 Trail of Tears National Historic Trail ...... IX-51

IX-i Wilson Reservoir Land Management Plan

2.3.5 Old First Quarters Small Wild Area and Potential National Natural Landmark . IX-52 2.3.6 Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area ...... IX-52 2.3.7 Wildlife Habitat Council Certification ...... IX-52 2.4 The Future Management of Reservoir Lands ...... IX-53 CHAPTER 3. LAND PLANNING PROCESS ...... IX-55 3.1 Process for Planning Land ...... IX-55 3.2 Wilson Reservoir Goals and Objectives ...... IX-60 3.3 Parcel Allocations ...... IX-60 3.4 Property Administration ...... IX-66 CHAPTER 4. PARCEL DESCRIPTIONS ...... IX-67 CHAPTER 5. PLANNING TEAM ...... IX-81 CHAPTER 6. LITERATURE CITED ...... IX-83 GLOSSARY ...... IX-87 INDEX ...... IX-89

APPENDICES Appendix A – Land Management Plan Maps – Panels 1 through 4 ...... IX-91 Appendix B – Comparison of Parcel Allocations by Alternative ...... IX-95

LIST OF TABLES Table 2-1. Prime Farmland and Farmland of Statewide Importance on Wilson Reservoir ...... IX-15 Table 2-2. Developed Public Recreation Areas on TVA Lands on the Wilson Reservoir ...... IX-17 Table 2-3. Developed Commercial, Private and Semi-Private (Camps) Recreation Areas on TVA Lands on the Wilson Reservoir...... IX-17 Table 2-4. Land Cover on TVA Owned Parcels and within the Vicinity of Wilson Reservoir ...... IX-18 Table 2-5. Invasive Non-native Species that Pose a Severe Threat Known to Occur in ...... IX-21 Table 2-6. RFAI and Benthic Community Scores for Wilson Reservoir (2010-2014) ...... IX-23 Table 2-7. Fish Species in Wilson Res