BONNEVILLEPOWERADMINISTRATION In cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management Lolo Creek Permanent Weir and Fish Trapping Facility Preliminary Environmental Assessment January 2013 DOE/EA-1895 DOI-BLM-ID-C020-2012-0021-EA Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Need for Action ............................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Purposes ........................................................................................................................... 1-3 1.2.1 BPA Purposes ..................................................................................................... 1-3 1.2.2 BLM Purposes .................................................................................................... 1-3 1.3 Project Background .......................................................................................................... 1-3 1.3.1 Northwest Power and Conservation Council Process ......................................... 1-3 1.3.2 Federal Columbia Power System Biological Opinion ........................................ 1-3 1.3.3 Spring Chinook Supplementation ....................................................................... 1-4 1.3.4 Special Designations ........................................................................................... 1-4 1.4 Existing Conditions at the Lower Lolo Weir Site ............................................................ 1-4 1.4.1 Existing Facilities ............................................................................................... 1-4 1.4.2 Existing Operations and Maintenance at the Lower Lolo Weir Site .................. 1-5 1.5 Scoping, Public Involvement, and Issues ........................................................................ 1-7 CHAPTER 2 ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Proposed Action – Permanent Fish Weir with Recreation Elements ............................... 2-1 2.1.1 Permanent Fish Weir Construction and Operations ............................................ 2-7 2.1.2 Public Recreational Facilities ........................................................................... 2-15 2.1.3 Environmental Design Features/Mitigation Measures Included as Part of the Proposed Action .......................................................................................... 2-15 2.1.4 Site Reclamation ............................................................................................... 2-21 2.2 No Action Alternative .................................................................................................... 2-21 2.3 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study ....................................... 2-21 2.3.1 Alternate Weir Locations .................................................................................. 2-21 2.4 Comparison of Alternatives ........................................................................................... 2-22 CHAPTER 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, EFFECTS OF ALTERNATIVES, AND MITIGATION MEASURES .................................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 General Setting ................................................................................................................ 3-2 3.3 Aquatic Habitat and Special Status Species ..................................................................... 3-2 3.3.1 Affected Environment ......................................................................................... 3-2 3.3.2 Environmental Effects ........................................................................................ 3-9 3.4 Water Resources ............................................................................................................ 3-17 3.4.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-17 3.4.2 Environmental Effects ...................................................................................... 3-17 3.5 Vegetation and Wetlands ............................................................................................... 3-19 3.5.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-20 3.5.2 Environmental Effects ...................................................................................... 3-25 3.6 Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat and Special Status Species ................................................ 3-27 3.6.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-29 3.6.2 Environmental Effects ...................................................................................... 3-32 Bonneville Power Administration i 3.7 Special Designations - Area of Critical Environmental Concern and Wild and Scenic River System ...................................................................................................... 3-35 3.7.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-35 3.7.2 Environmental Effects ...................................................................................... 3-35 3.8 Recreation ...................................................................................................................... 3-36 3.8.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-36 3.8.2 Environmental Effects ...................................................................................... 3-39 3.9 Transportation ................................................................................................................ 3-40 3.9.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-40 3.9.2 Environmental Effects ...................................................................................... 3-43 3.10 Visual Quality and Aesthetics ........................................................................................ 3-44 3.10.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-44 3.10.2 Environmental Effects ...................................................................................... 3-45 3.11 Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................... 3-46 3.11.1 Affected Environment ....................................................................................... 3-47 3.11.2 Environmental Effects ...................................................................................... 3-50 3.12 Cumulative Effects ........................................................................................................ 3-50 3.12.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 3-50 3.12.2 Aquatic Habitat and Special Status Species ...................................................... 3-52 3.12.3 Water Resources ............................................................................................... 3-53 3.12.4 Vegetation and Wetlands .................................................................................. 3-54 3.12.5 Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat and Special Status Species ................................... 3-54 3.12.6 Special Designations - Area of Critical Environmental Concern and Wild and Scenic Rivers.............................................................................................. 3-54 3.12.7 Recreation ......................................................................................................... 3-55 3.12.8 Transportation ................................................................................................... 3-55 3.12.9 Visual Quality and Aesthetics ........................................................................... 3-55 3.12.10 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................ 3-55 3.13 Mitigation and Monitoring ............................................................................................. 3-56 CHAPTER 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTATION, REVIEW, AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS ............ 4-1 4.1 Relationship to Laws, Policies, and Land Use Plans ....................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 National Environmental Policy Act .................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Federal Land Policy and Management Act ......................................................... 4-1 4.1.3 Americans with Americans with Disabilities Act ............................................... 4-2 4.1.4 Fish and Wildlife ................................................................................................ 4-2 4.1.5 Water Resources ................................................................................................. 4-4 4.1.6 Lacey Act and Plant Protection Act .................................................................... 4-5 4.1.7 National Wild and Scenic