FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT KINGS RIVER CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT COLE SLOUGH-LATON AREA CALIFORNIA U.S. ARMY ENGINEER, DISTRICT SACRAMENTO,CALIFORNIA FEBRUARY 1975 DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY SACRAMENTO DISTRICT. CORPS OF ENGINEERS 650 CAPITOL MALL SACRAMENTO. CALIFORNIA 95814 28 February 1^75 STATEMENT OF FINDINGS Kings River Channel Improvement Proj ect Cole Slough - Latcn Area California 1, As District Engineer of the Sacramento District, Corps of Engineers, I have reviewed and evaluated, in light of the overall public interest, the information presented in the environmental statement, other documents concerning the King3 River Channel Improvement Project, and the views of other agencies, organizations and individuals on the environmental and other impacts of the proposed work and alternatives. The consequences of constructing the proposed work as well as each of the alternatives, were studied and evaluated for engineering feasibility, environmental effects and social well-being. Specific attention was given to the fulfillment of the flood control, irrigation and related purposes for which the Kings River Project was authorized by Congress, while also considering the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. 2* In making my evaluation, the following factors were considered per- "Cinent to the analysis: a. Alternatives. - Of the various alternatives investigated, the levee construction and bank protection alternative provides for the desired flood protection needs more completely and satisfactorily than other methods of flood protection. b. Authority and function. - The proposed work is part of the Kings River Project, which was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944, is functionally adequate for current needs and provides flexibility for future flood protection requirements of the area. c. Flood protection. - The proposed work increases the amount of flood protection in the Cole Slough and Laton areas and permits design flow releases from Fine Flat Dam. In addition, 16 sites having severe levee erosion problems would be repaired. d. Environmental impacts. - There will be environmental impacts associated with the project; however, impacts will be less widespread and less critical than the impacts of implementing alternative methods of achieving flood control or from no development. Such impacts will be minimized by incorporating environmental considerations into the construction • program and the project operations. The most significant impact is the removal of about 2.5 acres of riparian habitat to facilitate installation of bank protection features. This will be mitigated by allowing grasses and other low lying vegetation to reoccupy the sites. 3. I find that the environmental statement meets or exceeds the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and that the public interest and general welfare will best be served by completion of the Kings River Channel Improvement Project. The proposed action is based on thorough evaluation of viable alternative courses of action for flood protection. The project is consonant with national policy, statutes, and administrative directives* Further, completion of the project is supported by the Kings River Conservation District, and is consistent with the District's plan for pro­ viding protection from design flood releases from Fine Flat Dam. The total public interest would best be served by implementation of the described plan, which will assist in promoting productive and enjoyable harmony between man and his environment. F. G. ROCKWELL, JR. Colonel, CE District Engineer Sacramento District I have reviewed the subject Statement of Findings and concur in the findings of the District Engineer. ■ - DATE: 14 March 1975 RICHARD M. CONNELL Brigadier General, U. S. Army Division Engineer I concure in the preceding Statement of Findings. DATE: /J./W. MORRIS Major General, USA -'Director of Civil Works FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT KINGS RIVER CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT COLE SLOUGH-LATON AREA CALIFORNIA U.S. Army Engineer District Sacramento, California February 1975 t Final Environmental Statement Kings River Channel Improvement Project Cole Slougli-Laton Area California Table of Contents Paragraph Subject Page Summary SECTION I - PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1.01 General 1 1.02 Proposed Work 1 * SECTION II - ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING WITHOUT THE PROJECT 2.01 Topography 1 2.02 Geology 1 2.03 Climate 1 2.04 Hydrology 2 2.05 Vegetation 2 2.06 Fish and Wildife 2 2.07 Archeological and Historical 3 2.03 Population 3 2.09 Land Use 3 2.10 Economy 3 2.11 Water Quality 3 2.12 Air Quality 4 2.13 Future Setting without the Project 4 SECTION III - RELATIONSHIP OF THE PROPOSED ACTION TO LAND USE PLANS 3.01 4 SECTION IV - PROBABLE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED ACTION ON THE ENVIRONMENT 4.01 Changes and Conversions 5 4.02 Beneficial and/or detrimental effects 5 4.03 Mitigation Measures 6 Paragraph Subject Page SECTION V - PROBABLE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS WHICH CANNOT BE AVOIDED 5.01 6 SECTION VI - ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED ACTION 6.01 7 6.02 Alternatives to Levee Construction 7 6.03 Alternatives to Bank Protection 7 6.04 Alternatives to Road Surfacing 7 6.05 Recreation Alternative 7 SECTION VII - THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT-TERM USES OF MAN'S ENVIRONMENT AND THE MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY 7.01 8 SECTION VIII - IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENTS OF RESOURCES WHICH WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE PROPOSED ACTION SHOULD IT BE IMPLEMENTED 8.01 8 SECTION IX - COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES 9.01 Public Participation 9 9.02 Comments from governmental agencies 9 9.03 U.S. Department of Agriculture - Soil Conservation 10 Service 9.04 U.S. Department of the Interior 10 9.05 Kings County Planning Agency 14 9.06 Fresno County Planning Department 15 9.07 Kings River Conservation District 16 9.08 Comments from Citizen Groups 16 9.09 Fresno Audubon Society 16 9.10 The Committee to Save the Kings River 21 9.11 Sierra Club - Tehipite Chapter 26 9.12 Fresno County Sportsmen's Club 28 *9*13 The Resources Agency of California 29 List of Appendices I - Environmental Inventory II - Letter from California Department of Parks and Recreation III - References Cited IV - Letters Received by the District Engineer on the Draft Environmental Statement List of Charts Chart 1 General Map Chart 2 Location of Proposed Work (eight sheets) Chart 3 Typical Sections - Lemoore Wein to 3th Avenue Summary Kings River Channel Improvement Project, Cole Slough-Laton Area, California ( ) Draft (X) Final Environmental Statement ■ Responsible Office: U.S. Army Engineer District, Sacramento, California 1. Name of Action: (X) Administrative ( ) Legislative 2. Description of Action: About 14,000 lineal feet of new levee and patrol road will be constructed in the vicinity of the Community of Laton, California, on the north side of Cole Slough and part of the Ward Drainage Canal. About 5,000 lineal feet of bank protection work will be placed at 16 different sites. About 23 miles of existing levee patrol roads will be gravel surfaced. 3. a. Environmental Impacts: Approximately five hundred acres of agricul­ tural land in the vicinity of Laton will be protected from flooding. Sixteen areas of eroded bank will be repaired, maintaining the integrity of the levee system. b. Adverse Environmental Effects: Less than two and a half acres of riparian habitat will be cleared. Levee coustruction and bank protection work may cause limited short-term turbidity. 4. Alternatives to the Proposed Action; Channel clearing; channel enlarge­ ment; flood plain zoning; levee setbacks; increase of storage in Pine Flat Reservoir; no action. 5. Comments Received; Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX Department of the Interior Department of Agriculture: Soil Conservation Service Department of health, Education and Welfare Department of Transportation, Region 7 State of California Fresno County ICings County Kings River Conservation District The Committee to Save the Kings River Sierra Club - Tehipite Chapter Fresno Audubon Society Sportsmen's Council of Central California Fresno County Sportsmen's Club Draft statement to CEQ 22 July ll>74 Final statement to CEQ 1 8 ^ _____ SECTION I PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1.01. General. - The Kings River originates high in the Sierra Nevada and flows in a southwesterly uirection until it reaches a point about 25 niles south of Fresno. There, it splits into north and south forks generally referred to as Kings River North and Kings River South. The Kings River project area is in the south-central portion of the San Joaquin Valley in Kings, Fresno and Tulare Counties (see Chart 1). The Kings River project was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944 (1).* The project was authorized for flood control, irrigation and related purposes. It consists of Pine Flat Dam and Lake and cliannel modifications downstream from the dan. The benefit-cost ratio for the project was 1.5 to 1. Pine Flat Dam was completed in 1954. Pine Flat Lake iias a capacity of one million acre- . feet and is approximately 20 miles long and up to two miles wide. Completed cliannel modifications consist primarily of levee construction, levee recon­ struction, and removal of aown timber from the floodway channel. Work was completed between i960 and 1972 for some 42 miles of channel over several reaches of Kings River North and South, and in the Centerville bottoms area. Detailed information on completed portions of the project is contained in a design memorandum of the Corps of Engineers (2). 1.02. Proposed Work. - This environmental statement describes impacts of proposed project works on main Rings River, Dutch John Cut and Cole Slough between Lemoore Weir and Eighth Avenue. The location of the proposed work is shown on Chart 2 and consists of the following: a. Construction of 14,000 lineal feet of new levee and patrol road on the north side of Cole Slough; b. Surfacing of about 23 miles of existing levee patrol roads and upgrading and surfacing of existing access ramps and turnarounds; c. Intermittent bank protection at locations where erosion endangers existing levees.