DRAFT SIP/PEIS – May 2006 Ohio River Mainstem System Study Integrated Main Report (Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Included) Table of Contents1 Item Page *EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................. ES-1 SECTION 1 STUDY AUTHORITY .................................................................. 1-1 SECTION 2 PURPOSE AND SCOPE........................................................... 2-1 *2.1 STUDY PURPOSE & NEED FOR ACTION............................................. 2-2 2.1.1 System Investment Plan ............................................................ 2-13 2.1.2 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement ..................... 2-13 2.2 SCOPE OF STUDIES .............................................................................. 2-17 2.2.1 System Investment Plan ............................................................. 2-17 2.2.2 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement ...................... 2-19 2.2.3 Cumulative Effects Assessment ................................................ 2-20 2.4 STUDY PLAN FORMULATION PROCESS............................................. 2.23 2.4.1 Identify Problems and Opportunities...…………………………..2-24 2.4.2 Inventory and Forecast Critical Resources……………………..2-24 2.4.3 Formulate Alternative SIPs For Each Traffic Scenario………..2-24 2.4.4 Evaluate Alternative SIPs For Each Traffic Scenario……….…2-25 2.4.5 Determine SIP For Each Traffic Scenario…………………….….2-26 2.4.6 Identify Final SIP and Near Term Activities To Be Implemented………………………………………………………….2-26 2.5 STUDY PARTICIPANTS......................................................................... 2-26 2.5.1 Technical Study Team................................................................ 2-27 2.5.2 Resource Agency Interests And Environmental Non-Government Organizations........................................................................................ 2-27 2.5.3 Independent Technical Review And Quality Control................ 2-29 2.6. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES AND METHODS..................................... 2-31 SELECTED REFERENCES........................................................................... 2-36 1 All sections marked with an * are “required under the National Environmental Policy Act and 40 CFR 1502.10 through 1502.18. System Investment Plan/Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Page i DRAFT SIP/PEIS – May 2006 Table of Contents Item Page SECTION 3 PRIOR STUDIES AND REPORTS............................................. 3-1 3.1 INTERIM FEASIBILITY REPORT: J.T. MYERS & GREENUP LOCKS IMPROVEMENTS (APRIL 2000) ..................................................................... 3-1 3.2 OHIO RIVER ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROGRAM (OCTOBER 2000) ............................................................................................ 3-2 3.3 OTHER PERTINENT REPORTS .............................................................. 3-2 SECTION 4 OHIO RIVER NAVIGATION SYSTEM ........................................ 4-1 4.1 DESCRIPTION OF OHIO RIVER NAVIGATION STUDY AREA .............. 4-1 4.2 HISTORY OF FEDERAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE OHIO RIVER .......... 4-2 4.3 RECENT OHIO RIVER LOCKS AND DAMS IMPROVEMENTS.............. 4-5 4.4 CURRENT STATE OF THE OHIO RIVER ................................................ 4-8 4.5 WATERWAY DEPENDENT INDUSTRIES IN THE OHIO RIVER BASIN .............................................................................. 4-14 4.6 OHIO RIVER SYSTEM AND MAINSTEM COMMODITY MOVEMENTS. 4-16 *SECTION 5 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT..................................................... 5-1 5.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION ....................................................................... 5-1 5.2 AQUATIC ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES.................................................. 5-2 5.2.1 Water Quality And Sediments ..................................................... 5-2 5.2.2 Biological Resources ................................................................. 5-13 5.3 LAND USE .............................................................................................. 5-26 5.3.1 Historical Conditions ................................................................. 5-26 5.3.2 Present Descriptions.................................................................. 5-29 5.3.3 Trends ......................................................................................... 5-32 5.4 RIPARIAN/FLOODPLAIN ECOLOGY.................................................... 5-32 5.4.1 Historical Conditions ................................................................. 5-33 5.4.2 Recent Conditions And Trends ................................................. 5-34 5.5 AIR QUALITY ......................................................................................... 5-38 5.5.1 Historical Conditions ................................................................. 5-38 5.5.2 Recent Conditions and Trends.................................................. 5-39 5.6 HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY AND NOISE........................................ 5-40 5.6.1 Historic Conditions .................................................................... 5-40 5.6.2 Recent Conditions And Trends ................................................. 5-41 5.7 RECREATION AND AESTHETICS ........................................................ 5-44 5.7.1 Historic Conditions ..................................................................... 5-45 5.7.2 Current Recreational Practices ................................................. 5-46 5.7.3 Recreation Surveys For Ormss................................................. 5-50 5.8 TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION...................................................... 5-53 5.9 SOCIOECONOMIC PROFILE................................................................. 5-58 5.9.1 Demographics............................................................................. 5-58 5.9.2 Environmental Justice ............................................................... 5-59 5.10 CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................... 5-61 5.10.1 Past Conditions ........................................................................ 5-61 5.10.2 Current Conditions And Trends .............................................. 5-66 System Investment Plan/Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Page ii DRAFT SIP/PEIS – May 2006 Table of Contents Item Page 5.11 SUMMARY OF AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT DISCUSSION ................ 5-67 5.11.1 The Six Major Vecs.................................................................... 5-67 5.11.2 Additional Vecs.......................................................................... 5-69 SECTION 6 OHIO RIVER PROBLEMS, NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES.... 6-1 6.1 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................ 6-1 6.1.1 Chamber Dimension Considerations.......................................... 6-2 6.1.2 Lock Service Availability ............................................................. 6-3 6.1.3 Structural Concerns And Reliability Issues ............................... 6-4 6.1.4 Ecosystem Considerations.......................................................... 6-5 6.2 PLANNING OBJECTIVES ........................................................................ 6-8 6.3 OHIO RIVER PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO NAVIGABILITY AND NAVIGATIONAL EFFICIENCY..................................... 6-8 6.3.1 Small Chambers ........................................................................... 6-9 6.3.2 Lock And Dam Conditions....................................................... 6-166 6.3.3 Operational Efficiency Opportunities ........................................ 6-19 6.4 PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.......................................................................................... 6-20 6.4.1 Identification Of Environmental Sustainability Concerns And Opportunities................................................................................................ 6-21 6.4.2 Environmental Sustainability Concerns And Opportunities For Ohio River Aquatic And Riparian Resources............................................. 6-34 6.5 INVESTMENT OPTIONS ........................................................................ 6-36 6.5.1 Navigation Stewardship Program .............................................. 6-36 6.5.2 Maintenance Measures For Navigation .................................... 6-40 6.5.3 Operational Efficiency And Low-Cost Structural Measures For Navigation..................................................................................................... 6-40 6.5.4 Lock Modernization Measures .................................................. 6-41 6.5.5 Additional Environmetnal Sustainability Improvement Options ..................................................................................................................... ..6-42 6.6 PLANNING CONSTRAINTS AND ASSUMPTIONS............................... 6-42 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION ............... 7-1 7.1. ENVIRONMENTAL OUTREACH............................................................. 7-1 7.1.1 Summary Of Scoping Process ..................................................... 7-1 7.1.2 Interagency Coordination ............................................................. 7-7 7.2 CORPS INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC.......................................... 7-11 7.3 CORPS INTERACTION WITH INDUSTRY............................................