Environmental Assessment Environmental Assessment for an Interbasin Transfer from the Roanoke River Basin Prepared for Kerr Lake Regional Water System January 2015 3120 Highwoods Boulevard Suite 214 – Magnolia Building Raleigh, NC 27604 B-2 This page has been intentionally left blank. B-3 Contents Section Page Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................................................................................................. vii Project Description ................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Project Background ................................................................................................................ 1-2 1.2.1 Kerr Lake ................................................................................................................... 1-2 1.2.2 Water Treatment Plant Expansion ............................................................................ 1-3 1.2.3 KLRWS Infrastructure ................................................................................................ 1-3 1.2.4 Kerr Lake Allocation .................................................................................................. 1-3 1.3 Projection Description ........................................................................................................... 1-4 1.3.1 Project Area and Study Area Descriptions ................................................................ 1-4 1.3.2 Project Description ................................................................................................... 1-5 1.3.3 Guiding Legislation .................................................................................................... 1-5 Purpose and Need ..................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Purpose and Need Statement ................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 Historical Water Demands ..................................................................................................... 2-2 2.3 Water Demand Projections ................................................................................................... 2-2 2.4 Proposed Interbasin Transfer ................................................................................................ 2-6 Project Alternatives .................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Alternative 1 – No Action ....................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Alternative 2 – Increase IBT to Meet Needs of Customers .................................................... 3-2 3.3 Alternative 3 – Avoid Additional IBT by Finding Alternative Surface Water Sources ............ 3-3 3.4 Alternative 4 – Avoid Additional IBT by Finding Alternative Groundwater Sources ............. 3-7 3.5 Alternative 5 – Minimize IBT by Discharging to Roanoke River Basin ................................... 3-7 3.6 Alternative 6 – Use Coastal Water as a Source ...................................................................... 3-8 3.7 Summary of Alternatives ....................................................................................................... 3-9 Existing Environmental Characteristics of Project Area ............................................................... 4-1 4.1 Water Resources (Surface Water and Groundwater) ............................................................ 4-1 4.1.1 Surface Waters .......................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.2 Groundwater ........................................................................................................... 4-14 4.1.3 Hydropower ............................................................................................................ 4-15 4.2 Topography .......................................................................................................................... 4-18 4.2.1 Topography ............................................................................................................. 4-18 4.2.2 Floodplains .............................................................................................................. 4-19 4.3 Soils ...................................................................................................................................... 4-20 4.4 Land Use and Land Cover ..................................................................................................... 4-23 4.5 Wetlands .............................................................................................................................. 4-25 4.6 Prime or Unique Agricultural Lands ..................................................................................... 4-27 4.7 Public Lands and Scenic, Recreational, and Natural Heritage Program Natural Areas ....... 4-27 4.7.1 Public Lands ............................................................................................................ 4-27 4.7.2 Natural Heritage Program Natural Areas................................................................ 4-30 4.8 Areas of Archaeological or Historic Value ............................................................................ 4-31 4.8.1 Areas of Archaeological Value ................................................................................ 4-31 4.8.2 Areas of Historic Value ............................................................................................ 4-31 B-4 4.9 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 4-32 4.10 Noise Level ........................................................................................................................... 4-33 4.11 Forest Resources .................................................................................................................. 4-33 4.12 Shellfish or Fish and Their Habitats ...................................................................................... 4-34 4.12.1 Federally Listed Threatened and Endangered Aquatic Species .............................. 4-34 4.12.2 Aquatic Natural Areas ............................................................................................. 4-37 4.12.3 Common Aquatic Species and Habitats .................................................................. 4-38 4.13 Wildlife and Natural Vegetation ........................................................................................... 4-39 4.13.1 Federally Listed Threatened and Endangered Species............................................ 4-39 4.13.2 Natural Vegetation & Common Wildlife ................................................................. 4-42 Environmental Consequences/Predicted Environmental Effects of the Project ........................... 5-1 5.1 Water Resources (Surface Water and Groundwater) ............................................................ 5-2 5.1.1 Water Resources: Surface Water .............................................................................. 5-2 5.1.2 Water Resources: Groundwater.............................................................................. 5-19 5.1.3 Water Resources: Hydropower ............................................................................... 5-20 5.2 Topography and Floodplains ................................................................................................ 5-26 5.2.1 Topography and Floodplains: Source Basin – Roanoke River ................................. 5-26 5.2.2 Topography and Floodplains: Receiving Basins – Tar River and Neuse River ......... 5-26 5.2.3 Topography and Floodplains: Receiving Basin – Fishing Creek ............................... 5-27 5.3 Soils ....................................................................................................................................... 5-27 5.3.1 Soils: Source Basin – Roanoke River ........................................................................ 5-27 5.3.2 Soils: Receiving Basins – Tar River and Neuse River ................................................ 5-27 5.3.3 Soils: Receiving Basin – Fishing Creek ..................................................................... 5-28 5.4 Land Use ............................................................................................................................... 5-28 5.4.1 Land Use: Source Basin – Roanoke River ................................................................ 5-28 5.4.2 Land Use: Receiving Basins – Tar River and Neuse River ........................................ 5-28 5.4.3 Land Use: Receiving Basin – Fishing Creek .............................................................. 5-29 5.5 Wetlands .............................................................................................................................. 5-29 5.5.1 Wetlands: Source Basin – Roanoke River ................................................................ 5-29 5.5.2 Wetlands: Receiving Basins – Tar River and Neuse River ....................................... 5-30 5.5.3 Wetlands: Receiving Basin – Fishing Creek ............................................................