DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION PLAN / ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Howard/White Unit No. 1 Oil Spill PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT January 2008 Howard/White Unit No. 1 Oil Spill NRDA Obed Wild and Scenic River Morgan County, Tennessee DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION PLAN / ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT Prepared by: Obed Wild and Scenic River Natural Resource Trustee Council Including: U.S. Department of Interior National Park Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation January 2008 Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................... iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...........................................................................................................v 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Spill Incident ................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Summary of Natural Resource Injuries .......................................................................... 1-5 1.3 Summary of Preferred Restoration Alternative .............................................................. 1-5 1.4 Organization of Document ............................................................................................. 1-5 2.0 PURPOSE AND NEED OF THE DARP ........................................................................ 2-1 2.1 OPA Requirements ......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.1 Coordination among the Trustees ........................................................................ 2-2 2.1.2 Coordination with the Responsible Party ............................................................ 2-2 2.1.3 Public Participation .............................................................................................. 2-2 2.1.4 Administrative Record ......................................................................................... 2-2 2.2 NEPA Compliance ......................................................................................................... 2-3 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Physical Environment ..................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 The Obed WSR ...................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.2 Centennial Park, Crossville, TN ............................................................................ 3-2 3.1.3 Golliher Creek, Morgan County, TN ..................................................................... 3-2 3.2 Biological Environment .................................................................................................. 3-3 3.2.1 The Obed WSR ...................................................................................................... 3-3 3.2.2 Centennial Park, Crossville, TN ............................................................................ 3-4 3.2.3 Golliher Creek, Morgan County, TN ..................................................................... 3-4 3.3 Cultural Environment and Human Use .......................................................................... 3-4 3.3.1 The Obed WSR ...................................................................................................... 3-4 3.3.2 Centennial Park, Crossville, TN ............................................................................ 3-5 3.3.3 Golliher Creek, Morgan County, TN ..................................................................... 3-6 4.0 INJURY ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Overview of Preassessment Phase Activities and Findings ........................................... 4-1 4.2.1 Water Quality ....................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2.2 Sediment Quality .................................................................................................. 4-2 4.2.3 Benthic Algae ....................................................................................................... 4-2 4.2.4 Macroinvertebrates ............................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.5 Fish Community Health ....................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.6 Forest Vegetation and Soils .................................................................................. 4-4 4.2.7 Riparian Wetlands and Habitat ............................................................................. 4-5 4.2.8 Visitor Use ............................................................................................................ 4-5 i Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan 4.2.9 Information Management ..................................................................................... 4-5 4.3 Injury Assessment Strategy ............................................................................................ 4-6 4.4 Injury Assessment Methods and Results ........................................................................ 4-8 4.4.1 Forest Vegetation and Soils .................................................................................. 4-8 4.4.2 Stream Services .................................................................................................. 4-11 4.4.3 Lost Visitor Use .................................................................................................. 4-20 5.0 RESTORATION ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................ 5-1 5.1 Restoration Strategy ....................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Evaluation Criteria .......................................................................................................... 5-1 5.3 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 5-2 5.4 Natural Recovery Alternative ......................................................................................... 5-2 5.5 Preferred Alternative ...................................................................................................... 5-2 5.5.1 Invasive Vegetation Control ................................................................................ 5-2 5.5.2 Land Acquisition .................................................................................................. 5-4 5.5.3 Stream Restoration ............................................................................................. 5-11 5.6 Agency Consultation .................................................................................................... 5-24 5.7 Restoration Oversight and Administration ................................................................... 5-25 6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ....................................................................... 6-1 6.1 Environmental Analysis ................................................................................................. 6-1 6.2 Environmentally Preferred Alternative ........................................................................ 6-10 7.0 SUMMARY......................................................................................................................... 7-1 7.1 Injury Summary .............................................................................................................. 7-1 7.2 Restoration Summary and Timeline ............................................................................... 7-1 8.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................... 8-1 APPENDICES A Forest Injury Curve Inputs and DSAYs .............................................................................. A-1 B USGS Monthly Statistics for Discharges in the Obed River ...............................................B-1 C Stream Injury and Restoration Calculations .........................................................................C-1 D List of Preparers, Agencies and Contacts Consulted .......................................................... D-1 E USFWS Consultation ........................................................................................................... E-1 F Tribal Councils Consultation ............................................................................................... F-1 G SHPO Consultation ............................................................................................................. G-1 ii Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan LIST OF FIGURES 1 Location of the Howard/White Unit No. 1 oil spill and fire. ................................................. 1-3 2 Topographic map showing the spill site, Clear and White Creek .......................................... 1-4 3 Hypothetical curve showing the lost services after an oil spill .............................................