ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT UNDERWOOD CREEK GREAT LAKES FISHERY AND ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROJECT WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN Underwood Creek approximately 0.25 miles upstream from the Menomonee River September 2015 US Army Corps of Engineers® Detroit District ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT UNDERWOOD CREEK GREAT LAKES FISHERY AND ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROJECT WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN Responsible Office: Detroit District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Analysis Branch 477 Michigan Avenue Detroit, Michigan 48226-2550 ABSTRACT This document addresses the environmental impacts associated with an aquatic ecosystem restoration project on Underwood Creek in Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The proposed project is being conducted under the Great Lakes Fishery and Ecosystem Restoration Program, which is authorized by Section 506 of the Water Resources and Development Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-541). The proposed action involves the removal of approximately 4400 linear feet of concrete lined channel along Underwood Creek, to support the restoration of the fishery, the aquatic ecosystem, and aquatic habitat. Improvements will result from the construction of a boulder and stone lined main channel with riffles and pools that will provide spawning habitat and fish passage to upstream areas that are currently blocked by the concrete channel lining and drop structures. The project will provide access for fish from Lake Michigan and the Menomonee River into the lower 1.25 miles of Underwood Creek. In the future, this connectivity is expected to extend into the upper reaches of Underwood Creek as the MMSD pursues removal of concrete drop structures that block fish passage into quality spawning habitats farther upstream. Implementation of the proposed project would not result in significant short term, long term or cumulative adverse environmental impacts. i ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT UNDERWOOD CREEK GREAT LAKES FISHERY AND ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION PROJECT WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... i 1.0 PROJECT NEED AND PURPOSE ....................................................................................... 1 2.0 PROJECT AUTHORITY AND NON-FEDERAL SPONSOR ............................................. 1 3.0 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................... 4 Study Location History ........................................................................................................... 4 MMSD Flood Management Project ......................................................................................... 6 Proposed Section 506 Study Area............................................................................................ 7 4.0 ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................................. 9 Alternative 1: No Action ...................................................................................................... 14 Alternative 2: Naturalized Channel with Floodplain Improvements Upstream .................. 14 Alternative 3: Expanded Floodplain Upstream with Tiered Walls Downstream ................ 16 5.0 ALTERNATIVE SELECTION .......................................................................................... 18 6.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION ............................................................. 19 Aquatic Habitat Improvements ............................................................................................ 19 Channel Modifications ......................................................................................................... 22 Floodplain Widening and Excavated Material Disposition ................................................. 22 Miscellaneous Project Details .............................................................................................. 23 ii 7.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ............ 23 Climate Considerations .......................................................................................................... 24 Geology, Soils and Land Use ................................................................................................ 24 Exotic and Invasive Species ................................................................................................. 25 Terrestrial Biological Resources .......................................................................................... 26 Physiochemical Water Quality ............................................................................................ 26 Vegetation ............................................................................................................................ 27 Wetlands .............................................................................................................................. 29 Wildlife and Listed Species ................................................................................................. 29 Aquatic Biological Resources .............................................................................................. 30 Fish Passage ......................................................................................................................... 31 Aquatic Connectivity ........................................................................................................... 32 Hydrologic Conditions ......................................................................................................... 33 Floodplains .......................................................................................................................... 33 Hydraulics and Sediment Transport ..................................................................................... 34 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................... 35 Utilities ................................................................................................................................. 36 Hazardous Material .............................................................................................................. 37 Air Quality ........................................................................................................................... 41 Coastal Zone Management ................................................................................................... 41 Temporary Construction Effects .......................................................................................... 41 Noise .................................................................................................................................... 42 Transportation and Traffic ................................................................................................... 43 Aesthetics ............................................................................................................................. 43 Socioeconomics ................................................................................................................... 43 Cumulative Effects ............................................................................................................... 44 8.0 STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCY COORDINATION .................................................. 45 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ............................................................................................ 45 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ...................................................................... 46 State Historic Preservation Office ....................................................................................... 46 Native American Tribes and Interests .................................................................................. 46 9.0 MAJOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................... 47 10.0 PUBLIC REVIEW ............................................................................................................ 48 11.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 49 iii TABLES Table 1. Underwood Creek Proposed Channel Parameters. ...................................................... 15 Table 2. Underwood Creek Section 506 Restoration Storm Event Discharges. ........................ 34 FIGURES Figure 1. Underwood Creek Section 506 Project Vicinity. ......................................................... 2 Figure 2. Underwood Creek Project Reach. ................................................................................. 3 Figure 3. 1962 Underwood Creek Alignment Prior to Alterations. ............................................. 5 Figure 4. Underwood Creek Segments and MMSD’s Completed Restoration Reach. ............. 10 Figure 5. Underwood Creek Segment 1a. .................................................................................. 11 Figure 6. Underwood Creek Segment 1b. .................................................................................. 11 Figure 7. Failing Drop Structure in Segment 1b. ...................................................................... 11 Figure 8. Segment 2 Looking Upstream. ................................................................................... 11 Figure 9. Drop Structure (0.5’) in Segment