Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU Environmental Assessments (UT) Utah 9-2009 East Canyon Reservoir Water Intake Structure Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/utah_enviroassess Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Recommended Citation United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, "East Canyon Reservoir Water Intake Structure Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact" (2009). Environmental Assessments (UT). Paper 5. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/utah_enviroassess/5 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Utah at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Environmental Assessments (UT) by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. East Canyon Reservoir Water Intake Structure Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact PRO-EA-08-003 PRO-FONSI-08-004 Weber Basin Project, Morgan County, Utah Upper Colorado Region Provo Area Office U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Provo Area Office Provo, Utah September 2009 Mission Statements The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation’s natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian Tribes and our commitments to island communities. The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. East Canyon Reservoir Water Intake Structure Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact PRO-EA-08-003 PRO-FONSI-08-004 contact Peter L. Crookston Provo Area Office Upper Colorado Region E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 801-379-1152 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Provo Area Office Provo, Utah September 2009 Contents Page Chapter 1 – Need for Proposed Action and Background.................................. 1 1.1 Introduction........................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background........................................................................................... 2 1.3 Purpose and Need and Scope of Analysis............................................. 4 1.4 Authorizing Actions, Permits, and Licenses......................................... 5 1.5 Relationship to Other Projects .............................................................. 7 Chapter 2 – Proposed Action and Alternatives.................................................. 9 2.1 Introduction........................................................................................... 9 2.2 No Action Alternative........................................................................... 9 2.3 Action Alternative............................................................................... 10 2.3.1 Lake Tap with Vertical Shaft Intake Structure ......................... 10 2.4 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Study ............. 20 2.4.1 1999 Intake Structure and Upper Alignment............................ 21 2.4.2 Use Old Dam as an Anchor for Intake Structure ...................... 21 2.4.3 Floating Intake Structure........................................................... 21 2.4.4 Tap into Dam Outlet Works...................................................... 21 2.4.5 River Intake Structure............................................................... 21 2.4.6 Place an Intake Structure on the East Side of the Reservoir..... 21 2.5 Preferred Action Alternative............................................................... 21 Chapter 3 - Affected Environment and Environmental Effects..................... 23 3.1 Introduction......................................................................................... 23 3.2 Affected Environment......................................................................... 23 3.2.1 Water Resources ....................................................................... 23 3.2.2 Weber Basin Project Operations............................................... 24 3.2.2.1 East Canyon Fish Flow Water ............................................. 28 3.2.3 Water Rights ............................................................................. 29 3.2.4 Water Quality............................................................................ 30 3.2.4.1 East Canyon Reservoir......................................................... 31 3.2.4.2 East Canyon Creek............................................................... 34 3.2.5 Public Safety, Access, and Transportation ............................... 35 3.2.6 Recreation ................................................................................. 35 3.2.7 Visual Resources....................................................................... 35 3.2.8 Socioeconomics ........................................................................ 37 3.2.9 Cultural Resources.................................................................... 37 3.2.9.1 Cultural History ................................................................... 38 3.2.9.2 Cultural Resources Status .................................................... 38 3.2.10 Paleontological Resources ........................................................ 38 3.2.11 Wetlands and Vegetation .......................................................... 39 3.2.12 Wildlife Resources.................................................................... 40 3.2.13 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species....................... 43 3.3 Environmental Effects of Alternatives................................................ 43 3.3.1 Water Resources ....................................................................... 44 3.3.1.1 No Action Alternative.......................................................... 44 3.3.1.2 Action Alternative................................................................ 44 3.3.2 Weber Basin Project Operations............................................... 47 3.3.2.1 No Action Alternative.......................................................... 47 3.3.2.2 Action Alternative................................................................ 47 3.3.3 Water Rights ............................................................................. 48 3.3.3.1 No Action Alternative.......................................................... 48 3.3.3.2 Action Alternative................................................................ 48 3.3.4 Water Quality............................................................................ 48 3.3.4.1 No Action Alternative.......................................................... 48 3.3.4.2 Action Alternative................................................................ 51 3.3.5 Public Safety, Access, and Transportation ............................... 59 3.3.5.1 No Action Alternative.......................................................... 59 3.3.5.2 Action Alternative................................................................ 59 3.3.6 Recreation ................................................................................. 59 3.3.6.1 No Action Alternative.......................................................... 59 3.3.6.2 Action Alternative................................................................ 59 3.3.7 Visual Resources....................................................................... 59 3.3.7.1 No Action Alternative.......................................................... 59 3.3.7.2 Action Alternative................................................................ 60 3.3.8 Socioeconomics ........................................................................ 60 3.3.8.1 No Action Alternative.......................................................... 60 3.3.8.2 Action Alternative................................................................ 60 3.3.9 Cultural Resources.................................................................... 61 3.3.9.1 No Action Alternative......................................................... 61 3.3.9.2 Action Alternative................................................................ 61 3.3.10 Paleontological Resources ........................................................ 61 3.3.10.1 No Action Alternative........................................................ 61 3.3.10.2 Action Alternative.............................................................. 61 3.3.11 Wetlands and Vegetation .......................................................... 61 3.3.11.1 No Action Alternative........................................................ 61 3.3.11.2 Action Alternative.............................................................. 62 3.3.12 Wildlife Resources.................................................................... 62 3.3.12.1 No Action Alternative........................................................ 62 3.3.12.2 Action Alternative.............................................................. 62 3.3.13 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species....................... 64 3.3.13.1 No Action Alternative........................................................ 64 3.3.13.2 Action Alternative.............................................................. 64 3.4 Summary of Environmental Effects...................................................