Environmental Assessment Lower Truckee River Restoration Projects at Lockwood, Mustang Ranch, and 102 Ranch April 2008 Lead agencies: U.S. Bureau of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Land Management Lahontan Basin Carson City Field Area Office Office 705 N. Plaza 5665 Morgan Mill Street, Room Road 320 Carson City, NV Carson City, NV 89701 89701 In partnership with: The Nature Conservancy Nevada Field Office 1 East First Street, Suite 1007 Reno, NV 89501 Prepared with assistance from: 9. References 1321 20th Street Sacramento, CA 95811 2 Lower Truckee River Restoration Projects Environmental Assessment Lockwood, Mustang Ranch, 102 Ranch March 2008 Environmental Assessment Lower Truckee River Restoration Projects Summar y ... .. ................................................................................................................. S-1 Section 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Location and Overview of the Proposed Action................................................................1-1 1.1.1 Lockwood .............................................................................................................1-1 1.1.2 Mustang Ranch .....................................................................................................1-1 1.1.3 102 Ranch .............................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Purpose of this Document and Decisions to Be Made.......................................................1-6 1.3 Organization of this Document..........................................................................................1-7 Section 2 Purpose and Need........................................................................................2-1 2.1 Background........................................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action...................................................................2-2 2.2.1 Lockwood .............................................................................................................2-3 2.2.2 Mustang Ranch .....................................................................................................2-3 2.2.3 102 Ranch .............................................................................................................2-3 Section 3 Description of the Proposed Action and Alternatives..............................3-1 3.1 Proposed Action.................................................................................................................3-1 3.1.1 Design Concepts for the Three Restoration Sites .................................................3-3 3.1.2 Design Features and Best Management Practices ................................................3-8 3.2 Project Alternatives .........................................................................................................3-12 3.2.1 Consideration of Alternatives .............................................................................3-13 3.2.2 No-Action Alternative ........................................................................................3-14 Section 4 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences......................4-1 4.1 Affected Environment Overview.......................................................................................4-1 4.1.1 Lockwood .............................................................................................................4-1 4.1.2 Mustang Ranch .....................................................................................................4-1 4.1.3 102 Ranch .............................................................................................................4-2 4.2 Critical Elements of the Human Environment...................................................................4-2 4.3 Environmental Resource Areas Not Considered in Detail ................................................4-4 4.3.1 Climate..................................................................................................................4-4 4.3.2 Geology and Topography .....................................................................................4-5 4.3.3 Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice.........................................................4-6 4.3.4 Transportation and Traffic....................................................................................4-6 4.3.5 Visual Quality.......................................................................................................4-7 4.3.6 Noise.....................................................................................................................4-8 4.3.7 Energy...................................................................................................................4-8 Lower Truckee River Restoration Projects i Environmental Assessment Lockwood, Mustang Ranch, 102 Ranch April 2008 Table of Contents 4.3.8 Land Use...............................................................................................................4-8 4.3.9 Recreation.............................................................................................................4-9 4.4 Environmental Resource Areas Considered in More Detail............................................4-10 4.4.1 Air Quality..........................................................................................................4-10 4.5 Hydrology and Water Quality..........................................................................................4-14 4.5.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................................4-14 4.5.2 Environmental Consequences.............................................................................4-16 4.5.3 Mitigation Measures ...........................................................................................4-18 4.6 Vegetation and Aquatic Habitat.......................................................................................4-20 4.6.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................................4-20 4.6.2 Environmental Consequences.............................................................................4-22 4.6.3 Mitigation Measures ...........................................................................................4-23 4.7 Wildlife (Non-Special-Status Species) ............................................................................4-24 4.7.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................................4-24 4.7.2 Environmental Consequences.............................................................................4-26 4. 7.3 Mitigation Measures ...........................................................................................4-27 4.8 Federally Protected Species.............................................................................................4-27 4. 8.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................................4-27 4.8.2 Environmental Consequences.............................................................................4-30 4. 8.3 Mitigation Measures ...........................................................................................4-33 4.9 BLM Special-Status Species............................................................................................4-34 4. 9.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................................4-34 4.9.2 Environmental Consequences.............................................................................4-40 4. 9.3 Mitigation Measures ...........................................................................................4-41 4.10 Cultural Resources...........................................................................................................4-41 4. 10.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................................4-41 4.10.2 Environmental Consequences.............................................................................4-46 4. 10.3 Mitigation Measures ...........................................................................................4-47 4.11 Cumulative Effects ..........................................................................................................4-48 Section 5 Consultation and Coordination ..................................................................5-1 5.1 Agency Coordination.........................................................................................................5-1 5.2 Public Involvement............................................................................................................5-1 5.3 Tribal Consultation ............................................................................................................5-2 Section 6 Compliance with Environmental Statutes .................................................6-1 Section 7 Environmental Commitments .....................................................................7-1 7.1 General...............................................................................................................................7-1 7.2 Air Quality.........................................................................................................................7-2