DOUGLAS RESERVOIR FINAL RESERVOIR LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN Volume II DOUGLAS-NOLICHUCKY TRIBUTARY RESERVOIRS LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AUGUST 2010 This page intentionally left blank Document Type: EIS-Administrative Record Index Field: Final Environmental Document Project Name: Douglas and Nolichucky Tributary Reservoirs Land Management Plan Project Number: 2008-30 DOUGLAS-NOLICHUCKY TRIBUTARY RESERVOIRS LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT VOLUME II Douglas Reservoir PREPARED BY: TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY AUGUST 2010 For information, contact: Tennessee Valley Authority Holston-Cherokee-Douglas Watershed Team 3726 E. Morris Boulevard Morristown, Tennessee 37813 Phone: (423) 585-2123 Fax: (423) 585-2151 Page intentionally blank Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... II-1 1.1. Background ........................................................................................................................... II-1 1.2. Purpose ................................................................................................................................. II-2 2.0 PLANNING PROCESS ......................................................................................................... II-5 2.1. Planning Goals .................................................................................................................... II-11 2.2. Allocation Process ............................................................................................................... II-11 2.3. Committed Land .................................................................................................................. II-12 2.4. Uncommitted Land .............................................................................................................. II-12 2.5. Property Administration ....................................................................................................... II-12 3.0 DOUGLAS RESERVOIR REGIONAL OVERVIEW ........................................................... II-15 3.1. The Past .............................................................................................................................. II-15 3.2. The Project .......................................................................................................................... II-18 3.3. The Present Shoreland ....................................................................................................... II-19 3.3.1. Physiographic Overview ............................................................................................... II-19 3.3.2. Land Use and Prime Farmland ..................................................................................... II-19 3.3.3. Recreation..................................................................................................................... II-23 3.3.4. Terrestrial Ecology ........................................................................................................ II-24 3.3.5. Invasive Nonnative Species .......................................................................................... II-25 3.3.6. Endangered and Threatened Species .......................................................................... II-26 3.3.7. Plants ............................................................................................................................ II-27 3.3.8. Terrestrial Wildlife ......................................................................................................... II-27 3.3.9. Aquatic Wildlife ............................................................................................................. II-27 3.3.10. Wetlands ....................................................................................................................... II-27 3.3.11. Floodplains.................................................................................................................... II-28 3.3.12. Cultural and Historic Resources ................................................................................... II-28 3.3.13. Managed Areas and Sensitive Ecological Sites ........................................................... II-29 3.3.14. Water Quality ................................................................................................................ II-30 3.3.15. Aquatic Ecology ............................................................................................................ II-31 3.4. The Future ........................................................................................................................... II-33 3.5. Parcel Allocations ................................................................................................................ II-33 4.0 PARCEL DESCRIPTIONS ................................................................................................. II-37 5.0 LITERATURE CITED .......................................................................................................... II-81 6.0 GLOSSARY OF TERMS .................................................................................................... II-83 Final Environmental Impact Statement II-i Douglas Reservoir Land Management Plan LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Land Use Zone Definitions ............................................................................................. II-6 Table 2. Developed Recreation Areas on TVA Lands on Douglas Reservoir ............................ II-24 Table 3. Federally Listed and State-listed Species Within and Near Douglas Reservoir ...................................................................................................................... II-26 Table 4. Reservoir Fish Assemblage Index and Benthic Community Scores Collected Between 1999 and 2007 in the Douglas Reservoir as Part of the Reservoir Vital Signs Monitoring Program ......................................................... II-32 Table 5. 2007 Sport Fishing Index Scores for Selected Sport Fish Species on Douglas Reservoir ................................................................................................... II-33 Table 6a. Douglas Reservoir Parcel Allocations .......................................................................... II-34 Table 6b. Douglas Reservoir Parcel Allocations .......................................................................... II-35 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Percent of Douglas Reservoir Acreage Allocated by Zone .......................................... II-20 Figure 2. Douglas Reservoir Ecological Health Ratings, 1994-2005 .......................................... II-30 II-ii Final Environmental Impact Statement Acronyms and Abbreviations ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ADA Americans With Disabilities Act DNTRLMP Douglas-Nolichucky Tributary Reservoirs Land Management Plan EO(s) Executive orders EIS Environmental impact statement EPT Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera (aquatic ecology index) ESA Endangered Species Act FBRM French Broad River Mile LAC Limits of acceptable change MSC Maximum shoreline contour msl Mean sea level NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NGVD 1929 National Geodetic Vertical Datum Model of 1929 NRHP National Register of Historic Places NRI Nationwide Rivers Inventory RFAI Reservoir Fish Assemblage Index RLMP Reservoir land management plan RV Recreational vehicle RVSMP Reservoir Vital Signs Monitoring Program SFI Sport Fishing Index SMI Shoreline Management Initiative SMP Shoreline Management Policy TN-EPPC Tennessee Exotic Plant Pest Council TWRA Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency TVA Tennessee Valley Authority U.S. United States USA United States of America USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture Final Environmental Impact Statement II-iii Page intentionally blank Introduction 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Douglas Reservoir Land Management Plan is a study of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) managed public land surrounding Douglas Reservoir. It is one of two reservoir land management plans (RLMPs) associated with an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Douglas and Nolichucky tributary reservoirs. The EIS, Volume I, contains information on the purpose of and need for action, the alternatives, the affected environment, and environmental consequences of TVA’s proposed actions. In addition, the EIS contains a summary, a list of preparers, a list of those who received a copy of the EIS, supporting information, an index, and appendices. This document provides background information about TVA land management throughout its history and specifically TVA management of public land surrounding Douglas Reservoir. It explains the purpose of this RLMP and describes the process used in its development. The RLMP includes the Planning Process, which lists the objectives around which the RLMP was developed and a summary of the allocation process. The Douglas Reservoir Regional Overview describes the natural and social development of the reservoir and the surrounding area. The Parcel Descriptions include total acreage and parcel descriptions documenting land management allocations. The allocation map is stored in the pocket on the back cover of this RLMP. 1.1. Background TVA has been charged by Congress with improving navigation, controlling floods, providing for the proper use of marginal lands, providing for industrial development, and providing power at rates