Final Environmental Asse Melton Hill Reservoir Land Management Plan FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT MELTON HILL RESERVOIR LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN April 1999 RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP FORT LOUDOUN, MELTON HILL, WAlTS BAR WATERSHED Prepared by TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY Melton Hill Watershed Team 2009 Grubb Road Lenoir City, Tennessee 37771 TVA Board approved April 21,1999 Melton Hill Reservoir Land Management Plan Final EnvimnmentalAs5essment. Volume I TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page 1 Purpose of and Need for Action .............................................................................1 1. 1 Other Pertinent Environmental Reviews or Documentation.............................. 3 1.2 The Decision .....................................................................................................3 1.3 Public Involvement and Issue Identification...................................................... 4 1.4 Necessary Federal Permits or Licenses ........................................................... 5 2 Alternatives. Including the Proposed Action .........................................................7 2.1 The Proposed Action ........................................................................................ 7 2.2 Alternatives ....................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1 No Action Alternative (Alternative A) ....................................................7 2.2.2 Action Alternative (Alternative B) ......................................................... 9 2.3 Comparison of Alternatives .............................................................................16 2.4 The Preferred Alternative ............................................................................... 18 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ................................. 19 3.1 Visual Quality ..................................................................................................19 3.1 .1 Affected Environment ........................................................................19 3.1.2 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................20 3.2 Cultural Resources .........................................................................................22 3.2.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................22 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................22 3.3 Terrestrial Ecology .......................................................................................... 24 3.3.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................24 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences ...........................................................25 3.4 Threatened and Endangered Species ............................................................27 3.4.1 Plants................................................................................................. 28 3.4.1 .1 Affected Environment ........................................................... 28 3.4.1.2 Environmental Consequences ..............................................28 3.4.2 Animals ............................................................................................. 30 3.4.2.1 Affected Environment ........................................................... 30 3.4.2.2 Environmental Consequences .............................................. 30 3.4.3 Aquatic Animals ................................................................................. 31 3.4.3.1 Affected Environment ........................................................... 31 3.4.3.2 Environmental Consequences .............................................. 32 3.5 WetlandsIRiparian Ecology ............................................................................ 33 3.5.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................ 33 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 34 3.6 Recreation ...................................................................................................... 35 3.6.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................ 35 3.6.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 36 3.7 Water Quality.................................................................................................. 37 3.7.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................ 37 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 39 Melton Hill Reservoir Land Management Plan Final Environmental Assessment, Volume I 3.8 Aquatic Ecology ................................................................... 1 ......................... 41 3.8.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................ 41 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 43 3.9 Socioeconomics ............................................................................................. 45 3.9.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................ 45 3.9.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 48 3.10 Navigation....................................................................................................... 50 3.1 0.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................ 50 3.10.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 50 3.1 1 Floodplains ..................................................................................................... 51 3.1 1. 1 Affected Environment ........................................................................ 51 3.1 1.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 51 3.12 Air Quality ....................................................................................................... 51 3.12.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................ 51 3.1 2.2 Environmental Consequences ........................................................... 52 3.13 Prime Farmland ............................................................................................. 53 3.14 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................ 54 3.15 Commitments.................................................................................................. 54 4 Supporting Information .........................................................................................55 4.1 List of Preparers ............................................................................................ 55 4.2 List of Agencies and Individuals Consulted .................................................... 57 4.3 Glossary of Terms .......................................................................................... 64 4.4 Acronyms ........................................................................................................69 4.5 References ..................................................................................................... 70 Appendixes Appendix A . Flowage Easement Rights ......................................................................... X-1 Appendix B . Scoping Document .................................................................................... X-5 Appendix C . Forecast Designations ............................................................................. X-29 Appendix D . Allocation of Committed Land on Melton Hill Reservoir ........................... X-35 Appendix E . Criteria for Rating Parcels ................................................................. X-39 Appendix F . Melton Hill Reservoir Land Management Plan ......................................... X-49 Appendix G . Common Terrestrial~WetlandWildlife Species by Community Type and Occurrence ..............................................................................X-51 Appendix H . State-Listed Plants Reported From Melton Hill Planning Parcels ............ X-57 Appendix I . Definitions of State Status for Plant Species ........................................... X-61 Appendix J . State-Listed Plant Species Occurring Within a 10-Mile Radius of Melton Hill Planning Area (Non-TVA Land) .............................................. X-65 Appendix K . Parcels Allocated for Zone 3 ................................................................... X-69 Appendix L . Rare Terrestrial Animals and Sensitive Ecological Areas ........................ X-73 Appendix M . Terrestrial Animal Species Located Within a 10-Mile Radius of Melton Hill Planning Area ......................................................................... X-77 Appendix N . Significant Natural Features and Specialized Habitat .............................. X-83 Appendix 0 . Recreation Facilities on Melton Hill Rese~oir.......................................... X-87 Melton Hill Reservoir Land Management Plan Final Environmental Assessment. Volume I Appendix P . Modified Shoreline Aquatic Habitat lndex Metrics and Scoring Criteria ........................................................................................ X-91 Appendix Q . Fish Species Collected in 1996 (Fall Electrofishing