TRUCKEE RIVER BELOW DERBY DAM RIPARIAN ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION Environmental Assessment Washoe and Storey Counties, Nevada U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Lahontan Basin Area Office Carson City, Nevada January 2009 Prepared with assistance from: HDR Engineering, Inc Reno, Nevada City of Sparks City of Reno 431 Prater Way P.O. Box 1900 P. O. Box 857 Reno, Nevada 89505 Sparks, NV 89432-0857 (775) 334-2099 (775) 353-2310 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................1 1.1 BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PROPOSED ACTION ............................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED ACTION ...................................................................................... 5 1.4 NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION........................................................................................... 5 1.5 PAST AND ONGOING PROJECTS AND PLANS......................................................................... 6 1.6 RELEVANT STATUTES, REGULATIONS, AND OTHER PLANS .......................................... 7 1.7 CURRENT RESERVOIR AND RIVER OPERATIONS IN THE TRUCKEE RIVER BASIN................................................................................................................................................... 8 2 ALTERNATIVES.................................................................................................................20 2.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................. 20 2.2 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................. 20 2.2.1 No Action Alternative ............................................................................................................. 20 2.2.2 Proposed Action Alternative .................................................................................................. 20 2.2.3 Alternative Effect Table.......................................................................................................... 22 2.3 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER STUDY .......... 22 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT..........................................................................................28 3.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................. 28 3.2 WATER RESOURCES........................................................................................................................... 28 3.3 WATER QUALITY................................................................................................................................. 31 3.4 VEGETATION COMMUNITIES ......................................................................................................32 3.4.1 Upland Vegetation ................................................................................................................... 32 3.4.2 Riparian Vegetation.................................................................................................................. 32 3.4.3 Wetland Vegetation.................................................................................................................. 33 3.5 NOXIOUS WEEDS................................................................................................................................ 33 3.6 WILDLIFE................................................................................................................................................ 33 3.7 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES, STATE SPECIES OF CONCERN, AND OTHER SENSITIVE SPECIES......................................................................................... 35 3.7.1 Lahontan Cutthroat Trout ...................................................................................................... 36 3.7.2 Cui-ui.......................................................................................................................................... 37 3.7.3 Species of Concern................................................................................................................... 38 3.8 CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................................... 40 3.8.1 Historic Context ....................................................................................................................... 40 3.8.2 Prehistory................................................................................................................................... 41 3.8.3 Ethnography ............................................................................................................................. 41 3.8.4 History ....................................................................................................................................... 42 3.9 INDIAN TRUST ASSETS..................................................................................................................... 43 3.9.1 Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation.......................................................................................... 44 Truckee River Below Derby Dam i Environmental Assessment Riparian Ecosystem and Stream Restoration January 2009 3.9.2 Reno-Sparks Indian Colony.................................................................................................... 44 3.9.3 Fallon Indian Reservation and Colony.................................................................................. 44 3.9.4 Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California .............................................................................. 45 3.9.5 Water Rights.............................................................................................................................. 45 3.9.6 Fish and Wildlife....................................................................................................................... 46 3.9.7 Trust Income ............................................................................................................................ 46 3.10 SOCIOECONOMIC RESOURCES.................................................................................................. 46 3.11 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE......................................................................................................... 46 3.12 LAND USE............................................................................................................................................. 48 3.13 LAND OWNERSHIP........................................................................................................................... 50 3.14 RECREATION ...................................................................................................................................... 50 3.15 AIR QUALITY....................................................................................................................................... 50 3.16 GEOLOGY............................................................................................................................................. 51 3.16.1 Groundwater........................................................................................................................... 52 3.16.2 Fluvial Geomorphic Features............................................................................................... 52 3.16.3 Soils .......................................................................................................................................... 53 3.17 HAZARDOUS, MATERIALS ............................................................................................................ 56 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .........................................................................57 4.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................. 57 4.2 WATER RESOURCES........................................................................................................................... 57 4.2.1 No action................................................................................................................................... 57 4.2.2 Proposed Action....................................................................................................................... 57 4.3 WATER QUALITY................................................................................................................................. 57 4.3.1 No Action.................................................................................................................................. 57 4.3.2 Proposed Action....................................................................................................................... 57 4.4 VEGETATION COMMUNITIES ......................................................................................................58 4.4.1 No Action.................................................................................................................................. 58 4.4.2 Proposed Action......................................................................................................................