WILSON RESERVOIR FINAL RESERVOIR LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN Volume IX MULTIPLE RESERVOIR LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT August 2017 This page intentionally left blank Document Type: EIS Administrative Record Index Field: Final EIS Project Name: Multiple RLMPs & CVLP EIS Project Number: 2016-2 WILSON RESERVOIR Final Reservoir Land Management Plan VOLUME IX MULTIPLE RESERVOIR LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Prepared by Tennessee Valley Authority August 2017 This page intentionally left blank Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS APPENDICES ...........................................................................................................................................IX-II LIST OF TABLES .....................................................................................................................................IX-II LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................IX-III ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................... IX-V CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................IX-1 1.1 Tennessee Valley Authority History ........................................................................... IX-2 1.2 Overview of TVA’s Mission and Environmental Policy .............................................. IX-2 1.2.1 TVA’s Mission ..................................................................................................... IX-2 1.2.2 Environmental Policy .......................................................................................... IX-3 1.2.3 Land Policy ......................................................................................................... IX-3 1.2.4 Shoreline Management Policy ............................................................................ IX-5 1.3 The Natural Resource Plan ....................................................................................... IX-5 1.4 Purpose of Reservoir Land Planning ......................................................................... IX-6 CHAPTER 2. REGIONAL OVERVIEW .................................................................................................IX-9 2.1 Muscle Shoals and Wilson Dam Reservation .......................................................... IX-10 2.2 Wilson Reservoir and Present Shoreline ................................................................. IX-12 2.2.1 Land Use and Prime Farmland ........................................................................ IX-14 2.2.2 Recreation ........................................................................................................ IX-16 2.2.3 Terrestrial Ecology ........................................................................................... IX-17 2.2.4 Aquatic Ecology ................................................................................................ IX-22 2.2.5 Threatened and Endangered Species .............................................................. IX-25 2.2.6 Water Quality .................................................................................................... IX-38 2.2.7 Wetlands .......................................................................................................... IX-40 2.2.8 Floodplains ....................................................................................................... IX-41 2.2.9 Air Quality ......................................................................................................... IX-41 2.2.10 Cultural and Historic Resources ....................................................................... IX-42 2.2.11 Natural Areas and Ecologically Significant Sites .............................................. IX-45 2.2.12 Aesthetics and Visual Resources ..................................................................... IX-45 2.2.13 Noise ................................................................................................................ IX-45 2.2.14 Socioeconomics and Environmental Justice .................................................... IX-47 2.3 Major Features of Muscle Shoals and Wilson Dam Reservation and Wilson Reservoir ..................................................................................................... IX-49 2.3.1 Muscle Shoals National Recreational Trail ....................................................... IX-49 2.3.2 Tennessee River/Wilson Dam Nonessential Experimental Population ............ IX-51 2.3.3 Wilson Dam Tailwater Restricted Mussel Harvest Area ................................... IX-51 2.3.4 Trail of Tears National Historic Trail ................................................................. IX-51 IX-i Wilson Reservoir Land Management Plan 2.3.5 Old First Quarters Small Wild Area and Potential National Natural Landmark . IX-52 2.3.6 Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area ............................................................. IX-52 2.3.7 Wildlife Habitat Council Certification ................................................................ IX-52 2.4 The Future Management of Reservoir Lands .......................................................... IX-53 CHAPTER 3. LAND PLANNING PROCESS ......................................................................................IX-55 3.1 Process for Planning Land ...................................................................................... IX-55 3.2 Wilson Reservoir Goals and Objectives .................................................................. IX-60 3.3 Parcel Allocations .................................................................................................... IX-60 3.4 Property Administration ........................................................................................... IX-66 CHAPTER 4. PARCEL DESCRIPTIONS ...........................................................................................IX-67 CHAPTER 5. PLANNING TEAM ........................................................................................................IX-81 CHAPTER 6. LITERATURE CITED ....................................................................................................IX-83 GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................................IX-87 INDEX .....................................................................................................................................................IX-89 APPENDICES Appendix A – Land Management Plan Maps – Panels 1 through 4 ...................................................... IX-91 Appendix B – Comparison of Parcel Allocations by Alternative ............................................................ IX-95 LIST OF TABLES Table 2-1. Prime Farmland and Farmland of Statewide Importance on Wilson Reservoir ............. IX-15 Table 2-2. Developed Public Recreation Areas on TVA Lands on the Wilson Reservoir ............... IX-17 Table 2-3. Developed Commercial, Private and Semi-Private (Camps) Recreation Areas on TVA Lands on the Wilson Reservoir.............................................................................. IX-17 Table 2-4. Land Cover on TVA Owned Parcels and within the Vicinity of Wilson Reservoir .......... IX-18 Table 2-5. Invasive Non-native Species that Pose a Severe Threat Known to Occur in Alabama ......................................................................................................................... IX-21 Table 2-6. RFAI and Benthic Community Scores for Wilson Reservoir (2010-2014) .................... IX-23 Table 2-7. Fish Species in Wilson Reservoir ................................................................................... IX-23 Table 2-8. Federally and State-Listed Species in the Wilson Reservoir Counties .......................... IX-26 Table 2-9. Habitat Requirements for Plant Species of Conservation Concern within 5 Miles of Wilson Reservoir............................................................................................................ IX-30 Table 2-10. Habitat Requirements for Terrestrial Species of Conservation Concern within 3 Miles of Wilson Reservoir ........................................................................................... IX-32 Table 2-11. Habitat Requirements for Aquatic Species of Conservation Concern within 10 Miles of Wilson Reservoir ............................................................................... IX-34 Table 2-12. Ecological Health Indicators at Wilson Reservoir – 2012 .............................................. IX-39 Table 2-13. Direct Reservoir Average Daily Water Supply Withdrawals and Wastewater Discharges – 2016 ..................................................................................... IX-39 IX-ii Contents Table 2-14. Population and Percent Growth – Wilson Reservoir ...................................................... IX-47 Table 2-15. Employment and Income, 2010-2014 – Wilson Reservoir ............................................. IX-48 Table 2-16. Minority Population and Poverty, 2010-2014 – Wilson Reservoir .................................. IX-49 Table 3-1. Land Use Zone Definitions ............................................................................................. IX-56 Table 3-2. Summary of Land Use Allocations for Wilson Reservoir