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West Fork Kickapoo River Watershed, Vernon County, Wisconsin
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: January 21, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 13)]
[Notices]
[Page 2749-2750]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21ja03-28]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
West Fork Kickapoo River Watershed, Vernon County, Wisconsin
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service.
ACTION: Notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations
(40 CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service
Regulations (7 CFR part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice that an
environmental impact statement is not being prepared for the West Fork
Kickapoo River Watershed, Vernon County, Wisconsin.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Krapf, Water Resources Staff
Leader, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 6515 Watts Road, Suite
200, Madison, Wisconsin, 53719. Telephone (608) 276-8732, extension
232.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental assessment of this
federally assisted action indicates that the project will not cause
significant local, regional, or national impacts on the environment. As
a result of these findings, Patricia S. Leavenworth, State
Conservationist, has determined that the preparation and review of an
environmental impact statement are not needed for this project. The
project purpose is flood prevention. The planned work of improvement
includes the upgrade of the dam to meet class (c) high hazard criteria.
The Notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been
forwarded to the Environmental Protection Agency and to various
federal, state, and local agencies and interested parties. A limited
number of copies of the FONSI are available to fill single copy
requests at the above address. Basic data developed during the
environmental assessment are on file and may be reviewed by contacting
Tom Krapf.
No administrative action on implementation of the proposal will be
taken until 30 days after the date of this publication in the Federal
Register.
Dated: January 4, 2003.
Patricia S. Leavenworth,
State Conservationist.
Finding of No Significant Impact for West Fork Kickapoo River
Watershed-Supplement, Vernon County, Wisconsin
Introduction
The West Fork Kickapoo River Watershed is a federally assisted
action authorized for planning under Public Law 83-566, the Watershed
Protection and Flood Prevention Act. An environmental assessment was
undertaken in conjunction with the development of the watershed plan-
supplement. This assessment was conducted in consultation with local,
state, and federal agencies as well as
[[Page 2750]]
with interested organizations and individuals. Data developed during
the assessment are available for public review at the following
location: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), 6515 Watts Road, Suite 200, Madison, WI
53719.
Recommended Action
The size of Klinkner Dam will be increased to meet NRCS class (c)
criteria. This will consist of raising the height of the dam, widening
the auxiliary spillway, increasing the size of the principal spillway,
adding a riser to provide sediment storage, treatment of the abutments
if geologic exploration indicates this is needed, and installing a
flood warning system.
Effect of Recommended Action
The recommended action will extend the life of Klinkner Dam for an
additional 50 years. It will provide increased protection for homes and
a school in the hydraulic shadow of the dam and will meet state
requirements for a high hazard dam.
The proposed action will have no effect on wetlands.
An initial survey for any cultural resources that may be impacted
by the project was conducted. The survey concludes that no significant
adverse impacts will occur to cultural resources in the watershed
should the plan be implemented. The NRCS has consulted with the State
Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on the effects that planned
measures will have on significant cultural resources. Significant
cultural resources identified during implementation will be avoided or
otherwise preserved in place to the fullest practical extent. If
significant cultural resources cannot be avoided or preserved,
pertinent information will be recovered before construction. If there
is a significant cultural resource discovery during construction,
appropriate notice will be made by NRCS to the State Historic
Preservation Officer and the National Park Service. Consultation and
coordination have been and will continue to be used to ensure the
provisions of Section 106 of Public Law 89-665 have been met and to
include provisions of Public Law 89-523, as amended by Public Law 93-
291. NRCS will take action as prescribed in the NRCS General Manual
(GM) 420, Part 401, to protect or recover any significant cultural
resources discovered during construction.
No threatened or endangered species in the watershed will be
affected by the project.
No wilderness areas are within the watershed.
Little impact will be made on scenic values. Project Sponsors will
be required to enact a floodplain-zoning ordinance, which restricts
development in the hydraulic shadow of Klinkner Dam prior to any
federal reimbursement for relocation expenses.
No significant adverse environmental impacts will result from
installations.
Alternatives
The planned action is the most practical means of protecting the
watershed, minimizing the threat to loss of life, and complying with
the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources requirements. The
Sponsors considered the following alternatives:
(1) No Action
The No Action alternative was not a viable option, since the dam
does not meet the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources dam hazard
classification criteria.
(2) Structural and Non-Structural Rehabilitation
This alternative would relocate the four homes and a school located
in the hydraulic shadow of the dam. The dam would also need to be
upgraded to meet current class ``a'' requirements.
(3) Structural Rehabilitation
This is the recommended action.
(4) Dam Removal (Decommissioning)
This alternative does not meet the project purpose because it does
not reduce the risk of loss of life and it does not maintain flood
control or watershed protection, and therefore it was not considered
further.
(5) Non-Structural
This alternative consists of removal of the homes and school from
the hydraulic shadow but no repairs would be made to the dam. Under
this alternative the dam would fail and all flood control and watershed
protection afforded by the dam would be lost. Therefore it was not
considered further.
Consultation and Public Participation
Copies of the Plan Supplement have been sent out to the single
point of contact for the State of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and
Consumer Protection, Wisconsin Department of Emergency Government, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Wisconsin State
Clearinghouse, and the West Central Regional Planning Commission. The
document was distributed to American Indian Tribes that have expressed
interest in consulting with federal agencies in projects in Vernon
County. The project sponsor, Vernon County, has met with the Amish
community leaders to discuss the project. The Amish have a school
located in the hydraulic shadow of the dam.
A scoping meeting was advertised and held on December 10, 2001 and
interdisciplinary efforts were used in the planning process. In
addition to the general public, one federal agency (NRCS), two state
agencies (DNR, SHPO), and three county agencies (Land Conservation
Department, County Zoning Office, County Administration Department),
and local conservation organizations were invited to participate in the
scoping and planning process.
Specific consultation was conducted with the State Historic
Preservation Officer and the county historical society concerning
cultural resources in the watershed.
The environmental assessment was transmitted to all participating
and interested agencies, groups, and individuals for review and comment
on September 15, 2002. Public meetings were held as needed to keep all
interested parties informed of the study progress and to obtain public
input to the plan and environmental evaluation.
Agency consultation and public participation to date have shown no
unresolved conflicts with the implementation of the selected plan.
Conclusion
The Environmental Assessment summarized above indicates that this
Federal action will not cause significant local, regional, or national
impacts on the environment. Therefore, based on the above findings, I
have determined that an environmental impact statement for the West
Fork Kickapoo River Watershed Plan Supplement is not required.
Dated: January 4, 2003.
Patricia S. Leavenworth,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 03-1185 Filed 1-17-03; 8:45 am]
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