Accession Number:

ADA581188

Title:

Supplemental Environmental Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact: Louisville Bend State Wildlife Area Fish and Wildlife Habitat Rehabilitation

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

CORPS OF ENGINEERS OMAHA NE MISSOURI RIVER DIV

Personal Author(s):

Report Date:

2013-05-01

Pagination or Media Count:

50.0

Abstract:

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act NEPA and implementing regulations, a Supplemental Environmental Assessment EA has been prepared for the proposed creation of a 2,700-foot connectivity channel and the creation of an approximately 2.4- acre overwintering pool for fish at the Louisville Bend State Wildlife Area LBSWA in Monona County, Iowa. The purpose of the proposed action is to restore hydraulic connectivity to a backwater wetland complex, referred to in this document as the Louisville Oxbow Lake oxbow from the pumping facility through a connectivity channel. The proposed action is needed due to damages that were sustained to the current channel during the 2011 flood event and to utilize the opportunity for habitat improvement. The original project was created to mitigate for aquatic and terrestrial habitat losses that resulted from implementation of the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project. The proposed action is necessary to restore function of the original project. Three alternatives were considered for the restoration of Louisville Bend. They include the No Action Alternative, the excavation of the entire original channel alignment, and the excavation of a new channel alignment. Excavation of the original channel alignment was eliminated from further consideration because it is more cost effective and efficient to create a new and shorter channel that would still provide benefits for fish and wildlife habitat. The Supplemental EA and comments received from the resource agencies were used to determine whether the proposed action would have significant impacts to the human environment. All environmental, social, and economic factors relevant to the proposal were considered in the Supplemental EA. No significant adverse impacts to these resources are expected to occur.

Descriptors:

• *CHANNELS(WATERWAYS)
• *ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
• *LAKES
• *MISSOURI RIVER
• AIR QUALITY
• CULTURAL RESOURCES
• ENDANGERED SPECIES
• FISHES
• HABITATS
• NOISE
• RECREATION
• TOPOGRAPHY
• WATER QUALITY
• WETLANDS
• WILDLIFE

Subject Categories:

• Hydrology, Limnology and Potamology
• Civil Engineering
• Environmental Health and Safety

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE