Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Rueter-Hess Reservoir Expansion Project, Parker, CO, 41300-41301 [E7-14524]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
• Engineers Corps
• Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 144 (Friday, July 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41300-41301]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14524]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Rueter-Hess Reservoir Expansion Project, Parker, CO

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Omaha District has 
prepared a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to 
analyze the direct, indirect and cumulative effects of enlarging the 
currently permitted Rueter-Hess Reservoir in Parker, CO. The current 
project was authorized in February 2004 with Department of the Army 
Permit No. 199980472 (Section 404 Permit). The basic purpose of the 
Proposed Action would allow the reservoir to serve as a regional water 
management facility for multiple water providers in northern Douglas 
County; enable them to meet peak demands; greatly enhance water 
management in the region; and help extend the yield of the Denver Basin 
aquifers, a non-renewable water source and the primary source of water 
for the South Metro area. Expansion of the reservoir would result in 
direct impacts to an additional 0.21 acres of wetlands and 4 miles of 
intermittent stream channel (in addition to the 6.7 acres of wetlands 
and 5 miles of other waters of the U.S. permitted as part of the 
16,200-acre-foot [AF] reservoir). This action requires authorization 
from the Corps under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The Permittee 
and Applicant is the Parker Water and Sanitation District (PWSD).
    The Draft SEIS was prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Corps' 
regulations for NEPA implementation (33 Code of Federal Regulations 
[CFR] Parts 230 and 325, Appendices B and C). The Corps, Omaha 
District, Regulatory Branch is the lead federal agency responsible for 
the Draft SEIS and information contained in the SEIS serves as the 
basis for a decision regarding issuance of a Section 404 Permit 
modification. It also provides information for local and state agencies 
having jurisdictional responsibility for affected resources.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft SEIS will be accepted on or before 
August 27, 2007. Oral and/or written comments may also be presented at 
the Public Hearings to be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 
the Douglas County Office Building (Philip S. Miller Bldg.), Hearing 
Room (100 Third Street), Castle Rock, CO and on Wednesday, August 22, 
2007 at the North Water Reclamation Plant (18100 East Woodman Drive), 
Parker, CO.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments regarding the Proposed Action and 
Draft SEIS to Rodney Schwartz, Senior Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Omaha District--Regulatory Branch, 12565 West Center 
Road, Omaha, NE 68144-3869 or via e-mail: 
rodney.j.schwartz@usace.army.mil. Requests to be placed on or removed 
from the mailing list should also be sent to this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rodney Schwartz, Senior Project 
Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at 402-221-4143; Fax 402-221-
4939.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Draft SEIS is to provide 
decision-makers and the public with information pertaining to the 
Proposed Action and alternatives, and to disclose environmental impacts 
and identify mitigation measures to reduce impacts. PWSD proposes to 
enlarge the Rueter-Hess Reservoir from the currently permitted design 
of 16,200 AF by 55,800 AF for a total storage capacity of approximately 
72,000 AF. This is considered the site's maximum storage capacity based 
on the site's topography. The proposed expanded reservoir pool would 
inundate approximately 1,140 acres (an additional 672 acres). PWSD 
would maintain a 5,000-AF emergency reserve pool in the reservoir 
(elevation 6,110 feet) to be used as needed to provide a reliable water 
supply for its

[[Page 41301]]

customers. The proposed design involves raising the currently permitted 
dam (embankment) by 61 feet, to a crest elevation of 6,220 feet, using 
a downstream raise concept. The final dam is proposed to be a 196-foot-
high and 7,675-foot-long zoned earth embankment.
    The purpose for the enlarged reservoir is to provide sufficient 
storage of Denver Basin groundwater, and the associated reuse water 
from initial Denver Basin use, for selected South Metro Denver area 
water providers, and to assist in sustaining the Denver Basin aquifers. 
The additional water to be stored in a proposed expanded Rueter-Hess 
Reservoir would come from existing sources (i.e., Denver Basin 
groundwater and associated reusable return flows). The reservoir would 
be used to manage supplies during off-peak times and use this water 
during peak times to reduce the need for instantaneous production from 
Denver Basin wells. In addition to the proposal to expand the 
reservoir, new pipelines would be installed to deliver the water to and 
from the new Project Participants (Town of Castle Rock, Castle Pines 
North Metropolitan District and Stonegate Metropolitan District).
    In addition to the Proposed Action, the Draft SEIS analyzes two 
alternatives: (1) The Reduced-Capacity Reservoir (47,000 AF) 
Alternative, and (2) the No Action Alternative. The Reduced-Capacity 
Reservoir Alternative dam would be located along the same axis as the 
Proposed Action, but would be smaller in length (7,160 feet) and height 
(179 feet). The reservoir would have a surface area of 934 acres at 
normal pool. The No Action Alternative assumes that PWSD and the other 
Project Participants would continue their current operations of 
primarily providing water to their customers with Denver Basin 
groundwater by drilling additional wells to meet peak summertime 
demands. PWSD would construct the currently permitted Rueter-Hess 
Reservoir (16,200 AF) to obtain firm annual yield for the PWSD, 
focusing on meeting peak summertime demands. Stonegate would have some 
storage capacity (1,200 AF) in the currently permitted reservoir. 
Castle Rock and Castle Pines North would not have surface water storage 
available to meet their needs; therefore, their ability to capture and 
reuse their reusable return flows would be limited. Castle Rock and 
Castle Pines North would extract and use their reuse water only as it 
is being generated from their advanced wastewater treatment plants and 
lawn irrigation.
    Copies of the Draft SEIS will be available for review at:
    1. Parker Library, 10851 South Crossroads Drive, Parker, CO 80134.
    2. Philip S. Miller Library, 100 S. Wilcox, Castle Rock, CO 80104.
    3. Parker Water and Sanitation District, 19801 East Mainstreet, 
Parker, CO 80138.
    4. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Denver Regulatory Office, 9307 S. 
Wadsworth Boulevard, Littleton, CO 80128.
    Copies may also be obtained from the Corps' third-party contractor, 
URS Corporation, Attn: Paula Daukas, 8181 East Tufts Avenue, Denver, CO 
80237; 303-740-3896; Fax 303-694-3946; paula_daukas@urscorp.com.

Timothy T. Carey,
Chief, Denver Regulatory Office, Operations Division, Omaha District.
[FR Doc. E7-14524 Filed 7-26-07; 8:45 am]
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