Draft Environmental Impact Statement; Stehekin River Corridor Implementation Plan; Lake Chelan National Recreation Area; Whatcom, Skagit and Chelan Counties, WA; Notice of Availability, 54378-54381 [2010-22144]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 7, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54378-54381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-22144]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement; Stehekin River Corridor 
Implementation Plan; Lake Chelan National Recreation Area; Whatcom, 
Skagit and Chelan Counties, WA; Notice of Availability

    Summary: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service, in cooperation with the 
Federal Highway Administration, has prepared a Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement and Stehekin River Corridor Implementation Plan (Plan/
DEIS). The Plan/DEIS evaluates four alternatives for sustainable 
management of NPS facilities (e.g., roads, maintenance yard, trails, 
bridges) in response to flooding and erosion issues on the lower 
Stehekin River between High Bridge and Lake Chelan, outside of the 
Stephen Mather Wilderness. When approved, the Plan will allow for 
implementation of several actions identified in the 1995 General 
Management Plan (GMP), including removal of NPS maintenance and housing 
facilities and the primary access road to North Cascades National Park 
from the floodplain, construction of new recreation facilities, and 
protection of the water quality and scenery along the lower Stehekin 
River. The Plan/DEIS also updates the Lake Chelan National Recreation 
Area Land Protection Plan.
    Background: Lake Chelan National Recreation Area (LACH) encompasses 
62,000 acres of the rugged North

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Cascade mountains. The focal point of LACH is the Stehekin River, which 
occupies a deep glacial valley on the east slope of the range. The 
Stehekin River is known for being flood prone due to rapid runoff from 
steep, rocky slopes and the location of its headwaters on the wet 
Pacific Crest of the Cascade Range. The Lower Stehekin valley below 
High Bridge is particularly vulnerable to flood and erosion damage due 
to rapid decrease in stream energy as the river flows through a 
widening valley and empties into Lake Chelan.
    Several key National Park Service (NPS) facilities (fuel storage, 
maintenance shops, and housing), private development, and roads are in 
the floodplain of the lower Stehekin River and threatened by floods. 
Flood conditions have become exacerbated by a shift in the timing, 
magnitude, and frequency of flooding on the Stehekin River in the 
1970s, away from smaller spring floods to larger fall floods. This 
shift has produced the three largest floods since 1911 in the past 15 
years. Changes in the river channel have resulted in threats to water 
quality and scenery as several private cabins and their sanitary 
systems have been incorporated into the river.
    This plan seeks to implement and refine guidance from the 1995 GMP 
for LACH that identified a new location for administrative facilities 
outside of regulatory floodplains. Locations for expanded recreation 
opportunities outside of designated wilderness within the National 
Recreation Area were also identified in this plan. The 1995 LACH Land 
Protection Plan, scheduled to be updated every two years, is the 
primary means for the NPS to acquire private cabins and associated 
water and sanitary systems to prevent degradation of water quality and 
scenic resources. Given drastic changes in flood conditions, this plan 
was in need of revision.
    Passage of the record floods in 2003 and 2006 led private 
landowners in the valley to request U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) 
advice on how to reduce flooding. While the COE failed to secure funds 
to do a detailed five-year study, its emergency management team 
recommended extensive bank hardening with rock, and dredging of the 
river channel. Estimated one-time cost is $12 million for removal of 
gravel deposited since 2000 at two mile-long sites near McGregor 
Meadows and the Stehekin River mouth. The NPS finds the COE 
recommendations to manipulate the river contrary to the purpose and 
significance of LACH. The potential for major action by another agency 
and continued placement of structures on the Stehekin River by the NPS 
to protect the road and private landowners to protect property create 
the need to assess cumulative impacts before new actions are 
considered.
    Surveys of channel topography (1972, 1990, 2004 and 2008) and 
position (1959, 1962, 1978, 1982, 1995, 2004, 2007, and 2009), 
measurement of gravel deposits (2007-08), hydrology data collected 
since 1911, and large wood surveys (conducted 1982, 2000, and 2007) 
provide the basis for development of a scientifically credible plan and 
impact analysis. Potential solutions for all alternatives were reviewed 
by a technical committee composed of representatives for the Washington 
DOE and DFW, Chelan PUD, Chelan County Planning Department, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, and a private consultant.
    Public involvement in the conservation planning process began with 
widespread mailing of a scoping newsletter in early January 2008. Late 
in January 2008, meetings in Stehekin, Seattle, and Wenatchee provided 
an opportunity for the public to identify issues. Notice of Intent to 
prepare an environmental impact statement was published in the Federal 
Register on February 27, 2008. A news release for the public scoping 
meetings was sent in February 14, 2008, to local and regional news 
media (a follow up news release on March 5, 2008, extended public 
scoping to March 31). Following an NPS alternative development workshop 
in March 2008, a preliminary alternatives newsletter was developed and 
mailed to the public in summer 2008. This was followed-up by a public 
open house in Stehekin in August 2008. Both the newsletter and open 
house were announced via news releases to several media outlets, 
including local newspapers and radio and television stations.
    Purpose and Need for Federal Action: Recent major floods and 
resultant channel changes on the lower Stehekin River are threatening 
NPS facilities and natural resources within LACH. The three largest 
recorded floods on the Stehekin River have occurred within the past 15 
years, and in response the NPS has spent more than $3 million to 
protect public roads and facilities and to repair flood damage since 
2003. Roads, visitor facilities and private homes once thought to be 
safe from the river are now threatened. Because of the current impacts 
and future risks associated with these unprecedented conditions, the 
primary purpose of this implementation plan is to enable the NPS to 
meet goals and direction provided in the 1995 GMP, including:
    (1) Sustainably operate and maintain NPS administrative facilities, 
public access (roads and trails), and campgrounds; (2) Protect water 
quality, scenic values, habitat, and natural processes of the Stehekin 
River; and (3) Ensure the persistence of visitor services provided by 
the Stehekin community, including those services and facilities found 
on private lands.
    The NPS and FHWA have identified a need to evaluate comprehensive 
and sustainable management strategies and holistic actions to address 
the consequences of flooding. This implementation plan is needed to 
address several interrelated issues, including the following:
    (1) Respond to the Increased Magnitude and Frequency of Flooding. 
Prior to the late 20th century, the Stehekin River was prone primarily 
to spring snowmelt flooding. Since the 1970s, however, the Stehekin 
River has become prone to large fall rain-on-snow floods, which rise 
quickly and occur from mid-October through December. Hydrologic data 
collected on the river since 1911 confirm the statistical significance 
of this shift, as analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The 
passage of severe floods in 1995, 2003, and 2006 has led to significant 
changes in the Stehekin River channel, and redefined the boundaries for 
the 100-year flood. As a result, recreational and administrative 
facilities and developments once thought to be safe from the river are 
now threatened by flooding and bank erosion, while other sites in the 
floodplain have been compromised by larger, more frequent floods. Until 
now, the NPS has addressed problems on a case-by-case basis throughout 
the valley with the passage of each of these large floods.
    (2) Implement and Clarify 1995 Lake Chelan National Recreation Area 
General Management Plan Guidance. The GMP provides broad management 
guidance for LACH, as well as some specific prescriptions to mitigate 
the risks and consequences of flooding. As a programmatic document, the 
GMP lacks the specific management direction needed to respond to the 
current circumstances imposed by the recent floods and the change to a 
fall flood regime. Specific actions called for in the GMP that would be 
implemented in this plan include relocation of the maintenance facility 
and new NPS housing out of the floodplain, and continued maintenance of 
vehicle access on the Stehekin Valley and Company Creek roads. This 
implementation plan is needed to inform the location, design, 
construction, and implementation of

[[Page 54380]]

these actions. Guidance provided by the GMP needs to be updated and 
clarified to reflect the dramatic increase in woody debris since 1995 
and recognition of the influence of Chelan Public Utility District on 
the level of Lake Chelan and the lower Stehekin River. This plan is 
also needed to evaluate and publicly disclose the direct, indirect and 
cumulative impacts of these actions on the resources and values of Lake 
Chelan NRA.
    (3) Sustain Public Facilities While Protecting Natural Resources. 
Management action is needed to provide long-term use and access to 
administrative and recreation facilities. Despite erosion protection 
and flood control efforts by the NPS and private landowners, bank 
erosion continues to threaten public and private property. Channel 
changes have increased the rate of erosion and frequency of flooding at 
some sites, while decreasing erosion rates at others. Integrated 
management actions such as facility relocation, site-specific bank 
hardening, and limited manipulation of woody debris in the Lake Chelan 
backwater zone now need to be considered to ensure the long-term 
sustainability of infrastructure and protection of resources. 
Management of large wood and proliferation of bank protection measures 
have the potential to impact Federal and state listed species and to 
increase the spread of non-native plants. These conditions underscore 
the need for updated assessment of erosion and flood protection 
measures in the lower Stehekin Valley.
    (4) Manage Limited Funding. The NPS has invested more than $3 
million to react to recent flood damage and new threats on an event-by-
event basis since 2003. A comprehensive and integrated set of 
strategies and tactics to meet the goals of the GMP and to mitigate the 
risk and impacts from flooding is urgently needed to enable the NPS to 
use limited funds for the maximum benefit of LACH. Without this 
comprehensive approach, the NPS may be compelled to continue reacting 
on a case-by-case basis, which is more expensive and could more 
adversely threaten natural resources and public safety.
    (5) Respond to Private Land-related Concerns. Lake Chelan NRA 
includes approximately 417 acres of private land, much of which lies 
within the floodplain and channel migration zone of the Stehekin River. 
Developments at McGregor Meadows and near the river mouth are 
particularly vulnerable because of their density and location in 
particularly active reaches of the river. These reaches, or sections of 
the river, have extensive new gravel deposits and rapidly growing 
logjams as a result of recent flooding. The high monetary and 
environmental costs of bank protection and flood mitigation measures 
continue to threaten private property and river resources. At the river 
mouth, accumulation of logs in the backwater zone of Lake Chelan has 
led to deeper flood water in parts of the floodplain. Recent flooding 
has hastened channel migration; damaged or destroyed several cabins; 
incorporated debris and sanitary systems (and occasional limited 
effluent discharges) into the river; and increased the flood risk to 
private lands previously not threatened by flooding. The NPS is 
concerned that these non-Federal circumstances could continue to 
adversely affect LACH and Stehekin River natural resources and values. 
The primary means by which the NPS can address this concern is via the 
Land Protection Plan (LPP), which identifies and prioritizes private 
lands for acquisition or exchange from willing sellers. Last updated in 
1995, the LPP needs to be amended to address new river channel and 
floodplain conditions.
    Proposed Plan and Alternatives: The Plan/DEIS describes and 
analyzes three ``action'' alternatives, as well as continuation of 
current management. The three alternative management strategies differ 
primarily because they range from more removal of public facilities and 
threatened private developments from the channel migration zone 
(preferred Alternative 2) to less relocation and more dependence on 
bank hardening and maintaining the road in place (Alternative 4). 
Alternative three represents a mix of actions in Alternatives 2 and 4.
    All of the alternatives have common actions identified in the GMP, 
including relocation of NPS maintenance and some housing out of the 
channel migration zone, resurfacing of the road from Harlequin Bridge 
to mile 9.2 (just above Stehekin valley Ranch), and construction of a 
new trail system from Stehekin Landing to High Bridge with a connection 
to the river trail via a footbridge over the river near the USGS gage 
site. Alternatives 2, 3, and 4 would add new campsites at different 
locations to supplement sites at Harlequin Bridge that are seasonally 
flooded.
    Alternative 1 (continue current management) and Alternative 4 would 
keep the Stehekin valley road in place through McGregor Meadows. To 
protect the road from flood damage and to ensure access to private 
residences for emergencies during floods, about 6,000 cubic yards of 
fill would be placed in the floodplain. In Alternative 4, as many as 17 
new rock barbs (rock structures used to redirect flows) would be placed 
along the river, with a similar number anticipated over time in 
Alternative 1.
    Alternatives 2 and 3 would relocate 1.9 miles of the Stehekin 
valley road from the floodplain in McGregor Meadows, while retaining 
private access to the area via a 0.75 mile long reduced maintenance 
road at grade. The alternatives differ in where the reroute returns to 
the existing road, with Alternative 2 staying out of the channel 
migration zone (CMZ) and Alternative 3 re-entering the CMZ at the Lower 
Field. Implementation of Alternative 2 would result in closure of the 
shooting range near the Lower Field. Both Alternatives 2 and 3 reduce 
the number of barbs in the river relative to alternatives 1 and 4 (7-8 
new barbs in Alternative 2 and four new barbs in Alternative 3).
    Alternatives 2, 3, and 4 would revise the LACH Land Protection Plan 
(LPP). Alternatives 2 and 3 would focus more on acquisition of private 
development threatened by the river, and look to cluster future 
development on areas outside of the channel migration zone. This 
represents a departure from the 1995 LPP, which placed a higher value 
on scenic resources along the Stehekin valley road. In Alternative 4, 
less emphasis would be placed on acquisition of development in the 
floodplain, and far fewer private parcels would be high priority for 
purchase or exchange.
    Comments: All written comments must be postmarked or transmitted 
not later than December 13, 2010 (this end of comment period date will 
also be posted on the project Web site, and announced via local and 
regional press media). All comments should be addressed to: 
Superintendent, ATTN: SRCIP/DEIS, North Cascades National Park Service 
Complex, 810 State Route 20, Sedro Woolley, WA 98284. Comments may also 
be faxed to (360) 856-1934 or may be transmitted electronically to 
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/noca. The Plan/DEIS will be mailed directly 
to all those who requested a copy during public scoping. Review copies 
will also be available at park headquarters in Sedro-Woolley, the main 
visitor center in Newhalem, and at the Golden West Visitor center in 
Stehekin. To request a printed copy or CD-ROM version of the DEIS, 
phone (360) 856-5700 ext. 351. The document will also be available for 
downloading on the project Web site.
    All comments received will be maintained in the administrative 
record, and are available for review at North Cascades' headquarters. 
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other 
personal identifying information in your

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comments, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.
    To enhance the opportunity for public information and commenting, 
public meetings will be hosted at the following Washington locations: 
October 19 in Stehekin, October 20 in Wenatchee, and October 21 
Seattle. Confirmed meeting times, specific locations and other details 
will be announced via local and regional news media and may be obtained 
on the park's Web site (https://www.nps.gov/noca) or by phoning (360) 
856-5700 ext.351. Participants are strongly encouraged to review the 
document prior to attending a meeting. The Superintendent and planning 
team members, including personnel from the Technical Committee will 
attend all meetings. The format will be the same for each meeting, and 
will include a brief presentation on the essential elements of the 
Plan/DEIS and a question and answer period. Oral and written comments 
may also be submitted. All meeting locations will be accessible for 
disabled persons. A sign language interpreter may be available upon 
request with prior notice (please contact the park as noted above).
    Decision: Following due consideration of all comments received on 
the DEIS, preparation and release of the Final EIS/Stehekin River 
Corridor Implementation Plan is anticipated for late summer 2010; 
availability will be similarly announced in the Federal Register. The 
actual date will depend upon the degree of public interest and response 
from agencies and organizations. Following a minimum 30 days ``no 
action'' period, a Record of Decision may be prepared; approval of the 
plan will be similarly announced in the Federal Register. This is 
tentatively anticipated for late 2010. As a delegated EIS the official 
responsible for the final decision is the Regional Director, Pacific 
West Region; subsequently the official responsible for implementation 
of the approved Stehekin River Corridor Implementation Plan is the 
Superintendent, North Cascades National Park Service Complex.

    Dated: March 12, 2010.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.

    Editorial Note: This document was received in the Office of the 
Federal Register on August 31, 2010.

[FR Doc. 2010-22144 Filed 9-3-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-T6-P