Supplemental Environmental Assessment & Finding of No Significant Impact: Louisville Bend State Wildlife Area Fish and Wildlife Habitat Rehabilitation
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.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA581188
Entities
Organizations
- United States Army Corps of Engineers