^^p \zes>oo'FCc> VcPVV^ GLEN CANYON DAM Beach/Habitat-Building Test Flow flHAl ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT and FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT February 1996 U.S. Department ot the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Region MISSION STATEMENTS As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most ofour nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering wise use of our land and water resources; protecting our fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places; and providing for the enjoyment oflife through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to ensure that their development is in the best interests ofall our people by encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation conununities and for people who live in island territories under U.S. Administration. The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. : UC-FONSI-96-1 United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Region Salt Lake City, Utah FINDING OF NO SIGNIHCANT IMPACT GLEN CANYON DAM BEACH/HABITAT-BUILDING TEST FLOW ^^^ :2 Recommended Regional Environmental Officer Date <^Z.,.ff£^C^ Approved: Regional Director Date FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Beach/Habitat-Building Test Flow Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Council on Environmental Quality's Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Bureau of Reclamation has determined that an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required for implementing a test of a beach/habitat-building flow from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona. BACKGROUND On July 27, 1989, the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) directed that an EIS be prepared on the effects of Glen Canyon Dam operations on environmental and cultural resources on the Colorado River in Glen and Grand Canyons. The final EIS was filed with the Environmental Protection Agency on March 21, 1995. However, in order to comply with the Grand Canyon Protection Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-575, Section 1804 b), the Secretary carmot implement a record of decision until the General Accounting Office has completed an audit of ". . . the costs and benefits to water and power users and to natural, recreational, and cultural resources resulting from management policies and dam operations identified pursuant to the environmental impact statement . . .." It now appears that this audit will not be completed until late in calendar year 1996. The preferred alternative analyzed in the final EIS includes as an integral element beach/habitat-building flows, which are described on page 40 of that document as ". scheduled high releases of short duration designed to rebuild high elevation . . sandbars, deposit nutrients, restore backwater channels, and provide some of the dynamics of a natural system." The final EIS states that a test flow "... would be conducted prior to long-term implementation of this element to test the predictions made in chapter FV." Several conditions make the spring of 1996 an opportune time to conduct this test flow. The riverine system has not experienced flows of the proposed magnitude for almost a decade, and the limitations of the Interim Operating Criteria have accelerated the filling of backwaters and eddies with sediment. Releases in water year 1996 from Glen Canyon Dam are expected to be greater than the mirumum required; therefore, the water required for the test could be more easily scheduled. Finally, a cadre of scientists who have gained much experience in Glen and Grand Canyons over the last 12 years is available to monitor and evaluate this experiment. Ill PROPOSED ACTION The test of the beach/habitat-building flow would begin on or about March 22, 1996. The first 4 days would consist of a constant 8,000-cubic-foot-per-second (cfs) flow. On or about March 26, 1996, releases would be increased at a maximum rate of 4,000 cubic feet per second per hour (cfs/hr) until a maximum flow of 45,000 cfs is reached. Flows would be held essentially constant at 45,000 cfs for 7 days. On or about April 2, 1996, releases would be decreased to 8,000 cfs in the following manner: • Between the maximum release and 35,000 cfs, releases would decrease at a maximum rate of 1,500 cfs/hr. • Between 35,000 cfs and 20,000 cfs, releases would decrease at a maximum rate of 1,000 cfs/hr. • Between 20,000 cfs and 8,000 cfs, releases would decrease at a maximum rate of 500 cfs/hr. This staggered downramping would numic the reduction of flow after a natural flood. Discharge would be maintained at 8,000 cfs for 4 days (through April 7, 1996). The constant 8,000-cfs flows preceding and following the 45,000-cfs release would permit aerial photography and onsite evaluarion of sedimentation patterns and effects on other downstream resources. Interim operations would resume at Glen Canyon Dam on or about April 8, 1996. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT The proposed action would not constitute a major Federal action having significant effects on the quality of the human environment. The environmental assessment indicates that impacts to the human environment are justified for research purposes, short-lived, and entirely consistent with natural processes in Glen and Grand Canyons. Determining adverse or beneficial impacts requires value judgments. For this assessment, impacts on downstream resources that are consistent with natural processes are considered to be beneficial, and those that are inconsistent with natural processes are considered to be adverse. Because all impacts of the proposed action on downstream resources are corisistent with natural processes, they are considered to be beneficial to the overall ecosystem. The predicted impacts of the one-time test of the beach/habitat-building flow are summarized below. 1. The pattern of monthly releases from Glen Canyon Dam would differ slightly from no action (interim operations). Annual water releases and water quality would not be impacted by the proposed action. 2. Impacts on sediment would include sandbar deposition of 1 to 3 feet throughout Grand Canyon. Some sandbars would experience net erosion, but most would experience deposition. IV 3. Non-native fish life cycles would be temporarily disrupted. Backwaters would be reformed and subsequently available for use by native and non-native fish after the test flow. Research data would be obtained on the relationships between flow duration and magnitude and backwater formation. 4. The proposed act—ion would likely result in a temporary reduction in the aquatic food base most notably Cladophora, associated diatoms, and — Gammarus in the Glen Canyon reach, with increased drift downstream. Research data would be gathered on relationships between short-term high flows and the aquatic food base. 5. It is likely that some trout eggs, fry, and young would be lost downstream. This temporary loss could be mitigated by stocking this non-native fish. There is some risk that the aquatic food base would be reduced, subsequently affecting adult trout for a period following the test flow. 6. Some riparian vegetation in the new high water zone would be lost through scouring or burial by sediment transported by the test flow. Both emergent marsh and woody vegetation would recover quickly in the months and years, respectively, following the test flow and return to no action conditions. 7. Wildlife use riparian vegetation as habitat, and some habitat would be temporarily lost during the test flow. Patches of bare sand created by the test flow would add diversity to the new high water zone habitats. Habitat conditions would return to no action levels as riparian vegetation returns to no action conditions. 8. The endangered humpback chub and razorback sucker would likely benefit from the test flow through the reforming of return-current channels (backwater habitats). The endangered Kanab ambersnail would likely sustain short-term population and habitat impacts, although the allowable incidental take would not be exceeded. The northern leopard frog, a State candidate for threatened status, also would likely sustain some population and habitat impacts. The test flow would not affect the remaining special status species. 9. Sandbar deposition could be generally beneficial to some cultural resources by covering and stabilizing sites. 10. All river-based recreation activities would be affected to some degree by the test flow, although little or no impact outside of the test flow period is expected. There is some risk of longer-term adverse impacts on trout fishing. 11. No change in Interim Operating Criteria would occur except during the test flow. Two-percent less energy would be generated during water year 1996. The proposed action would have an economic cost of $0.5 to 2.2 million and a total financial cost of $3.1 to 4.3 million (less than 1-percent decrease in annual revenue). No impact on wholesale or retail power rates is expected. 12. The proposed action would result in a negligible increase in powerplant emissions relative to variations during the water year. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from LYRASIS IVIembers and Sloan Foundation http://archive.org/details/glencanyondambeaOOfinal Contents Page Chapter I Purpose of and Need for Action Purpose and Need 1 Background 2 Relationship to National Park Service Resource Management Objectives 3 Pennits Required 3 Scoping Summary 4 Chapter II Description of Alternatives 5 No Action 5 Proposed Action 7 Mitigation 10 Alternatives Considered but Elinunated From Detailed Analysis 10 Summary Comparison of Alternatives and Impacts 11 Chapter III Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences 13 Colorado River System Resource Linkages 13 Water Volume and Pattern of Release 15 Sediment Transport and Its Effect on Other Resources 16 Flows, Sediment, and Downstream Resources 16 Water 18 Affected Environment 18 Environmental Consequences 19 Sediment 21 Affected Environment 21 Environmental Consequences 23 Fish 26 Affected Environment 27 Environmental Consequences 29 Vegetation and Wildlife 31 Affected Environment 31 Environmental Consequences 34 Endangered and Other Special Status Species 36 Affected Environment 36 Environmental Consequences 39 Cultural Resources 44 Affected Environment 44 Environmental Consequences 45 Recreation 46 Affected Environment 46 Environmental Consequences 47 Hydropower 50 Affected Environment 50 Envirorunental Consequences 52 Vll Contents (continued) Page Chapter IQ Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences (continued) Air Quality 57 Affected Environment 57 Environn\ental Consequences 58 Cumulative Impacts 59 Power 59 Air Quality 59 Unavoidable Adverse Impacts 59 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources 59 Indian Trust Assets 60 Environmental Justice Implications 60 International Impacts 60 Consultation and Coordination 63 Public Involvement 63 Consultation 63 Fish and Wildlife Coordination 64 Cultural Resources 64 Executive Orders 65 Distribution List 65 Federal Agencies 65 State and Local Agencies 66 Indian Tribes 67 Schools 67 Interested Organizations 67 Interested Individuals 68 List of Preparers Bibliography Attachments A Environmental Commitments B Glen Canyon Environmental Studies Controlled Flood Research Programs C Prices Used in Power Impact Analysis Vlll