Missouri River Recovery Program Sandy Point Bend Shallow Water Habitat Construction Project Draft Project Implementation Report May 2010

Authors

Date of this Version

2010

Comments

Published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (2010) 1-129

Abstract

The Missouri River Recovery Program (MRRP) was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District (Corps) to address actions included in the 2000 and 2003 Amended Biological Opinions (BiOp) on the Operation of the Missouri River System and the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Project (Mitigation Project) authorized by the Water Resources Development Acts of 1986 and 1999 (WRDA86 and WRDA99). The BiOp and Mitigation Project provide direction and authority to complete projects that provide fish and wildlife habitat along Missouri River. These actions are being undertaken to address endangered species needs and mitigate for the loss of habitat that resulted from construction, operation, and maintenance of the Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System and the Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project (BSNP).

The Sandy Point Bend project site consists of 251.6 acres and is situated on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River in Harrison County, Iowa. This tract of land is located in parts of Sections 8, 16, 17, 20, and 21 in Township 79N, Range 45W of the 5^th Principal Meridian. This parcel is owned and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District (Corps). This Project Implementation Report (PIR) focuses on potential habitat development activities at Sandy Point Bend, generally located between River Miles (RM) 656.3 and 657.9 (See Figure 1-1 and 1-2). Specifically, this report focuses on the construction of shallow water habitat (SWH).

This PIR includes an Environmental Assessment (EA) consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It provides an analysis of alternatives and a detailed description of the recommended plan for a flow-through chute complex at Sandy Point Bend. This PIR also contains an evaluation of environmental impacts consistent with the requirements of pertinent Federal regulations including NEPA, the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA).