Inland Navigation System Planning The Upper Mississippi River-Illinois Waterway (2001) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix B: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Executive Summary for the Corps of Engineers System Navigation Study
Appendix B: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Executive Summary for the Corps of Engineers System Navigation Study
Pages 94-105
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From page 94... ...
All six of the preliminary alternatives are predicted to reduce lockage time and allow increased navigation traffic on the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS)
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From page 95... ...
The five state agencies manage over 140,000 acres on the UMR and the Illinois DNR manages approximately 60,000 acres on the Illinois River. ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT COMPLIANCE The Service and the Corps recently completed formal consultation under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act which assessed the effects of the existing Nine-foot Channel Navigation Project upon seven federally listed endangered and threatened species.
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From page 96... ...
The assessment of incremental traffic effects associated with the proposed project is inadequate; site-specific assessments are not complete. Incremental Traffic Effects Analysis The impact analysis has resulted in the development of state-of-the-art navigation traffic effects models.
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From page 97... ...
Based on the LTRMP ~ 998 Status and Trends Report, we conclude that the long-term effects from O&M activities probably pose a more serious threat to UMR fish and wildlife resources than future incremental traffic effects identified thus far. Further evidence that ongoing navigation project O&M activities are causing habitat degradation is found in the Service's recently completed Biological Opinion prepared for the UMR Nine-foot Channel Navigation Project endangered species consultation.
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From page 98... ...
In order to quantify the impact of the incremental traffic increases associated with the proposed project, impacts attributable to the Second Lock increment of traffic must be identified and mitigated for as part of the current System Study. In the 1980's, there was considerable disagreement over the navigation effects of the Second Lock.
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From page 99... ...
Such traditional tools are not readily applicable to incremental traffic effects. This situation would indicate that an innovative approach, requiring intense coordination among the Corps, the Service and state agencies, is needed to prepare a biologically credible mitigation plan.
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From page 100... ...
The incremental traffic mitigation package is presented independent of all other navigation traffic effects. By mitigating for the Nine-foot Channel Navigation Project as a whole, we can avoid duplication and fragmentation.
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From page 101... ...
2. Potential impacts to fishery resources should be evaluated in greater detail using both HEP and hydraulic modeling at all proposed construction sites.
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From page 102... ...
B A mitigation plan to offset baseline traffic effects should be included in a system-wide comprehensive plan to mitigate all Nine-foot Channel Navigation Project related impacts.
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From page 103... ...
B Implement an adaptive mitigation approach that comprehensively mitigates for all incremental traffic effects as well as the Second Lock, baseline traffic, and O&M effects.
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From page 104... ...
4. The Committee should monitor work being done through the EMP to insure that applicable information is being incorporated into the adaptive mitigation planning process.
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From page 105... ...
Without such a commitment, we can only conclude that the impacts of any increases in navigation traffic will not be adequately mitigated, and balanced use of this nationally significant ecosystem will not be achieved. Of all the issues discussed in this letter, mitigation planning is possibly the most urgent.
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