Notice of Availability of and Request for Comment on an Interim Report for the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries, Texas Resiliency Study

Published date02 October 2020
Citation85 FR 62284
Record Number2020-21763
SectionNotices
CourtArmy, Corps Of Engineers Department,Defense Department
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 192 (Friday, October 2, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 192 (Friday, October 2, 2020)]
                [Notices]
                [Pages 62284-62285]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2020-21763]
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                DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
                Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
                Notice of Availability of and Request for Comment on an Interim
                Report for the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries, Texas Resiliency Study
                AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
                ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.
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                SUMMARY: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) requests comments on
                the alternatives considered to date by the Buffalo Bayou and
                Tributaries, Texas Resiliency Study (BBTRS) to help inform the Study
                Team's recommendation to the Chief of Engineers on reducing the flood
                risk along Buffalo Bayou and its tributaries in Harris and Fort Bend
                counties, Texas. An Interim Report has been prepared to document
                alternatives considered to date. The Interim Report, which does not
                include recommendations or decisions, is being published to solicit
                input from the public. Seeking this public input prior to identifying a
                preferred alternative will help ensure the analysis of a complex
                problem--and ultimately decisions--are effective, responsive,
                sustainable and understood by the region's communities.
                DATES: Written comments on the Interim Report must be received by email
                or post-marked by November 2, 2020.
                ADDRESSES: The Interim Report and additional pertinent information
                about the- study can be found at: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/Buffalo-Bayou-and-Tributaries-Resiliency-Study/.
                 Interested persons may submit written comments by email to
                [email protected] or by mail to: USACE, Galveston District, Attn:
                BBTRS, P.O. Box 1229, Galveston, TX 77553-1229.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Melinda Fisher, USACE, Regional
                Planning and Environmental Center, at 918-669-7423 or
                [email protected].
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                 1. Introduction and Background. USACE, in partnership with the
                Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), as the non-Federal
                sponsor, began a feasibility study in 2018 to identify, evaluate, and
                recommend actions to reduce flood risks along Buffalo Bayou and its
                tributaries, both upstream and downstream of Addicks and Barker dams.
                The study will also complete a Dam Safety Modification Evaluation on
                Addicks and Barker dams. The BBTRS is authorized under Section 216 of
                the Flood Control Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-611) and existing project
                authority. Section 216 authorizes USACE to review a completed
                navigation, flood risk reduction, water supply, or related project due
                to significantly changed physical or economic conditions, and to report
                to Congress with recommendations regarding modification of the
                project's structures or operation, and for improving the quality of the
                environment in the overall public interest.
                 Existing flood risk management (FRM) projects in the watersheds
                include the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries, Texas Project (Project),
                which was authorized by Congress in the 1930s for the purpose of
                providing flood control for the City of Houston and Port of Houston. In
                the 1940s, Addicks and Barker Dams were constructed and a portion of
                Buffalo Bayou was straightened as part of the completed Project. Since
                Project completion, a number of physical improvements and operational
                changes have been made to attempt to mitigate changing conditions
                within Addicks, Barker, Buffalo Bayou and surrounding watersheds.
                However, the watersheds continue to experience major flood events, most
                recently and most significantly Hurricane Harvey in 2017. These flood
                events, combined with documented increases in precipitation
                frequencies, continued urbanization of the watersheds, and the
                potential for flooding events in the future, indicate the Project may
                need to be modified to further mitigate flood risks.
                 The study will evaluate ways to reduce flooding in three
                watersheds--Addicks Reservoir, Barker Reservoir, and Buffalo Bayou--
                focusing on areas upstream and downstream of Addicks and Barker dams
                and along Buffalo Bayou. A portion of Cypress Creek Watershed is being
                considered because overflow from this watershed contributes to flooding
                in the Addicks Reservoir Watershed. Brays Bayou and White Oak Bayou
                could be affected by actions benefiting Buffalo Bayou, so impacts to
                these watersheds will be evaluated. The scope of the study does not
                include identifying ways to lower flood risk in the lower Cypress
                Creek, Brays Bayou or White Oak Bayou watersheds.
                 Since the public scoping meetings held in May 2019 and a newsletter
                sent in January 2020, the alternatives (potential ways to address the
                problems) have evolved based on the preliminary results of modeling the
                physical and economic performance of these actions. The study team used
                this information to advance the evaluation of several alternatives,
                remove some from further consideration and add some additional measures
                for more detailed consideration. To explain this updated information
                and present the focused array of alternatives, the Study Team is adding
                a step to the process: release of an Interim Report for public review
                and comment.
                 Note: This is not a Notice of Availability associated with the
                release of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in
                accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. This is an
                interim step intended to gather public feedback before a Draft EIS
                is released.
                 2. Interim Report. The Study Team prepared this Report to present
                preliminary findings and a focused array of alternatives considered to
                date that manage risk and reduce damages under existing and future
                conditions.
                [[Page 62285]]
                The report describes the process to identify and screen potential
                measures to address the problems and meet the purpose and need of the
                study. The report also describes engineering, economic, social, and
                environmental analyses conducted to date; it does not identify a
                preferred alternative nor does it make any recommendations or
                decisions.
                 The Interim Report identifies three main problems in the study
                area--upstream risks to life safety and property when inflows exceed
                reservoir capacity, dam safety risks if a dam component were to fail
                during a flood, and downstream risks to life safety and property when
                flows exceed channel capacity. To address each of these concerns, a
                number of structural and non-structural measures were considered
                including but not limited to: Bypass channels, new reservoirs,
                detention ponds, tunnels, dredging of existing detention ponds and
                reservoirs, spillway modifications, levees/floodwalls, channel
                modifications, property acquisition, changes in operations, structure
                modifications, and prairie/wetland restoration. The Study Team screened
                an initial array of measures based on technical feasibility,
                performance, cost, and benefits. Eight alternatives are identified in
                the interim report as the focused array. These include:
                 No Action. No Federal action is taken to reduce future
                flood risks. This alternative serves as the baseline condition to
                compare the action alternatives' benefits and costs and is required by
                policy.
                 FRM Alternative 2: Cypress Creek Reservoir. This
                alternative investigates the feasibility of increasing storage capacity
                in the upper watersheds through construction of a third reservoir in
                the vicinity of the Harris-Waller County line in the far western part
                of the study area.
                 FRM Alternative 6: Buffalo Bayou Channel Improvements.
                This alternative facilitates more efficient conveyance of water by
                widening and deepening Buffalo Bayou, while preserving or enhancing the
                natural characteristics of the aquatic and riparian ecosystem.
                 FRM Alternative 7: Non-Structural Only. This alternative
                utilizes actions that reduce human exposure and vulnerability to
                flooding, but does not attempt to change the hazard. Property
                acquisition along Buffalo Bayou would lower the risk to lives and
                properties downstream during all precipitation events, while also
                allowing for non-damaging larger releases from the reservoirs during
                more severe events.
                 FRM Alternative 8: Combination Plan. This alternative
                utilizes a combination of FRM Alternative 2 and 6, which includes
                construction of a third reservoir and channel improvements to Buffalo
                Bayou.
                 Dam Safety (DS) Alternative 4: Tolerable Risk. This
                alternative increases the spillway capacity and prevents overtopping by
                reinforcing all four spillways of Addicks and Barker dams. The north
                spillways would be removed and replaced with stepped roller compacted
                concrete (RCC) and the south spillways would be replaced with
                articulated concrete block.
                 DS Alternative 5: Tolerable Risk + As Low as Reasonably
                Practicable. This alternative is similar to DS Alternative 4, except
                that all four spillways would be removed and replaced with stepped RCC.
                 System Operations. This alternative involves acquiring
                additional lands to efficiently and safely operate the reservoirs given
                the changed circumstances. A range of reservoir elevations are being
                considered and could extend from current Federally-owned government
                land to elevation 112 at Addicks Reservoir and elevation 105 at Barker
                Reservoir. This would involve acquisition of between 14,868 and 24,707
                tracts of land and involve relocation of 10,606 to 21,302 residential
                properties and 259 to 492 commercial properties.
                 3. Public Participation. USACE and HCFCD are committed to
                proactively informing and engaging with the community and stakeholders
                to reach effective and implementable flood risk management solutions.
                These agencies intend for public review of the Interim Report to
                provide input on the alternatives and the complexity of developing
                solutions. Public and resource agency feedback on the Interim Report
                will inform the next level of evaluation to identify a Tentatively
                Selected Plan (TSP). The TSP may be a single alternative or comprised
                of several alternatives from the focused array under consideration.
                 Solicitation of Comments: The USACE is soliciting comments on the
                Interim Report from the public, Federal, State, and local agencies,
                elected officials, Tribal Nations, and other interested parties. The
                public comment period will begin [DATE OF PUBLICATION] and written
                comments may be submitted by email or through postal mail at the
                addresses provided above.
                 Meetings: Due to the ``Proclamation on Declaring a National
                Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
                Outbreak'' issued on March 13, 2020, no in-person meetings will be
                held. The USACE will host informational sharing sessions intended to
                provide an overview of the report and findings to date. The study
                website provides the dates and times of the information sessions, as
                well as up-to-date access details.
                 4. Identification of Tentatively Selected Plan and Availability of
                Draft EIS. Depending on input received on the Interim Report, USACE
                estimates issuing a Draft Feasibility Report and Draft Environmental
                Impact Statement for public review and comment in early 2021. At that
                time, USACE will provide a 45-day public review period, in accordance
                with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). USACE will notify
                all interested agencies, organizations, and individuals of the
                availability of the draft document at that time.
                Christopher G. Beck,
                Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Commanding.
                [FR Doc. 2020-21763 Filed 10-1-20; 8:45 am]
                BILLING CODE 3720-58-P
                

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