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Jarvis Creek US Army Bank Stabilization Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification

PN Reference Number: POA-2023-00061 v1.0
PN Expiration Date: June 4, 2023 Waterway: Jarvis Creek

Any applicant for a federal license or permit to conduct an activity that might result in a discharge into navigable waters, in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1977 (PL95-217), also must apply for and obtain certification from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation that the discharge will comply with the CWA, the Alaska Water Quality Standards, and other applicable State laws. 

Notice is hereby given that a request for a CWA §401 Water Quality Certification of a Department of the Army Permit application, Corps of Engineers’ PN Reference Number indicated above has been received for the discharge of dredged and/or fill materials into waters of the United States (WOUS), including wetlands, as described below, and shown on the project figures/drawings. The public notice and related project figures/drawings are accessible from the DEC website at https://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/.

To comment on the project or request for a public hearing with respect to water quality, submit comments electronically via the DEC public notice site at https://water.alaskadec.commentinput.com?id=Tb5rCsHMK on or before the public notice expiration date listed above.

Applicant:
USAG Alaska, Dan Rees,
1046 Marks Road Fort Wainwright, AK 99703
907-361-9318;
daniel.c.rees.civ@army.mil.

Agent:
USAG Alaska,
Dan Rees,
1046 Marks Road
Fort Wainwright, AK 99703;
907-361-9318;
daniel.c.rees.civ@army.mil.

Project Name:
Jarvis Creek Bank Stabilization

Location:
The proposed activity is located within Section 12, T. 11S, R. 10E; Fairbanks Meridian; in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska. Project Site (Latitude, Longitude):  63.96967, -145.68427. With potential discharge location(s) as follows (Latitude, Longitude): Riprap and Gravel 63.97039, -145.68370; Temporary in stream berms 63.97071, -145.68079. 

Purpose:
To repair an eroded section of the Ammunition Holding Area (AHA) Patrol Road and stabilize the west bank of Jarvis Creek and prevent erosion of the Fort Greely AHA, security fence and the Patrol Road.
Project Description: The proposed project would stabilize the 1,350-foot length of the west bank of Jarvis Creek. Approximately 3,000 cubic yards of riprap and 635 cubic yards of clean gravel would be placed along the bank, including below ordinary high water, to re-establish the eroded section of the patrol road and the adjacent three (3) feet buffer between the road and streambank.

Material from the excavation would be used to contour the banks. Approximately 0.44-acre of fill would be placed below ordinary high water. Enough fill would be discharged to achieve a 2:1 slope along the streambank. A layer of woven geotextile would be placed over the gravel fill to prevent fines from washing out of the bank. A five (5) feet layer of Class II riprap (more than 50 percent of the rocks weigh 200 pounds or more) would be placed on top of the geotextile. Class I riprap (up to 50 percent of the rocks weigh 25 pounds or less) would be placed in the upland from ordinary high water to two (2) feet above ordinary high water.

During construction, approximately 2,000 cubic yards of in-stream material would be relocated to form temporary berms to obstruct active channels within the creek where it would be necessary to divert flow away from the work site to keep it dry. When construction is complete, the berms would be removed to allow the stream to re-occupy its natural channels.

Where possible, existing vegetation will remain in place. Upon completion of the phase or project, any barren areas that can be revegetated, will be planted with native trees and shrubs adapted to local site conditions. To mitigate the risk of geotextile washing into the stream, the project will be inspected annually. Any areas where the geotextile is exposed will be recovered with appropriate fill material and slumping areas will be stabilized or re-filled. 

An access road to the creek bed will be constructed in the uplands. If there is water in the work area at the time of construction, active channels will be blocked with temporary berms (up to 0.4 acres) constructed from substrate taken from the creek bed. Additionally, material may be removed from the creek bed to create an alternative path for the water to flow. All berms will be removed when phases are complete and original flow paths will be restored. The exact location of berms and channel cuts is unknown and will depend on active channel locations within the streambed at the time of construction. 
The project will be constructed in three phases executed over a period of 10 years, beginning in 2023 and ending in 2032. The first phase would stabilize the upstream end and southernmost 700 feet of the project area and fix the area where the Patrol Road has collapsed. The second phase would begin where the first phase left off and continue north 350 feet to stabilize a second erosional feature that is threatening the road. The third phase would continue north approximately 300 feet from the end of the second phase and protect the northern end of the AHA from future erosion. The endpoints of all phases would tie into a stable section of the bank to prevent erosion from occurring behind the structure. 

Additional Information:
The applicant is also applying for other necessary authorizations including a fish habitat permit from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Applicant Proposed Mitigation:
The applicant proposes the following mitigation measures to avoid, minimize, and compensate for impacts to waters of the United State from activities involving discharges of dredged or fill material.
a. Avoidance: The proposed project requires mechanized land clearing and fill placement below the ordinary high water of Jarvis Creek. This project is designed to protect expensive Army property from eroding into the creek and avoid compromising the security of the AHA at Fort Greely. Relocating the AHA is not feasible due to the extreme cost.
b. Minimization: The proposed project would minimize impacts to aquatic resources through the following measures:
1. Construction for the project would be conducted during low water to minimize impacts.
2. The footprint and the amount of fill for the project would be minimized to the extent practicable but would be designed to withstand high flows from Jarvis Creek.
3. Vegetation will be left in places where possible. Disturbed areas will be revegetated with native species adapted to local conditions and harvested from areas adjacent to the project when possible. All seeds used for this project will be certified weed-free.
4. The project will be inspected annually. Any areas where the geotextile is exposed would be re-covered and protected with appropriate fill material and slumping areas would be stabilized or re-filled to prevent discharge of geotextile into the stream.
5. Equipment would be staged off site and above ordinary high water.
c. Compensatory Mitigation: The applicant stated the following, “Compensatory mitigation should not be required because adverse effects to the creek have been avoided and minimized to the maximum extent practicable. Additionally, bank stabilization will prevent further erosion and the discharge of manmade debris and sediment from the Security Road, Fence and AHA into the stream.”

After reviewing the application, the Department may certify there is reasonable assurance the activity, and any discharge that might result, will comply with the CWA, the Alaska Water Quality Standards, and other applicable State laws. The Department also may deny or waive certification.
The permit application and associated documents are available for review. For inquires or to request copies of the documents, contact dec-401cert@alaska.gov, or call 907-269-6285. 

Disability Reasonable Accommodation Notice
The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need special accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact ADA Coordinator Megan Kohler at 907-269-4198 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 prior to the expiration date of this public notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
 

Attachments, History, Details

Attachments

None

Revision History

Created 5/15/2023 4:01:03 PM by jrschlosser
Modified 5/15/2023 4:01:29 PM by jrschlosser
Modified 5/15/2023 4:02:29 PM by jrschlosser

Details

Department: Environmental Conservation
Category: Public Notices
Sub-Category:
Location(s): Statewide
Project/Regulation #:
 
Publish Date: 5/15/2023
Archive Date: 6/5/2023
 
Events/Deadlines: