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Neknek River USFWS Refuge King Salmon Floating Dock Replacement Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification

Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification
PN Reference Number: POA-1982-00033-M1 v1.0
Waterway: Naknek River

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=DiZbG9KHa  on or before the public notice expiration date listed above.

Applicant:
USFWS, Susan Alexander, PO Box 277 King Salmon, AK 99613; 907-246-1200; susan_alexander@fws.gov. 

Agent:
PND Engineers, Inc., Schuyler Roskam, 1506 West 36th Avenue Anchorage, AK 99503; 907-646-2771; sroskam@pndengineers.com.

Project Name: 
Alaska Peninsula/Becharof NWR Headquarters Dock

Location: 
The proposed activity is located within Section 26, T. 17S, R. 45W; Seward Meridian; in Bristol Bay Borough, Alaska. Project Site (Latitude, Longitude):  58.68034, -156.67389. With potential discharge location(s) as follows: Boat Ramp 58.680214, -156.673843, Bulkhead 58.680104, -156.673558.

Purpose: 
The applicant’s stated purpose is to replace and relocate the floating dock at the Refuge King Salmon Facility to improve its level of service and ensure continued safe access for boats on the Naknek River and for floatplanes to the surrounding Bristol Bay region.

The existing ramp and floating dock are located on the furthest downstream end of the Service property in an area that has seen shoaling from the adjacent Eskimo Creek. Relocation further upstream will allow for improved access to deeper water and mitigate the potential for further restriction due to shoaling. Relocation of all the marine structures is also consistent with the Service’s long-term plans for consolidation of dock activities to a central area within the facility complex. 

Project Description: 
The applicant proposes to demolish and remove 824 square foot of existing floats, aluminum gangway, in-water anchors and chains, wooden approach platform and two H-type steel piles, and construct a new facility upstream, to include: installation of a new boat launch ramp, an Open Cell Sheet Pile bulkhead abutment, a 50-foot by 6-foot aluminum gangway with three 16-inch diameter steel piles, and 1,648 square foot of new floats held in place with a new anchor and chain system. The work would occur over, and below, the high tide line (HTL, 16.4 foot above the 0.0-foot contour) and mean high water mark (MHW, 14.0 foot above the 0.0-foot contour) of the Naknek River, a navigable water of the U.S.

Removal:
• Remove 824-square-feet of existing modular, polyethylene floats by hand from onshore.
• Existing below-water concrete deadman anchors would be completely removed, if possible, or cut off at mudline. All chains would be removed completely.
• Removal of the 20-foot-long by 6-foot-wide gangway and 25-foot-long wooden approach platform. 
• Two existing 8-inch by 14-inch-diameter H-type steel gangway piles would be removed using a crane and vibratory pile driver from on-shore.
• The existing boat launch would be excavated and graded to pre-existing contours above the HTL.

New construction:
• New abutment: An Open Cell Sheet Pile bulkhead abutment would be constructed, consisting of 79 sheet piles, up to six 18-inch-diameter steel temporary template piles, backfilled with 88 cubic yards of subbase fill material into a 0.018-acre area below the HTL, of which 0.009-acre would be below the MHW. The backfill would be capped with concrete and nine bollards and a fuel tank would be installed on top of the new structure.
• Installation of gangway lifting frame and gangway: A 50-foot by 6-foot aluminum gangway would connect the abutment to the floating dock. A gangway lifting frame 50-foot from the edge of the abutment composed of three 16-inch diameter steel pipe piles (two vertical and one batter), caps, and superstructure would secure the shore-most end of the float system and be used to hoist, and support, the 50-footaluminum gangway when not in use. Piles would be driven to refusal using a shore-based crane and vibratory pile driver, with final proofing of piles conducted using an impact pile driver.
• Installation of floats: The new floating dock would consist of 1,648 square foot of EZ-Dock, molded polystyrene floats. A gangway landing float would access the main float, which would include four finger floats.
• Installation of chains and anchors: Floats would be secured by six anchor chains, which would be tethered to offshore mooring buoys during the winter when not in use. 
• Construction of new gravel surface ramp: A new launch ramp would be constructed which would include 204 cubic yards of excavation of native material and the discharge of 185 cubic yards of fill into 0.053-acre below the HTL, of which 139 cubic yards would be discharged into 0.040-acre below the MHW. Of this fill material, up to 25 cubic yards of material excavated from the original boat ramp would be re-used. The launch ramp would have a 16-foot lane with 2-foot shoulders. All demolished materials would be removed from the site to an upland location.
• Additional Information: Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Fish Habitat, Permit and Bristol Bay Borough Development Permit required. A DA permit was issued to USFWS on August 17, 1982, for the original facility. The current modification would replace the facility in its’ entirety.

Applicant Proposed Mitigation: 
The applicant proposes the following mitigation measures to avoid, minimize, and compensate for impacts to waters of the United States from activities involving discharges of dredged or fill material.
a. Avoidance: By using a previously permitted site, the applicant avoided additional impacts to navigable waters of the U.S. to the maximum extent practicable.
b. Minimization: The width of the ramp footprint, required fill, and excavation are minimized as practicable to safely maintain access. The following project Best Management Practices (BMPs) will avoid or minimize other potential negative effects from construction: 
1. Industry standard BMPs would be used to ensure that less creosote residue would be left on the surface of the wood and best construction practices would be used to reduce the transfer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the wood to the environment. These practices would decrease the impact of creosote treated wood on marine environments. The small levels of PAHs that could be released into the nearby marine environment combined with the small amount of creosote treated wood being used for this project are not expected to cause harm to the wildlife in the area.
2. The dock would be maintained in a manner that would not introduce any pollutants or debris into the river or cause a migration barrier for fish.
3. Fuels, lubricants, and other hazardous substances would not be stored below the high tide line mark.
4. All manmade construction debris would be collected and not allowed to enter navigable waters of the U.S. and/or State. 
5. Project construction would be completed in compliance with state water quality standards.
6. Contractor would check equipment for leaks and other problems that could result in discharge of petroleum-based products, hydraulic fluid, or other material to the waterway.
7. The contractor would have a spill containment kit, including oil-absorbent materials, on site to be used in the event of a spill or if any oil product is observed in the water.
8. Piles would be removed using vibratory extraction to the greatest extent possible. Piles which cannot be extracted would be cut below the mudline. 
9. All demolition materials and construction-related trash would be disposed of at an appropriate upland facility.
10. New piles would be installed using a vibratory hammer except for the gangway frame piles which would require proofing with an impact hammer.
11. All in-water work would occur during daylight hours only.
c. Compensatory Mitigation: Since the project consists of the replacement of several existing aging components as well as upgrading to meet current design standards and supports the Refuge mission and public lands and the project impacts are low, compensatory mitigation is not proposed.

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

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Revision History

Created 5/23/2023 1:49:25 PM by jrschlosser

Details

Department: Environmental Conservation
Category: Public Notices
Sub-Category:
Location(s): Statewide
Project/Regulation #:
 
Publish Date: 5/23/2023
Archive Date: 6/12/2023
 
Events/Deadlines: