Wallooskee-Youngs Confluence Restoration (DOE/EA-1974)

Clatsop County, Oregon

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) prepared an environmental assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act to analyze the effects of a project to restore a tidal marsh in the Columbia River Estuary in Clatsop County, Oregon.

BPA has decided to provide funding for the restoration project. Astoria Wetlands, LLC, an environmental resources company, currently owns the property and will conduct the restoration work. The Cowlitz Indian Tribe will assist in project implementation and provide long-term stewardship to ensure permanent protection of the property.

Wallooskee-Youngs Confluence Restoration Project is located at the confluence of the Wallooskee and Youngs Rivers five miles from the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon. The project will involve modifying a levee to inundate historic wetlands, creating a network of tidal channels within the project site, and restoring native vegetation. The project will enhance estuary rearing habitat for juvenile salmon and steelhead, as well as provide habitat for wildlife such as deer, elk, and river otter. The project will also help BPA meet its obligations under the Endangered Species Act. An existing BPA transmission line and access road on the property will be modified to withstand the new tidal regime. Structures on the property - a house, barn, and out buildings - will be removed and the upland area returned to a natural condition.  

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this project, BPA prepared an EA following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act. The EA describes impacts to natural and human resources and includes mitigation measures to help avoid or minimize impacts. During the process, BPA worked with landowners, tribes, federal, state and local agencies, and interest groups. 

The environmental review was as follows: 

Scoping comment period December 24, 2013 through January 27, 2014
Public scoping meeting January 14, 2014 in Astoria, OR
Draft EA comment period December 29, 2014 through January 28, 2015
Final EA July 7, 2015
FONSI / Mitigation Action Plan July 7, 2015
Construction start August 2015
Levee breaching and project completion Winter/Spring 2017

CURRENT STATUS

BPA has released its final EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FONSI includes a Mitigation Action Plan to help avoid or lessen potential impacts. After the EA was completed and approved, BPA completed a Supplemental Analysis (SA) to analyze proposed design modifications to a wall that would protect Oregon State Highway 202 from potential flooding. The SA found that the environmental impacts associated with the modified highway protection wall were similar to those analyzed in the original EA.
 

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Chad Hamel Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist Direct line: 502-340-5564
Bonneville Power Administration Email: cjhamel@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621

For project information, contact:
Jason Karnezis Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Project Manager Direct line: 503-230-3098
Bonneville Power Administration - EWL-4 Email: jpkarnezis@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621 
Portland, OR 97208-3621

DOCUMENTS

SUPPLEMENT ANALYSIS
Public Letter (11/09/2016)
Supplement Analysis-01 (10/24/2016)

FINAL EA
Public Letter (07/17/2015)
Final EA (07/07/2015)
FONSI and Mitigation Action Plan (07/07/2015)

DRAFT EA
Draft comments received
Public Letter (12/29/2014)
Draft EA (December 2014)
Comment Form (12/29/2014)

SCOPING
Scoping comments received
Public Letter (12/24/2013)
Project Map (12/04/2013)
Comment Form (12/24/2013)