​Clark Fork River Delta Restoration (DOE/EA-1969)

Bonner County, Idaho

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) provided partial funding to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) to restore wetland and riparian habitat and to reduce erosion in the Clark Fork River delta. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) owns a portion of the project area and the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) leases part of the project area to IDFG. The BLM and Corps are responsible for issuing permits before restoration actions can occur and are cooperating agencies in the compliance efforts for this project.

The Clark Fork River Delta Restoration project is located at the confluence of the Clark Fork River with Lake Pend Oreille, (please see the Project Map - project activities will take place in areas 11, 7, 3/4/9, 5, and 6). The project involves using pieces of woody debris (e.g. trees with rootwads) and rock to help stabilize shorelines, plant native vegetation, such as black cottonwood, dogwood and willow, and raise some ground surfaces to create new plant and wildlife habitat. This project is part of restoration efforts in northern Idaho and eastern Washington implemented by the IDFG to help mitigate for impacts of the construction, operation, and inundation of the delta by the Albeni Falls hydroelectric project.

The schedule for the environmental review was as follows:

Scoping comment period July 15, 2013 to August 19, 2013
Scoping public meeting July 31, 2013 in Sandpoint, Idaho
Draft EA comment period January 29, 2014 to March 3, 2014
Final EA July 1, 2014
Finding of No Significant Impact July 1, 2014

CURRENT STATUS

To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, BPA, in cooperation with the BLM and Corps, prepared an environmental assessment (EA) to help determine the potential impacts the project would have on the natural and human environment. BPA released the draft EA for public review and comment in January 2014 and received comments from 32 entities. BPA prepared a final EA that provides responses to comments received and includes revisions to that analysis based on those comments. Based on the EA analysis and mitigation measures to help lessen impacts, BPA has found that the project will not cause any significant impacts, and has issued a finding of no significant impact (FONSI).

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Chad Hamel        Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Supervisory Environmental Protection Specialist Direct line: 50-230-5564
Bonneville Power Administration - ECF-4 Email: cjhamel@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621

For project information, contact:
Lee Watts       Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Project Manager        Direct line: 503-230-4625
Bonneville Power Administration - EWM-4 Email: vlwatts@bpa.gov 
P.O. Box 3621
Portland, OR 97208-3621

DOCUMENTS

SUPPLEMENT ANALYSES
SA 01 - Phase I Updates Supplement Analysis (09/20/2021)

FINAL EA/FONSI
Public Letter (07/08/2014)
Final EA (07/01/2014)
FONSI (07/01/2014)

DRAFT EA
Draft EA comments received
Public Letter (01/29/2014)
Draft EA (January 2014)
Comment Form (01/29/2014)

SCOPING
Scoping comments received
Public Letter (07/15/2013)
Project Map (07/03/2013)
Comment Form (07/15/2013)

EA Determination Memo (07/03/2013)