LEWISTON, ID – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, invites your comments regarding the draft Feasibility Report with integrated Environmental Assessment for the Sweetwater Creek Ecosystem Restoration study.
The Corps, in partnership with the non-federal sponsor, the Nez Perce Tribe, has evaluated alternatives and selected a tentatively selected plan for the study. The estimated cost of the project is $12.9 million.
“The proposed action is needed because aquatic and riparian habitat and function in the study watershed have been degraded by land use practices, irrigation withdrawals, and other anthropogenic stressors that have altered the flow regime, impaired riparian habitat quality and function, simplified channel morphology in Lapwai and Sweetwater Creeks, segregated the river from the floodplain, and reduced fish and wildlife habitat diversity,” according to the report.
The Lapwai Creek watershed provides critical habitat for ESA-listed Snake River Basin steelhead, as well as other culturally significant fish species highly valued by the Nez Perce Tribe. Sweetwater Creek in particular has tremendous cultural significance for the Nez Perce Tribe as an important fishery and for the spiritual and physical healing powers ascribed to its waters, the report adds.
More information can be found at https://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects/Sweetwater203/. The 30-day comment period begins today and ends March 1st.
There are three methods for submitting public comments: Electronic comments can be submitted directly online at: http://www.nww.usace.army.mil/EnvironmentalComplianceComment/ or via email to NEPANWW@usace.army.mil, inserting “Sweetwater Ecosystem Project” in the subject line. U.S. Mail comments should be postmarked by the deadline to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
ATTN: PPL-C (Sweetwater Ecosystem Project)
201 N. 3rd Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362
