PUBLIC NOTICE _________________________________________________________________________________________

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BUILDING STRONG®

LOS ANGELES DISTRICT

APPLICATION FOR PERMIT

Lee’s Ferry Access Road Rehabilitation and Paria River Bridge Repair and Bank Stabilization

Public Notice/Application No.: SPL-2009-00525-DB Comment Period: May 15, 2012 through June 13, 2012 Project Manager: Donald Borda at 480-435-1141 or email at donald.borda@usace.army.mil Applicant Matt Ambroziak Central Federal Lands Highway Division 12300 Dakota Avenue, Suite 380 Lakewood, Colorado 80228 720-963-3619

Agent Jill Himes Himes Consulting LLC 3301 West Genoa Way Chandler, Arizona 85226 480-899-5708

Location Lee’s Ferry Access Road, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (36.8655°N, 111.5965°W; Sections 13, 22, 23, 27, 33 and 34, Township 40 North, Range 7 East) is located off of US 89A north of Marble Canyon in Coconino County, Arizona. Activity To restore/rehabilitate Lee’s Ferry Access Road and repair/stabilize the Paria River Bridge area located in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The Access Road work would include discharges at Cathedral Wash and No Name Wash to repair, restore and protect the improved roadway and associated drainage improvements. The Paria River Bridge area work would include bridge abutment stabilization, east bank protection, Lonely Dell Access Road bank protection, and concrete removal from the river. Work would be conducted during low flow periods and would require the stream flow to be temporarily diverted around the work areas. For more information see page 3 of this notice. Interested parties are hereby notified that an application has been received for a Department of the Army permit for the activity described herein and shown on the enclosed figures. We invite you to review this public notice and provide your comments on the proposed work. All comments received during the comment period become part of the record and will be considered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps of Engineers) in our decision-making process. This permit will be issued, issued with special conditions, or denied under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344). Comments can be sent electronically to: Donald.Borda@usace.army.mil or mailed to:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ATTENTION: Regulatory Division (SPL-2009-00525-DB) 3636 NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE, SUITE 900 PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85012-1939

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The mission of the Corps of Engineers' Regulatory Program is to protect the Nation's aquatic

resources, while allowing reasonable development through fair, flexible and balanced permit decisions. The Corps of Engineers evaluates permit applications for essentially all construction activities that occur in the Nation's waters, including wetlands. The Regulatory Program in the Los Angeles District is executed to protect aquatic resources by developing and implementing short- and long-term initiatives to improve regulatory products, processes, program transparency, and customer feedback considering current staffing levels and historical funding trends.

Corps of Engineers' permits are necessary for any work, including construction and dredging, in the Nation's navigable water and their tributary waters. The Corps of Engineers balances the reasonably foreseeable benefits and detriments of proposed projects, and makes permit decisions that recognize the essential values of the Nation's aquatic ecosystems to the general public, as well as the property rights of private citizens who want to use their land. The Corps of Engineers strives to make its permit decisions in a timely manner that minimizes impacts to the regulated public.

During the permit process, the Corps of Engineers considers the views of other Federal, state and local agencies, interest groups, and the general public. The results of this careful public interest review are fair and equitable decisions that allow reasonable use of private property, infrastructure development, and growth of the economy, while offsetting the authorized impacts to the waters of the United States. The permit review process serves to first avoid and then minimize adverse effects of projects on aquatic resources to the maximum practicable extent. Any remaining unavoidable adverse impacts to the aquatic environment are offset by compensatory mitigation requirements, which may include restoration, enhancement, establishment, and/or preservation of aquatic ecosystem system functions and services. Evaluation Factors The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefits which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered including the cumulative effects thereof. Factors that will be considered include conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, cultural values, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, flood plain values, land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food production and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people. In addition, if the proposal would discharge dredged or fill material, the evaluation of the activity will include application of the EPA Guidelines (40 CFR Part 230) as required by Section 404 (b)(1) of the Clean Water Act. The Corps of Engineers is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, state, and local agencies and officials; Indian tribes; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps of Engineers to determine whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.

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Preliminary Review of Selected Factors EIS Determination- A preliminary determination has been made that an environmental impact statement is not required for the proposed work. Water Quality- The applicant is required to obtain water quality certification, under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Section 401 requires that any applicant for an individual Section 404 permit provide proof of water quality certification to the Corps of Engineers prior to permit issuance. For any proposed activity on Tribal land that is subject to Section 404 jurisdiction, the applicant will be required to obtain water quality certification from either the local Tribe, if eligible to administer the water quality standards program, or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency if the local Tribe is not eligible to administer the water quality standards program. Cultural Resources- The National Park Service (NPS), as the Lead Federal Agency, is currently conducting Section 106 consultation for the project as well as preparing an Environmental Assessment. Endangered Species- The National Park Service (NPS), as the Lead Federal Agency, is currently conducting Section 7 consultation for the project as well as preparing an Environmental Assessment. Public Hearing- Any person may request, in writing, within the comment period specified in this notice, that a public hearing be held to consider this application. Requests for public hearing shall state with particularity the reasons for holding a public hearing. Proposed Activity for Which a Permit is Required Basic Project Purpose- The basic project purpose comprises the fundamental, essential, or irreducible purpose of the proposed project, and is used by the Corps of Engineers to determine whether the applicant's project is water dependent. The basic project purpose for the proposed project is to repair/improve the transportation system. The proposed project is not water dependent. Overall Project Purpose- The overall project purpose serves as the basis for the Corps of Engineers' 404(b)(1) alternatives analysis and is determined by further defining the basic project purpose in a manner that more specifically describes the applicant's goals for the project, and which allows a reasonable range of alternatives to be analyzed. The overall project purpose for the proposed project is to maintain/stabilize and protect a public access road and bridge across the Paria River to connect the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area campgrounds, ranger station and boat launch ramp. Additional Project Information Baseline information- The proposed project is comprised of two parts: rehabilitating Lee’s Ferry Access Road, and stabilizing the Paria River Bridge area as shown in Figures 3-8 and as described below. The purpose of the project is to rehabilitate Lee’s Ferry Access Road in order to prevent road overtopping of stormwaters, increase visitor safety, and protect the road from further erosion and scour. The purpose of the Paria River bank stabilization project is to strengthen and stabilize the existing Paria River Bridge that has been severely undermined by erosion, and to repair and restore the channel bank along the existing Lonely Dell Access Road for visitor safety.

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Discharge is proposed at Cathedral Wash and No Name Wash to protect and improve the existing roadway and associated drainage improvements. Discharge at the Paria River Bridge and east bank is proposed to stabilize the existing bridge abutment from further erosion and to provide bank protection to reduce erosion. Discharge at the Lonely Dell Access Road within the Paria River is proposed to repair the existing slope and to protect the existing access road from further erosion along the river bankline. Material to be discharged consists of the following:

Cathedral Wash: 142 cubic yards of revet mattresses, 354 cubic yards of gabion baskets, 617 cubic yards of backfill, and 40 cubic yards of concrete (outlet protection). Excavation (material to be removed) is estimated at 538 cubic yards.

No Name Wash: 49 cubic yards of box culverts/concrete. Excavation (material to be removed) is estimated at 67 cubic yards.

Paria River: 209 cubic yards for diversion berms, 358 cubic yards of backfill, 35 cubic yards of concrete; 272 cubic yards of revet mattresses; 272 cubic yards of gabion baskets for spur dikes. Excavation (material to be removed) is estimated at 136 cubic yards.

Surface area of existing waters of the U.S. (ephemeral washes) impacted through road rehabilitation consists of 0.35 acres. Of this, 0.187 acres are temporary impacts and 0.162 acres are permanent impacts. Surface area of existing waters of the U.S. impacted from Paria River stabilization activities consist of 1.317 acres of waters of the U.S. (perennial water), of which 1.184 acres are temporary impacts (including temporary diversions and equipment access), including 0.002 acres of wetlands, and 0.133 acres are permanent acres. Total project impacts including temporary and permanent, is 1.67 acres. Project description- Lee’s Ferry Access Road Rehabilitation. Lee’s Ferry Access Road is proposed to be restored, rehabilitated, and resurfaced to address roadway safety and erosion concerns. Impacts to waters of the U.S. are limited to restoration activities in the following three areas:

1. Cathedral Wash Trailhead. The existing pullout will be lengthened approximately 150 feet to the south to accommodate existing visitor vehicles. Embankment protection, in the form of revet mattresses (wire-enclosed rip rap) and gabions, will be placed on the east bank of Cathedral Wash to protect the bank and the access road from further erosion (Figure 3).

2. Cathedral Wash Culvert Outlet Protection. To keep the roadway embankment and box culvert from further eroding and to prevent scour, concrete outlet protection will be placed at the Cathedral Wash box culvert (Figure 3).

3. No Name Wash Culvert Replacement. To prevent roadway overtopping, the existing two 48

inch corrugated metal culverts will be removed and replaced with three 10 ft x 5 ft box culverts with concrete headwall and aprons (Figure 4).

Paria River Stabilization. The Paria River Bridge is located along the Lees Ferry Access Road at the Paria River, approximately 5 miles from State Route 89A and approximately 0.4 miles upstream of the confluence of the Paria and Colorado Rivers. The Paria River Bridge was originally constructed circa

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1964. Stabilization of the Paria River in the vicinity of the Paria River Bridge is comprised of the following components. Plan view and cross-sections are provided in Figures 5 through 8.

1. Bridge Abutment Stabilization. To stabilize the existing bridge abutment and minimize the potential for scour, additional concrete is proposed under the bridge. Concrete lining with a low flow channel for fish passage will be installed across the Paria River at the bridge abutment, including between the existing slope paving. This area is approximately 45 feet long by 45 ft wide underneath the bridge (Figures 5 and 8). Approximately 6 inches of riverbed would be excavated to prepare the surface for concrete. Toe walls would be installed on the upstream and downstream faces to prevent undercutting.

2. East Bank Protection. Protection on the east bank consists of a 1-foot thick revet mattress at

a 2H:1V slope, extending approximately 240 feet upstream from the existing left bridge abutment and incorporating two channel spurs upstream. The revet mattress will be underlain with a geotextile fabric and filled with 4”-8” diameter rock. The toe of the revet mattress will be tied to a row of 3-foot by 3-foot gabion baskets, embedded a minimum of 6 feet below the minimum channel bed profile. The two channel spurs will redirect the flood flows away from the susceptible bank. The spurs will extend into the channel approximately 30 feet from the top of bank, and be embedded approximately 20 feet horizontally and be a minimum of 3 feet below the channel elevation at the bankline. The two spurs will be located adjacent to an existing sandbar, with contact limited to flood level flows (Figures 5 and 8).

3. Lonely Dell Access Road Bank Protection. The channel bank adjacent to the Lonely Dell

Ranch access road is actively eroding and undermining the edge of the road. Bank material above the bedrock formation is sloughing down the slope and compromising the road. A gabion retaining wall is proposed for this site to stabilize the bank slope and restore the road section, in addition to two channel spurs to prevent further bank erosion at this location. The gabion wall spans approximately 40 feet. The two channel spurs are proposed immediately upstream at approximately 50-foot intervals. They are oriented downstream, extending into the channel approximately 20 feet from the top of bank and transition down to the channel bed (Figures 5 and 7).

4. Concrete Removal. Remove existing concrete slab (24 feet by 10 feet by 3 feet) from Paria River channel (located approximately 700 feet upstream of Lonely Dell channel improvements) and dispose of outside Glen Canyon National Park. Disturbance to vegetation and stream bed when accessing and removing the concrete will be minimized. Equipment access will be via downstream from the Lonely Dell site. The work would result in an estimated 0.27 acres of temporary impacts to waters of the United States.

Work within the Paria River will be conducted during low flow periods. Per Federal Highways regulations, prior to commencement, the stream flow will be diverted around the work areas by berms constructed of clean native fill. Diversions will be constructed in a manner that will provide continuous flow to downstream reaches. Construction operations will be conducted so as not to affect the quality, quantity, or temperature of flows below the diversion in a manner which adversely affects fish or other aquatic life. Upon completion of the work at that location, diversions will be removed.

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To compensate for the temporary impact to 0.002 acres of wetlands, the National Park Service proposes to salvage the existing wetland vegetation (Juncus sp.) that would be disturbed, hold them in a local greenhouse, and transplant them after construction is completed. To compensate for impacts to waters of the U.S., the NPS proposes to salvage existing non-wetland riparian vegetation within the construction zone of the Paria River channel, hold, and replant following construction. Hydroseeding of disturbed areas is also proposed. These mitigation activities are described in detail in the Mitigation and Monitoring Plan.

Proposed Mitigation– The proposed mitigation may change as a result of comments received in response to this public notice, the applicant's response to those comments, and/or the need for the project to comply with the 404(b)(1) Guidelines. In consideration of the above, the proposed mitigation sequence (avoidance/minimization/compensation), as applied to the proposed project is summarized below: Avoidance: An alternatives analysis has been prepared by the applicant and submitted to the

Corps. Minimization: All work would be limited to the existing roadway and bridge areas requiring

repair, rehabilitation, stabilization and protection. Clean native fill material would be used when needed. Work would only be performed during low flow periods. All temporary impact areas will be restored.

Compensation: The applicant proposes to compensate for impacts to 1.67 acres of waters of the United States, including 0.02 acre of wetlands. Mitigation objectives would be to stabilize disturbed soils, prevent non-native plant invasions in disturbed and adjacent undisturbed areas, preserve park native plant resources by assisting the recovery of disturbed areas, and restore wetland and non-wetland vegetation at a 3:1 ratio at the project site. Objectives will be attained by implementing a variety of ecological restoration techniques such as invasive plant control, plant salvage, planting, seeding, mulching, irrigating, and others as described in a Mitigation Work Plan.

Proposed Special Conditions No special conditions are proposed at this time. For additional information please call Donald Borda at 480-230-6952 or contact via e-mail at Donald.Borda@usace.army.mil. This public notice is issued by the Chief, Arizona Branch, Regulatory Division.

Regulatory Program Goals: To provide strong protection of the nation's aquatic environment, including wetlands. To ensure the Corps of Engineers provides the regulated public with fair and

reasonable decisions. To enhance the efficiency of the Corps of Engineers’ administration of its regulatory

program. __________________________________________________________

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS 3636 NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE, SUITE 900

PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85012-1939 http://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Regulatory.aspx

NO SCALE

FIGURE 1

VICINITY MAP

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403+07.26

N 37%%d 32’ 23" W

N 37%%d 32’ 23" W

N 0%%d 01’ 2

3" E

N 22%%d 02’ 24

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N 11%%d 39’

48" E

N 38%%d 14’ 44" W

N 64%%d 06’ 23" W

N 30%%d 04’ 44" W

N 21%%d 15’ 5

7" E

N 54%%d 21’ 42" E

N 44%%d 25’ 33" E

N 21%%d 31’ 3

7" E

N 10%%d 02’

37" E

N 55%%d 28’ 36" E

N 76%%d 09’ 11" E

N 26%%d 49’ 21" E

N 36%%d 50’ 25" E

N 23%%d 54’ 09

" E

N 47%%d 09’ 03" E

N 29%%d 39’ 43" E

N 86%%d 22’ 35" E

S 74%%d 48’ 41" E

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REG STATE PROJECT

AZINTER

MTN

PRA GLCA 5(2)

LEE’S FERRY ACCESS ROAD

FIGURE 2 - Lees Ferry Road Rehabilitation and Paria River Bank Stabilization - Area Map

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6

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N 0%

%d

01’ 2

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N 22

%%

d 02’

24" E

N 11

%%

d 39

’ 48"

E

N 38%%d 14’ 44" W

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%%

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57" E

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N 21

%%

d 31’

37" E

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%%

d 02

’ 37"

E

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%%

d 49’

21" E

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0’ 25

" E

N 23

%%

d 54’

09" E

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9’ 03"

E

N 29

%%d 39’

43" E

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N 17%%

d 53’ 42" W

N 40%%d 2

1’ 05

" E

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d 52’ 46" W

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N 7%

%d

39’ 2

2" E

N 32%%d 5

2’ 14

" E

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S 15%%

d 07’ 45" E

S 51%%d 53’ 04" E

S 53%%d 43’ 20" E

N 62%%d 59’ 57" E

N 85%%d 24’ 37" E

FIGURE 5

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 3

3446.60

3456.60

3466.60

3468.82

0.00 100.00 200.00 300.00 350.00

SECTION A - A

3410.00

3420.00

3430.00

3435.00

0.00 100.00 200.00 231.87

FIGURE 3CATHEDRAL WASH

3127.785

3002

3001

1001

REG STATE PROJECT

AZINTER

MTN

PRA GLCA 5(2)

LEE’S FERRY ACCESS ROAD

FIGURE 5PARIA RIVER

CHANNEL STABILIZATION

SECTION A-A

SECTION B-B

SECTION C-C

SECTION D-D

FIGURE 6PARIA RIVER

CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS

SECTION E-E

REG STATE PROJECT

AZINTER

MTN

PRA GLCA 5(2)

LEE’S FERRY ACCESS ROAD

REG STATE PROJECT

AZINTER

MTN

PRA GLCA 5(2)

LEE’S FERRY ACCESS ROAD

FIGURE 7

PARIA RIVER

LONELY DELL SPUR

REG STATE PROJECT

AZINTER

MTN

PRA GLCA 5(2)

LEE’S FERRY ACCESS ROAD

FIGURE 8

PARIA RIVER

BRIDGE PROTECTION