Minimum Flow On White And Norfork

[Phil Lilley]

Minimum Flow: Express your opinion

The Corps of Engineers will hold on 6 pm August 27 in Mountain Home (McMullen Lecture Hall), a public hearing to receive comments on its Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Study (SDEIS) on the proposed Minimum Flow implementation on the North Fork and White Rivers. As soon as Friends learns the specific Mountain Home location for the Corps' meeting, we will notify you. Written comments can be submitted until September 22.

Useful links to the Corps' SDEIS online are:

* Click here for primary Corps background info and links to PDFs of the study itself

http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/planning/wrminflow.html

* Click here PDF of the executive summary, study methods & findings, etc

http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/planning/wrm..._WRMF_SDEIS.pdf

If you don't have internet access, you can review the documents at either the Mountain Home or the Gassville library, or at the Mountain Home office of the COE.

Some key highlights of the study:

* The Bull Shoals conservation pool would be raised by 5 feet permanently, thus affecting the duration and seasonality of the SWPA generation schedule;

* Minimum flow would be achieved through BSD using the main generator turbine, but the Norfork flow could not be accomplished in that manner;

* The study projects increased dissolved oxygen and lower water temperatures in the tailwaters, as well as larger "wetted" areas -- in other words, a better trout fishery;

* No significant negative air quality or other environmental effects, but positive cultural and recreational impacts.

The study is worth reading (especially the PDF in the second link).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The White River Minimum Flows Feasibility Study and Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) has been available for public review since 8 August 2008, and will be available for comment through 22 September. We have two public meetings scheduled for 26 August in Forsyth, MO and 27 August in Mtn Home. The Forsyth meeting will be held in the Taney Center from 6:00 pm till 8:00 pm. Similarly, the Mtn Home meeting will be from 6:00 pm till 8:00 pm in the McMullen Lecture Hall.

We do have a web site that contains both the Project Report and the Environmental Impact Statement, see attached link http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/planning/wrminflow.html

See you next week, and please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

Michael L. Biggs, P.E.

Water Resource Manager

Planning & Environmental Office

Little Rock District Corps of Engineers

phone: (501) 324-7342

fax: (501) 324-5605