140R4024Q0057_NHPA_Los_Lunas_RM_163_Project_Attachment_1_Statement_of_Work.pdf

NHPA Compliance for Los Lunas RM 163 Project Statement of Work

1. Objective

To utilize contractor environmental services to complete NHPA documentation for Reclamation’s proposed Los Lunas River Mile (RM) 163 River Maintenance Project on the Rio Grande, in coordination with Reclamation Staff.

2. Background

The project site River Mile (RM) 163 is within the Los Lsunas subreach, a section of the Rio Grande extending from Isleta Diversion Dam (RM 169) to the community of Los Chaves (RM 153).

This subreach has a unique topography involving a semi-perched channel where the banks are higher in elevation than the adjacent floodplain and spoil levee toes. Therefore, once flows overbank the main channel banks, the water tends to move laterally down to the levee toe and then continues flowing downstream parallel to the levees. There are limited locations where the overbanked water can return to the main channel. During high flows these conditions result in saturated levee toes (sometimes leading to possible levee failure) and water stranding in the floodplain. In 2019, repairs of levee in this area cost the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) over 1.2 million dollars.

Anecdotal accounts state that in recent years the historic banks in the subreach are overbanking at progressively lower flowrates. Field measurements of water surface elevations (WSE) at different flow rates over years have also confirmed this. This can be attributed mostly to channel narrowing via vegetation encroachment and bank and bar sediment accretion, but minor channel bed aggradation between Isleta and the NM-6 bridge may also play a role. Factors contributing to the channel narrowing and aggradation include major changes to the hydrologic and sediment regimes of the Rio Grande, with reduction in hydrologic peaks and a reduction in the volume and concentration of sediment. The hydrologic peak reduction as well as supplemental water releases in the growing season are likely contributors to vegetation encroachment and thus channel narrowing.

3. Project Information

3.1 Project Location and Land Ownership

The project site is located approximately 2 miles above the NM6 bridge in Los Lunas, New Mexico. Within the project area, the land between the spoil bank levees is defined as the Rio Grande Floodway. Reclamation has river channel rectification and maintenance authority under the Flood Control Acts of 1948 and 1950 that established the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) Project.

The spoil bank levees, adjacent riverside drains and the floodplain are part of MRGCD’s MRG Project Works and are currently held in title by MRGCD.

The specific location of the site is between RM 161.3 – 164 as shown in Figure 1. Also included in Figure 1 is the Construction vicinity Area which is approximated as 595 acres. This project site has been selected following a 2020 study for the Los Lunas subreach from Isleta Diversion Dam to RM 153 (Kuria and Klein, 2020). No Isleta Pueblo Land will be disturbed in the context of this project.

Figure 1: Project site location

3.2 Project Purpose

The purpose of the Los Lunas RM 163 project is to improve water conveyance through the Los Lunas subreach. The primary goal is to reduce the water surface elevatiosn (WSE) by increasing channel capacity to prevent overbanking into the historic floodplain (defined here as the floodplain outside the 550-foot-wide channel established by jetty jacks in 1960s-1970s) at flows less than 3500 cfs between RM 164 and RM 162. This flow rate is a rough approximation of the 2-year flood flow as identified by Kuria and Klein, 2020. This type of work is considered River Maintenance Class 3a indicating that this work can be planned in advance and the consequences of no action are less likely to be substantial in the near term (the next normal spring runoff or within the next few years). Work can be described as preventative maintenance (Reclamation, 2014). To keep the project within one construction season, the excavation is limited to less than 120,000 cubic yards (CY).

The secondary goals of this project are to consider the environmental and geomorphic benefits and impacts, and to be cost effective. Thus, project components were selected to include areas where encroaching vegetation and bar/island accretion have resulted in reduced channel capacity while keeping the excavations to less than 120,000 CY. Terraced banks were used to increase the inundated areas at lower flows in some of the areas where the project will be carried out, providing inundated nursery habitat for minnows.

3.3 Project Description

The project consists of five bank lowering polygon areas within the historic channel (Figure 2).

These project components will improve the channel conveyance by increasing the width of the river both on the west and east banks of the river. Excavated material from the bank lowering will be placed on the east levee and the drain-side of the east levee and on the west levee and riverside of the west levee. The project will also include the construction and/or improvement of the levee roads, access roads in the bosque, and staging areas. Additionally, two tie-back jetty jack lines may be removed. The levees, access roads, staging areas, and two jetty jack lines will need surveys and/or documentation for NHPA compliance.

For placing excavated material on the levees, the material will be loaded in a 30-ton articulating dump truck and hauled to the spoiling area on and along the levees. For the west levee, the material will be placed on the levee road and along the slope of the levee extending 30 ft into the bosque. The material will be placed in lifts, wetted, and compacted with the equipment tires or tracks. The vegetation in the material placement areas will be removed prior to material placement. Vegetation removal will primarily consist of mastication which may disturb the ground surface of maximum, approximately 6 inches. Some larger trees may be pushed over with a bulldozer, then bucked with a chainsaw or masticated. For the east levee, the material will be placed on both the upper and lower levee roads and their drain-side slopes. The material placement will not extend beyond the toe of the slopes. Material placed on the levee roads will be graded and compacted.

Improvement of existing access roads in the bosque will include grading and widening to a width of 30 feet. New access roads will be cleared of vegetation and graded to a width of 30 feet.

Staging areas will be cleared of non-native vegetation. Native vegetation will not be disturbed unless necessary to provide adequate space for staging. Vegetation clearing/removal will primarily consist of mastication which may disturb the ground surface 6 inches. Some larger trees may be pushed over with a bulldozer, then bucked with a chainsaw or masticated.

Figure 2: Project staging and spoil area, access routes and locations of potential jetty jacks removal.

4. Contract Scope As currently designed, an estimated 22 acres of Class III Cultural Resources Inventory is required to determine if there are any effects to Historic Properties by the proposed action. In addition to the Class III Cultural Inventory, an additional 24 acres of the levees within the project area will be documented as well as the removal of two jetty jack lines which are to be recorded as isolated manifestations not sites.

A breakdown of those areas identified to receive Section 106 scrutiny is provided below. The acreage is an estimate based on project activities, spatial data analysis, spot investigations and potential environmental constraints. Final acreage may be more or less than the calculated acreage in the provided scope of work due to the listed reasons.

In addition to the areas identified for cultural scrutiny, the contracted firm will have a qualified archaeologist meeting the standards as set forth by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with 36 CFR 800.2(a)(1) and meet the qualification and permitted by the State of New Mexico State Historic Preservation Officer in accordance with New Mexico State Register 4.10.8 Cultural Resources, Cultural Properties and Historic Preservation, Permits to conduct Archaeological Investigations on State Land as amended.

4.1 Areas for Survey and documentation

4.1.1 Access roads

Approximately 12 acres of Class III Cultural Inventory needed for access routes within the proposed project area. Map (Figure 2) indicates general area identified, survey shall be performed with a 50ft buffer from the edge of disturbance, final acreage may vary due to environmental constraints. Specific coordinates and kmz file will be provided after contract award.

4.1.2 Staging Areas

Approximately 10 acres of Class III Cultural Inventory needed for Staging areas within the proposed project area. Map (Figure 2) indicates general areas identified, survey shall be performed with a 50ft buffer from the edge of disturbance, final acreage may vary due to environmental constraints. Specific coordinates and kmz file will be provided after contract award.

4.1.3 Levees East and West

Approximately 24 acres of the east (13 acres) and west levees (11 acres) will need to be documented. Map (Figure 2) indicates general areas identified. The final acreage may vary due to environmental constraints. Levees are to be recorded in detail with full HCPI forms completed. Specific coordinates and kmz file will be provided after contract award.

4.1.4 Jetty Jack Removal

Currently, we propose to remove a two jetty jacks lines to develop access roads to the river;

however, any jetty jacks in the way of access road development will be removed. The jetty jack line by the northern access road is approximately 470 ft long and the line by the staging area is approximately 850 ft long. If jetty jacks are mostly buried and within an access road alignment, spoil material may be brought in to cover the jetty jack instead of removing them. All jetty jacks on the two jetty jacks lines and any jetty jacks on the access road path will require to be recorded as Isolated Manifestations (as allowed by vegetation) and not formally recorded as a historic property. Specific coordinates and kmz file will be provided after contract award.

5. Tasks

The contractor shall perform the following tasks for NHPA compliance in support of this project:

Task 1: Attend Contract Kick-off Meeting via phone or in-person.

o Needs to be held within one week of Notice to Proceed

Task 2: Contractor will take notes of all meetings

Task 3: National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance.

o Review existing Class I survey and perform additional review, as needed of adjacent known cultural resource sites in NMCRIS and ARMS databases.

o Contact MRGCD for permits to enter project area for field assessment.

o Perform field assessment for the applicable project components as described above and based on discussion with the Contracting Officer Representative

(COR).

Access roads, staging and spoil areas as shown in Figure 2. Additional information can be found in section 4.1.

Documentation for levees and jetty jacks as shown in Figure 2. Additional information can be found in section 4.1.

o Produce a draft Class III Cultural Resources Report to the COR to include eligibility recommendations. The COR will provide Reclamation comments within two to three weeks of receiving the draft report.

o Upon receipt of Reclamation comments, address and incorporate comments and provide the final report within two weeks. The final report will be Section 508 compliant.

o Identify potential resource effects and avoidance or mitigation strategies.

o Draft cultural resources sections for the EA and ensure adequate protection of resource information in graphics and communications.

Upon receipt of Reclamation comments, address and incorporate comments and provide the final report within two weeks. The final report will be Section 508 compliant.

Task 4: Coordinate with COR/Project Manager and Team.

o Provide bi-weekly updates via email to the COR.

6. Government-provided Information

The following list of documents or references will be provided by the government to be used in the performance of this contract.

Los Lunas RM 163 Project Description KMZ files for project features and components

The COR will also provide examples of recent Reclamation EAs during the Contract Kick off Meeting to be used as general templates for the NHPA portion of the EA structure and level of content.

7. Deliverables and Schedule

There are several key deliverables for the project. All rights to project documents shall remain with Reclamation. This project may include sensitive information that cannot be made public.

The contractor shall provide the following deliverables in accordance with the designated schedule:

Deliverables Schedule (time) Meeting minutes Within one week of the meeting Draft Class III report Within one month of Notice to Proceed Final Class III report Within two weeks of receiving Reclamation’s comments Draft EA sections Within two weeks of the final Class III report Final EA sections Within two weeks of receiving Reclamation’s comments

8. Security

This Contract has no special security provisions.

9. Place of Performance

The services will be primarily provided at Contractor offices, with some field work anticipated.

Meetings are expected to be typically conducted through remote telecommunication means but may be in person.

10. Period of Performance

The Contractor shall provide a draft contract execution schedule at the project kick-off meeting, with an updated contract schedule submitted one weeks after the kick-off meeting. It is expected that the contract will be completed within six months of award.