J_5d__BOR_-_2021-I-0179_508_Letter_of_Concurrence.pdf

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United States Department of the Interior

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Central Washington Field Office 215 Melody Lane, Suite 103

Wenatchee, Washington 98801

In Reply Refer To:

0lEWFW00-2021-1-0179 XRef:

0lEWFW00-2021-F-0063

Memorandum

To: Environmental Specialist, U.S. Bureau ofReclamation Boise, Idaho

Through: Assistant Project Leader, Central Washington Fish and Wildlife Office Wenatchee, Washington

Digitally signed by SIERRASIERRA

FRANKS

FRANKS

Date: 2020.11.1316:10:23 From: for State Supervisor, Washington Fish and Wildlife Office -08'00'

Lacey, Washington

Subject: Consultation on the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Surface Water Intake Fish Screens and Fish Passage Project

This memorandum responds to your request for both formal and informal consultation on the proposed Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Surface Water Intake Fish Screens and Fish Passage Project (Project), located in Chelan County, Washington. On October 16, 2020, the U.S .

Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) Central Washington Field Office received your email request and Biological Assessment (BA), dated October 15, 2020.

The information provided by the U.S. Bureau ofReclamation (Reclamation) has been determined to be sufficient to complete consultation, thereby starting the official formal consultation timeline for bull trout (Salvelinus conjluentus) and its designated critical habitat.

We have assigned reference number 0lEWFWO00-2021-F-0063 to this formal consultation;

please refer to it in future correspondence. In accordance with the implementing regulations of section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the Service has 135 days to complete formal consultation (which corresponds to February 28, 2021).

INTERIOR REGION 9

COLUMBIA-PACIFIC NORTHWEST

IDAHO, MONTANA*, OREGON*, WASHINGTON

'PARTIAL

In addition to starting the official consultation period, this letter also responds to Reclamation' s request for Service concurrence with the determination that the Project "may affect, not likely to adversely affect" for gray wolf (Canis lupus) in accordance with section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Informal Consultation

Reclamation is proposing to rehabilitate, replace, and modernize the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery (LNFH) surface water intake and delivery system to the LNFH by constructing new headworks and a creek-wide roughened channel, and replacing and/or lining the water conveyance pipeline to the LNFH.

The LNFH is owned and operated by the Service and funded by Reclamation and Bonneville Power Administration. The LNFH' s primary point of diversion and water delivery .system on Icicle Creek, near the city ofLeavenworth in Chelan County, Washington, is nearly 80 years old and is reaching or exceeding its operational life. In addition, the intake facility does not comply with current National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) screening criteria for anadromous salmonids.

Construction of the intake headworks will occur within the footprint of the existing low-head diversion dam and conveyance channel. Two self-cleaning, cylindrical, screens will be installed at the diversion headworks to provide NMFS-compliant fish screening, and a new intake pipeline will be placed in the conveyance channel to connect the headworks to the conveyance pipeline.

The existing conveyance channel will be filled to cover the pipeline and create an intake operations and maintenance area to enable LNFH personnel to safely and efficiently access, operate, and maintain the intake facilities. The creek-wide and approximately 195-foot long roughened channel will incorporate and extend upstream of the existing low-head diversion dam to facilitate fish passage overall, and at higher flows in particular. A low-flow boulder weir fishway will be integrated into the roughened channel to provide NMFS-compliant fish passage during typical low flows. To construct these structures, work areas will need to be isolated and dewatered during two in-water construction periods from July 1 to November 15, 2022, and July 1 to November 15, 2023. The proposed in-water construction related work for this action is anticipated to occur 24 hours a day, and up to seven days a week over the two construction seasons.

The conveyance pipeline will be replaced using cut and cover trenching on the LNFH grounds and lined with cure-in-place pipe on USFWS property at the surface water intake and on private parcels. All conveyance pipeline construction occurs outside of Icicle Creek. Construction will be phased and occur in 2023 and 2024, however in 2022 it is likely that construction of the proposed intake facilities may overlap with pipeline replacement on the LNFH grounds. To access the conveyance pipe, construction of several temporary access points will provide ingress and egress for pipe lining on private lands. These areas will be restored to preconstruction conditions following lining activities. The lower section ofpipeline on the LNFH grounds will be constructed parallel to the existing pipeline. The current control valve system at the sand settling basin will be replaced with a new control valve vault to allow safe pipe filling operations. After control valve conn~ctions are made, the existing pipeline will be decommissioned and abandoned in place. Construction activities will be limited to 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., up to 6 days per week (Monday through Saturday).

Effects to Gray Wolf

Wolves are wide-ranging predators that can utilize a variety ofhabitat types and are tolerant of anthropogenic disturbance, with the exception of the denning and rendezvous period when pups are less mobile and pack activity is centered at or near the den or rendezvous site. Strategies for wolf conservation include limiting accidental or intentional shooting, allowing for seclusion at den and rendezvous sites, maintaining a dependable yearlong source of available prey, and providing sufficient space with minimal exposure to human activities (WDFW 2011 ).

Only transient wolves have been observed near the action area, there are no known dens or rendezvous sites. While disturbance stimuli are likely to occur, should transient gray wolves encounter construction they are expected to avoid Project activities by moving to adjacent areas where stimuli are imperceptible. The Project is already located in area near development, roads, and frequent human activity. The Service believes the likelihood of a wolf being in the area during construction is discountable and therefore concurs with your determination of"may affect, not likely to adversely affect" for the gray wolf.

This concludes informal consultation pursuant to the implementing regulations of the Endangered Species Act, 50 C.F.R. § 402.13 and 50 C.F.R. 401.10, respectively. This Project should be reanalyzed if new information reveals effects of the action that may affect listed or proposed species or designated or proposed critical habitat in a manner or to an extent not considered in this consultation; if the action is subsequently modified in a manner that causes an effect to a listed or proposed species or designated or proposed critical habitat that was not considered in this consultation; and/or, if a new species is listed or critical habitat is designated that may be affected by this Project.

If you have questions or comments regarding this letter or our shared responsibilities under the Act, please contact Cindy Raekes at the Central Washington Field Office in Wenatchee at

(509) 665-3508, extension 2009, or e-mail at cynthia_raekes@fws.gov or Sierra Franks at

(509) 665-3508, extension 1880 or e-mail at sierra_franks@fws.gov.

cc:

USFWS, Leavenworth, WA (J. Craig) USBR, Boise, ID (S. Hoefer) mailto:sierra_franks@fws.gov mailto:cynthia_raekes@fws.gov

Literature Cited

WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife). 2011. Wolf Conservation and management plan for Washington. Olympia, Washington. 297 pp. Available online at http:/ /wdfw.wa.gov/publications/00001/wdfw0000 l .pdf.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/00001/wdfw0000