Notice of Decision and Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Decision and Notice of Availability of the Record of

Decision

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public of (1) the decision of the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) with respect to acquiring water

rights for the Lahontan Valley wetlands, Churchill County, Nevada; and

(2) the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the final

Environmental Impact Statement (final EIS) for water rights acquisition

for the Lahontan Valley Wetlands. The ROD was prepared in accordance

with Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 1505.2) and

the Service's implementing procedures for the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969 (40 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) The ROD documents the

decision of the Service based on the information contained in the final

EIS, which was filed with the Environmental Protection Agency on

October 4, 1996. The Service has selected the Preferred Alternative

(Alternative 5), as described in the final EIS and ROD, for

implementation. Additional clarification regarding implementation of

the water rights acquisition strategies of Alternative 5 was added to

the ROD.

ADDRESS: To obtain a copy of the ROD or for further information,

contact Dan Walsworth, Refuge Manager, Stillwater National Wildlife

Refuge, P.O. Box 1236, Fallon, Nevada 89407, telephone (702) 423-5128.

The Selected Alternative: Based on review of the alternatives and

their environmental consequences described in the Final EIS, the

Service has selected Alternative 5, the Preferred Alternative.

Implementation of Alternative 5 will minimize adverse impacts to the

farming community while achieving the 25,000-acre wetland habitat

objective and providing flexibility in the use of several water

sources.

Alternatives Considered: The five alternatives considered were: (1)

No Action Alternative, which includes the acquisition of 20,000 AF of

water rights form within the Carson Division of the Newlands Project;

(2) Proposed Action, which proposes the purchase of up to 122,000 AF of

water rights; (3) Least Cost Alternative, which would result in the

purchase of up to 100,000 AF of water rights; (4) Maximum Acquisition

Alternative, which would result in up to 133,500 AF being purchased;

and (5) the Service's Preferred Alternative, which would result in (a)

the acquisition of up to 75,000 AF of water rights in the Carson

Division, (b) leasing of water, (c) acquisition of water rights from

the Middle Carson River corridor, (d) use of conserved U.S. Navy water

as available, and (e) pumping of groundwater. Alternatives 2-5 each

include the acquisition of 20,000 AF under the No Action Alternative

and would provide an annual average of about 125,000 AF of water for

wetlands protection.

Environmentally Preferred Alternative: The Service considers that

Alternative 4 would best enhance and protect the natural environment

and natural resources. It would result in the greatest benefit to

wetland habitat and wetland-dependent wildlife by providing the highest

quality wetland inflow through the exclusive use of irrigation-quality

water and the non-use

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of agricultural drainwater. Of the action alternatives, ecological

integrity and health would be highest under Alternative 4 over the long

term. Consequently, Alternative 4 has been identified as the

environmentally preferred alternative.

Mitigation and Monitoring: Whereas Alternative 2 was put forth in

the draft EIS as the Service's proposed course of action and would

provide the wetlands with a more secure supply of higher quality water,

Alternative 5 was selected for implementation in large part because it

provides a broader approach by minimizing adverse impacts to farmland,

the agricultural community, groundwater recharge, and related resources

in the Carson Division. Adverse impacts will be minimized primarily by

minimizing the purchase of Carson Division water rights. Of the action

alternatives, Alternative 5 would have the least impact on these

resources. By implementing Alternative 5, with the mitigation

provisions identified in the ROD, all practicable means to avoid or

minimize environmental harm have been adopted.

Potential mitigation measures were identified in the final EIS for

reducing or avoiding adverse impacts to agriculture, groundwater

recharge, and wildlife habitat. The ROD lists several of these

mitigation measures that the Service has committed to undertake. The

Service will implement the specified mitigation measures as part of the

water rights acquisition program. The ROD also outlines a monitoring

program to which the Service is committed. The Service will continue

monitoring the acreage of wetland habitat. Once a long-term average of

25,000 acres of primary wetland habitat is being sustained and it is

determined that this long-term average can be sustained, the Service

will terminate water rights purchases.

The Decision: The decision of the Service is to implement

Alternative 5, the Preferred Alternative. Implementation of Alternative

5, as described in Section 2.5.5 of the final EIS, and the mitigation

and monitoring identified above, will take effect on December 19, 1996,

45 days after the signing of the ROD.

Dated: November 5, 1996.

Richard B. Moore,

Acting Regional Director, Pacific Region, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 96-28877 Filed 11-8-96; 8:45 am]

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