OMAHA, Neb. – A draft environmental assessment for a proposal to develop a flood risk reduction project for the city of Williston, ND is currently available for public review. The draft EA evaluates the environmental impacts of implementing a project that reduces the threat of flooding to the city from the Bell and Handy Andy watersheds and Sand Creek.
During storm events, flood waters from Bell and Handy Andy watersheds and Sand Creek drain through culverts under U.S. Highway 2 onto land owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is pumped over the Williston levee into the Missouri River. During larger storm events such as the 100-year event, these existing culverts are unable to handle the increased flood waters and as a result, water backs up and floods the city of Williston. The proposed project would include installing larger culverts to increase conveyance of the 100-year event, grading a vegetated swale from the four new culverts, and lowering and reconfiguring a section of the road west of the location of the new culverts.
The public is encouraged to provide comments on the draft environmental assessment, which is available for viewing at: www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Planning/Project-Reports/. Comments can be mailed to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District; CENWO-PMA-C; ATTN: Matthew Vandenberg/Williston FRM EA; 1616 Capitol Avenue; Omaha, NE 68102-4901. Comments can also be emailed to: cenwo-planning@usace.army.mil. Comments must be postmarked or received no later than May 30, 2018.
This draft EA is consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508), the Corps’ regulations for implementing NEPA (33 CFR 325 and Engineering Regulation 200-2-2) and other applicable environmental laws and regulations.
Release no. 18-032