A draft environmental assessment to protect public infrastructure and surface water resources along Big Timber Creek, in Sweet Grass County, Montana is available for public review through April 24, 2021.
The draft EA evaluates the impacts of placing approximately 150 linear feet of riprap rock revetment along the left (east) bank of the Big Timber Creek to stabilize an actively eroding bank that is imminently threatening Wormser Loop Road and causing sedimentation issues within Big Timber Creek, an important surface water resource for communities in Sweet Grass County.
Historic flooding in June 2018 throughout Sweet Grass County resulted in Big Timber Creek rapidly migrating east into the toe of Wormser Loop Road causing it to fail and slide into the Creek. Portions of the road were repaired and the embankment and road toe were stabilized under an emergency declaration; however, Big Timber Creek continues to migrate east and erode the steep toe slope of the road in areas not previously addressed by the Sweet Grass County Public Works Department.
If the eroded bank is left un-stabilized the structural integrity of the road would once again become threatened and catastrophic failure of the 2018 repairs, along with additional road sections, would introduce large quantities of sediment into Big Timber Creek and negatively impact downstream surface water resources long-term.
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: Chris Weber, Big Timber Creek 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 April 24, 2021.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ funding for this project is authorized under Section 595 of the 1999 Water Resources Development Act, as amended. This authority allows USACE to provide design and construction assistance for water related environmental infrastructure, resource protection and development projects which may include wastewater treatment and related facilities, water supply and related facilities, environmental restoration and surface water protection and development. This assistance is available to nonfederal entities in Montana, Idaho, rural Nevada, New Mexico, rural Utah, and Wyoming. Design and construction assistance is provided only for projects that are owned by public entities and project costs are shared 75% federal contribution and 25% non-federal contribution.
Release no. 21-020