Public Scoping Notice

Blackwood Creek Site 11-A Supplemental Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment,

Hayes County, Nebraska

Dry Creek South 2-A Supplemental Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment

Red Willow County, Nebraska

The Middle Republican Natural Resource District (MRNRD), the project sponsors, has received funding to develop a Supplemental Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment (Plan-EA) to rehabilitate Blackwood Creek Site 11-A and Dry Creek South 2-A. 

Blackwood Creek Site 11-A is one of 11 floodwater retarding structures built in Hayes, Hitchcock, Lincoln and Red Willow Counties as part of the Blackwood Creek Watershed under Public Law 566. Blackwood Creek Site 11-A was constructed as a low hazard potential earthen dam for floodwater retention. Blackwood Creek Site 11-A is a 66.3 foot tall earthen embankment with a 22 acre permanent pool (normal pool during non-flood periods at orifice crest elevation of 2974.0) and 294 acre flood pool (pool during major flood events). Blackwood Creek Site 11-A has a 39,200 acre (61.2 square miles) drainage area. Blackwood Creek Site 11-A is currently classified as a high hazard potential dam. A breach of the dam would impact three homes and nine roads. The purpose of the project is to provide the current level of flood protection for the next 50-100 years while minimizing environmental, economic, and social impacts, and to comply with applicable dam safety and performance standards. The MRNRD and USDA-NRCS are preparing this Plan-EA to evaluate alternatives to meet the current performance and safety criteria. The Plan-EA will consider alternatives for Blackwood Creek Site 11-A which may include: 1) NEPA No Action (future without federal investment), 2) Decommissioning the dam, 3) Non-structural alternative, 4) Structural rehabilitation of the existing dam alternative.

Dry Creek South Site 2-A is one of 5 floodwater retarding structures built in Red Willow County as part of the Dry Creek South Watershed. Dry Creek South Site 2-A was constructed in 1964 as a Low Hazard dam. 

Dry Creek South Site 2-A is a 37 foot tall earthen embankment with a 15 acre permanent pool (normal pool during non-flood periods at orifice crest elevation of 2548.0) and 51 acres flood pool (pool during major flood events). Dry Creek South Site 2-A has a 2,304 acre (3.6 square miles) drainage area. The purpose of the project is to provide the current level of flood protection for the next 50-100 years while minimizing environmental, economic, and social impacts, and to comply with applicable dam safety and performance standards. The MRNRD and USDA-NRCS are preparing this Plan-EA to evaluate alternatives to meet the current performance and safety criteria. The Plan-EA will consider alternatives for Dry Creek South Site 2-A which may include: 1) NEPA No Action (future without federal investment), 2) Decommissioning the dam, 3) Non-structural alternative, 4) Structural rehabilitation of the existing dam alternative.

The project scoping process is to identify resource and public concerns in the development of the Plan-EA.  The project information and presentations will be available at https://www.mrnrd.org/ from March 22 through April 9. Written comments must be postmarked or received by April 30, 2021, and may be mailed to M&E Consultants, Attn: James Moore at 30 Altiplano Circle, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas 71909; or submitted electronically to moore4939@sbcglobal.net.