|
October 25, 2000
National Park Service
Midwest Region
Attn: Mr. Marty Sterkel
1709 Jackson St
Omaha, NE 68102
Re: Review of and Comments on the Draft Environmental
Assessment for the Fort Snelling Upper Bluff Athletic Fields Project
Dear Mr. Sterkel:
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment
on the Draft
Environmental Assessment for the Fort Snelling
Upper Bluff Athletic Fields
Project (Draft EA) submitted by the National Park
Service. The development of the proposed Athletic Fields involves the
grading of approximately 55 acres of land located within the jurisdiction
of the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMWD) and water
main installation and associated construction dewatering along the Highway
55 corridor within both Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD)
and LMWD jurisdiction.
Neither the re-grading project, nor the affected
outfalls to be used during or after the re-grading of the athletic fields
fall within the jurisdiction of the MCWD however, a large portion of the
water main installation and associated dewatering does fall within
the MCWD jurisdiction and within 1,500 feet of Camp Coldwater Springs.
Given the water main construction proximity to a hydrologically sensitive
area (Figure
1), the MCWD has several recommendations regarding the Draft EA.
They are as follows:
1. The proposed dewatering and bedrock excavation
associated with installation of the water main will take place in three
phases. The first and second phases of this project will take place within
MCWD jurisdiction, and the third phase of water main installation takes
place adjacent to the MCWD, within LMWD jurisdiction. Each phase has the
potential to affect surface water features within the MCWD including area
lakes and Camp Coldwater Springs. Rule N of the MCWD necessitates the
procurement of a construction permit from MCWD for these activities
to proceed.
2. The work described in the EA requiring construction dewatering is scheduled
to occur concurrent to other dewatering projects in the same area conducted
by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC). MCWD recommends that the
potential combined impacts of the National Park Service and MAC dewatering
be addressed in the EA.
3. The locations of planned bedrock excavation should be clarified in
relation to the east-west bedrock valley near and south of Camp Coldwater
Springs. The MCWD would be concerned about bedrock excavation occurring
north of the bedrock valley. If it becomes necessary to excavate bedrock
in that area, it must be demonstrated that it will not affect flow in
Camp Coldwater Spring on a permanent basis.
4. The EA should clearly show the locations of planned dewatering associated
with water main installation.
5. The EA should utilize existing ground water models monitoring data
of the area to determine of the quantity of water that will be removed,
and study the long and short term impacts of the planned dewatering. The
results of the model should be used to determine weather or not a DNR
groundwater appropriations permit will be necessary.
6. Allow the MCWD and the LMWD to review and comment on all construction
plans as prior to bidding. MCWD is specifically interested in information
regarding dewatering, infiltration, and bedrock excavation for the entire
project
7. The EA should address ground water sampling in the vicinity of the
dewatering necessary to determine if the dewatering will facilitate the
migration or infiltration of contaminated ground water.
8. The EA should clarify the location of the infiltration pond to be used,
provide information on the type of soils underlying the infiltration area
and discuss the regulatory requirements of infiltrating the water removed
from the construction area.
Please feel free to contact me at 612-471-0590
should you have any questions.
Sincerely,
L Eric Evenson, District Administrator
MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT
cc:Chuck Holtman, Smith Parker
Mike Panzer, Wenck
Kelton Barr, KBC
|