Scoping for an Environmental Impact Statement on flood prevention proposals for the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River has started. WhatÕs at stake is the future of the Middle Fork, a much-treasured recreation, fishing, birding and aesthetic resource for Lander.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service is the lead agency for this project that seeks to address flood prevention and stream channel restoration of the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie through Lander to the confluence with the North Fork of the river.
Potential Alternatives
- The Diversion Alternative. This alternative proposes diverting approximately 1,000 cubic feet per second of water out of the river channel into a pre-constructed open channel or underground culvert, or some combination of the two, that would carry the diverted flow of water around or through town and then back into the river downstream from Lander.
- The Floodwall Alternative. This alternative involves building either flood dikes or a concrete floodwall along the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River between Fremont Street, on the south end of Lander by City Park, and Main Street.
- The Water Storage Alternative. This third alternative was not explored to any great degree in the service's Preliminary Investigation Report. Its general finding was that storage would have to occur too high up in the drainage, and as such would not be very effective in preventing flooding in Lander. However, since the preparation of the report, the Wyoming Water Development Commission has encouraged the consideration of dam projects.
Scoping provides citizens with their first opportunity to express concerns and ask questions regarding these proposals. Because portions of Lander sit in the 100-year floodplain, it may be that the town needs some form of flood control. But the form that such a proposal takes should not drastically compromise the quality and aesthetics of the Popo Agie River.
What You Can Do
Please make your voice heard! Send comments to the following address, on or before Feb. 12:
Lincoln E. Burton
State Conservationist
Natural Resources Conservation Service
100 East B Street
Room 3124
Casper, WY 82601
Or email: ed.burton@wy.usda.gov
Questions to ask NRCS:
- Could a zoning alternative involving the slow conversion/buy-out of private property to city parkland be used as a flood plain buffer during flood events?
- Has an insurance alternative been considered? Is it possible that adequate flood insurance is all that is needed?
- What are the hydrologic impacts of any of the proposed alternatives? How will the river itself and its aquatic ecosystem be affected by these proposals?
- Will bank hardening of the river through Lander cause more erosion problems downstream, as the water is forced to accelerate through town as a result of bank stabilization efforts?
- How will wildlife and fish be affected?
- How cost-effective is this proposal?
Please urge the NRCS to thoroughly examine a wide range of alternatives in its draft plan and stress that the natural integrity of the Popo Agie River should not be compromised.
Contact Steve Jones at (307) 332-7031, ext. 18
(steve@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org)
for updated information.
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