Disclaimer

The below listed documents may not be readable via Optical Character Recognition. To receive public notices via email for the Huntington District Regulatory Division please send an email to LRH.Permits@usace.army.mil indicating that you would like to be placed on the public notice electronic distribution list. Your email should include which state(s) Ohio and/or West Virginia in which you would like to receive public notices.

LRH-2015-533-GMR

Published April 1, 2016
Expiration date: 4/16/2016

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:  The intent of this Public Notice is to provide an opportunity for the public to express their views on proposed adverse effects to historic properties associated with the Lake Loramie Reservoir rehabilitation activities.

 

APPLICANT:           Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)

                                    2045 Morse Road, Building E-3

                                    Columbus, Ohio 43229

 

LOCATION:  As depicted on the enclosed Project Location Map (Sheet 1 of 4), the proposed project would be located in Loramie Creek and an adjacent wetland located at Lake Loramie State Park in McLean Township, Shelby County, Ohio (40.358924° N, -84.359871° W).   

 

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED WORK:  The applicant has requested a Department of the Army permit (DA) authorization for the proposed discharge of dredged and/or fill material into waters of the United States associated with the Lake Loramie Reservoir rehabilitation activities.  The spillway, pedestrian bridge, and portions of the abutments exhibit significant deterioration.  Based upon a geotechnical analysis, it was determined that the existing embankment exhibits marginal or unacceptable stability along approximately 1,800 feet.  The ODNR proposes to implement interim risk reduction measures to correct the spillway and lake drain deficiencies in order to bring the dam spillway into compliance with the ODNR dam safety regulations.

 

The existing spillway would be removed down to five feet below the normal pool elevation, and the remaining structure would be abandoned in place.  The existing pedestrian bridge deck and concrete substructure would be removed in their entirety.  A new 113-feet wide and 8.9-feet tall labyrinth spillway would be constructed to the northwest adjacent to the existing structure.  A new lake drain system would be incorporated into the spillway which would serve to control the lake level and lower the lake during emergency drawdown situations.  The existing normal pool elevation would be maintained with the new structure.  A new earthen embankment would be constructed to tie the existing embankment to the proposed new spillway to the existing bank.   A concrete floodwall would be constructed around the bank where it would then tie into the existing earthen dam.  Of the 485 linear feet of Loramie Creek proposed to be filled, approximately 300 linear feet downstream of the existing spillway would be converted to upland in order to accommodate the earthen embankment for the proposed new spillway.  Approximately 152 linear feet downstream of the proposed new spillway would be lined with riprap and topped with native bed material to create substrate habitat similar to the conditions currently existing within Loramie Creek.  As a result of the proposed project, an additional 165 linear feet of Loramie Creek immediately downstream of the existing spillway would be converted to open water habitat (Lake Loramie).  A new channel totaling approximately 150 linear feet would be constructed to connect the proposed new spillway to the existing channel. 

Approximately 0.42 are of W-03 would be filled as a result of the proposed spillway outlet channel alignment.  Refer to the enclosed construction drawings for a depiction of the proposed activities (Sheets 2-4 of 4).

 

The Corps was determined to be the lead federal agency for this undertaking, as the only federal action in association with this proposal is the requirement to obtain authorization under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for the discharge of dredged and/or fill material into waters of the United States.  The proposal is under review for possible authorization under an individual standard permit pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

 

The Corps is mandated by the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) to ensure no federal undertaking, including a Corps permit action, which may affect historic resources, is commenced before the impacts of such action are considered and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the State Historic Preservation Office are provided an opportunity to comment as required by the NHPA, 36 CFR 800, and 33 CFR 325, Appendix C. 

 

Based on coordination with the Ohio Historic Preservation Office (OHPO), it has been determined that the Loramie Reservoir and its associated dam are significant for their association with the Miami and Erie Canal, as the reservoir was constructed as a high feeder water supply for the canal and is considered eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).  

 

The proposed Lake Loramie Reservoir rehabilitation activities would occur within the proposed NRHP boundary of the Miami and Erie Canal and would directly affect, through alterations and additions, the Lake Loramie Dam, which is a contributing element of the Miami and Erie Canal. A 150 by 125 foot section of the earthen embankment of the Lake Loramie Dam would be removed.  At the edge of lake where sheet piling is proposed to be installed, an approximate 200 foot wide segment of the earthen embankment would be removed.  The historic integrity of the dam would be further diminished by the construction of the two segments of new earthen embankment. 

 

Based on the above, we have been determined the proposed undertaking would have an adverse effect on the Miami and Erie Canal.  This Public Notice serves to solicit public input on potential mitigation activities to resolve the adverse effects on a contributing element of the Miami and Erie Canal.

 

PUBLIC INTEREST:  The Corps is soliciting comments from the public, Federal, state and local agencies and officials, Indian Tribes and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the proposed adverse effect on historic properties.  Should you wish to express your views on the undertaking’s effects on historic properties, or provide comments, objections or mitigation proposals associated with the proposed undertaking, please forward this information to our office prior to the close of the comment period for this Public Notice. 

 

CLOSE OF COMMENT PERIOD:   All comments pertaining to this Public Notice must reach this office on or before the close of the comment period listed on page one of this Public Notice.  Persons wishing to submit comments or objections concerning this proposal should write:

 

                        United States Army Corps of Engineers

                        ATTN: CELRH-RD-N-Public Notice No. LRH-2015-533-GMR

                        502 8th Street

                        Huntington, West Virginia 25701-2070

 

Please note, the names and addresses of those who submit comments in response to this Public Notice become part of our administrative record and, as such, are available to the public under provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.   If you have any questions concerning this public notice, please call Ms. Teresa Spagna of the North Branch at 304-399-5210.