North Cache Valley Watershed Plan-EIS
Sponsor – Franklin County
Co-sponsor – Cub River Irrigation Company
Project Description
The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), with Franklin County as the project sponsor and Cub River Irrigation Company as project co-sponsors, is proposing to partially fund watershed protection measures through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (Public Law [PL] 83-566) in Franklin County, Idaho and Cache County, Utah. The work measures being proposed within the Bear River Watershed include:
- Flood Prevention in Lewiston City and surrounding agricultural lands
- Agricultural Water Management to provide a reliable irrigation water supply and a sustainable conveyance system
- Fish and wildlife habitat enhancement to allow water to remain in Bear River longer
- Recreation Opportunities
NEPA Analysis
NRCS, as the lead federal agency, is initiating National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis in the form of a Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment (Plan-EA) to analyze impacts to the natural and human environment from this project. The Plan-EA will comply with the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations at 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508, which require an evaluation of potential environmental impacts associated with federal projects and actions.
Current Status
Comments are being reviewed and a Scoping Report prepared. After which, resource inventories will be evaluated, and alternatives will be developed.
Scoping Comment Period
A public scoping meeting was held virtually on November 19, 2020. The public scoping period ended on December 18, after a 30-day comment period. To receive updates about this project as it moves forward, please fill out the survey found at https://www.fransoncivil.com/north-cache-valley-watershed-ea/.
Another public meeting and comment period was held after the Draft Environmental Document has been prepared, which was held in Spring 2022.
The final comment period will be announced following the release of the Notice of Availability, which is expected Fall 2026.
Project Location
The project is located in the Bear River Watershed in south Franklin County and north Cache County between the towns of Preston, ID and Lewiston, UT.
Additional Project Maps
Contact Information
Chad Brown – Franson Civil Engineers
115 Golf Course Road, Suite D
Logan, UT 84321
northcachewp@fransoncivil.com
435-754-7661
Michael McDaniels – USDA-NRCS
9173 W Barnes Dr. #C
Boise, ID 83709
Michael.McDaniels@usda.gov
986-226-1999