[Council Communication]  [Analysis.pdf]

Council Communication

Title:	Review and Discussion of Watershed and Water Quality and Quantity Impacts as a Result of the Proposed Mount Ashland Ski Area Expansion DEIS
Dept:	Public Works
Date:	September 22, 2003
Submitted By:	Paula Brown, PE (written September 5th 2003)
...........................

Synopsis:	The Mount Ashland Association (MAA) has requested to expand their current ski area.  The USFS has developed and released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for review.  An extension for comments has been given through October 23, 2003.  The attached analysis was prepared for council's review and consideration.  Recommended comments tot he DEIS have been provided at the end of the document.
Recommendation:	This item has been prepared for the Council's Study Session and is for discussion only.
Fiscal Impact:	This analysis has no direct fiscal impact, but has consumed over 60 hours of staff time.
Background:	The attached analysis has been performed solely by Paula Brown, PE (licensed Civil and Environmental Engineer).  Each recommendation and evaluation comment is as a result of Paula Brown's professional opinion and information in the DEIS.  The comments on the DEIS are limited to impacts on Ashland Creek, the Ashland Watershed, sediment delivery, erosion, soils, hydrology, and restoration/mitigation measures to reduce the potential impact to the watershed. The resulting opinion of the increase to the ski area shows limited or no measurable impact to the watershed or to water quality if the construction activities are completed as anticipated in the document, with appropriate mitigation measure and continual monitoring and corrective actions taken, as described in the DEIS.  There are two specific recommendations to consider that will have a broad impact on the monitoring and mitigation activities.  It is recommended that the City require a Quality Control/Quality Assurance Team be selected through a coordinated process that includes MAA, the USFS, and the City, and that this team remain actively involved through the duration of the project and up to three years after the final work is completed.  The other recommendation is that the City require MAA and the FS to monitor creek impacts (erosion and sediment loading primarily) at the 2060 road at the crossing of the middle fork of the East Fork of Ashland Creek.  Additional recommendations are included in the attached document.
Attachments:	Analysis of Watershed and Water Quality Impacts as a Result of the Proposed Ski Area Expansion.

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Analysis.pdf (5028.9KB)

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