Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/11681/34653
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dc.contributor.authorUnited States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Mobile District-
dc.date.accessioned2019-11-18T14:47:35Z-
dc.date.available2019-11-18T14:47:35Z-
dc.date.issued2019-05-
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11681/34653-
dc.descriptionGeneral Reevaluation Report and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement-
dc.description.abstractThe Mobile Harbor Draft General Re-evaluation Report with Integrated Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement characterizes the affected environment of the overall Recommended Plan project area. The information in this Appendix, is incorporated by reference into the Main Draft GRR/SEIS Report. Section 2 addresses the existing conditions of the projects area of influence and the areas included in the Recommended Plan, specifically the geographic setting, biological, physical, chemical conditions, and socioeconomic conditions. Section 3 addresses the environmental consequences of the implementation of the RP as compared to the existing conditions. Section 4 provides a detailed discussion of the cumulative impacts as required under National Environmental Policy Act, as implemented by Council on Environmental Quality regulations.en_US
dc.description.tableofcontentsSECTION 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1-1 SECTION 2. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT – INTRODUCTION ............................................ 2-1 2.1. Geographic Setting .......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2. Climate ............................................................................................................................ 2-6 2.2.1. Winds ........................................................................................................................ 2-6 2.2.2. Tides ......................................................................................................................... 2-7 2.2.3. Waves ....................................................................................................................... 2-7 2.2.4. Currents .................................................................................................................... 2-9 2.2.5. Temperature ........................................................................................................... 2-11 2.2.6. Rain ........................................................................................................................ 2-12 2.2.7. Sediment Transport ................................................................................................ 2-12 2.2.8. Sea Level Change .................................................................................................. 2-14 2.2.9. Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay Circulation ............................................................. 2-16 2.3. Geology, Soils, and Sediments ..................................................................................... 2-17 2.3.1. Geologic Setting ..................................................................................................... 2-17 2.3.2. General Soil Setting ................................................................................................ 2-19 2.3.3. Subsurface Geotechnical Conditions ...................................................................... 2-20 2.3.4. Sediment Quality .................................................................................................... 2-21 2.4. Water Quality ................................................................................................................. 2-27 2.4.1. Dissolved Oxygen ................................................................................................... 2-29 2.4.2. Nutrients ................................................................................................................. 2-29 2.4.3. Salinity .................................................................................................................... 2-30 2.4.4. Turbidity and Suspended Solids ............................................................................. 2-34 2.4.5. Water Temperature ................................................................................................. 2-37 2.5. Groundwater .................................................................................................................. 2-38 2.6. Biological Resources ..................................................................................................... 2-41 2.6.1. Terrestrial Plant Communities ................................................................................ 2-41 2.6.2. Wetlands ................................................................................................................. 2-42 2.6.3. Submerged Aquatic Vegetation .............................................................................. 2-49 2.6.4. Hard Bottom Habitat ............................................................................................... 2-51 2.6.5. Essential Fish Habitat .................................................................................. 2-56 2.6.6. Plankton and Algae ................................................................................................. 2-57 2.6.7. Benthic Communities .............................................................................................. 2-61 2.6.8. Fish ......................................................................................................................... 2-68 2.6.9. Mollusks .................................................................................................................. 2-77 2.6.10. Crustaceans .......................................................................................................... 2-78 2.7. Threatened and/or Endangered Species ...................................................................... 2-80 2.7.1. Gulf Sturgeon and Gulf Sturgeon Critical Habitat ................................................... 2-84 2.7.2. Green Sea Turtle .................................................................................................... 2-84 2.7.3. Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle ....................................................................................... 2-84 2.7.4. Loggerhead Sea Turtle ........................................................................................... 2-85 2.7.5. Hawksbill Sea Turtle ............................................................................................... 2-85 2.7.6. Leatherback Sea Turtle .......................................................................................... 2-86 2.7.7. Piping Plover and Piping Plover Critical Habitat ..................................................... 2-87 2.7.8. Red Knot ................................................................................................................. 2-87 2.7.9. Alabama Red-bellied Turtle .................................................................................... 2-88 2.8. Marine Mammals ........................................................................................................... 2-88 2.9. Other Wildlife Communities ........................................................................................... 2-90 2.9.1. Birds ........................................................................................................................ 2-90 2.9.2. Mammals ................................................................................................................ 2-91 2.9.3. Reptiles/Amphibians ............................................................................................... 2-91 2.10. Fisheries Resources .................................................................................................... 2-92 2.10.1. Fish, Crustaceans, and Mollusks .......................................................................... 2-92 2.10.2. Red Drum ............................................................................................................. 2-93 2.10.3. Shrimp Fishery ...................................................................................................... 2-93 2.10.4. Brown Shrimp ....................................................................................................... 2-94 2.10.5. White Shrimp ........................................................................................................ 2-94 2.10.6. Oysters ................................................................................................................. 2-95 2.10.7. Blue Crab .............................................................................................................. 2-95 2.10.8. Striped Mullet ........................................................................................................ 2-95 2.11. Invasive Species ......................................................................................................... 2-96 2.12. Air Quality .................................................................................................................... 2-97 2.12.1. NAAQS Attainment Status & CAA General Conformity Rule Applicability ............ 2-97 2.12.2. Navigation Channel Existing Air Quality ............................................................... 2-98 2.12.3. Baseline Conditions .............................................................................................. 2-99 2.13. Hazardous and Toxic Materials ................................................................................. 2-100 2.14. Noise ......................................................................................................................... 2-101 2.14.1. Airborne Noise .................................................................................................... 2-101 2.14.2. Underwater Noise ............................................................................................... 2-104 2.15. Coastal Barrier Resources ........................................................................................ 2-107 2.16. Cultural and Historic Resources ................................................................................ 2-107 2.16.1. Prehistory of Mobile Bay Area ............................................................................ 2-108 2.16.2. History of the Mobile Bay Area ........................................................................... 2-110 2.17. Protected Managed Lands and Resources ............................................................... 2-122 2.17.1. Gulf State Park ................................................................................................... 2-122 2.17.2. Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve ............................................ 2-123 2.17.3. Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge ....................................................... 2-123 2.17.4. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge ............................................................................................... 2-123 2.17.5. Maeher State Park .............................................................................................. 2-124 2.17.6. Historic Blakeley State Park ............................................................................... 2-124 2.18. Aesthetics and Recreation ........................................................................................ 2-124 2.19. Socioeconomics ........................................................................................................ 2-125 2.19.1. Regional Economic Activity ................................................................................ 2-126 2.19.2. Population ........................................................................................................... 2-127 2.19.3. Employment and Income .................................................................................... 2-128 2.20. Transportation ........................................................................................................... 2-130 2.20.1. Highways and Roadways ................................................................................... 2-130 2.20.2. Air Transportation ............................................................................................... 2-133 2.20.3. Water Transportation .......................................................................................... 2-137 2.20.4. Public Transportation .......................................................................................... 2-137 2.21. Utilities and Infrastructure .......................................................................................... 2-138 2.21.1. Utilities or Energy Resources ............................................................................. 2-138 2.22. Environmental Justice ............................................................................................... 2-140 2.22.1. Minority Populations ........................................................................................... 2-142 2.22.2. Low-income Populations ..................................................................................... 2-144 2.22.3. Neighborhood Populations ................................................................................. 2-145 2.22.4. Subsistence Consumption of Fish and Wildlife ................................................... 2-148 2.23. Public and Occupational Health and Safety .............................................................. 2-150 SECTION 3. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS - INTRODUCTION ........................................... 3-1 3.1. Geographic Setting .......................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2. Climate, Tides, and Gulf Circulation ................................................................................ 3-2 3.3. Mobile Bay and Coastal Processes ................................................................................. 3-2 3.3.1. Waves ....................................................................................................................... 3-2 3.3.2. Currents .................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.3.3. Sediment Transport .................................................................................................. 3-4 3.3.4. Sea Level Change .................................................................................................... 3-7 3.4. Geology, Soils, and Sediments ....................................................................................... 3-8 3.4.1. Geologic Setting ....................................................................................................... 3-8 3.4.2. Soils .......................................................................................................................... 3-8 3.4.3. Geotechnical Conditions ........................................................................................... 3-8 3.4.4. Sediment Quality ...................................................................................................... 3-9 3.5. Water Quality ................................................................................................................. 3-11 3.5.1. Dissolved Oxygen .......................................................................................... 3-11 3.5.2. Nutrients ................................................................................................................. 3-13 3.5.3. Salinity .................................................................................................................... 3-14 3.5.4. Turbidity and Suspended Solids ............................................................................. 3-17 3.5.5. Water Temperature ................................................................................................. 3-18 3.6. Groundwater .................................................................................................................. 3-19 3.6.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ........................................................................................ 3-20 3.6.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................... 3-20 3.6.3. Future Maintenance ................................................................................................ 3-21 3.7. Dredging and Placement Areas .................................................................................... 3-21 3.7.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ........................................................................................ 3-24 3.7.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................... 3-24 3.7.3. Future Maintenance ................................................................................................ 3-29 3.8. Biological Resources ..................................................................................................... 3-30 3.8.1. Upland Communities .............................................................................................. 3-30 3.8.2. Wetlands ................................................................................................................. 3-31 3.8.3. Submerged Aquatic Vegetation .............................................................................. 3-43 3.8.4. Hardbottom and Structural Habitats ....................................................................... 3-52 3.8.5. Plankton and Algae ................................................................................................. 3-53 3.8.6. Benthic Invertebrates .............................................................................................. 3-54 3.8.7. Fish ......................................................................................................................... 3-59 3.8.8. Mollusks .................................................................................................................. 3-63 3.8.9. Oysters ................................................................................................................... 3-64 3.8.10. Crustaceans .......................................................................................................... 3-70 3.9. Essential Fish Habitat ......................................................................................... 3-74 3.9.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ........................................................................................ 3-74 3.9.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................... 3-74 3.9.3. Future Maintenance ................................................................................................ 3-76 3.10. Threatened and Endangered Species ......................................................................... 3-77 3.10.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-77 3.10.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-77 3.10.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-79 3.11. Marine Mammals ......................................................................................................... 3-80 3.11.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-80 3.11.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-80 3.11.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-81 3.12. Other Wildlife Communities ......................................................................................... 3-81 3.12.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-81 3.12.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-82 3.12.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-82 3.13. Fisheries Resources .................................................................................................... 3-82 3.13.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-83 3.13.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-83 3.13.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-84 3.14. Invasive Species ......................................................................................................... 3-84 3.14.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-85 3.14.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-85 3.14.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-85 3.15. Air Quality .................................................................................................................... 3-85 3.15.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-85 3.15.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-86 3.15.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-86 3.16. Hazardous and Toxic Materials ................................................................................... 3-88 3.16.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-88 3.16.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-88 3.16.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-89 3.17. Noise ........................................................................................................................... 3-90 3.17.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-90 3.17.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-90 3.17.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-90 3.18. Cultural and Historic Resources .................................................................................. 3-91 3.18.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-91 3.18.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-91 3.18.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-95 3.19. Protected and Managed Lands ................................................................................... 3-95 3.19.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-96 3.19.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-96 3.19.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-96 3.20. Recreation/Aesthetics ................................................................................................. 3-96 3.20.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-97 3.20.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-97 3.20.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-98 3.21. Socioeconomics .......................................................................................................... 3-98 3.21.1. Alternative 1 – No Action ...................................................................................... 3-98 3.21.2. Alternative 2 – RP ................................................................................................. 3-98 3.21.3. Future Maintenance .............................................................................................. 3-99 3.22. Transportation ........................................................................................................... 3-100 3.22.1. Alternative 1 – No Action .................................................................................... 3-100 3.22.2. Alternative 2 – RP ............................................................................................... 3-100 3.22.3. Future Maintenance ............................................................................................ 3-100 3.23. Utilities and Infrastructure .......................................................................................... 3-101 3.23.1. Alternative 1 – No Action .................................................................................... 3-101 3.23.2. Alternative 2 – RP ............................................................................................... 3-101 3.23.3. Future Maintenance ............................................................................................ 3-101 3.24. Environmental Justice ............................................................................................... 3-102 3.24.1. Alternative 1 – No Action .................................................................................... 3-102 3.24.2. Alternative 2 – RP ............................................................................................... 3-103 3.24.3. Future Maintenance ............................................................................................ 3-104 3.25. Public and Occupational Health and Safety .............................................................. 3-106 3.25.1. Alternative 1 – No Action .................................................................................... 3-106 3.25.2. Alternative 2 – RP ............................................................................................... 3-106 3.25.3. Future Maintenance ............................................................................................ 3-107 3.26. Summary of Impacts ................................................................................................. 3-108 3.27. Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 3-112 3.27.1. Monitoring ........................................................................................................... 3-115 SECTION 4. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS - INTRODUCTION ................................................... 4-1 4.1. Authority and Approach ................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2. Spatial and Temporal Boundaries ................................................................................... 4-2 4.2.1. Area of Influence ....................................................................................................... 4-2 4.2.2. Definition of Temporal Conditions ............................................................................. 4-2 4.3. Past Actions .................................................................................................................... 4-3 4.3.1. Federal Navigation and Port Facilities ...................................................................... 4-3 4.4. Physical Setting/Landscape of Mobile & Baldwin Counties which could influence the Bay............................................................................ 4-14 4.4.1. Dams and Causeways ............................................................................................ 4-18 4.4.2. Deepwater Horizon ................................................................................................. 4-18 4.4.3. Channelization of Creeks ........................................................................................ 4-18 4.4.4. Relic Shell Mining ................................................................................................... 4-19 4.5. Present Actions ............................................................................................................. 4-19 4.5.1. Federal Projects ...................................................................................................... 4-19 4.5.2. State and County Projects ...................................................................................... 4-26 4.6. Future Actions ............................................................................................................... 4-26 4.6.1. Federal Projects ...................................................................................................... 4-26 4.6.2. State and County Projects ...................................................................................... 4-28 4.6.3. Local and City Projects ........................................................................................... 4-30 4.6.4. Private Projects ....................................................................................................... 4-31 4.7. Cumulative Impact analysis ........................................................................................... 4-32 4.7.1. Geology, Soils and Sediments ................................................................................ 4-32 4.7.2. Marine Sanctuaries, Protected Managed Lands, and Impoundments .................... 4-34 4.7.3. Water Quality .......................................................................................................... 4-35 4.7.4. Ground Water ......................................................................................................... 4-38 4.7.5. Biological Resources .............................................................................................. 4-38 4.7.6. Protected Resources .............................................................................................. 4-41 4.7.7. Marine Mammals .................................................................................................... 4-43 4.7.8. Birds ........................................................................................................................ 4-43 4.7.9. Commercial and Recreational Fishing .................................................................... 4-44 4.7.10. Invasive Species ................................................................................................... 4-45 4.7.11. Air Quality ............................................................................................................. 4-46 4.7.12. Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste ........................................................... 4-47 4.7.13. Noise ..................................................................................................................... 4-48 4.7.14. Coastal Barrier Resources .................................................................................... 4-49 4.7.15. Cultural and Historic Resources ........................................................................... 4-49 4.7.16. Aesthetics and Recreation .................................................................................... 4-50 4.7.17. Socioeconomics .................................................................................................... 4-52 4.7.18. Environmental Justice ........................................................................................... 4-52 4.7.19. Public and Occupational Health and Safety ......................................................... 4-53 4.8. Magnitude and Significance of Cumulative Effects ....................................................... 4-56-
dc.format.extent928 pages / 77.59 Mb-
dc.format.mediumPDF-
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherUnited States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Mobile District.en_US
dc.rightsApproved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited-
dc.sourceThis Digital Resource was created in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat-
dc.subjectMobile Bay (Ala.)en_US
dc.subjectHarborsen_US
dc.subjectEnvironmental managementen_US
dc.titleMobile Harbor, Mobile, Alabama: Integrated General Reevaluation Report With Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement: Appendix C, Environmentalen_US
dc.typeReporten_US
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