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HomeMy WebLinkAboutChakachamna Hydroelectric Work Plan Enviornmental Studies 1982CHAKACHAMNA HYDROELECTRIC 1982 WORK PLAN/ENVIROtR-ffiNTAL STUDIES m II CHAKACHAMNA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT 1982 WORK PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Woodward-Clyde Consultants December 8, 1981 y 1\laska P:::(/Gr Authority 334 VV. 5til Ave. )\nchorage, Alas~-<a 99501 INTRODUCTION An environmental evaluation of the proposed Chakachamna Hydroelectric Project alternatives is being conducted for the purposes of assessing project feasibility. The overall objectives of this study are to collect sufficient environmental data to accurately: • describe the existing natural resources; • assess impacts of Project alternatives; • develop potential mitigative measures; and • prepare environmental exhibits to accompany the Alaska Power Authority's License Application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) The Project has been divided into Phase I -Field Reconnaissance, and Interim Report, and Phase II -1982-83 Detailed Studies and FERC Exhibits. Project schedules call for the following milestones and end- products: 1) 1981 Field Reconnaissance conducted in August and September 1981 2) 1981 Interim Report due to APA in December 1981 3) 1982 detailed Field Studies to be conducted between February and November 1982 4) Feasibility Report and FERC License Application due l~te winter 1983 A four-discipline team -including environmental hydrology, aquatic 1 biology, wildlife biology, and human resources -was assembled to conduct this study. The 1981 field reconnaissance allowed the project team to become more knowledgeable of the existing conditions and resources within the project site. This provided necessary site specific information so a more appropriate study design could be prepared for the detailed 1982 program. Other components used in designing the 1982 program include the: • FERC Guidelines for Hydroelectric Projects, and • stated concerns of State and Federal agencies (ADF&G meeting on 17 September 1981; NMFS & USF&WS meeting of 28 September). The following sections present proposed work plans by each project disci- line for their 1982 detailed studies. ENVIRONMENTAL HYDROLOGY The objectives of the 1982 environmental hydrology study program are to collect data and conduct analyses sufficient to: • assess the impacts of project flow regulation on the physical processes of the Chakachatna and McArthur River systems; and • allow the aquatic biology, wildlife biology, and human resources disciplines to meet their study objectives. The studies are designed to provide more detailed information on the regime, hydrology, and hydraulics of the streams in the study area so that a detailed impact assessment can be prepared. Regime Observations Channel configuration and other regime characteristics will be investi- 2 gated. Channel configuration is the most important regime characteristic; it will be identified in sufficient detail to assess the impacts to the configuration resulting from the change in flow. Other regime characteris- tics that will be observed include: • ice characteristics, • flow obstructions, • characteristics of side channels and high water channels, • tributary characteristics, • lateral migration evidence, • bed scour, degradation, or aggradation, • flood debris and high water marks, and • stream geomorphology. The regime observations will be made during several site visits to assess the change of the regime under varying flow conditions. The site visits will include the following seasonal distribution: • winter regime in mid to late winter • spring regime in April or May to observe breakup characteristics • early summer regime in June • mid-summer regime in late July • early fall regime in September 3 o late fall regime in October or November. Most of these regime observation site visits would be conducted simul- taneously with site visits to measure hydrologic or hydraulic param- eters. Many of the regime characteristics would be documented with photo- graphs. Substrate observations, photographs, or samples will be collected along the McArthur and Chakachatna River for sediment transport and fisheries habitat investigations. The lake bottom material near the mouths of tributary streams will also be investigated for erosion studies related to lake drawdown. Hydrologx Hydrologic data collection will include a network of seven or eight stream gages to establish the seasonal and areal distribution of flow in the Chakachatna and McArthur River systems. One gage will be established at or near the location of the former U.S. Geological Survey gage site on the Chakachatna River so that the flow data collected in 1982 can be related to the 13 years of record to establish the representativeness of the data. Other gages will be located on the Middle and Lower Chakachatna, Middle, and Upper and Middle McArthur Rivers and Noaukta Slough. Discharge measurements will be taken periodically to establish rating curves. Miscellaneous discharge measurements will be taken during the winter site visit for the evaluation of winter flow regime charac- teristics. ! ( Water quality data will be collected as necessary for the FERC license application and to support the aquatic biology studies. Such data will be collected near the gage locations during several different site visits to establish the areal and seasonal distribution of the parameters. Wetlands near N~aukta Slou~h and near Trading Bay will be investigated to 4 identify their water sources and the potential impacts of regulating flow. Topographic features will be evaluated to establish surface flow patterns into and out of the wetlands. Water levels in the wetlands will be compared with stream stages to establish the hydraulic gradient direc- t ion. Instream Flow Investigations Instream flow investigations will be conducted to establish flows that are required for the maintenance of fisheries habitat. Five study areas have been selected for data collection sufficient for the application of the IFG Incremental Methodology: • Chakachatna Canyon • Chakachatna/Straight Creek Confluence and Downstream • Noaukta Slough • Upper McArthur River near Powerhouse • McArthur River above Noaukta Slough These areas may be replaced by others in the field as new fisheries and hydrologic data are collected. The types of data that will be collected follow the guidelines for appli- cation of the IFG models; they include: • water surface gradient through each study area, • a minimum of four river and floodplain transects in each of the study areas, • repetitions of depth and velocity measurements at specific 5 locations along each transect at three or more discharge levels, ~ stage and discharge during each depth/velocity measurement series, and • substrate and vegetation characteristics along each transect. The transects will be located at hydraulic controls, significant changes in channel shape, different habitats, and other special conditions within each study area. Transects will generally extend from one vegetated bank to another; shorter transects may be used in certain areas (e.g. Noaukta Slough). Braided flow conditions will be handled on an individual basis. The braided Noaukta Slough study area will include only one or two channels due to the complexity of the Slough; the flow regime in the study area will be related to the total flow in the Slough. The braided reach of the Upper McArthur River will be investigated as a complete unit with special handling of the flow in the numerous channels. Office Analyses The collected data will be used in office analyses to evaluate the param- eters needed to meet the objectives of the project. The office analyses include: • bed and bank erosion investigations on the McArthur River, • channel degradation investigations on the Chakachamna Lake tributaries and their deltas, • establishment of the annual flow variation at gage locations in the Chakachatna and McArthur River system, • investigations of water sources and drainage of project area 6 wetlands, and • instream flow investigations using IFG-4 methodologies for the five selected study areas and IFG-2 methodologies for study areas added as new areas or replacing the original five areas •. Results of these office analyses will be presented in the Feasibility Report and FERC exhibits and will be used by other environmental dis- ciplines to complete their impact analyses. AQUATIC BIOLOGY The proposed studies for the 1982 aquatic program will primarily emphasize the study of fish and their major forage organisms. Fish studies will address species presence, composition, and distribution; spawning; migratory pathways; juvenile rearing; and habitat utiliza- tion. Forage studies will concentrate on macroinvertebrates and describe composition, relative densities, and distribution. Data will be collected during a limited winter survey, and during a detailed survey between break-up and free~e-up. Macroinvertebrates Studies of major forage organisms will be based upon character- izing· the major taxonomic groups of macroinvertebrate drift and macroinvertebrates. Since most large salmonids are considered to feed extensively on drifting macrcinvertebrates it is likely that collecting drifting macroinvertebrates from the McArthur and Chakachatna Rivers will identi- fy both the species composition and relative abundance of important fish food taxa. It is our experience, and it has been reported in the literature, that macroinvertebrate drift densities (number/unit volume of water) peak during the summer months (Waters 1972; Wojtalik and 7 Waters 1970). Generally, the majority of the biomass comprising this drift fauna in North American streams is aquatic insects including immature flies (Diptera), caddis-flies (Trichoptera), mayflies (Eph- emeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), and aquatic worms (Oligochaeta). It is anticipated that the drifting macroinverte- brates of the Chakachatna and McArthur River systems will also be dom- inated by immature aquatic insects. These organisms can be effectively sampled with rectangular, 1-m, or 1/2-m circular, or other modifications of various drift net designs. We propose to collect macroinvertebrate drift samples at one location in the Chakachatna and one location in the McArthur on a monthly basis from spring breakup tirough late fall during each sam- pling period. It has been well established in the literature that drift densities are greater at night than during the day (Waters 1972). Thus, duplicate samples will be collected at selected l0cations at night to document nocturnal vs. diurnal drift patterns. Samples will be timed and flow volumes will be :ncnitored with digital flowmeters in order to determine the precise volume of water sampled. In addition to collect i.:'.g drifting macro invertebrates, benthic macroinvertebrates ~ill be seasonally collected qualitatively with D-frame :~ick nets (Hilsenhoff 1977), or quantitatively samplEd with modified (enclosed) Surber samplers (where and ~.hen water is sufficient- ly shallow). Ponar grab sampler3 ~ill be used for replicate sampling in Chakachamna Lake and soft substrate areas such as Noaukta slough. The use of both benthic and drift sampling apparatus will allow for the quantification of population densities in the substrate where pygmy and round white fishes (Morrow 1980) may feed on them, and in the water column where most salmon species may feed on them. All field samples will be preserved with 6 percent buffered forma- lin. Collection data will be recorded on data sheets and a waterproof sampler label will be placed in the sample container. In the laboratory, all macroinvertebrates will be separated from the substrate and de- 8 tritus, identified to the lowest practical taxon, enumerated and stored in alcoho 1. Fish Fish surveys will need to address a number of specific issues, and will require a variety of gear types to be successful. Both resi- dent and anadromous fish will need to be studied to characterize both populations and habitat use. One of the most important objectives of the study will be to characterize where major life-functions of the important fish species are occurring and the extent to which specific habitiats are being used. Based upon the 1981 reconnaissance, general fish sampling areas for 1982 have been selected as identifed in Table 1. Most sampling will occur in the vicinity of these areas, however, additional data also will be collected from outside these areas (particularily from aerial surveys). Also, as data is being collected, study locations may be refined and shifted accordingly. In addition to the fish program, instream flow data will be col- lected at those sample areas identified on Table 1. Instream flow methodologies are described in more detail in the hydrol.ogy program and in subsequent sections of this program. Spawning is probably the fish life function most sensitive to many of the potential impacts of the project. Aerial and ground level surveys will be conducted to identify spawning areas of the major stream spawning species at regular intervals throughout the spawning season. Where possible, counts will be made of fish and carcasses at approxi- mately 10 day intervals in major spawning areas to estimate escapement to those areas. Photography will be used to document spawning densities where visibility permits. In areas where visibility is limited and estimation of spawning densities is necessary, hydr:oacoustic gear will 9 be tested to assess its usefullness in the existing river conditions. Species identifications could be verified by backpack electroshockers. The need for the use of hydroacoustics and whether such use is feasible will be site specific. (Turbulence and suspended matter can severely interfere with the proper operation of such equipment). If hydro- acoustic gear proves unuseful in the rivers, standard netting, shocking and seining procedures will be used as appropriate. In Chakachamna Lake, lake trout probably spawn along the peri- meter of the lake. It is not clear at what depth they spawn. Reports in the literature describe spawning depths ranging from about l foot to about 300 feet over rocky substrate. In this situation, hydroacou- stics provides a method for potentially locating the depths at which lake trout are spawning within Chakachamna Lake. Vertical gill nets or combined sinking plus floating gill nets could also be used. It is important to evaluate the depth of spawning in the lake because the project alternatives include substantial fluctuations of lake levels. In conjunction with studies of spawning sites, fish collected during other parts of the program will be examined for sexual maturity and ripeness. Table l. General Fish and Instream Flow Sampling Locations for 1982 Sample Location Kenibuna Lake & Tributaries Chilligan River Chakachamna Lake & Outlet Nagishlamina River Delta Chakachatna Canyon Chakachatna/Straight Creek Confluence & Downstream Middle River Noaukta Slough Upper McArthur Rv. near Powerhouse McArthur River above Noaukta Slough Aquatic Program X X X X X X X X X X McArthur/Chakachatna Rivers Confluence X 10 Instream Flow X X X X X All spawning sites will be located on maps and the spawning habi- tat carefully described. Water quality will be measured by field instru- ments for temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and turbid- ity. Water velocity profiles also will be taken in the collection area. Depth will be measured and the substrate characterized by a recogniz•d descriptive scale such as a Wentworth scale. Evidence of groundwater or clearwater tributary flow will be noted. Migratory pathways for both in migrants and out migrants will be studied intensively. Out migrant pathways will be sampled for the presence and relative density of out migrants starting in April and continuing on a regular and systematic basis into late fall as con- ditions permit. Spawning areas and nursery areas that have been identi- fied during the 1981 reconnaissance and certain other areas to be selected during early 1982 will be sampled. Sampling of these areas will help establish the relative contri- bution of each area to the fishery and will aid in making a more de- tailed assessment of potential impacts. Sampling techniques and the ability to sample certain areas will vary. A number of the areas to be sampled are extremely turbulent and carry high velocity flows. Since many of the out-migrants move downstream during spring high flow con- ditions, sampling by conventional nets may be impossible in many loca- tions. If hydroacoustic sampling proves successful in these riverine conditions, it is planned that a combination of nets and hydroacoustics will be used. Portable nets such as those ussed by the ADF&G or the British Columbia Division of Fish and Wildlife will be deployed where feasible to collect out migrants. Both day and night collections are planned. A flow meter will be mounted in each net so that estimates can be made of densities of out-migrants. In-migrants moving into fresh water to spawn also will be studied. The primary purpose of these studies will be to evaluate migra- tory routes used by different species, and the relative importance of these routes. Sampling will be conducted using an on-going fyke netting 11 program. Fyke nets will be located on the Middle, lower Chakachatna, and McArthur Rivers, as well as on the Noaukta Slough where feasible, and as water conditions permit. Fyke net use will be restricted to those periods when flows are low to moderate. If conditions permit, hydroacoustics will also be used at these locations. Migratory pathways within Chakachamna Lake, especially the depth at which the migrants travel, will be investigated by means of hydroacoustics and stratified gill net sets. This will help establish at which depths migration oc- curs, and the relative use of the shoreline area. Habitat Utilization and season distribution of fishes will be studied in a generalized manne·r. A combination of collecting gears will be used to identify habitat use including: electroshocking, fyke nets, gill nets, seines, traps, and baited traps. Data collected by nets will be supplemented by hydroacoustics in the lake and where feas- ible in rivers. Hydroacoustics will be of particular value in determin- ing relative numbers of fish in areas of Chakachamna Lake and in deep or otherwise difficult to sample river sections. One of the principal uses of the hydroacoustics will be in evalua- ting fish densities in the vicinity of the intake locations in Chaka- chamna Lake. A. great deal of emphasis will be placed on nursery habi- tats. Nursery habitats are of critical importance to fish populations. Juvenile fish are generally more vulnerable to impacts than adults since they are more vulnerable to predation, and competition. Juveniles are also generally much less mobile than adults. Sampling will be conducted seasonally with more emphasis on the summer sea~on when the majority of growth occurs and the winter season when overwintering habitats become critical. Physical characterizations of the habitats sampled will be per- formed as described in the hydrology section for each of the fish coll- ection stations. Specific instream flow methodologies are also described in the hydrology section. Those river reaches .that will be used in 12 the application of the instream flow methodology will be studied much more intensively that other sections. This will allow verification of or establishment of habitat utilization curves. The presence and extent of various habitats in these study reaches will be mapped and d~cumented. Seasonal use of habitats will also be studied and incorp- orated where appropriate. Fish populations will be characterized by examination of fish length data, age structure (where feasible) and relative abundance. Sex and sexual condition will be noted for fish collected. The order of magnitude of the fishery will be evaluated and the timing of in-and out-migrations will be established •• Community Analyses will be performed on data collected. Multi- variate analyses techniques will be utilized to statistically establish community/habitat relationships. Strategies such as those described by Green (1981) will be used to compare the similarity of collections by means of indecies such as the Bray-Curtis Index and cluster them. Statistically signficant clusters will be investigated by ordination techniques such as principal component analysis. In this manner the validity of species habitat relationships can also be determined and species preference curves could potentially be compared to site-specific actual habitat utilization on a quantitative basis. Impact assessments will be based upon a combination of instream flow analysis, potential population effects (Dev et al.), and community effects. Habitat losses will be characterized as well as losses from other potential sources such as temperature changes and turbine passage. Effects on populations of critical species will be described where data permit. Mitigation will be assessed based upon the data established and projected impacts. All feasible methods will be considered, evaluated and discussed in terms of potential effects and effectiveness where practical, specific effects on critical fish populations will be evalu- ated and discussed. 13 WILDLIFE BIOLOGY The objectives for the terrestrial component of the Chakachamna Hydroelectric Project is to analytically characterize the vegetative and wildlife· communities and to assess the anticipated impacts of the project components on these communities. Because this project could affect the lands and waters of both the Chakachamna and McArthur drainage systems, qualitative and quantitative data will be collected throughout the pro- ject area. Vegetation During the reconnaissance level investigations of 1981, the project boundaries were established and a preliminary evaluation of vegetation types was made. In the spring of 1982, the project boundaries will be reevaluated based on the criteria that the study area should include the total land and water areas where direct changes, due to the imple- mentation of the project, could occur. Within the area encompassed by the potential impacts of the project, a set of study quadrats will be es- tablished. While the size and shape of the quadrats will be dependent upon the structural composition of the community that is being sampled the numbers and distribution of quadrats will be dependent upon the vegetative diversity. Marsh and bog types will be evaluated using a rectangular plot covering 1.0 yd 2 , shrub communities will be assessed using a sqaure plot covering 16 yd2 , while forest communities will be 2 sampled with square quadrats occupying 100 yd • These quadrat shapes and sizes should result in accurate measurements of frequency, density, and dominance (Whittaker 1970). A Bray-Curtis community ordination will then be conducted to separate the various habitat types. These types will be delineated on maps and the area occupied by each type will be calculated. Wildlife The seas.onal habitat utilization, specie-s composition, and relative 14 abundance of common species of birds and mammals within the project area will be evaluated. However, a limited number of indicator species will be selected. These species will be chosen on the basis that they: • are known to be-sensitive to the types of changes that may occur through the implementation of the project; or • are important to the overall community due to their role in nutrient cycling or energy flows; or • have habitat requirements that are indicative of the require- ments of a group of species found in the area. During the 1981 reconnaissance, six species were chosen that fulfilled one or more of these criteria (moose, grizzly bear, gray wolf, bald eagle, t~umpeter swan, and tule goose). However, for the 1982 investi- gations, the species composition of the area will be reevaluated and, if necessary, different species chosen. In late winter the location and extent of mammal wintering areas and the species composition and relative abundance of wintering bird popu- lations will be assessed. This information will be integrated with spring nesting and calving site data to evaluate the potential impacts of the project on migration routes. Since many species of birds nest within the project area, including raptors and waterfowl, two nesting surveys will be conducted during May and June. Data collected during these surveys will include the loca- tion of bald eagle and trumpeter swan nest sites as well as the location of high density passerine and waterfowl nesting areas. Special attention will be given to locating tule goose and peregrine falcon nest sites. Although these species have not been observed nesting within the project area, suitable habitat does exist. Concurrent with this phase of the investigation, spring migration activities of large mammals and .birds will also be evaluated. 15 Throughout the summer months, the distr-ibution and relative abundance of bird and mammal populations will be noted. This information will be combined with water level data and the chronology of anadromous fish migrations to a~sess the seasonal use of aquatic resources by wildlife · populations. During the latter part of the summer, data will be gathered on the lo- cation of mammal rutting grounds and the location of staging areas for migrating birds. Habitat Suitability As a part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP), Habitat Suitability Indices (HSI) will be derived for each of the selected indicator species. Because the HSI is calculated from a model describing the regional niche of the species, the model's predictions of the influence of a project on the local niche of that species may not be totally accurate. Therefore, the models will be modi- fied as needed to more accurately represent the site specific habitat requirements of the indicator species. Impact Assessments As more detailed information becomes available concerning the chronol- ogy and design of the project alternatives, the change in the habitat suitability for the indicator species will be noted. Ordinarily, these changes are projected over a future span of time and compared to pre- dicted future habitat suitability without the influences of the project. However, since it is not possible to accurately predict the effect of other programs (development of the Beluga coal field, additional timber harvesting, offshore oil development, etc.) on either the habitat or the wildlife, subjective predictions will be based on the assumption that this hydroelectric facility will be the only man-made influence on the habitat. 16 HUMAN RESOURCES Archeology A multistage research design is the most appropriate way to investi- gate a large region where no systematic archeological research has previ- ously been done. A general reconnaissance level survey provides the basis for the subsequent intensive investigations, i.e. 100% surface coverage and extensive subsurface testing of smaller portions of the project. These more intensive investigations address specific problems, such as archeological clearance for construction, mitigation of adverse impacts to cultural resources, and probability sampling to determine the number of sites in a defined universe. Therefore, a reconnaissance level survey is recommended for the 1982 season consisting of three steps: air photo research, an aerial survey of potential facility sites in early summer, and ground surveys of identified facility sites in late summer. The survey is not intended to represent archaelogical investigations required for pre-construction permits. This will provide input for selec- tion of alternatives, and some recommendations for mitigative measures. It is assumed that archeological clearance will eventually be required for: 1. A transmission line corridor representing a preferred route between the power house facility and the Beluga Station. 2. Access roads for construction, material borrow pits, and work camps. 3. The dam site, if the Chakachatna Dam alternative is chosen. The field portion of the survey will be supported by the pre-survey literature, map, and air photo research. This field 9urvey will be de- signed to detect surface and near-surface archeological and historical site& (cultural resources). Basically it will be a foot traverse over 17 areas determined to be surveyed, primarily specific facility, access roads, and transmission line sites. Survey areas will receive as close to 100% surface coverage as is practical and only selected areas will be subjected to subsurface testing. Limited subsurface testing will involve small test pits to examine soils in areas considered high potential. Areas where there is little likelihood of discovering significant cul- tural resources will not be tested. Access to the field will be by helicopter, truck, and foot. Recommended field crew is two to three persons. It is estimated that only a few areas will require intensive survey. The majority of the area should not require as much effort. The following estimate of field work-days is based on experience with projects of similar magnitude. 1. Field check of the Chakachatna Dam site (1 day each) 2. Field survey of transmission line corridor. (5-10 miles per day) 3. Field survey of access road alignments. (5-10 miles per day) 4. Material borrow pits, in conjunction with road alignments. (0.5 day each) 5. Construction camp facility. (1 day) It is anticipated that enough information can be gathered to allow some construction sites to receive archeological clearance during the 1982 season, provided that they (construction sites) are identified in advance of the survey. 18 Land Use The 1982 work program for the land use element of Human Resource will concentrate on four tasks. As specific sites are identified for project facilities, access roads, and transmission line corridors, land ownership patterns of each site will be identified. Owners will be contacted to substantiate current land use data, management requirements and potential conflicts. Appropriate use stipulations, mitigation measures, and permit requirements for construction and operation of the project will also be discussed. Based on these discussions, the following information will be prepared for all alternatives: • Land ownership and management objectives a land-use • potential use and ownership conflicts • use stipulations and mitigation measures recommended by land owners and by the project team • permit requirements and timetable for project construction and operation Recreation The 1982 Recreation work program will attempt to gather data on use levels, modes, and potential impacts in areas affected by the project. Data from the 1980 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Program (SCORP) has just become available from the Alaska Division of Parks and will be analyzed for demand and use level data for the Chakachamna area. Limited field surveys during peak use (hunting and fishing) seasons will be conducted to tie use to specific areas. Agencies, guides and air taxi services will be interviewed to fill gaps in areas and levels 19 of recreation use, so that impacts can be somewhat quantified. Based on this data and discussions with specific land owners, mitigation mea- sures will be recommended and will focus on Chakchamna Lake, the McArthur and Chakachamna Rivers and use of project access roads. Socioeconomic Characteristics During the 1982 work program, the Socioeconomic Program will focus on developing scenarios for project employment-income-population-infrastruc- ture requirements, and projecting regional and community impacts. Based on the experience of similar sized projects, the following assumptions will be developed for the project: • construction and operation workforce by general occupation categories (i.e. laborer, heavy equipment operator, engineer) • range of wage rate by occupation category · • direct and indirect population increases generated by project employment • requirements for infrastructure by project activities and in- duced population increases Community and regional socioeconomic characteristics will be evaluated for their ability to meet project ,demands for employment and infrastruc- ture requirements., At this point, potential positive and negative im- pacts will be identified, with recommendations made on appropriate mitiga- tion measures. Contacts with CIRI, the Tyonek Native Corporation, Village of Tyonek, and The Kenai Peninsula Borough will be extremely important to obtain baseline data and information on preferences for local hire, workforce housing, and infrastructural support. A second portion of the socioeconomic program will focus on project impacts. on the regional economy; specifically commercial fishing, .. timber 20 harvesting, and subsistence activities. As data becomes available on potential impacts to anadromous fish populations, this information will be used to discuss potential commercial fishery impacts. The analysis of the timber industry impacts will focus on competition for labo.r force and access roads, and the possibility of project related roads opening new areas for timber harvest. Subsistence data will be gathered from Tyonek residents and the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game. Transportation The Transportation Work Program consists of assessing project demands for transportation services, evaluating use levels of existing facilities and discussing potential impacts created by the project. Project transporta- tion demands will include facilities required, (by mode) facility char- acteristics, (i.e. depth of water at dock face, airstrip length), and projected levels of traffic. The managers of local t~ansportation facili- ties will be contacted to gather data on facility·characteristics and capacities, current traffic levels and maintenance problems. Information on their preferences towards project use of transportation facilities, and suggestions for mitigation measures will also be gathered. The pro- ject demands will then be compared with the baseline data, and impacts discussed, such as measured traffic levels and the need for additional maintenance. Based on the conversations with facility managers and impact projections, mitigation measures will be recommended. Visual Resources During the Visual Resources Work Program the project area will be classi- fied for usual resource characteristics, impacts discussed, and mitiga- tion measures recommended. Field investigation and phtographs will be used to classify the project areas using the Bureau of Land Management Visual Resource Classification System. This system categorizes landscape characteristics and relates them to potential visual impacts. The visual impact characteristics of various project facilities will be determined, and applied to the project. area clas.sifications to assess the potential 21 impacts. Coordination with Bureau of Land Management staff will be re- quired. Based on impact assessment and agency coordination, mitigation measures will be recommended. This task will be coordinated with the recreation task to correlate visual impacts with potentLal numbers of viewers. 22