We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the Pucker Street Dam Committee, are pleased to announce the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Pucker Street Dam Removal and Dowagiac River Restoration Project in Niles, Michigan.
The EA was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and provides a description of the overall project purpose and need, alternatives considered as part of the analysis and an assessment of impacts from project alternatives. Alternatives considered in detail include the following:
Alternative A: No Action: Leave dam in-place, maintain current water level above Pucker Street Dam.
Alternative B: Dam Removal with Restoration: Dam removal with blended restoration using existing channel alignment. Actions would include removal of Pucker Street Dam and associated structures, and a blend of active and passive restoration within the existing river channel alignment.
The Service has determined that funding Alternative B, entailing the removal of Pucker Street Dam and its accompanying sediment management and restoration measures is not a major Federal action which would significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the meaning of Section 102(2)(c) of the NEPA.
Read the Final EA including the FONSI.
The Pucker Street Dam Committee consists of the City of Niles, Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, Wightman & Associates, Inter-Fluve Inc., Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Wood Environment & Infrastructure, Inc., Michiana Land Services, Wightman Environmental, and Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes.
