Presented by: Michele Cleland Oceanographer

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Identification of Environmental Impacts and
Treatment of Biological Resources Embrey Dam
Removal Project EWRI Dam Removal Workshop 12 July
2004
Presented by Michele Cleland -
Oceanographer Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers Planning, Programs and Project
Management Division, Planning and Policy
Branch Environmental Analysis Section
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Presentation Outline

• Project Introduction
• Plan Formulation/Selected Plan
• Environmental Impacts of Project Components
• Permitting Considerations
• Cultural Resources
• Real Life

• Challenges/Lessons Learned as of July 12, 2004

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Project History

• Embrey Dam--located 112 miles from the mouth of
  the Rappahannock River, near Fredericksburg, VA
  circa 1910 stands 22 ft high, 1000 ft long the
  last impediment to fish passage on the

Embrey Dam
mainstem Rappahannock.
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Project History, continued

• Authority - First, comprehensive ecosystem
  restoration project for the Upper Rappahannock
  River Basin under Corps Civil Works Program, then
  Congressionally-directed action solely for dam
  removal.

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Stafford County
Embrey Dam
Interstate 95
Historic Rappahannock Canal
City of Fredericksburg
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Plan Formulation/Alternatives Analysis

• Embrey and Crib Dams--Instantaneous vs.
  Notching/Phased, Full Removal vs. Partial Removal
  
• Sediments--Complete Release vs. Dredging
  (modeling)
• Rappahannock CanalTrench/Pipeline vs. Intake
  System

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Graded Disposal Site
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Selected Plan/Project Elements

• Embrey and Crib Dams--Notching, then Phased, Full
  Removal
• Sediments--Dredging with Upland Disposal
• Rappahannock Canal--Intake System
• Riparian Restoration

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Environmental Analysis

• Impounded Sediments (dredging, disposal,
  incidental release, TOYs)
• Dam Deconstruction (WQ, air emissions, wetlands,
  TE spp, TOYs)
• Intake Construction (canal WQ, flowby req,
  anadromous fish, TOYs)

• Riparian Restoration (spp selection, season,
  monitoring)

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Permitting Considerations

• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
• Virginia Marine Resources Commission
• Stafford County Wetlands Board
• Virginia Department of Conservation and
  Recreation, Dam Safety Office
• Local Land Disturbing Permits

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Cultural Resources

• Embrey Dam
• Crib Dam
• Rappahannock Canal
• Other Elements (Hunters Raceway, Hunters
  Ironworks)

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REAL LIFE
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Disposal Site
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Graded Disposal Site
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Post-Breach Exposed Banks
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Post-Breach Exposed Crib Dam
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Post-Breach
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Challenges/Lessons Learned So Far

• Timing is EVERYTHING!
• Public Information Flow
• Permitting vs. Corps Civil Works Process
• Dredging
• Cultural Resources

• Riparian Restoration/ Adaptive Management
• Coordination
• Partnering

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Web site http//www.nao.usace.army.mil/
Michele.H.Cleland_at_usace.army.mil 757-441-7766