DR-4308-CA Public Notice 004

FINAL PUBLIC NOTICE: East Side Dike Improvement, Coachella Valley Water District │ HMGP-4308-301-39

 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) intends to provide federal financial assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to the Coachella Valley Water District to improve the East Side Dike. Pursuant to Executive Order 11988 (Floodplain Management) and FEMA’s implementing regulations at Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 9, FEMA hereby provides interested parties with a notice of its final decision and an explanation of the alternatives that were considered.

The project site is in a floodplain. The project area is depicted on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Number 06065C1620G, effective date August 28, 2008. The FIRM shows that the project area lies within Zone A, an area that has a 1-percent probability of flooding every year and where predicted floodwater elevations have not been established.

The Coachella Valley Water District proposes to construct approximately 3,420 lineal feet of concrete slope lining along the northern slope (uphill side) of the East Side Dike from the dike’s intersection with Dune Palms Road southeast to a point adjacent to homes on Montgomery Drive. The temporary work area required during construction is approximately 4,000 feet in length and approximately 175 feet wide, totaling 11.3 acres. Temporarily excavated material would be stored north of the dike within the construction limits. Repairs to the surface of the dike also would be performed to address minor surficial erosion.

The alternatives to completing the action to improve the East Side Dike are taking no action or using different design details and lining materials to accomplish the needed improvements. Under the no action alternative, the dike would remain susceptible to erosion and scour. The alternative improvement approaches that the Coachella Valley Water District considered include riprap, gabions, articulated concrete mat, reinforced concrete, roller compacted concrete, and soil cement. FEMA has determined that the proposed project is the only feasible alternative available to the Coachella Valley Water District; thus, the proposed action must occur in a floodplain. The proposed action would not adversely affect the floodplain and is necessary to prevent damage to this flood protection structure. The Coachella Valley Water District is responsible for implementing and monitoring the proposed action and ensuring that it conforms to federal floodplain standards.

Additional information about FEMA’s proposed action may be obtained by writing the FEMA Region IX Environmental Officer at FEMA, 1111 Broadway, Suite 1200, Oakland, California 94607; fema-rix-ehp-documents@fema.dhs.gov; or calling (510) 627-7027. All requests must be received no later than 15 days after publication of this notice.