Northeastern Tributary Reservoirs Land Management Plan

TVA has issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that examines the potential effects of alternative ways of managing its public lands on seven tributary reservoirs in the northeast Tennessee Valley region.  The proposed land plan would address about 5,000 acres of TVA-managed land on Beaver Creek, Clear Creek, Boone, Fort Patrick Henry, South Holston, Watauga, and Wilbur reservoirs.  Under a new plan, land would be allocated into broad categories or “Zones” including Project Operations, Sensitive Resource Management, Natural Resource Conservation, Industrial, Developed Recreation, and Shoreline Access. 

The DEIS considers three alternatives and incorporates TVA’s November 2006 Land Policy and comments received during the public scoping period for the DEIS in 2008.  Each alternative allocates various tracts of TVA-managed land to specific uses.  These allocations are the foundation of land management plans that will support TVA goals, balance competing demands, respond to the needs of our stakeholders, and meet our responsibilities to protect natural and cultural resources. 

One of the alternatives is the No Action Alternative (Alternative A), under which TVA would not prepare a new land management plan and would continue management under current plans or systems (the 1999 Boone Reservoir Land Management Plan and the Forecast System established in 1965 for Fort Patrick Henry, South Holston, Watauga, and Wilbur reservoirs).  Because Beaver Creek and Clear Creek reservoirs were not planned under the Forecast System and do not have a previous land management plan, TVA-managed land on those reservoirs would be subject to existing commitments and land use agreements as well as the TVA Shoreline Management Policy (SMP) and Land Policy. 

Under Alternatives B and C, TVA would adopt new land management plans for individual reservoirs and allocate land to different uses.  Under Alternatives B (Proposed Land Use Alternative) and C (Modified Proposed Land Use Alternative), five reservoir land management plans would be created for the seven northeastern tributary reservoirs.  Under all alternatives, existing land use commitments and agreements would be honored.  The alternatives differ in the allocation of parcels to various land uses, which was determined by factors including the existing land use, suitability and capability for specific uses, presence of sensitive resources, public comments, and other opportunities identified during public scoping.  TVA’s preferred alternative is Alternative C. 

Public Involvement

TVA is accepting comments on the DEIS and reservoir land management plans. Comments may be made online or written comments should be sent to the contact listed below.  Comments must be submitted by November 23, 2009.  A public meeting to accept comments on the plan is scheduled for October 27, 2009 at the Johnson City Power Board Office in Johnson City, Tennessee from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Documents

The documents below may be accessed by clicking on the underlined link. PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader.  Paper or CD ROM copies may be requested from the contacts listed below.

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The DEIS in its entirety may be downloaded by clicking on the link below. The DEIS has also been divided into sections for faster downloading.

Complete Volume I:  Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Includes the complete text of the DEIS.

Volume I:  Summary and Table of Contents
Includes an abstract, a summary of the issues and alternatives considered, the table of contents for the DEIS, abbreviated tables of contents for the land plans, and a table of acronyms and abbreviations.

Volume I:  Chapter 1.  Purpose of and Need for Action
Background information, purpose and need, structure of the DEIS and land plans, the decision, other pertinent environmental reviews and documentation, the scoping process, the public review process, and necessary federal permits, licenses, and consultations.

Volume I:  Chapter 2.  Alternatives Including the Proposed Action
The development of alternatives, property administration, alternatives, comparison of alternatives, impacts summary, the Preferred Alternative.

Volume I:  Chapter 3.  Affected Environment
Overview of the Northeastern Tributary Reservoirs, indentified resources, other issues of concern in the area around the seven tributary reservoirs.

Volume I:  Chapter 4.  Environmental Consequences
Discussion of environmental consequences under the three alternatives for each specified resource.

Volume I:  Chapters 5, 6, and 7.  Supporting Information
Lists of preparers, agencies and individuals receiving copies, literature cited, and glossary.

Volume I:  Appendix A  TVA Land Policy

Volume I:  Appendix B  Scoping Document

Volume I:  Appendix C  Forecast System Designations

Volume I:  Appendix D  Conversion Tables

Volume I:  Appendix E  Supporting Data

Volume I:  Index  Listing of terms and corresponding page number(s) of occurrence

Volume II – Beaver Creek and Clear Creek Reservoir Land Management Plan
TVA-managed public land surrounding Beaver Creek and Clear Creek reservoirs, planning process, regional overview, parcel descriptions, and allocation map. 

Volume III – Boone Reservoir Land Management Plan
TVA-managed public land surrounding Boone Reservoir, planning process, regional overview, parcel descriptions, and allocation map. 

Volume IV – Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir Land Management Plan
TVA-managed public land surrounding Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir, planning process, regional overview, parcel descriptions, and allocation map. 

Volume V – South Holston Reservoir Land Management Plan
TVA-managed public land surrounding South Holston Reservoir, planning process, regional overview, parcel descriptions, and allocation map. 

Volume VI – Watauga and Wilbur Reservoirs Land Management Plan
TVA-managed public land surrounding Watauga and Wilbur reservoirs, planning process, regional overview, parcel descriptions, and allocation map. 

Other Related Documents

View maps of the TVA-managed lands on northeastern tributary reservoirs

Read general information on the Land planning process

For additional information:

To obtain a copy of the DEIS, contact:
Northeastern Tributary Reservoir Land Management Plan
ATTN: Amy Henry
TVA NEPA Resources
400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 11D
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902
Phone:  (865) 632-4045
E-mail:  abhenry@tva.gov

Printed copies of the entire DEIS are available for viewing at most public libraries and courthouses in the Northeastern Tributary Reservoirs area.

For more information, call 800-882-5263, or e-mail tvainfo@tva.gov (attn. Dana Vaughn). In the subject line, type “Northeastern Tributary Reservoirs Land Management Plan DEIS.” Please include your USPS mailing address.