PURPOSE:   The applicant, Mr. David E. Sandberg, has stated his purpose as to maintain year-round open water for boat and recreational access from the Chena River to private properties adjoining the slough, and to provide a means of egress for resident fish species stranded after the slough becomes inundated with seasonally high water. 

LOCATION:  The project site is located within Section 23, T. 1 S., R. 2 W., Fairbanks Meridian; USGS Quad Map Fairbanks D-2; Latitude 64.8135º N., Longitude 147.8989º W.; Fairbanks North Star Borough, Anchor Subdivision South Slough, 2405 Shanks Mare Road; in Fairbanks, Alaska.

PROPOSED WORK:  The applicant proposes to dredge and remove approximately 16,000 cubic yards (cy) of accumulated sediment and debris below Ordinary High Water (OHW) from approximately 1.2 acres of the southern portion of the existing slough channel within the Anchor Subdivision where it meets the Chena River, a Section 10 Navigable River.  The slough contains low stagnant water from fall to late spring in the area of the project, and hosts canoe and jet prop type vessels during seasonally higher water.  The proposed plan is to dredge an approximately 1,440-feet long by 35-feet wide by 11-feet deep section of the slough channel that would act to improve drainage, as well as alleviate stranded resident fish species.  Excavation operations would take place during seasonally low ground water, and after the native silt/organic layer is frozen. A tracked excavator and end dumps would be used to remove and transport material from the area, and will work within the limits specified in a temporary construction easement.  Excavation work would occur from the north end of the proposed project area to the south end.  Upon the completion of excavation within the slough, the sediment plug and brush where the slough channel meets the Chena River would be removed in an area as small as practicable in order to reduce discharge into the Chena River.  Upon the completion of the dredging, a tracked excavator would be used to compact banks in order to reduce erosion. The applicant would temporarily stockpile removed materials in an upland location, and would be considered property of the subdivision for use as fill and roadway improvements. 

Temporary impacts to approximately 1.2 acres of waters of the United States (U.S.) below OHW would result from the maintenance dredging of sediment from the Anchor Subdivision Slough at the portion of the southerly right-of-way of Shanks Mare Road to the north bank of the Chena River of the Anchor Subdivision.

All work would be performed in accordance with the attached project plans,
sheets 1 – 2, dated May 19, 2017.

All comments should reach this office no later than the expiration date of this Public Notice. Contact Laurel Gale at (907) 474-2166, or by email at Laurel.A.Gale@usace.army.mil if further information is needed concerning this notice.

POA-2017-542, Chena River_PN