Northeastern Tributary Reservoirs Land Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement: Volume VI. Wilbur and Watauga Reservoirs

摘要

The Wilbur and Watauga Reservoirs Land Management Plan is a study of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)-managed public land surrounding Wilbur and Watauga reservoirs. It is one of five reservoir land management plans (RLMPs) associated with an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the northeastern tributary reservoirs (NTRs). The EIS, Volume I, contains information on the scoping process, allocation process, alternatives, comparison of the alternatives, and analysis of impacts. In addition, the EIS contains a summary, an index, and appendices. This document provides background information about TVA land management throughout its history and specifically TVA management of public land surrounding Wilbur and Watauga reservoirs. It explains the purpose of this RLMP and describes the process used in its development. The RLMP includes the planning process, which lists the objectives around which the RLMP was developed and a summary of the allocation process. The Wilbur and Watauga Reservoirs Regional Overview describes the natural and social development of the reservoir and the surrounding area. The Parcel Descriptions include total acreage and parcel descriptions documenting land management allocations.The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) proposes to develop a Northeastern Tributary Reservoirs (NTRs) Land Management Plan to guide land use decisions on TVA reservoir lands located along seven tributary reservoirs in the northeast Valley region (approximately 5,000 acres): Beaver Creek, Clear Creek, Boone, Fort Patrick Henry, South Holston, Watauga, and Wilbur reservoirs. The goal of the reservoir land planning effort is to provide a clear vision of how TVA will manage its public lands and identify lands for specific uses. This process relies heavily on public input regarding land uses and on how these lands should be managed for future uses. This land plan considers three alternatives and incorporates TVAs 2006 Land Policy. The alternatives include a No Action Alternative (Alternative A) to continue use of the 1965 Forecast System designations on Fort Patrick Henry, South Holston, Watauga, and Wilbur reservoirs and use of the 1999 Boone Reservoir Land Management Plan. Under the No Action Alternative, Beaver Creek and Clear Creek reservoirs, which were never subject to the Forecast System or more recent land planning procedures, would remain unplanned. The other alternatives considered are a Proposed Land Use Alternative (Alternative B) and a Modified Proposed Land Use Alternative (Alternative C). TVAs preferred alternative is Alternative C.