The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) has received a request from Martin West Development LLC for State 401 water quality certification of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Nationwide Permit #29, for the discharge of dredged or fill material to laterals of the Little Granite Creek and Van Winkel Ditches, adjacent wetlands, and a nearby artificial pond near Wilson, Wyoming. This residential development project consists of four components: construction of a private road bridge across a lateral of the Van Winkle Ditch, filling and reclaiming an existing artificial pond, constructing a new off-channel closed groundwater-fed pond with an approximate 100-foot artificial channel connection to an existing off-channel pond, and rerouting of an approximate 500-foot segment of a lateral of the Little Granite Creek Ditch to an existing artificial drainage that will maintain water conveyance to a lateral of the Van Winkle Ditch. This rerouted ditch segment will match the design of the existing Little Granite Creek Ditch lateral. All waters within the Fish Creek watershed near Wilson, Wyoming are designated Class 1 waters where point source discharges are prohibited except for storm water and construction-related discharges. This certification will require meeting the provisions in Chapter 1, Section 7(b) of the WDEQ Water Quality Rules and Regulations, which allows these discharges under certain circumstances. To implement the proposed project, approximately 240 cubic yards (CY) of topsoil and earthen material will be excavated followed by the placement of approximately 70 CY earthen material and imported gravels and boulders. The project is expected to permanently impact 0.22 acre of wetland of which will be replaced with an equal acreage of new wetland on-site. Ditch construction activities will occur in the dry and best management practices will be implemented to prevent sediment entry into the main Van Winkle Ditch which receives all drainage from the project area.
Requests for information about the proposed water quality certification should be directed to Eric Hargett by email ([email protected]) or phone (307-777-6701). Written comments must be addressed to Eric Hargett, Wyoming DEQ/WQD, 200 W. 17th Street ? 4TH floor, Cheyenne, WY, 82002, and be postmarked on or before 5:00 p.m. on May 1, 2024, to be considered. Electronic comments may only be submitted through and accepted by the Wyoming DEQ comment portal provided at http://wq.wyomingdeq.commentinput.com/. Phone comments will not be accepted.
Para espa?ol, visite deq.wyoming.gov. Americans with Disabilities Act: special assistance or alternative formats will be made available upon request for individuals with disabilities. Please provide at least fourteen (14) days before the close of public comment period for such requests.
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