PUBLIC INVITED TO DISCUSS FUTURE CONSTRUCTION OF LOST GROVE LAKE The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m., Jan. 28, at North Scott High School, 200 S. 1st Street, in Eldridge. The purpose of the meeting is to inform the public of the DNR plan and schedule to construct a lake at Lost Grove Lake area, Scott County Iowa. As part of the public meeting and in cooperation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service), the DNR is seeking public comments on its proposed plan. Commencing January 28, 2004 the DNR shall receive comments for a 30 day scoping period for the purpose of developing a project Environmental Assessment (EA). The completion of an EA is necessary in order for the Service to meet its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The NEPA requires the draft EA to consider at least two "Action" Alternatives and a "No Action" Alternative. The DNR is seeking comments regarding issues that should be addressed in the EA or additional alternatives that should be considered. The project's "Proposed Alternative" is to construct a 350 acre reservoir which will be approximately 3 miles long. Public access to the lake will include the development of three boat launch sites and eight shore fishing areas. Dam and facility construction is planned to commence by early 2005 and be completed in 2006. It is anticipated to take the lake two years to completely fill. Under the "No Action" Alternative, no lake would be completed and public land would be left in its present condition. The DNR began purchasing land at the Lost Grove Lake site in 1988 and currently holds title to 1,682 acres. The DNR has taken initial steps to identify possible adverse project impacts. These steps include conducting field investigation for threatened and endangered species, wetland determination in the proposed lake basin and to identify archaeological resources. A field investigation found no threatened or endangered species present. A wetland determination by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) found no wetlands present. The NRCS is also developing a watershed land use plan in efforts to minimize soil and nutrient delivery to the lake. The DNR proposes to raise the elevation of 220th Avenue for public transportation. Utility companies have been contacted for the need to move or modify gas and electrical lines traversing under or over the lake basin. The "Proposed Alternative" (PA) is also being reviewed under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. This alternative may effect all land in public ownership (1,682 acres) and have the greatest effect to 450 acres. The effected area includes inundating the 350 acre lake basin and earth moving activities associated with borrow areas, road developments, boat launching sites, shore fishing areas and fish habitat areas. Archeological investigations were conducted on the entire Lost Grove Lake area with emphasis on the most impacted areas related to lake inundation and earthmoving. Initial investigation identified 21 unreported archeological sites and one find spot and evaluated 3 farmsteads sites. Further work was conducted on a prehistoric archeological site thought to be potentially eligible for National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Study conclusions recommend that none of the evaluated sites were eligible for the NRHP. The public is requested to inform the DNR about archeological sites, buildings and structures, historic places, cemeteries, and traditional uses of the area that could influence decisions about the proposed project. Written comments on the proposed plan are welcome and can be submitted to Martin Konrad by traditional mail to: Department of Natural Resources, 502 East 9th Street, Wallace State Office Building, Des Moines, IA 50319; or via fax (515-281-6794); or e-mail at: [log in to unmask] Comments shall be received by February 27, 2004. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]