Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region

Surface Water Intake Fish Screens and Fish Passage (SWISP) Project

The Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery’s primary point of diversion and water delivery system on Icicle Creek is nearly 80 years old and is reaching or exceeding its operational life. Currently, the intake facility does not comply with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) criteria for anadromous salmonids and can result in entrainment of Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed fish. The 2017 NMFS biological opinion covering LNFH operations requires the LNFH to have a surface water intake and delivery system that complies with NMFS current screening and fish passage criteria for anadromous fish passage facilities in place and operating by May 2023.

Reclamation proposes to rehabilitate, replace, and modernize the LNFH intake and delivery system on Icicle Creek by constructing new intake headworks, installing compliant fish screens, building a roughened channel and fishway that conforms to fish passage guidelines, and replacing/lining the surface water conveyance pipeline to the hatchery.

The purpose of the Surface Water Intake Fish Screens and Fish Passage (SWISP) Project is to minimize take of ESA-listed fish species, provide fish passage that complies with current regulatory criteria, and ensure safe, efficient, and reliable delivery of LNFH’s full surface water rights from Icicle Creek.

Reclamation has published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the SWISP Project. The NOI was published in the Federal Register on April 24, 2020.

From April 24, 2020 to May 26, 2020, the public was given an opportunity to participate in the scoping process and provide input through a web-based virtual meeting room. Additionally, a Q&A video teleconference was held to provide further public participation in the scoping process. The scoping period ended on May 26, 2020. Information about the scoping process can be found on the Scoping page >>

Reclamation has published a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the SWISP Project Draft EIS. The NOA was published in the Federal Register on November 20, 2020. Reclamation provided the Draft EIS for review and public comment from November 20, 2020 to January 4, 2021. During the 45-day comment period the public, Tribes, and agencies were given an opportunity to provide input through a web-based virtual meeting room and during two additional Q&A video teleconferences. Information about the Draft EIS and comment period can be found on the Draft EIS page and Draft EIS Comment Period page >>

On March 26, 2021, Reclamation published a NOA for the SWISP Project Final EIS in the Federal Register. The Final EIS was available for a 30-day review period ending April 26, 2021. Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed the NEPA process for the SWISP Project with the signing and issuance of the joint Record of Decision (ROD) on April 30, 2021. Information about the Final EIS and joint ROD can be found on the Final EIS and ROD page >>

Documents

03/2021	Notice of Availability (NOA) for the SWISP Project Final EIS HTML
11/2020	Notice of Availability (NOA) for the SWISP Project Draft EIS HTML
04/2020	Notice of Intent (NOI) for the SWISP Project EIS HTML
09/2017	NOAA Fisheries 2017 LNFH Spring Chinook Salmon Program Biological Opinion PDF 5.16 mb

Related Websites

Fish and Wildlife Service Leavenworth Fisheries Complex

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery