USACE to Hold Public Meeting on Sheridan Restoration Plan

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a public meeting on March 23 at the Best Western in Sheridan, WY, to gather input on the proposed plan for restoring degraded aquatic habitat in the vicinity of the existing flood control project that exists along Little Goose Creek, Big Goose Creek and Goose Creek in Sheridan. 

The public meeting, organized in cooperation with the city of Sheridan, will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with a brief presentation at 6:00 p.m. describing the plan followed by an open house, USACE said.

“During the open house, the public will have an opportunity to provide input on the ecosystem restoration plan that includes numerous in-stream and riparian habitat solutions,” said Jeff Greenwald, project manager with the Corps of Engineers.

“The preferred plan consists of in-stream habitat structures in over three miles of the creeks which will improve fishery habitat in a similar fashion to previously constructed projects throughout the city. It also includes realigning a portion of the Goose Creek channel to bring back natural features while maintaining the current levels of protection provided by the flood control project.” 

Background

The project, designed to protect the city from Goose Creek and Little Goose Creek flood discharges, consists of levees, drainage structures, concrete chutes and drop structures, and channel alterations.

Although the flood control project is operating as intended, the ecosystem in the vicinity of the project has become severely degraded.

In September 2014, the Sheridan City Council approved an agreement to partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a feasibility study to evaluate possible ecosystem restoration solutions along the creeks.

The feasibility study is being conducted under Section 1135 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 which allows the Corps to modify existing Corps projects for improvement of the environment.

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