Final FONSI and EA for hot cargo pad on Kirtland AFB - Kirtland Air ...

<strong>Final</strong> <strong>EA</strong> Addressing Construction, Operation, <strong>and</strong> Maintenance of a Hot Cargo Pad
how far strong shaking extends from the quake source. The hazard maps show the levels of horizontal
shaking that have a 2 in 100 chance of being exceeded in a 50-year period. Shaking is expressed as a
percentage of the <strong>for</strong>ce of gravity (percent g) <strong>and</strong> is proportional to the hazard faced by a particular type
of building. In general, little or no damage is expected at values less than 10 percent g, moderate damage
could occur at 10 to 20 percent g, <strong>and</strong> major damage could occur at values greater than 20 percent g. The
region of Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB has a seismic hazard rating of approximately 16 to 20 percent g (USGS 2009).
3.6 Water Resources
3.6.1 Definition of the Resource
Water resources include groundwater, surface water, <strong>and</strong> floodplains. Evaluation of water resources
examines the quantity <strong>and</strong> quality of the resource <strong>and</strong> its dem<strong>and</strong> <strong>for</strong> various purposes. Groundwater
consists of subsurface hydrologic resources. It is an essential resource that functions to recharge surface
water <strong>and</strong> is often used <strong>for</strong> potable water consumption, agricultural irrigation, <strong>and</strong> industrial applications.
Groundwater typically can be described in terms of its depth from the surface, aquifer or well capacity,
water quality, surrounding geologic composition, <strong>and</strong> recharge rate.
Surface water resources generally consist of wetl<strong>and</strong>s, lakes, rivers, <strong>and</strong> streams. Surface water is
important <strong>for</strong> its contributions to the economic, ecological, recreational, <strong>and</strong> human health of a
community or locale. The Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq., as amended) establishes
Federal limits, through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), on the amounts of
specific pollutants that are discharged to surface waters in order to restore <strong>and</strong> maintain the chemical,
physical, <strong>and</strong> biological integrity of the water. The NPDES program regulates the discharge of point (end
of pipe) <strong>and</strong> nonpoint (storm water) sources of water pollution. Section 404 of the CWA regulates the
discharge of dredge or fill material into waters of the United States, which includes wetl<strong>and</strong>s. Waters of
the United States are defined within the CWA, as amended, <strong>and</strong> jurisdiction is addressed by the USEPA
<strong>and</strong> the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). See Section 3.7.1 <strong>for</strong> further details regarding
jurisdiction by these agencies <strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong>s, a subset of waters of the United States.
Storm water is an important component of surface water systems because of its potential to introduce
sediments <strong>and</strong> other contaminants that could degrade surface waters. Proper management of storm water
flows, which can be intensified by high proportions of impervious surfaces associated with buildings,
roads, <strong>and</strong> parking lots, is important to the management of surface water quality <strong>and</strong> natural flow
characteristics. Prolonged increases in storm water volume <strong>and</strong> velocity associated with development <strong>and</strong>
increased impervious surfaces has potential to impact adjacent streams as a result of stream bank erosion
<strong>and</strong> channel widening or down cutting associated with the adjustment of the stream to the change in flow
characteristics. Storm water management systems are typically designed to contain runoff onsite during
construction <strong>and</strong> to maintain predevelopment storm water flow characteristics following development,
through either the application of infiltration or retention practices. Failure to size storm water systems
appropriately to hold or delay conveyance of the largest predicted precipitation event often leads to
downstream flooding <strong>and</strong> the environmental <strong>and</strong> economic damages associated with flooding.
In 2010, the USEPA issued a <strong>Final</strong> Rule <strong>for</strong> the CWA concerning technology-based Effluent Limitations
Guidelines <strong>and</strong> New Source Per<strong>for</strong>mance St<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>for</strong> the Construction <strong>and</strong> Development Point Source
Category. All NPDES storm water permits issued by the USEPA or states must incorporate requirements
established in the <strong>Final</strong> Rule. As of February 1, 2010, all new construction (or demolition) sites that
disturb one or more acres of l<strong>and</strong> are required to meet the non-numeric effluent limitations <strong>and</strong> effective
erosion <strong>and</strong> sedimentation controls must be designed, installed, <strong>and</strong> maintained. These include:
Kirtl<strong>and</strong> AFB, NM January 2011
3-17