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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT EMERGENCY RIVERBANK PROTECTION ST. JOSEPH RIVER SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Abstract The U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, proposes riverbank protection at three sites along the St. Joseph River within the City of South Bend, Indiana. The sites include the east shore of Leeper Park Island and, about '/2 -mile downstream, a reach along North Shore Drive and a stonnwater outfall on the opposite bank. Severe erosion threatens public facilities at these three sites. The proposed action is to protect all three sites with riprap stone. Upper riverbank trees at the North Shore Drive site would be preserved by using a bio -engineered erosion control turf mat instead of riprap along the upper bank. At Leeper Park, parts of a stone wall destroyed by erosion would be rebuilt. Alternative protection methods and the No Action alternative also are considered. Environmental review of the proposed riverbank protection project indicates that it would not result in significant adverse environmental effects. Nor would it be expected to result in any significant cumulative or long-term adverse environmental effects. Adverse effects would be minor, including short-term noise and air emissions from equipment operation, temporary local traffic diversions, temporary turbidity from construction, localized displacement of fish and wildlife, localized clearing of vegetation, and destruction of bottom -dwelling organisms in the immediate work area. The proposed riverbank protection would protect against erosion undermining public facilities and would result in a reduction of erosion -induced turbidity and sedimentation. Also the riprap stone would provide in -water aquatic habitat along the toe of the slope and upland small mammal habitat. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, proposes to construct riverbank protection at three sites along the St. Joseph River in the City of South Bend, Indiana (Figure 1, Attachment A, Page A-1). The City of South Bend is in north -central Indiana, about five miles south from the Michigan border. The St. Joseph River flows approximately 8%z miles through South Bend, then about 35 miles farther to Lake Michigan in southwest Michigan. This riverbank protection proposal -is in response to a request by the City of South Bend for an emergency riverbank and riverbank protection investigation under Section 14 of the Flood Control Act of 1946. 1.2 The Proicct Sites: The sites include the cast shore of Leeper Park Island (Figure 2, Attaci ment A; Page A-2) and; about'2-mile downstream, a reach along North Shore Drive and along a stormwater outfall on the opposite bank (Figure 3, Attachment A, Page A-3). The -I-