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<br />. <br />, <br /> <br />Alternatives for ALP lrril!ators: While it may not be possible to find replacement water <br />supplies for many of the irrigators hoping to benefit from the ALP, solution may exist for some of <br />them through joint participation in the concepts discussed above under "Wet Water for Specific <br />Tribal Needs." However, it must be recognized that the Reasonable and Prudent Alternative of <br />the ALP, which is the only ALP alternative presently authorized, has no irrigation component any <br />way. <br /> <br />Alternatives for the Ute Mountain Tribe and Joint Possibilities: <br /> <br />. Development ofa new 4,000 - 5,000 acre-foot reservoir or expansion of an existing reservoir <br />on the Mancos River system designed to restore habitat and furnish recreational opportunities <br />and related economic development for the Ute Mountain Tribe in the lower Mancos River. <br />The Mancos riparian lands are historic tribal lands which have potential for recreation <br />development. There are two potential sources of this water: I) willing sellers on the Mancos, <br />and 2) Dolores Project water rights or non-federal Dolores River water, which could be <br />delivered by gravity flow from the adjacent Dolores drainage by slightly raising the existing <br />dam at Summit Reservoir. <br /> <br />. Additional irrigation supplies could be made available to Ute Mountain lands by the purchase <br />of Dolores Project water or purchase of non federal Dolores River water for delivery through <br />existing facilities. The Inspector General reported in March of 1994, that as much as 10,300 <br />acre-feet of unused Dolores Project water could be used to meet other purposes, including <br />Indian water rights. <br /> <br />. As is the case for our Tribe, no assessment has ever been made of the potential to use aquifers <br />under Ute Mountain Ute Tribal lands as storage facilities. <br /> <br />. Opportunities exist on both Colorado Ute reservations to enhance recreation and tourism <br />facilities using local groundwater supplies and existing surface water rights. This concept <br />does not envision the Tribes' waiver of any existing rights in exchange for groundwater they <br />already own. Rather, it envisions making technical and financial resources available to access <br />groundwater resources, the development of which the Tribes might otherwise forego, <br /> <br />. Opportunities exist for both Tribes to upgrade existing domestic supplies by providing treatment, <br />storage and transmission systems to serve present and projected users. <br /> <br />1/ 9/95 <br /> <br />5 <br />