WSP08702

• File Number: 8276.852
• Description: Moapa Valley Unit - Colorado River Salinity Control Program
• State: NV
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 2/17/1993
• Title: Record Of Decision: Colorado River Salinity Control Program for Moapa Valley Unit Clark County Nevada
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Record of Decision

Record of Decis~ - 3
Salinity control~rogram
for Moapa Valley Unit

.

wildlife habitat replacement opportunity will be discussed
with all program participants. SCS will cooperate with the
Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) on enhancing wetlands
on state land since SCS cannot be the owner of easements or
deeds for wildlife property. SCS has discussed the
opportunities for cost sharing with the NDOW on wildlife
habitat improvement on the Overton wildlife Management Area
(OWMA) .

The local salinity Coordinating Committee will be encouraged
to award points in the priority rating system for habitat
replacement as is being done in other salinity control
units.

A public meeting was held August 5, 1992 in Overton, Nevada
to present the draft EIS and answer questions. Over 450
letters were mailed to notify interested parties of the
meeting and of the availability of the draft EIS.

The draft EIS was sent to interested agencies,
organizations, and individuals on July 7, 1992. The Notice
of Availability of the Draft EIS appeared in the Federal
Register on July 17, 1992. The 45-day review period was
over on August 31, 1992. The comment period was not
extended. However, comments received after the end of the
review period were also addressed.

Written comments were received from one Irrigation Company
stockholder, the Nevada Wildlife Federation, Environmental
Protection Agency, Clark County, Nevada Department of
Agriculture, Nevada Division of Natural Heritage, Colorado
River Commission of Nevada, Wyoming state Engineer,
Department of the Interior, Nevada Department of Wildlife,
and the Colorado Water Conservation Board. These comment
letters and the response letters are included as Appendix G
in the Final EIS.

One of the major concerns of several who responded is the
impact of a potential buyout of part of the irrigation
water in Lower Moapa Valley. The Final EIS addresses this
issue as part of Alternative 4, Retiring Land from
Agriculture. An industrial firm is expressing interest in
purchase of at least 500 preferred shares. An analysis was
made of the impacts of 500 shares being sold and exported
out of Moapa Valley. This action would cause a reduction in
irrigated land of about 520 acres. Irrigation efficiencies
remain about the same, but total volumes of deep percolation
and runoff are reduced.

Another concern is the impact of a lower than anticipated
participation rate in the onfarm portion of the project.
This would proportionally reduce the benefits and costs from
the onfarm portion of the study. It would have no impact on
the benefits or costs of the off-farm distribution system.

C (:2663