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<br />Cimarron Dred2in2 Environmental Assessment <br /> <br />CHAPTER 2 . AL TERNA TIVES <br /> <br />This chapter describes the No Action and Proposed Action alternatives for removing material <br />deposited from the tailrace below Morrow Point Dam at its confluence with the Cimarron River. <br />No other allernatives were identified that met the purpose and need. <br /> <br />No Action <br /> <br />Under the No Action Alternative. Reclamation would not remove about 11,000 cubic yards of <br />gravel from the upper end of Crystal Reservoir below the Morrow Point Dam tailrace. The <br />deposited material would continue to create a pool of water from the Cimarron River to Morrow <br />Points Dam's stilling basin. Morrow Point's generator power efficiencies would continue to be <br />reduced. Power efficiency losses are estimared at 1.14%. which represents abour 5.608 megawatt <br />hours (mwh) per year in power generation at a value of about $98,539 per year. <br /> <br />,. <br /> <br />Proposed Action <br /> <br />The Proposed Action would dredge about 11.000 cubic yards of gravel and other materials from <br />the end of Crystal Reservoir below Morrow Point Dam at its confluence with the Cimarron <br />River. The Gunnison River would be returned to its original construction elevation (6,744.3 <br />feet). Dredging activities would begin October 1,2001 and be completed by November 30. <br />200 1. If weather or other circumstances preveIll completion of the dredging project by <br />November 30. 200 I. additional dredging would occur in October and November, 2002. <br /> <br />Dredging would be limited to the river channel from about 200 feet upstream of the Gunnison <br />River's confluence with the Cimarron River to about 1,000 feet below the river's confluence. <br />Reclamation or a contractor would dredge the deposited material using an excavalOr and access <br />the project area using an existing construction road. Dump Trucks would be used to transport the <br />dredged material from the Gunnison River to the paved parking area above and transponed off- <br />site to Colorado Department of Transportation stockyard. Dredged material would be donated to <br />the Colorado Department of Transportation who would use the material on existing road projects. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />The existing construction road from the parking area to the Gunnison River would require minor <br />improvements to accommodate the heavy equipment and dump trucks. <br /> <br />Environmental Commitments <br /> <br />The proposed action includes measures as needed to: <br /> <br />6 <br />