WSP10104

• File Number: 8220.106
• Description: Animas-La Plata
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 1/1/1979
• Title: Reasons for Building the Animas-La Plata Project
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

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REASONS FOR BUILDING
THE ANIMAS-LA PLATA PROJECT

INDEX

Area Needs............. ...... ....................... ,.... .... ~....... ............ ....
Plan Formulation........... .......... ........ ......."....,......... It... ..-............

Project Plan.................................................................

Issues........................ ~.........,....................... ~.....,... t...... ~.............

Indian Invol yemen t .. .. . . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. , .. .. .. . .. . .. .. ~ .. ~ ~ .. , .. .. . . . .. . .. .. , , .. .. . .. . .. ~ .. .. .. .. .

Agriculture. . . .. .. -. . .. . . .. . .. .. .. . .. . . . .. . . . . .. .. .. .. ~ .. .. .. . .. . .. . . . .. , .. .. .. . .. " .. ~ . .. . . .. , . .. . ~ .. .. ,
General. . .. .. , .. , . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. , .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. . , .. ! ~ .. .. .. .. ~ . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. , .. . t . . , .. . ~ .. .. . .. .

Potential shift of water to other uses..............,................. ~ ~ . .. . . .. .. ..
Reallocation of water............................ p .. .. .. . . . . . , . . , . , . . . . . . , . . , .. . .. .
Subdivision of agricultural land....................................
Irrigation subsidies................"....."..,...........,. ~......"............
Municipal and industrial uses.... 0....'''........".. 0"........ ..."."..........

General. , . . , . 0 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 , . . . . . . . , . . . . 0 . . . . .. . '. , . . , ' ~ ' . . , , . . . . . . , . . .
Durango service area...""."....."................ t . . . . . !' . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . , . .
Industrial water..."......,. t . . . . . . . . .. t .. . . . . t . . . . . . .. . . . . ,.. t .. . . . . . . . . .. . . .
Energy impacts................,.."................................".."..........

Consumption. . . .. .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . , 0 .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . 0 .. . . '. . . . . . . , .
Production. . . " . . . t . . , . . . . . . . . . . . ., . .. .. . . . . , . .. t . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . , . . t . . . . . .
Environmental impacts.......................... 0.......... t."..."...,..,. . 0...".."
Down.stream boating............. .0......,..... t..".."..................o."
Fish and recreation........."...................."...........,..".... 0".....

Big game,."............................. 0 . . . . . . . . , . , . .. I .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . .. , , .. .

Economic impacts r .. .. .. . . , . .. , .. . .. .. . , .. . , . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . .. .. . .. ,. .. .. . . . ! .. .. " , . .. .. .. . . . .. , , ,
Benefits........,.."..........................,......".....,.,........".....". 0.... t'"''
Repayment". .. " .. . ,. . .. .. . . , . . .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . . . .. . . . .. .. . . .. . . . .. . ,," . , . . , . " . . .. . . . . .. , ~ .
Taxes. .. .. .. .. 0 . . . . .. . . .. .. .. . , . .. .. . . , . . . . . .. . . . . .. .. .. .. .. , . , . ~ .. .. .. , .. .. .. .. . .. . .. , , . .. . . . .. , ,

Population growth.,.......".................................".. t ' . , .. . . .. ! . . .. , . . " . . , 0 .. , ,

St1DJDlB.ry. , .. , . . . . . .. .. . .. .. . . . , . . . . . . , . , , . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. 0 . " . . . . , . , . . .. . . . t . .. ,.

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AREA NEEDS
The agricultural segment of the project area consists of irrigated farms
which now have less than a SO percent average water supply and so called "dry"
farms which are entirely dependent upon the meager precipitation of the semiarid
area. Many inhabitants must resort to hauling domestic water from distant sources~
Under these conditions the farmers and ranchers are, each year, becoming less com-
petitive in producing food and fiber for a highly competitive agricultural market.
The project area has for many years been characterized by high unemployment
and depressed incomes. Unemployment among the Ute Mountain Ute and the Southern
Ute Indian Tribes has been extremely acute. However, these Tribes have sub-
stantial land and coal resources in the service area that need only a catalysis

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