WSP10104 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I ~" <<"~ k":',' .-";.,,., .". ." '"\ .,) t in the form of a reliable water supply to stimulate economic growth. The urban communities of Durango in Colorado and Aztec, Bloomfield, Farming- ton and Shiprock in New Mexico have been growing at a very rapid rate for some time. Durango's growth has primarily stemed from tourism, whereas that of the New Mexico communities has been from industrial development. PLAN FORMULATION During early stages of the Definite Plan investigations, a 45~ember Advisory Team was formed to assist the Bureau of Reclamation in reformulating a project plan that would, within established laws and criteria, best meet local needs and at the same time conform as nearly as possible with national priorities. The team attempted to give equal evaluation to economic and environmental values. Limiting criteria included: (1) a maximum allocated stream depletion of approx- imately 150,000 acre-feet, and (2) inclusion of no project increments that do not fully meet benefit cost and repayment policies established by Congress and the Administration. PROJECT PLAN The project, as now reformulated, would regulate the flows of the Animas and La Plata Rivers for irrigation and municipal uses. It would also provide fish and wildlife measures and recreation facilities. The project provides a full irrigation water supply for 48,600 acres of land and a supplemental supply for 21,500 acres. Of these amounts 14,200 acres are in Ute Indian ownership. Total irrigation diversions would amount to l18,l00 acre- feet annually. An additional 80,100 acre-feet of water would be diverted for municipal and industrial purposes. The following is a breakdown of these uses in average acre- feet per year. Municipal Durango service area La Plata rural area San Juan County, New Mexico Subtotal Industrial (Ute Indian Tribes) Total 8,200 1,000 38,400 47,600 32,500 80,100 ISSUES Indian Involvement The Animas-La Plata Project, together with the Dolores Project, would provide approximately 80,000 acre feet of water to develop all the Ute Indian land and coal resources in those service areas that are economically feaseable. This will, for all practical purposes, solve serious social and economic problems that will other- wise develop as a result of pending Indian water right claims. Agriculture General The Animas-La Plata Project, together with the partially completed Navajo Indian Irrigation Project and the Dolores Project would, when completed, provide a pressurized water supply for about 210,000 acres of land in San Juan Basin. Sprinkler irrigation tends to stimulate greater efficiency in that labor costs -2-