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<br />SUMMARY <br />C 1 Draft <br /> <br />(Xl Final <br /> <br />Environmental Statement <br /> <br />Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region <br /> <br />L Type of action: (X) Administrative <br /> <br />( ) Legislative <br /> <br />2. Description of the proposal: The Dolores Project would be located in Montezuma and Dolores <br />Counties in sout~est Colorado. It would involve the diversion of water from the Dolores to <br />the San Juan River Basin. The project would include McPhee Reservoir on the Dolores River, <br />the smaller Monument Creek and Dawson Draw Reservoirs in the San Juan River Basin, and two <br />major conveyance systems. An average of 126,600 acre-feet of water annually would be devel- <br />oped for the irrigation of 26,300 acres of supplemental service land and 35,360 acres of full <br />service land, for municipal and industrial use, and for fish and wildlife enhancement. Part <br />of the water would be provided for the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation. The project would <br />include recreational facilities and acquisition and development of land for wildlife. Snow- <br />melt floods on the Dolores River would be controlled. A 9-year construction period is antici- <br />pated. <br /> <br />3. Summary of environmental impacts and unavoidable adverse effects: Agricultural production <br />would be increased, as would farm and farm-related incomes. Social conditions and long-term <br />growth trends would be essentially unchanged. Forty-one families in McPhee Reservoir basin <br />would be relocated and would undergo some social adjustments. <br /> <br />Average annual flows in the Dolores River would be reduced by 105,200 acre-feet. Flows in <br />the San Juan River would be increased by about 24,300 acre-feet, resulting in a net decrease <br />of 80,900 acre-feet in the Colorado River. Salinity in the lower Colorado River at Imperial <br />Dam would be increased by an average of 10.1 mg/l from stream depletions and 1.0 mg/l from <br />salt loading. The water quality in the San Juan and Colorado Rivers would not be signifi- <br />cantly affected by increased uses of pesticides and fertilizers. <br /> <br />About l6~ miles of poor fish habitat would be flooded. New trout fisheries would be provided <br />in project reservoirs and in 11 miles of the Dolores River below McPhee Reservoir. About 45 <br />miles of warm water fishery would also be provided in the Dolores River. Also trout fisher- <br />ies would be improved in existing reservoirs and in streams above McPhee Reservoir. Wildlife <br />habitat would be reduced by the inundation of about 4,850 acres, the use of 670 acres for <br />project structures, and the conversion of 7,500 acres of uncultivated land to irrigation. <br />These losses would be largely compensated for by acquisition and development of land for <br />wildlife management and plantings along canals. <br /> <br />Opportunities for white-water boating in the Dolores River would be decreased, but additional <br />opportunities for other types of recreation would be provided along the river and at project <br />reservoirs. The river's appeal as a wild and scenic river would be increased. <br /> <br />The natural setting would be intruded upon by man-made structures and some exposed foreshores. <br />Most material sources would be inundated. About 215 archaeological sites would be disturbed. <br /> <br />4. Alternatives considered: <br />1. Four modifications of plan. <br />2. Four alternative uses of water. <br />3. Nondevelopment. <br /> <br />5. List of entities from whom comments have been requested or received: See list on next page. <br /> <br />6. Date made available to C.E.Q. and the public: <br />Draft statement: November 4, 1976 <br />Final statement: MAY If J!i11 <br />