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I I I I I I I I I I farmers that will be available for improvements to the irrigation projects. This agreement is subject to approval by various committees of the Navajo Nation Council. 8.3 Navajo Operations Environmental Impact Statement IIl"nn. ".. I. .' r" ...... . .. ... . _. _ . _" UJUI\. 1I(1~ I,,;UlIIlIlIllt::U LV Upt::li:1l1UII VI I'H1Vi:1JU uam [0 mimiC me nawral nyorograpn at me ~an Juan Klver. The pattern of the natural hydrograph was defined by the SJRRJP as part of the 7-year study and is a commitment to operate Navajo Reservoir for the benefit of endangered fish in the San Juan River Basin. Navajo Reservoir is the primary control on flows in the San Juan River to its mouth at Lake Powell. The original PNM water contract is included in the baseline of activities on the San Juan River. USBR has initiated the environmental compliance process for Navajo Reservoir operation. I I I I I I I I I Navajo Dam and Reservoir are owned, operated, and maintained by USBR. Navajo Dam is located on the San Juan River approximately 44 miles upstream from Farmington, New Mexico. The Navajo Unit is a storage unit of the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) and is subject to the terms of the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact and the CRSP Acts of 1956 and 1962 authorizing the San Juan-Chama Project and NIlP. Congress has also authorized the diversion of 33,500 AF per year and depletion of 25,500 AF per year from the Navajo Reservoir Supply, as defined in the Federal Contract, to fulfill a portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation water rights settlement. Following completion of the Navajo Unit in 1963, releases of water were focused primarily on providing consistent flows and maintaining a maximum pool in Navajo Reservoir. The operation of the unit to mimic the natural hydrograph by implementing the SJRRJP flow recommendations is intended to suppott recovery of the endangered fish species and to allow water development to continue in the basin. The unit provides water for irrigation, municipal and industrial uses, recreation, hydropower, and fish and wildlife habitat. The unit also provides flood control. In 1991, USBR agreed to prepare an EIS before initiating a permanent change in the operation of the Navajo Unit under the SJRRJP. The USBR plans to complete the EIS before reducing flows below 500 cfs in the future, with the exception of short duration test flows to collect data for assessing impacts. Public scoping meetings were held during November 1999. The draft EIS is scheduled to be released in February 2002 with a final EIS scheduled to be released in July 2002. 8.4 Animas-La Plata Project USBR has been approved to develop a modified ALP in the San Juan River Basin of Colorado and New Mexico. This project would deplete an average of57,100 AF from the basin annually for municipal and industrial uses. Recipients of project water include the Colorado Ute Tribes, Navajo Nation, Animas La Plata Water Conservancy District, La Plata Conservancy District, and the San Juan Water Commission. The Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement was completed in July 2000 and a Record of Decision (ROD) was signed September 25, 2000. Legislation in both the House and Senate has been enacted. On December 21, 2000, the President signed the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 106-554). which includes the "Colorado Ute Settlement Act Amendments of2000". The legislation states that "There is authorized to be appropriated to the Colorado Ute Settlement Fund such funds as are necessary to complete the construction of the facilities described in section 6(a)( I l<A) (which is Ridges Basin, Durango Pumping Plant and the Inlet Conduit) and 15(b) (which is Navajo Nation Municipal Pipeline) within 7 years ofthe date of enactment of this section. Such funds are authorized to be appropriated for each of the first 5 fiscal years beginning with the first full fiscal year following the date of enact men I of this section." 47 001538