WSP11035

• File Number: 8541
• Description: San Luis Valley Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Water Division: 3
• Date: 9/30/1982
• Title: Final Supplement to Final Environmental Statement
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

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vicinity of the individual pump well location; however, the effect will also
occur in areas of very shallow water tables. Replacement of the habitat value
of the 11,098 acres of low-value wildlife habitat can be accomplished through
improvement of the value on about 6,417 acres of land adjacent to and
surrounding nearby wetlands or ponded areas.

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a. Alamosa NWR--The habitat value of 3,485 acres of lands adjacent
to and surrounding the 1,500 acres of high-value wetlands developed with 2,300
acre-feet of water annually will be improved and maintained.

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b. Blanca WHA--About 410 acres of mid- to high-value terrestrial
vegetation and wildlife habitat will be affected by water table drawdown on
Blanca WHA. To offset this effect, about 300 acres of lands adjacent to Blanca
WHA and 102.5 acre-feet of water annually will be provided. Use of the water
provided will result in the development of an additional 110 acres of mid- to
high-value terrestrial habitat.

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c. San Luis Lake--Stabilizing San Luis Lake at about 890 surface
acres will in itself improve the total habitat value on about 880 acres of
terrestrial vegetation and habitat surrounding the lake.

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d. Russell Lakes WMA--The terrestrial vegetation and habitat value
of 1,642 acres surrounding the 2,998 acres of wetlands and wetland habitat will
be improved through sound management by the CDW. No additional waters will be
required to achieve the increase in terrestrial habitat value. Funding for
further development is included in the mitigation plan cost; however, the final
CDW development plan has not been completed.

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C. Waterfowl production and other bird use

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1. Studies. More recent information is now available on waterfowl
occurrence and production in the Closed Basin and San Luis Valley than was
presented in FES 79-37. In general, three fa~tors are critical to waterfowl
production: (1) availability and quantity of water for breeding pairs; (2)
availability of water to sustain brood survival; and (3) quantity and quality of
nesting cover. Items (1) and (2) operate to limit waterfowl production in the
San Luis Valley. Wetland quality and quantity will determine how many of the
species can find nesting places and how many young they can produce.

2. Effects. Waterfowl production in the project area was estimated to
be 13,620 ducks a year. Operation of the project, in relation to the effect on
8,460 acres of existing wetlands, will decrease waterfowl productivity by 3,443
ducks a year.

Total losses in waterfowl production annually will represent 1,033 birds not
being harvested per season and a loss of 594 hunter-days per season. Total
losses of other water bird use on 8,460 wetland acres will be 338,400 use-days
a year per season.

3. Mitigation. The losses of 3,443 ducks per year and 594 hunter-days
per season will be replaced on Alamosa NWR and Blanca WHA with the addition of

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