WSP11307

• File Number: 8200.300.10.A
• Description: Colorado River Basin Legislation/Law - Interstate Water Transfers
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 12/1/1997
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Draft: Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Proposed Rule Making for Offstream Storage of Colorado River Water and Interstate Redemption of Storage Credits in the Lower Division States
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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Riparian vegetation around Lakes Mead, Mohave, and Havasu is extremely restricted because of
the desert terrain that extends directly to the waters edge, In addition, operations of these
reservoirs are expected to be the same under the Preferred Alternative as under the No Action
Alternative, Because of this, there would be little if any impact on riparian vegetation because of
fluctuations of reservoirs or riverine reaches of the Colorado River mainstream as a result of
operations under the proposed rule.

D. Human Environment

1. Indian Trust Assets

U.S, Department of the Interior policy (Secretary of the Interior Order 3175) requires that actions
under NEP A consider potential effects on Indian trust assets (IT As). Reclamation policy is that
it will carry out its activities in a manner which protects IT As and avoids adverse impacts when
possible, IT As are legal interests in property held in trust by the Federal Government for the
benefit ofIndian tribes or individuals, Lands, mineral rights, hunting and fishing rights, and
water rights are common examples oftrust assets,

Preferred Alternative

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Implementation of the Preferred Altemative has the potential to impact IT As in the following
circumstances. Tribal lands located near existing underground storage facilities may benefit from
higher groundwater levels associated with the direct or indirect groundwater recharge
contemplated by this rule, Higher groundwater levels may result from direct storage, with the
importation and storage of Colorado River water in underground storage facilities, or from
indirect storage, with the use of Colorado River water in lieu of the pumping of groundwater,
Benefits to IT As from such storage are expected to be temporary because the stored Colorado
River water is expected to be pumped and used in the near future when the storage credits
associated with that water are redeemed. In the event that the environmental analysis of a
particular interstate storage agreement were to demonstrate the potential for impacts to IT As, as
for example, concerns about the methodology for developing storage credits and redeeming
credits for stored water, these would be considered by the Secretary under the proposed rule in
deciding whether or not to approve the agreement.

The focus in the Preferred Alternative is on the use of State-authorized entities, including water
banks, as a vehicle for authorizing interstate storage and banking of Colorado River Water. The
Department believes that the interstate water storage and redemption permitted by these rules
can be implemented without compromising its responsibilities toward, and in fact may lead to
benefits for, the Tribes, The Department's proposed reliance on State-authorized entities is
predicated, in part, on its expectation that these entities will be operated in a fashion that
provides an opportunity for Indian Tribes to participate in storage or similar activities, In this
regard the Department notes that the State of Arizona is examining "mechanisms that will enable

LC Region DEAl I

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12/97