FLOOD10357

• Document ID: 123
• County: Rio Grande
• Stream Name: Alamosa River
• Basin: Rio Grande
• Sub-Basin: Alamosa - Trinchera
• Water Division: 3
• Title: Alamosa River Watershed Project Literature and Watershed Assesment, Final EPA Report
• Date: 9/30/2003
• Prepared For: Valle del Sol Community Center
• Prepared By: US Environmental Protection Agency
• Watershed Pro - Doc Type: Project Report

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Alamosa River Watershed Project
Literature and Watershed Assessment

Final EPA Report

I. Summary

This project is very important to the local NRDA process in the Alamosa River and
watershed. An enormous about of information has been generated on various types of
project performed throughout the Alamosa River Watershed within the past 5 years. It is
very difficult for the public to determine the state of the watershed without compiling and
summarizing technical documents. This document is the first attempt to develop a
research-based report for the public that summarizes technical reports and
environmental regulations. This information will allow the public to understand and
effectively manage the Natural Resource Damage (NRD) funds for future watershed
restoration activities. One of the local watershed challenges is to identify and select
projects that will result in the most improvement to the water resource and to the
community. To use the NRD funds wisely and most efficiently, the local citizens must be
informed and educated on watershed issues that affect their local water resource and
quality of life.

The Alamosa Riverkeeper and the Valle del Sol Community Center believes that this
project is an excellent model for other watersheds that have been impacted by historical
mining operations and which are just starting the NRD process. The approach will help
other watersheds determine and inventory their existing natural resource/water quality
conditions and issues and will help focus discussions on prioritizing areas for restoration.
This information is also a reference for impacted watersheds who need to develop
watershed restoration plans or modify existing watershed management plans.

II. Introduction

This report is being developed under an EPA Environmental Justice grant issued to the
Valle del Sol Community Center (Grant # EQ-98865001-0). This research-based report
provides a literature summary of environmental projects performed in the Alamosa River
Watershed within the past 5 years. The report provides an assessment and discussion
of the important issues facing the watershed based upon the acquired and reviewed
literature

The deterioration of the Alamosa River and the overall Alamosa River Watershed has
had a significant impact to the local community. As a result of the Summitville Mine, six
of the twelve segments in the Alamosa River fail to attain their designated uses and
water quality standards for metals and it is likely that some segments could fail the
narrative standard for sediments. The agricultural community has been impacted by the
corrosive nature of the water affecting irrigation equipment and sediment damaging
irrigation head-gate structures. The Terrace Reservoir owners have been impa(,Led by
the upstream mine by losing storage capacity in the reservoir due to heavy sediment
loading and, corrosion and damage to structural release gates. Irrigation water has