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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. Introduction (Master Plan, and Planning Process)
· Population, Economy and Land Use
· Environment and Natural Resources
. Public Infrastructure and Services
. Growth Management

The Conejos Land Use Plan is an excellent reference document. The description and
plans to manage the environment and local resources is well written. It provides the
reader a good historical perspective of the Conejos County and the San Luis Valley.
The plan also summarizes the information regarding the local economy, employment,
demographics, race/ethnicity, and employment. There are numerous maps contained in
this plan that illustrate important areas in the Alamosa River Watershed and the County
such as:

. Land ownership
. Recreational Areas
. Irrigated agricultural lands
. Local Geology
. Soils
. Slope analysis
· Hydrological Networks and Conservation Districts
. Wildlife habitat
. Fire hazard
. Floodplains
. Domestic Wells
. Public water and sewer

Limited information was found for Rio Grande County as it pertains to the Alamosa River
Watershed. A small portion of the Alamosa River Watershed resides in the Rio Grande
County near the Summitville Mine Area. The most recent Master Plan for Land Use
mentions very little information about land use within the watershed. The out-dated plan
mentions that the Summitville Mine was the largest single employer for the County,
employing 340 people (10).

Figure 2 provide an overview of the land ownership and uses in the Alamosa River
Watershed and the surrounding area. The large majority of the land is owned and
managed by the federal government (52%). The main federal agencies managing these
lands are the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service (Rio
Grande National Forest, San Juan National Forest). Private unincorporated and State of
Colorado ownership comprises 47 percent and 1 percent, respectively (6). National
Forest land encompasses the higher elevations of the watershed in the San Juan
Mountains, while BLM land is located within the foothill areas. Private property
dominates the lower portions of the watershed.

3.4.1 Bureau of Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management is a major federal landowner in the Alamosa River
Watershed (Figure 2). The Alamosa River Watershed comprises 760 acres of the
389,297 acres located in a BLM area called San Luis Area #1. The BLM Land in the
Alamosa River Watershed is given the lowest Management Category (Category C) that

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