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Project Description and Alternatives <br />The Natural Resources Conservation Service of the US Department of Agricuiture (NRCS) has <br />expanded the Salinity Control Area in Montezuma County to include the Mancos Valley. The <br />NRCS has approved a Salinity Control Project to place individual irrigation ditches in the <br />Mancos Valley into pipelines to reduce seepage and the amount of salt that leaches into the <br />Mancos River. The Project Plan and Environmental Assessment (the Plan) is included in <br />Appendix C. <br />The East Mancos Highline Ditch is included in the Plan and the Company has made application <br />to NRCS for the East Mancos Highline Ditch Pipeline Project on the basis that the NRCS cost <br />share in the Project will be 75% of the total project cost. The benefits to the members of the <br />Company will include: <br />l. eliminate water losses and get all of the water home, <br />2. eliminate cleaning and maintenance of the open ditch, <br />3. a single large pipeline costs much less than several small pipelines for transport of <br />water, <br />4. a 75% cost contribution intended to make the project affordable and spur the water <br />users to organize, agree and make decisions. <br />5. make improvements to the river channel to increase the amount of water reaching the <br />Ditch. <br />6. provide correct measurement and delivery of water to individual water users. <br />7. upgrade the distribution system and produce water pressure to enable better and more <br />cost effective on-farm improvements . <br />Three alternatives were considered by the Members: <br />1. The no-action alternative. <br />2. Individual members construct pipelines to meet their own needs. <br />3. Participate in the NRCS Salinity Control Project. <br />Alternative No. 9 was considered unacceptable because the Members need to improve the <br />Ditch. The Ditch is located on a glacial gravel deposit that sits atop a layer of Mancos shale. <br />Excessive water is being lost to seepage and evaporation. The drought of 2002 illustrated the <br />how poorly the existing structure performs. Although water was diverted from the river during <br />the drought, the water was lost to seepage and evaporation and the Members were unable to <br />raise a hay crop and had no stock water for weeks at a time. The Members also wish to <br />upgrade their on-farm practices for more efficient use of water. <br />Alfernative No. 2 was ruled out because the cost of individual pipeline projects is prohibitive <br />and a single pipeline without a cost subsidy is beyond the ability of the members to repay. <br />Alfernative No. 3 was selected because of the NRCS 75%cost share, the engineering services <br />provided by NRCS and the timing for the Salinity Control Project meets the Members needs. <br />The selected alternative, Alternative No. 3, will include a new diversion structure; <br />approximately 30,385 feet of PVC pipeline, varying in size from 15-in. down to 10-in.; metered <br />� <br />