Public Meetings October 13 1994 Designation of Critical Habitat for Endangered Colorado River Fish

Home Browse Search

San Juan River Gallup- Navajo Water Supply Project Background: Public Law 92 -199 (December 15, 1971) authorized Reclamation to conduct feasibility studies to provide a water supply for the City of Gallup, NM from the San Juan basin. In 1972, Reclamation completed a reconnaissance report which presented several alternative plans for meeting Gallup's need. In 1975, the Navajo Nation requested that the study be expanded to include municipal- domestic water supplies for various Navajo communities in the eastern portion of the Navajo Nation. Subsequent studies resulted in a 1984 Planning Report /Draft Environmental Impact Statement (PR /DES). As required by Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, formal consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) was carried out. Federally listed threatened and endangered species possibly occurring in the study area were listed as the bald eagle, American peregrine falcon, black- footed ferret, Colorado squawfish, and Mesa Verde cactus. A No Jeopardy opinion for all federally listed species was received on August 6, 1981. A final Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act report was received from the Service in October 1981. The project described in the 1984 PR /DES was not implemented because of changed priorities in the Navajo Nation. A Technical Report on a proposed revision to the project was issued by Reclamation in 1986, but planning did not proceed. Additionally, regional interests prepared two regional water plans (1989 and 1992) under grants from the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission which confirmed the needs and the desirability of transporting water from the San Juan river to the designated communities. More recently, as the result of local sponsors' (Navajo Nation and City of Gallup) initiative, Congress authorized funds from Reclamation's fiscal year 1993 General Investigations budget for a new evaluation of the project. Under the FY 1993 budget allocation Reclamation provided technical and planning support to the sponsors to assist them in an appraisal of the project. Specific technical studies, e.g., environmental, cultural resources, engineering, and economics were completed by cooperative effort of the sponsors, Reclamation, and others. The project currently under consideration would divert approximately 30,000 acre -feet per year of San Juan River water for rural domestic, municipal, and industrial uses in the eastern Navajo Nation, and the cities of Gallup NM and.Window Rock AZ. Reclamation has continued to provide technical and planning assistance through FY 1994. Specifics of the allocation of San Juan River water to serve the Navajo Nation and Gallup remain to be resolved. Water supply presents the most important issue presently facing the project planners. Priority: Low - Middle: While there is no definite timetable, it _.k