Water Supply and Demand Study 1/13/11

Anima4La Plata Water Marketing Supply and Demand Study Section 2
of the nimas at Durango is 574,800 AF. Both the average monthly flows in the Animas River at the
Dura o United States Geological Service (USGS) gage (USGS 093615000) and the by -pass flows at the
DPP r quired by the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) and Record of
Decisi n (ROD) are summarized in the table below.
Month (Averages
from 1897 -2009)
Flow
(cfs)
By -Pass Flow
Requirement (cfs)
January
204
125
February
207
125
March
305
125
April
845
225
May
2,320
225
June
2,800
225
July
1,170
225
August
582
225
September
463
225
October
423
160
November
288
160
December
228
125
The DP has an estimated average annual pumping capacity (per the FSEIS) of 78,100 AF. Per
commu ications with Reclamation, the operation of Lake Nighthorse is dependent on many factors,
includi pumping costs, precipitation and predicted flows in the Animas River. During the first few
years o A -LP Project operations, until the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Tribes and other A -LP
Project ponsors have actually used project water, pumping will only be necessary to replace water lost
to evaporation and seepage. According to the FSEIS, planned releases from Lake Nighthorse back into
the Anir ias River may range from 25 -130 cfs, with an additional 120 cfs of capacity available to the Ute
Tribes for future development.
San Ju n River Basin Recovery Implementation Program (SJRBRIP)
In order or construction of the A -LP Project to proceed, the requirements of the Endangered Species Act
(ESA) he to be addressed in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. In order to achieve
ESA cory pliance federal agencies and A -LP Project Sponsors established the SJRBRIP, a cooperative
Federal tate /Tribal program with the goal of protecting and recovering two Colorado River endangered
fish (Col rado pike minnow and razorback sucker) while allowing water development in the San Juan
River Be in to continue. The operation of Navajo Dam is the primary mechanism to achieve the
SJRBRI flow recommendations to protect the endangered fish and their critical habitat on the San
Juan Riv r. The flow recommendations for the San Juan River range from a minimum of 250 cfs to a
maximu of 5,000 cfs. During extreme droughts, releases from Navajo Reservoir can be lower than
250 cfs match the inflow into the Reservoir.
2 -2
FINAL ALP Re4)rt_1_13_11_1-L.Docx