Animas-La PLata Project Environmental Impact Statement

Table ES -1
Proposed Water Depletions and Allocations for the ALP Project
Water Recipient
Depletion from the San Juan River Basin (afy)
Southern Ute Indian Tribe
19,980
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe
19,980
Navajo Nation
2,340
Animas -La Plata Water Conservancy District
2,600
San Juan Water Commission
10,400
Subtotal
55,300
Allowance for Reservoir Evaporation
1,800
Total Depletion
57,100
The Navajo Nation, ALPWCD, and SJWC would annually receive a combined total of 30,680 acre -feet
(af) (representing 15,340 afy of depletion) of water from the ALP Project. With a small amount
accounted for by system operational losses, annual water allocations for the Colorado Ute Tribes, Navajo
Nation, ALPWCD, and the SJWC would total 111,965 of (57,100 afy depletion).
The Navajo Nation would receive 4,680 afy (2,340 afy depletion) and would use it to serve a portion of
the M &I requirements of the Shiprock, Cudei, Hogback, Nenahnezad, Upper Fruitland, San Juan, and
Beclaibito Chapters in the Shiprock, New Mexico area. A new water pipeline, the Navajo Nation
Municipal Pipeline (NNMP), is proposed for construction to deliver this water to these seven Navajo
Nation Chapters, replacing the existing pipeline between Farmington and Shiprock. The 4,680 afy
represents about one -half of the future projected M &I requirements of these chapters, based on a 40 -year
projection.
The ALPWCD projects growth of M &I water needs in the Durango, Colorado area (Gronning 1994),
based on the continued increase in population of about 2 percent annually during the 1990s in its service
area, as well as residential, commercial, and industrial growth in outlying areas near Durango. Water
allocations of 5,200 afy (2,600 afy depletions) from the ALP Project would supplement existing water
supplies and would serve this growth. Future development of facilities to serve the City of Durango and
other ALPWCD water users would potentially be the subject of future NEPA compliance.
The SJWC has identified water use needs and projected M &I growth in its service area, including the
Cities of Aztec, Bloomfield, and Farmington, New Mexico (Cielo 1995). Under the ALP Project
allocations, the SJWC would receive 20,800 afy (10,900 afy depletion), which would meet a portion of
its projected water needs. Future development of facilities to serve the Cities of Aztec, Bloomfield, and
Farmington and other SJWC water users would potentially be the subject of future NEPA compliance.
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
On January 4, 1999, Reclamation announced its intent in the Federal Register (Volume 64, No. 1) to
prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to the 1996 Final Supplement to the
Final Environmental Statement (1996 FSFES) for the ALP Project. The new SEIS is intended to
supplement the 1996 FSFES and the 1980 Final Environmental Statement (1980 FES) with the objective
of providing an environmental evaluation to assist Interior and other involved parties in reaching a final
settlement of the water claims of the Colorado Ute Tribes. The SEIS has been prepared to meet the
procedural requirements of NEPA following the regulations established by the Council on Environmental
ES-4