Animas-La PLata Project Environmental Impact Statement

Chapter 2
Development of Alternatives
2.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
This Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement ( FSEIS) has been developed using existing
data to the maximum extent possible. The 1980 Final Environmental Statement (1980 FES) and the 1996
Final Supplement to the Final Environmental Statement (1996 FSFES) for the Animas -La Plata Project
(ALP Project) analyzed in great depth the impacts associated with a project which had depletions three
times those that are now being considered. Depletions associated with the original ALP Project were
primarily for irrigation. Within that previous analysis, considerable information exists regarding impacts
associated with a much smaller project focusing on municipal and industrial (M &I) needs as is now being
proposed.
The objective of this FSEIS is to provide an evaluation of environmental and other critical factors to
assist the Department of the Interior (Interior) and other involved parties in reaching a final settlement of
the water claims of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (Colorado Ute
Tribes). ALP Project water would be used primarily for M &I purposes and would be allocated among
the Colorado Ute Tribes and other designated water users. In order to complete an objective National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis of the Colorado Ute Tribal M &I water uses, which represent
nearly three - fourths of the total project water allocations, projections of potential future M &I water uses
were made for the Colorado Ute Tribes' portion of ALP Project water. Likely sources of water were
identified and a range of potential conveyance options was developed that would transport and/or store
the water from these sources for these projected future uses.
Recognizing the reserved rights doctrine and Tribal sovereignty, the potential future water uses discussed
in this FSEIS are non - binding on the Colorado Ute Tribes, and are intended to provide a range of the
types of uses upon which ALP Project alternatives can be evaluated. Building on these projected non-
binding future water uses, as well as analyses that have been completed for previous NEPA documents, a
broad range of alternatives was developed which incorporated both structural and non - structural
elements.
This chapter describes the alternatives considered, the process by which the alternatives were analyzed,
and the method used to refine alternatives in order to consider whether a particular alternative would
secure an Indian water rights settlement. The adequacy of existing environmental data for each
alternative was evaluated, and additional information gathered as necessary to make a complete analysis
of each of the alternatives at a comparable level of detail. The alternatives were compared to the ALP
Project.purpose and need and their relative environmental impacts and technical and economic factors
were also evaluated.
This chapter presents information on:
❑ Identification of future M &I water needs and uses
❑ Sources of water to meet needs and uses
❑ Overview of alternatives evaluated
2 -1 2.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND