Animas-La PLata Project Environmental Impact Statement

CHAPTER 2
DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES
2.1.1.2 Colorado Ute Tribal Future Water Uses
This section discusses the projections for future M &I' water uses by the Colorado Ute Tribes. These
future uses would be the subject of future NEPA review at the time the uses are determined. Structural
components would be designed to convey water to those uses. Chapter 3, Affected Environment and
Environmental Consequences, discusses the affected environment and potential environmental impacts
associated with these potential future water uses to the extent it is possible to identify them at this time.
Specific engineering, environmental, and cost analysis would be conducted in the future for those future
water uses and conveyances that are proposed for implementation.
The Ute Tribal Water Use Study (Dombusch 1999) (see Technical Appendix 1) identified several non-
binding end uses that could be employed by the Colorado Ute Tribes. This study did not fully allocate all
of the Colorado Ute Tribes' ALP Project water. Further studies (Riley 1999a, Bliesner 1999) projected
regional M &I water uses in the event that the Colorado Ute Tribes elect to lease or sell a portion of their
ALP Project water to other users. The report by Dombusch includes examples for the types of water
uses listed below. These are illustrated on Map 2 -1.
■ Municipal water use
■ Industrial park
■ Recreation and tourism development
■ Energy development
■ Livestock and wildlife water use
■ Regional municipal water supply
2.1.9.2.1 Municipal Wafer Use
Population growth between 1970 and 1990 approached 3 percent per year on both the Southern Ute
Indian and Ute Mountain Ute Reservations. However, more recently, the enrollments of both Tribes
have been increasing approximately 1.3 to 1.5 percent per year. The U.S. Census Bureau (1990a)
anticipates that Colorado's American Indian population will grow at an average annual rate of 1.9 percent
per year through the year 2025 and then decline to 1.1 percent per year by 2065. Based on these growth
rates, the population of the Colorado Ute Tribes is expected to increase from 3,287 in 1998 to
approximately 15,000 by the year 2100.
A housing shortage currently exists on both Colorado Ute Tribe reservations. To satisfy the existing
housing shortage and to accommodate future growth, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe may choose to locate
one 200 -unit housing development in each of three areas, for a total of 600 housing units. One would be
located near Colorado State Highway 172 on Florida Mesa, one in the La Posta area of the Animas River
Basin, and the third in the Red Mesa area of the La Plata River Basin. Correspondingly, the Ute
Mountain Ute Tribe may elect to satisfy the demands for housing on its reservation by constructing a
400 -unit housing development in the southeastern corner of the Colorado portion of the Ute Mountain
Ute Reservation.
' For purposes of this project, M &I refers to water for industries and cities, as well as for livestock and wildlife
uses, recreation, and tourism development.
2.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 2-4