Animas-La PLata Project Environmental Impact Statement

CHAPTER 2
DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES
2.1.1.2.2 Industrial Park Water Use
The Southern Ute Indian Reservation lies just south of the City of Durango. The City of Durango is
growing and, as a result, the demand for industrial park space is increasing. The Southern Ute Indian
Tribe owns land in proximity to Durango and may want to lease part of its reservation land for an
industrial park. This would require that water be made available.
2.1.1.2.3 Recreation and Tourism Development Water Use
Both Colorado Ute Tribal reservations are located in a scenic area that is a popular tourism destination.
The proximity of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation to the City of Durango would allow the
Reservation to take advantage of the established flow of tourists and help draw visitors to reservation
facilities. One possibility would be to construct a resort hotel complex, including a golf course and
casino.
The Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, although farther from the Durango tourist area than the Southern Ute
Indian Reservation, is adjacent to Mesa Verde National Park. This presents an opportunity to establish a
Tribal visitor center, with a resort hotel and golf course, to cater to visitors who are drawn by the unique
collection of ancient sites in the area. In addition, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe recently purchased
20,000 acres of land in the La Plata River Basin, providing an opportunity to develop a dude ranch.
2.1.9.2.4 Energy Development Water Use
Both Colorado Ute Tribal reservations lie in the San Juan Basin of southwestern Colorado and
northwestern New Mexico. The San Juan Basin contains large coal, oil, and gas reserves and is the
location of three operating coal mines and many oil and gas wells. The Southem Ute Indian Reservation
is situated over approximately 16 billion tons of Fruitland Formation coal, about 500 million tons of
which lie within 500 feet of the surface. The Ute Mountain Ute Reservation overlies Fruitland
Formation coal deposits as well. Because of the associated economies of scale, approximately
14.4 million tons of coal offer potential for strip mining if combined with adjacent off - reservation
deposits.
The Colorado Ute Tribes' energy resources offer several opportunities for development. Tribal coal
could be mined and shipped off the reservations to fuel power plants. Tribal coal and/or gas could be
burned in on- reservation power plants, and the electricity generated could be transmitted to the regional -
power grid. All of these opportunities would require water. Surface mining requires water for dust
suppression and land reclamation. Coal or gas -fired power plants typically use water for cooling, as
would a coal gasification plant. A coal slurry pipeline would mix pulverized coal with water and pipe the
resulting slurry.
2.1.1.2.5 Livestock and Wildlife Water Use
Both Colorado Ute Tribal reservations contain large areas of rangeland, but the use of this rangeland is
limited by the scarcity of developed water sources. Livestock operators could make more effective use of
the rangeland if additional watering facilities were installed. In addition, using some of their water to
help sustain wildlife is important to the Colorado Ute Tribes. The Colorado Ute Tribes would be
interested in providing watering facilities for wildlife, especially where pipelines could be tied into the
delivery systems established for other uses on the reservations.
2 -7 2.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND