Animas-La PLata Project Environmental Impact Statement

CHAPTER 2
DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES
were made for the purpose of comparative NEPA analysis, based on reasonable assumptions at this time.
The future water uses described in this FSEIS are non - binding on the Colorado Ute Tribes,_ and the actual
future use of water may vary.
The projections are reasonable and representative of what is likely to occur, as far as current information
allows. Any conveyance of water out of storage via pipeline or other means (e.g., as in the Ridges Basin
Reservoir in Alternative 4, or from Lemon Reservoir in Alternative 6) to the Colorado Ute Tribes, or to
the Navajo Nation, ALPWCD, and/or the SJWC, would be a projected future action. Any acquisition of
land and water rights, or development of a future water use (e.g., construction of housing on the Colorado
Ute Tribal Reservations), would also be considered projected future actions.
Any future actions would be subject to future environmental review, and NEPA compliance would be
required as part of any approval by a federal agency. The following federal actions would serve as
"triggers" for future A comp ce activities. In addition, other federal and state regulatory and
enviro errt�l requirements would have to be met in implementation of future actions (e.g., compliance
with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Clean Water Act (CWA)).
2.1.1.4.1 Conveyance and Use of Water Associated With Structural Components
Most of the ALP Project alternatives include a mechanism for storing water to allow for the assured
supply of water which is a necessary component of an M &I water supply. The range of storage facilities
in the various alternatives include, for example, construction of a new reservoir at Ridges Basin or the
Aztec site, modification and storage of water in Lemon Reservoir or Red Mesa Reservoir, and storage
and reoperation of other existing storage facilities (e.g., Jackson Gulch Reservoir, Navajo Reservoir).
These structural components are defined in this FSEIS.
Since possible future water uses are non - binding, the representative environmental impacts of
conveyance of water from these storage reservoirs to ultimate end uses were assessed to the extent
reasonable and feasible. However, no specific conveyance systems were engineered, nor were any
specific water use impacts (e.g., from construction and operation of new Colorado Ute Tribal housing
areas or expansion of the City of Durango water supply system) identified. As implementation of any or
all of these future water uses is proposed by the various users of the project water, they would be subject
to future NEPA review as part of the following "triggering" federal actions:
Future Non - Binding Water Uses by Colorado Ute Tribes
Several of the alternatives include the construction and operation of a storage reservoir at Ridges Basin
as a structural component. The Colorado Ute Tribes would be provided a specific amount of water in
Ridges Basin Reservoir or at a point on the Animas River where diversions would be made to the
proposed Durango Pumping Plant. As provided in the Settlement. Act, the United States will bear the
annual operation, maintenance, and replacement (OM &R) costs allocable to the Tribes' water allocation
until the water is first used either by a Colorado Ute Tribe or pursuant to a water use contract with the ,
Tribe. Interior anticipates it would use a contracting mechanism to administer the establishment of such
use of water by the Tribes. These "block notices" would provide a description of the quantity of water,
the planned use, and conveyance method along with an assignment of an appropriate amount of OM &R
costs. These specific uses would undergo an appropriate level of environmental compliance on a case -
by -case basis by Interior prior to approval.
2 -11 2.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND