Animas-La PLata Project Environmental Impact Statement

CHAPTER 2
DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES
Future Water Uses by Animas -La Plata Water Conservancy District
The structural components that include Ridges Basin Reservoir and associated Durango Pumping Plant
would include provisions to allow the City of Durango (through the ALPWCD) to pump water from the
Animas River directly into the City's terminal reservoir. The ALP Project's structural components do
not, however, provide the pipeline to connect the pumping plant to the City's existing raw water line that
conveys water to its Terminal Reservoir. The ALP Project also would provide a blind flange or valve
within the outlet works of Ridges Basin Dam for future connection by the City of Durango to obtain
water stored in Ridges Basin Reservoir. The necessary pipeline to connect to this flange or valve to
allow the City to use this stored water would be the City's responsibility.
In either of the above cases, Interior would require the City to provide sufficient design details of its
proposed connection to federal facilities before the connections can be made. This design review and
approval would be the initiating action for subsequent environmental compliance by Interior prior to any
approval.
Future Water Uses by the San Juan Water Commission
The structural component of most of the ALP Project alternatives would provide storage for the SJWC,
but would not provide additional diversion or conveyance facilities within its system. Facilities currently
exist to allow the SJWC users to divert ALP Project water into their systems. Any subsequent
enlargement or extension of the diversions, treatment, or conveyance and delivery pipelines would not
necessarily entail federal involvement if compliance with the Clean Water Act is not required. Any
environmental review associated with such enlargements or extensions would most likely be under the
purview of the State of New Mexico.
Future Water Uses by the Navajo Nation
A structural component of the ALP Project, namely, the Navajo Nation Municipal Pipeline, would
provide storage and a conveyance pipeline for ALP Project water for the Navajo Nation. Any
enlargement or extension of the Navajo Nation's delivery system connected to the NNMP (see Section
2.5.3) would most likely be under the purview of the Navajo Nation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA), and appropriate environmental review would be required prior to approval.
2.1.1.4.2 Conveyance and Use of Water Associated With Non - Structural
Components
Most of the ALP Project alternatives considered include a non - structural component which would
establish a water acquisition fund to allow the Colorado Ute Tribes to purchase land and water rights, or
to develop the economy on their reservations. This FSEIS discusses a range of scenarios involving
acquisition of land and water rights, and the likely projected environmental impacts. The possible uses
of funds from a water acquisition fund by the Colorado Ute -Tribes are non binding. However, there are
triggers involved which would initiate NEPA, the ESA, and other environmental reviews when funds are
used.
A water acquisition fund would likely be a trust account established within Interior. Interior's
procedures would require that any applications by the Colorado Ute Tribes for funds from this account
include a development plan. This plan would discuss what the funds would be used for, how and where
they would be used, and what the potential environmental impacts would be. If the funds would be used
2.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 2 -12