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CHAPTER 2
<br /> DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES
<br /> Tribes may agree to a reallocation of 6,010 acre-feet/year(afy)to the State of Colorado and entities in
<br /> New Mexico. A change of that magnitude in the overall allocation of project water may not be
<br /> significant to the analysis contained herein(other than cost allocation),since a significant amount of the
<br /> expected use of Tribal water would be for regional water needs(e.g., leasing).
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<br /> 1 Actions which would trigger future NEPA compliance activities when future water uses are implemented
<br /> are defined in Sections 2.1.1.1,2.1.1.2, and 2.1.1.4.
<br /> 2.1.1.1 Future Water Uses of the Navajo Nation, ALPWCD and SJWC
<br /> Based on the August 11, 1998 Administration Proposal for Final Implementation of the Colorado Ute
<br /> Water Rights Settlement(Administration Proposal),the Navajo Nation,ALPWCD,and SJWC would
<br /> annually receive 30,680 acre-feet(af)(representing 15,340 afy of depletion)of water from the ALP
<br /> Project. (Refer to the Glossary for a definition of"diversion"and"depletion"as it applies to this
<br /> project.) This represents about one-fourth of the total annual allocations from the ALP Project of
<br /> 111,965 of(57,100 afy depletion).
<br /> As shown in Table 2-1,the Navajo Nation would receive 4,680 afy(2,340 afy depletion)and would use
<br /> it to serve a portion of the M&I requirements of the Shiprock,Cudei,Hogback,Nenahnezad,Upper
<br /> Fruitland, San Juan, and Beclaibito Chapters in the Shiprock,New Mexico area. A new water pipeline,
<br /> the Navajo Nation Municipal Pipeline(NNMP), is proposed for construction to deliver this water to
<br /> these seven Navajo Nation Chapters,replacing the existing pipeline between Farmington and Shiprock.
<br /> The 4,680 afy represents about one-half of the future projected M&I requirements of these chapters,
<br /> based on a 40-year projection. The NEPA evaluation of the proposed NNMP is included as part of this
<br /> FSEIS(see Section 2.5.3).
<br /> The ALPWCD projects growth of M&I water needs in the Durango, Colorado area(Groaning 1994),
<br /> based on continued increases of up to 30,000 to 40,000 people in its service area. Water allocations of
<br /> 5,200 afy(2,600 afy depletions) from the ALP Project would supplement existing water supplies.
<br /> Improvements to pumping plants and water treatment facilities and development of additional storage
<br /> facilities have been evaluated and would likely be required. Development of the Horse Gulch Reservoir
<br /> has been studied by the City of Durango as one specific facility for water storage. Enhancement of water
<br /> delivery infrastructures would also be required to serve new residential,commercial,and industrial
<br /> sectors. Future development of facilities to serve the City of Durango and other ALPWCD M&I water
<br /> users would potentially be the subject of future NEPA com p lianc i
<br /> cf a federal action were involved:-)
<br /> subject
<br /> The SJWC has identified water use needs and projected M&I growth in its service area,including the
<br /> Cities of Aztec,Bloomfield,and Farmington,New Mexico(Cielo 1995). Under the ALP Project
<br /> allocations,the SJWC would receive 20,800 afy(10,400 afy depletion),which would meet a portion of
<br /> its projected water needs. The SJWC currently has a number of permitted diversions from the San Juan
<br /> and Animas Rivers to supply its M&I requirements. ALP Project water would be similarly diverted from
<br /> the Animas and San Juan Rivers,using existing diversion,pumping, and storage facilities. Water could
<br /> also be stored in the Navajo Reservoir for SJWC uses. Future development of facilities to serve the
<br /> Cities of Aztec,Bloomfield, and Farming on and other SJWC water users would potentially be the
<br /> subject of future NEPA compliance,if a federal action were involved:
<br /> r .
<br /> 2-3
<br /> 2.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
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