BOARD02620

• Board Meeting Date: 5/24/1999
• Description: Colorado River Basin Issues - Animas-La Plata Project - Status Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Animas-La Plata Project
Alternatives Under Evaluation in the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

The Federal Register Notice of Intent issued by Reclamation on January 14, 1999 described eight alternatives,
including the proposed action (the Administration Proposal, including both the structural and nonstructural
components), a no-action alternative, four structural (involve construction of a new dam), and two nonstructural
alternatives:

· Administration Proposal

Structural element - an approximate 90,000 af storage reservoir at Ridges Basin,
Animas River pumping plant, etc; and a

Nonstructural element - establish a Tribal water acquisition fund for potential purchase
of approximately 13,000 af/year (depletion) of water

* Administration Proposal with recreational element added, increasing the overall reservoir size to
approximately 120,000 af

. Animas-La Plata Reconciliation Plan (Romer/Schoettler structural alternative)

· Animas River Citizens' Coalition Conceptual Alternative (Romer/Schoettler non-structural alternative)

· 1996 FSFES Alternative

. Administration Proposal with alternative water supply for non-Ute entities

. Citizens Progressive Alliance Proposal (instream leasing of Ute Settlement Agreement water and non-
structural alternatives)

· No Action Alternative

Additional alternatives were suggested by the public at the scoping meetings held in early February, 1999. Another
two alternatives to be considered are:

· Administration Proposal, with a pumping regime consistent with ESA recovery plan on the San Juan
River (approximately 105,000 afstorage)

· Administration Proposal, with a pumping regime consistent with ESA recovery plan, and an inactive pool
for water quality, recreation and fisheries at Ridges Basin (approximately 135,000 af storage)

In addition. upstream gravity structural alternatives [e.g., Howardsville (mainstem), Purgatory (off-stream), Tefl
Diversion (mainstem), Animas Reservoirs (mainstem)), as well as downstream structural alternatives [e.g., Bondad
Diversion (mainstem), Cedar Hill (mainstem)l, all of which have been the subject of previous analysis in earlier
NEPA and Clean Water Act documents, will be reviewed for validity and practicability in light of the revised
project Purpose and Need IHound to have merit, one or more of these structural alternatives may be included in
the list of alternatives to be considered.