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<br />CHAPTER 2 <br />ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING PROPOSED ACTION <br /> <br />Summary of Alternatives <br /> <br />Under present conditions, water is diverted from the Gunnison <br />River to meet agricultural, domestic, municipal and industrial, <br />and other needs in the Uncompahgre Valley. As mentioned <br />previously, the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association <br />(UVWUA) and Montrose Partners (referred to as the Sponsors) of <br />the proposed development intend to use a portion of the Gunnison <br />River diversions to generate hydroelectric power. Additional <br />diversions from the Gunnison River during the winter months and <br />to a lesser extent during the irrigation season are proposed. <br /> <br />The purpose of this chapter is to describe the various <br />alternatives for developing Uncompahgre Valley Reclamation <br />Project's (UVRP) hydropower potential. The Sponsors have <br />performed detailed technical and economic analyses for numerous <br />development alternatives which involve various design flow <br />options, different penstock routes, development of the South <br />Canal power potential, and. different locations for the <br />powerplant. <br /> <br />The economically feasible alternatives were given detailed <br />environmental consideration. Alternatives that were not <br />economically feasible were eliminated from detailed environmental <br />study but are discussed in this chapter. The purpose of each <br />alternative is to develop the power potential of discharges as <br />they fall from the Gunnison Tunnel (the Tunnel) to the <br />Uncompahgre River. As such, alternative methods of generating <br />electricity, such as thermal or combustion powerplants, were not <br />considered. <br /> <br />The alternatives involve generating hydroelectric power using <br />flows diverted from the Gunnison River and the elevation <br />difference between the West Portal of the Gunnison Tunnel and the <br />Uncompahgre River in Montrose. A portion of the flows that would <br />be diverted would also be used to meet UVRP irrigation needs; the <br />remaining flows would be diverted solely for power generation. <br /> <br />Alternative A <br /> <br />Alternative A is the no-action alternative and represents the <br />conditions of the affected area without development. It <br />establishes the baseline for evaluating environmental impacts of <br />hydropower development. It also establishes anticipated <br />conditions in the affected areas without development and assumes <br />that irrigation diversions made to the various canals would be <br />made according to historic use. <br />