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i . 3/91 ANIMAS-LA PLATA PROJECT Project Setting The Animas-La Plata Project is a mulitiple-purpose water resources development project designed to serve many of the water needs of southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico. The Definite Plan Report for the project was published in September 1979. The Final Environmental Statement was filed with the Environmental Protection Agency on July 1, 1980. The Animas-La Plata Project takes its name from two major rivers flowing southward from the San Juan Mountains in Colorado into New Mexico. The project area includes the communities of Durango, Colorado; Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfield, and Shiprock, New Mexico. The project has been dreamed about by local citizens for many years. The project has undergone various stages of detailed planning, and over the years, a number of changes have been made. These changes were the result of close coordination and negotiation with federal, state, county and local agencies, project beneficiaries, and special interest groups. Authorization On September 30, 1968, the project was authorized by Congress as part of the Colorado River Basin Act. The project will be constructed in two phases in accordance with the Cost Sharing Agreement of June 30, 1986, between the project beneficiaries and the Federal government. The December 10, 1986 Indian Yater Rights Settlement Act defined and divided equitably, Indian and non-Indian water rights. Project Features The Animas River is the main source of water for this project. Yater will be pumped from the river during periods of excess flows and stored in Ridges Basin Reservoir. To maintain downstream water uses and river aquatic habitat, predetermined river flows have been established below where the pumping operation will stop and the river will continue to flow naturally. The Durango Pumping Plant will divert water through an inlet channel rather than an on-stream diversion dam to allow safer river recreation use. From the pumping plant, water will be carried into the reservoir through the Ridges Basin Inlet Conduit. The pumping plant will also pressurize the Durango municipal and industrial pipeline for water deliveries to the Durango water system.