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<br />o <br />C-~ <br />c;o <br />C'.' <br /> <br />~~~0) <br /> <br />Summa ry <br /> <br />A. <br /> <br />Need <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) proposes to build, operate, and <br />maintain the Phase A portion of the Tucson Aqueduct, an authorized feature of <br />the 'Central Arizona Project (CAP). The Phase A Tucson Aqueduct would convey <br />water from the terminus of the Salt-Gila Aqueduct (another authorized feature <br />of the CAP now under construction) for a distance of about 40 miles to water <br />users in Pinal and Pima Counties. <br /> <br />Water users in the Tucson Aqueduct area are now dependent upon <br />ground water, This has caused declines in the ground water table of from 200 <br />to 450 feet since 1923. Pumping costs have increased substantially and land <br />subsidence and fissures are damaging agricultural facilities, roads, and <br />utilities. Land surface subsidence of more than 7 feet has occurred over <br />large parts of the Phase A service area since 1952. CAP water will offset the <br />use of some of the declining ground water supplies. <br /> <br />B. Alternatives <br /> <br />The alternatives under consideration in this environmental impact <br />statement range from "no action" and a locally implemented alternative through <br />various canal alinements. <br /> <br />1. No Action - water would not be delivered beyond the terminus of the <br />Salt Gila Aqueduct and the CAP water destined for Pinal and Pima Counties <br />would have to be reallocated. <br /> <br />2. Locally Implemented Alternative - CAP water would be allocated to <br />Pinal and Pima Counties under the assumption that local water users would <br />eventually arrange for their own delivery facilities. <br /> <br />3. Alternative Route 1 - water from the terminus of the Salt-Gila <br />Aqueduct would be pumped over the Picacho Mountains and fed into a gravity <br />flow, concrete-lined canal which extends south to Rillito, <br /> <br />4, Alternative Route 2 (Agency Proposed Action) - water from the <br />terminus of the Salt-Gila Aqueduct would be fed into a concrete-lined canal <br />running south through the western foothills of the Picacho Mountains to a <br />point near Rillito. <br /> <br />5. Alternative Route 3 - the alinement would be similar to <br />Alternative 2. However, this alternative pumps water through a buried <br />pipeline along the western slope of the Picacho Mountains and south along the <br />1-10 highway corridor. <br /> <br />C, Impacts <br /> <br />1, No Action Alternative <br /> <br />Without CAP water, water demands in the Tucson Aqueduct Phase A area <br />would be met by ground water pumping, thereby continuing the problem of <br />