WSP02267

• File Number: 8220.106
• Description: Animas-La Plata
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 1/1/1980
• Title: Correspondence regarding the Final Environmental Statement
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

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DATE:
TO:
FROM:

SUBJeCT:

Bepa ,'tm ent of Lcwa I A Hail's

Colorado Bivisioll of Planlling
Philip II. Schmuck, Director

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Richard D. Lamm. Governor

MEMORANDUM

August 11, 1980

Stephen Ell is, Colorado, Cl eari nghouse
Phi 1 i pH. Schmuck. '" I
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(,lJ Ij 12 198U

Final EIS - Animas-LaPlata Project
#79-140

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The Division of Planning has reviewed the Final Environmental Impact Statement
for the Animas-LaPlata Project and would like to offer some comments on the
content of that document and on the project in general. The Division's com-
ments on this EIS will be limited to those issues raised by the Division in
its comments on the Draft EIS last fall. The comment numbers used in this
review were those used by the Water and Power Resources Service in its
response to Division's earlier comments, as published in the Final Environ-
mental Impact Statement on pages I-80 through I-91.

1. The Division has apparently not expressed in sufficiently clear terms one
of its primary concerns about the proposed project: that a portion of the
project water (1,000 acre feet for "rural users, LaPlata County") will be a
cause of and/or make possible development of very low density rural sub-
division in LaPlata County. This type of land use is discouraged by the
State's development policies, inasmuch as it is inefficient use of land
and very expensive to provide public services and facilities. The Service,
in the DEIS and its response to the Division's earlier comments on this
concern, made two type of responses, neither of which addressed the issue.
One type of response was that "Population distribution given i,l the environ-
mental statement for the future is based on present trends and local planning.
The State should be implementing its pclicies with the local planning
agencies for growth that continues to occur" (page I-89). While it is
true and appropriate that land use planning and decision-making occurs at
a local level, it is undeniable that actions of both State and Federal
agencies form part of that series of constraints and opportunities within
which that local planning activity can take place. The availability of
1,000 acre feet of ~ater for rural domestic users will help to shape the
future of that area and will be one of the facts with which local planning
efforts have to deal. The advance availability of any amenity, whether
water, roads, good schools or even environmental features, tends to attract
development. Recent events in both urban and rural settings have demon-
strated this fact repeatedly. Therefore, provision of such amenities, when
financed by public funds, should only be undertaken when it is good public
policy. It is the policy of the State of Colorado to encourage clustered,
compact development which maximizes the use of existing infrastructure.

.

The second type of response the Service made to the Division's comments
on this issue was that the 1,000 acre feet of water for "rural users,
LaPlata County would only serve about 4,000 people, which is the population
expected by 2020." That population is apparently taken from Table B-1,

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