WSP02761

• File Number: 8141.600.20
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project - Studies - Environmental Studies
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 3/7/1983
• Author: US DoI BoR
• Title: Environmental Assessment Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Ruedi Reservoir Colorado Round 2 Water Sale
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

0354

I. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION

This chapter establishes the overall goal of the Draft Environmenta~

Assessment (EA) which is to disclose the environmental consequences of alter~

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native levels of water sales from Ruedi Reservoir. Section 1.1 reviews the

purpose and need for action based on the current planning and legislation

relevant to the project. Section 1.2 discusses the public issues to be

addressed by the draft EA. Section 1.3 reviews the authorizing legislation

for the Ruedi Dam and Reservoir. This chapter establishes the scope of the

draft EA. The area of interest for this draft EA is shown in Figure 1.1.

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1.1 Purpose and Need

The Bureau of Reclamation anticipates a second round of water sales from

Ruedi Reservoir based on current requests for such sales from municipal and

industrial interests. Sales of water from Ruedi Reservoir meet several objec-

tives of the Operating Principles (OP) for the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project

(House Document No. 130). The primary purpose of Ruedi Reservoir is to fur-

nish water required for the protection of western Colorado water users,

including present water rights and prospective uses of water (paragraph 7,

OP). Receipts from the sale of water from Ruedi Reservoir are applied to pay

for operation and maintenance costs and to reimburse construction costs in

excess of $7.6 million (paragraph 3, OP).

Public recreation on Ruedi Reservoir and the Fryingpan River are also

recognized under the Operating Principles for the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project.

Protection of recreational values on the Fryingpan River (paragraph 10, OP) is

made through a provision of minimum flows below the junction of the Fryingpan

River and Rocky Fork. Also, the lands and surface waters of Ruedi Reservoir

are open for public recreation (paragraph 12, OP).

In order to conduct a second round of water sales, the Bureau will pre-

pare a supplement to the Final EIS on the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project which was

published in 1975. The supplement will address the environmental consequences

associated with alternative operations of Ruedi Reservoir to meet competing

water demands which include industrial (primarily oil shale), municipal deve-

lopment, recreation, wildlife, fisheries and hydropower. The reservoir has a

firm marketable yield of about 70,000 acre-feet based on current hydrologic

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