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<br />.. <br />D"'~5~;J <br />Executive Summary <br /> <br />ES-2 <br /> <br />Description of the Proposed Action <br /> <br />The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association and Montrose Partners Uointly <br />referred to as the "Sponsors") propose to design, construct, and operate a 37-42-megawatt <br />(MW) hydroelectric facility on the Uncompahgre River in Montrose, Colorado, The <br />facility would utilize existing features of the Uncompahgre Valley Reclamation Project <br />(UVRP). These features include the South Canal and AB Lateral, which would be part of <br />the flow conveyance system. Both of these features would be modified to accommodate <br />increased flows. The Sponsors would construct a new penstock from its intake at the AB <br />Lateral to the proposed plant site in Montrose, a distance of almost 7 miles. A tailrace <br />canal would be constructed from the plant to the Uncompahgre River. <br /> <br />Water for the proposed project would be derived from existing diversions now made <br />from the Gunnison River at the Gunnison Tunnel. The purpose of the existing diversions <br />is inigation; this purpose would not be compromised by development of the proposed <br />project. Diversions would be supplemented with additional water from the Gunnison <br />River, subject to availability. The additional diversions would be returned to the <br />Gunnison River at its confluence with the Uncompahgre River in Delta. During the <br />winter, the Tunnel is currently used to meet only small water supply needs. The AB <br />Lateral project alternatives would, subject to guaranteed minimum streamflows in the <br />Gunnison River, senior water rights, and other environmental commitments, divert <br />between 750 and 950 cubic feet per second (cfs) of flows for power purposes. This water <br />would then be returned to the Gunnison River in Delta. <br /> <br />Power from the new powerhouse substation would be transmitted through a new 115- <br />kilovolt (kV) transmission line, The proposed line could feed power either direction <br />(north or south) increasing local reliability. Total length of the new line is approximately <br />4 miles. <br /> <br />Environmental commitments under the proposed action include: <br /> <br />. protection of instream flows and inigation supplies <br />. acquisition of lands to protect threatened and endangered plant species <br />. development of big game escapes in the enlarged AB Lateral <br />. protection and monitoring of riverbanks along the Uncompahgre River downstream <br />from the project <br />. restoration of areas disturbed during construction <br />. mitigation of wetlands lost or disturbed as a result of construction or operation, <br />including acquisition and development of lands for wetland replacement <br /> <br />Actions by other Governmental Agencies <br /> <br />The proposed action will require the use of existing features owned by the government, <br />including the Gunnison Tunnel, the South Canal, and the AB Lateral. Use of these <br />features by the Sponsors requires a Lease of Power Privilege and a water service contract <br /> <br />AS Lateral Hydropower Project <br /> <br />July 2000 <br /> <br />