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SUMMARY Draft Supplement To The Final Environmental Statement Closed Basin Division San Luis Valley Project, Colorado I. PURPOSE AND NEED A. Introduction. The Closed Basin Division, San Luis Valley Project, Alamosa and Saguache Counties, COlorado, is a multiple-purpose water resource project designed to deliver pumped ground water from the unconfined aquifer of the Closed Basin to the Rio Grande. Delivery of this salvaged water will assist Colorado in meeting its commitments for water deliveries to New Mexico and Texas under the Rio Grande Compact and will help the United States meet its commit- ments to Mexico under the Rio Grande Convention of 1906. The project is sched- uled for stage development. It is estimated that 66,000 to 104,000 acre-feet can be pumped annually with 100,600 being a reasonable objective. Of this 100,600 acre-feet, 5,300 will be delivered to Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area (WHA) and 95,300 less evaporation and seepage losses will be delivered to the Rio Grande annually. The project will also provide for stabilizing San Luis Lake at about 890 surface acres and recreational facilities at San Luis Lake, along with fish and wildlife enhancement. B. History. The project was authorized for construction by Public Law 92-514, dated October 20, 1972. A final environmental statement (FES 71-14) was filed September 21, 1971. Changes in the project resulted in the prepara- tion of a new environmental statement (ES). The new statement (FES 79-37) was filed August 27, 1979. C. Purpose and need for supplement. At the time of filing of the 1979 statement, specific impacts upon wetlands due to project well pumping drawdowns were not known. Project features required to mitigate adverse project impacts on wetlands could not be determined. The 1979 FES stated that a supplement to the final ES would be prepared prior to beginning Stage 3 construction, and that results of ongoing cultural resources and biological field investigations and mitigation needs would be included in the supplement. This supplement presents updated information on the relationship of ground water level changes and associated wetlands and presents Fiah and Wildlife Service's (FWS) recommended mitigation features which will be included in the project. The mitigation plan contained in House Document 91-369 was authorized by Public Law 92-514 on October 20, 1972. That legislation provided in part for establishing the 13,800-acre Mishak NWR and furnishing 12,500 acre-feet of water a t - , '"?;- ,", '.' , ... t; ...Jtj ,I ",1 I