Laserfiche WebLink
<br />-,'"', r, 8 <br />'/', " <br />iw i.J 'w <br />Recreation <br /> <br />Affected Environment <br /> <br />Pueblo Reservoir is a developed recreation attraction in southeastern Colorado, offering a wide variety <br />of recreational opportunities, Camping, fishing and boating are the primary recreational activities. The <br />general season of use at Pueblo Reservoir is Memorial Day through the weekend after Labor Day, <br />with heaviest use occurring from July 4th thru Labor Day. Uses of the area decrease after Labor Day <br />as campgrounds begin to close and other services end for the season. Fall/winter recreation activities <br />at the reservoir include boating associated with fishing and limited access to camping. <br /> <br />The Rock Canyon Swim Beach (swim beach) is a hea~ily frequented area during summer season <br />holiday weekends and offers such attractions as waterslides and a wading pool. The swim beach is <br />located approximately 3/4 miles downstream of Pueblo Dam just off of the Arkansas River. The West <br />Pueblo Ditch located just below Pueblo Dam diverts the water for swim beach use. <br /> <br />White water rafting on the Arkansas River is a major tourist attraction. Rafting has historically <br />suffered from dramatic fluctuations in river flows, buthas benefited from the recent coordination by <br />the State and Reclamation to regulate summer season flows. <br /> <br />The primary park access road and a bike/pedestrian trail cross the current easement for Pueblo West's <br />24" pipeline and the alignment for the proposed pipeline. <br /> <br />Potential Impacts <br /> <br />No Action Alternative. No modification of the existing riprap diversion structure is anticipated. As a <br />result, no impacts to the West Pueblo Ditch or diversions to the ditch are anticipated. No impacts to <br />the swim beach are expected. <br /> <br />Changes in Pueblo West's water usage are not expected to have any impact on Arkansas River white <br />water rafting, Net river flows are expected to remain similar to recent years due to the expected <br />continued cooperative flow management by the State and Reclamation. <br /> <br />Under no action, no impacts to the bike/pedestrian trail or the park access road are anticipated because <br />no construction would occur. <br /> <br />Construction Alternative. Because of the proximity of the proposed Pueblo West intake structure to <br />the diversion that supplies the swim beach, there is potential for construction and maintenance <br />activities to cause short-term disruption to the flows that supply water to the swim beach. <br /> <br />In addition, there is potential for the design of Pueblo West' s intake structure to have a long-term <br />impact if it impedes diversions to the West Pueblo Ditch which supplies the swim beach with water. <br />(See Hydrology section for related information.) , <br /> <br />14 <br />