WSP08026

• File Number: 8220.106
• Description: Animas-La Plata
• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 1/1/1992
• Title: Correspondence regarding the Draft Supplement to the 1980 Final Environmental Statement
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

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BUREAU OF RECLAMATION WILL SUPPLEMENT
1980 FINAL ENVIROffi1ENTAL STATEMENT
FOR ANIMAS-LA PLATA PROJECT

The Bureau of Reclamation has decided to supplement the 1980 final
Environmental Statement (FES) for the Animas-La Plata Project.
Reclamation's Upper Colorado Regional Director Roland Robison said,
"The supplement will build upon the FES and will adopt and
incorporate by reference environmental analyses from that
document." Robison went on to say, "The Supplemental Final
Environmental Statement (SFES) will evaluate new and updated
information available since the 1980 document."

Three major areas will be addressed in the SFES.

1. Analysis of project lands for any potential toxic or hazardous
irrigation return flow.

2. New and updated information that has become available since
1980, including information on endangered species, wetlands, and
refinements to project features.

3. The SFES will include a Clean Water Act Section 404 (b) (1)
analysis of specific project features not included in the original
404 (b) (1) analysis attached to the 1980 FES. Those features
include Ridges Basin Dam, Southern Ute Dam, the City of Durango
pipeline crossing the Animas River, the Dry Side Canal siphon
crossing the La Plata River, 11 crossings of the La Plata River by
the project's pipeline distribution system and other river
crossings and channel changes.

Classification of project lands and soil surveys were completed for
the 1980 document. Later studies of soil characteristics which
might result in toxic or hazardous irrigation return flows from
project lands will be included in the SFES.

Information that has become available since the 1980 FES related
to endangered species wetlands, recreation on the Animas River,
water quality, eligibility of a portion of the San Juan River for
inclusion in the Wild and Scenic River system, cultural resources,
and Implementation of project mitigation measures will be analyzed
in the SFES.

The supplement will address project refinements including: phasing
of construction as provided for in the 1986 Cost Sharing Agreement
and the 1988 Colorado ute Indian Water Rights Final Settlement
Agreement and changes in locations of construction access roads,
water conveyance facilities, utility relocations and locations of
borrow, and spoil areas.

Public hearings will be held during the 60-day review period that
the draft SFES is available for public review and comment in mid-
November 1992. Present schedules call for the final SFES to be