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<br />SUMMARY <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />The Animas-La Plata Project (project), to be located in La Plata and Montezuma Counties in <br />southwestern Colorado and in San Juan County in northwestern New Mexico, was described <br />in a 1979 Definite Plan Report (DPR), in the 1980 Final Environmental Statement (!NT FES <br />80-18) (1980 FES), and in the 1992 Draft Supplement to the Final Environmental Statement <br />(DSFES). The Project as documented in the 1980 FES would divert flows of the Animas, <br />La Plata, and San Juan Rivers for irrigation, municipal, and industrial uses. It would also <br />provide for fish and wildlife preservation, recreation facilities, and a cultural resources <br />program, <br /> <br />The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), in cooperation with the Ute Mountain Ute and <br />Southern Ute Indian Tribes (Tribes), proposes to construct the Animas-La Plata Project in <br />southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico. The Project was authorized by the <br />U. S. Congress for construction as part ofthe Colorado River Basin Project Act of September <br />30, 1968 (Public Law 90-537), Subsequent additional authorization for the construction, <br />operation, and maintenance of the Project is found in Title V of Public Law 90-537 and the <br />Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Act (Settlement Act) of 1988 (public <br />Law 100-585). Also, as stated in the 1996 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, "H. to <br />ensure the timely implementation of the Settlement Act, the Secretary of the Interior is <br />directed to proceed "without delay" with construction of those facilities in conformance with <br />the finaI Biological Opinion for the Animas-La Plata Project, Colorado and New Mexico, <br />dated October 24, 1991." <br /> <br />The Project, as a participating project in the Colorado River Storage Project; permits <br />beneficial uses of part of the stream flows allocated to Colorado and New Mexico by the <br />Colorado River Compact of 1922 and the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact of 1948. <br />These compacts provide for equitable development of water resources in the Colorado River <br />Basin, <br /> <br />PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE PROJECT <br /> <br />The purposes of the Project as described in the authorizing legislation, the DPR, the <br />1980 FES, and the Settlement Act are to provide an assured, long-term water supply capable <br />of meeting identified needs in the Project area. <br /> <br />Further, the underlying needs that would be met by fulfilling this Project purpose include the <br />following: <br /> <br />· Meeting Colorado Ute Tribal water needs as defined in the Settlement Act <br /> <br />12 <br />