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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Supplemental Watershed Plan for the Lower Gunnison Project Area - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Supplemental Watershed Plan for the Lower Gunnison Project Area - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Supplemental Watershed Plan for the Lower Gunnison Project Area Public Scoping Meeting Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver Durango Hotchkiss Idaho www.eroresources.com Introduction This project is
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Funding Programs, Projects and the Colorado River District
Federal funds for irrigation infrastructure improvements: 1) Salinity control funds (US Bureau of Reclamation) 2) US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). For example, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) funds, Watershed Flood Protection (PL-566), EQIP.
Different funding can be ‘leveraged’ For example – outside funding (state funding, ag funding, and NRCS/RCPP) can be used to assist a salinity piping project, where salinity content in the soil is not great enough to receive funding.
The Colorado River District coordinates different funding for the Lower Gunnison Basin, and has contracted with ERO Resources to conduct the analysis for this Supplemental Watershed Plan. This EA will build on robust analysis in the Watershed Plan-EA, completed in 2017.
The scoping period will identify projects throughout the project area, and include them in the Environmental Assessment, depending
- n their
fundability/feasibility. The scoping period is also the time you can comment on issues of concern to the natural
- r human environment.
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Presentation Overview
1. Review the Supplemental Watershed Plan purpose, project areas, scoping and public involvement 2. Review examples of irrigation infrastructure improvements 3. Review potential issues and environmental effects 4. Discuss strategies for minimizing/avoiding impacts 5. Solicit irrigation infrastructure improvement projects 6. Public engagement, involvement and comments
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Supplemental Watershed Plan Purpose and Need
The purpose of improving and modernizing our agricultural infrastructure is to improve the way water is diverted, stored and delivered to crops. Comprehensively, water use efficiency projects can have a watershed level improvement on water quantity and quality, as well to enable increased crop productivity, soil health and better wildlife and fish habitat.
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Map of Project Area
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Placeholder for Crawford map
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Placeholder for Bostwick Park map
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Public Scoping: June 15-July 14
Two purposes:
- 1. Your input will aid our
understanding of issues that may result from the projects, so we can understand how to avoid or minimize the project impacts.
- 2. We are using this scoping process
to “call for projects” within the watershed area to be included in the NEPA analysis.
Under NEPA, federal agencies must consider and disclose effects to both the human and natural environment during the Environmental Assessment (EA) process.
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Process Overview and Discussion
1. Multiple interrelated processes 2. Different federal funding programs for irrigation infrastructure improvements 3. Addressing potential issues with environmental and cultural effects 4. Supplemental Watershed Plan Project timeline 5. We need you for plans, projects and comments
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Supplemental Watershed Plan: A programmatic approach to NEPA compliance
Working to “streamline” project clearance, we are exploring this approach (subject to agency coordination): 1. The Watershed Plan EA/Supplemental EA functions to disclose environmental effects at a “watershed level” 2. The NRCS could “Tier” their funding decision to the EA for smaller/minor projects or project changes; a memo to the NRCS file would document the project decision 3. Future specific projects within the watershed, would still undergo environmental planning and review as required by federal law, but a new EA would not be required. Additional clearance surveys may be needed for specific projects, depending on their location and design, to ensure compliance with federal laws including the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Typical project types
Collectively, these projects form a network of systems within each sub- watershed. Future projects (5 to 10 years out) can be included in this supplemental watershed plan. Reservoir storage improvements. Water storage can regulate pressure and capture water supplies, to optimize water delivery. Gate/diversion structure upgrades. Water flows can be accurately measured, and new control systems can be added, to assist with regulating flows remotely. Piping projects. Conversion of open, unlined, earthen water delivery systems (laterals, canals and ditches) to closed, pressurized pipe, with the addition of monitoring and control systems. SCADA Upgrades. Adding “smart” monitoring and control systems can benefit off-farm, near- farm and on-farm irrigation systems. For example, water delivery in pipes, can be driven by on-farm water demand.
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
C4 Water Storage Project
Completed in 2020
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Effects from small water storage projects
- Impacts within reservoir
footprint; inundation
- Transition from upland to
wetland fringe vegetation
- Visual changes to landscape,
and to historical features and cultural resources
- Construction
disturbance/weed infestations
- Changes to water flows
- Water Conservation benefits
- ther?
Example water storage facility on Oak Mesa
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Needlerock Diversion Gate Improvement
East of Crawford, completed in 2019
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Effects from gate/diversion structure improvements
- Construction impacts within the
vicinity of the structure; timing to avoid impacts to nesting birds and other wildlife
- Change to a historical resource
- Weed infestation
- Potential to change/impact
flows
- Benefits to stream flows
- Updates can provide fish
passage
- Other?
Leroux Creek Diversion northwest of Hotchkiss
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Fire Mountain Canal Salinity Control Piping Project
Completed in 2020
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Effects from Lining/Piping projects
- Construction impacts, noise,
access and staging (scale- dependent)
- Visual changes to landscape
and to alterations to historical features/ cultural resources
- Fringe wetland vegetation
transition to upland vegetation; shrub and tree loss
- Effects to wildlife and birds
- Changes to water flows
- Weed infestations
- Decreased loss due to seepage
- Beneficial effects;
- Other?
Open, unlined earthen ditch near Crawford
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Future SCADA sites
Crawford Water Conservancy District
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
SCADA Projects/effects
Environmental issues (construction disturbances) are expected to be very minor for these projects.
- Effects to historic resources
- Potential to affect wildlife
- Water conservation; labor savings; other?
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Examples of Minimization/Avoidance Measures
Water flows and utility
- Groundwater levels and wastewater
return flows may be affected by infrastructure improvements; related issues can be avoided or managed with engineering solutions; setting expectations for change among shareholders is important.
Soil and Vegetation Disturbance; Weeds
- Disturbed areas can be limited to those
necessary to safely implement the proposed action
- After construction, disturbed areas can
be recontoured and revegetated; weed control can be implemented
Public Safety, Access and Transportation
- Ideally, staging areas close to the project
can be available in order to contain construction traffic
- Access points, staging and schedule can
be coordinated with local towns and counties
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Examples of Minimization/Avoidance Measures
Wildlife, Including Raptors and Migratory Birds
- Timing (winter construction) can prevent
impacts to migratory birds and raptors during the nesting season
- Pre-construction surveys and buffers can
be used to minimize effects to wildlife
Cultural Resources
- Conduct a survey and document
historical features present
- Avoid sensitive sites during access and
construction
- Irrigation features that carry cultural
value due to their history, can be preserved through public interpretation
Other issues include: Air and water quality, visual resources, and socioeconomic effects. Beneficial effects are expected.
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Cultural Resource Impacts
Legacy of the west
- The State Historic Preservation
Office (SHPO) would like to coordinate with the public, to consider how best to preserve history as the features change.
- Mitigation measures will need to
be agreed upon with SHPO; measures that are meaningful to the community would be best! Photos and stories can be captured, and put on a website, for example.
- Let us know if you would like to
be included in the meeting with SHPO.
Photo courtesy of Orval Cotton
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Tentative Project List (Partial) for Lower Gunnison Basin
Area Project name Crawford Grand View Canal lining project (440 feet, + 1.5 mile) Crawford Potential water storage project on the Grand View Canal Crawford Crawford reservoir feeder canal, SCADA measurement and controls North Fork Fire Mountain regulating reservoir, piping and SCADA Bostwick Park Fish Creek Reservoir outlet improvements Bostwick Park Cerro/Montrose Reservoir improvements & regulating use All 3 Areas SCADA Installations throughout
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Planning Phase
Lower Gunnison Supplemental Watershed Plan EA
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com
Call for scoping comments, projects
- Your input regarding projects in each sub-watershed,
will ensure we have described the proposed action. Do we have all the projects included? Do you have a project you’d like to see covered?
- Do you have concerns or issues we should consider
analyzing in the EA?
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Consultants in Natural Resources and the Environment Denver • Durango • Hotchkiss • Idaho www.eroresources.com