Environmental Assessment
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Environmental Assessment Transfer of 1,481 Acre-Feet Annually of CAP Water Entitlement from the Flowing Wells Irrigation District to the Town of Marana Utilities Department Pima County, Arizona U. S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Phoenix Area Office Glendale, Arizona August 2009 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TRANSFER OF 1,481 ACRE-FEET ANNUALLY OF CAP WATER ENTITLEMENT FROM THE FLOWING WELLS IRRIGATION DISTRICT TO THE TOWN OF MARANA UTILITIES DEPARTMENT Prepared For: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation On Behalf of: Town of Marana Utilities Department Prepared By: WestLand Resources, Inc. 4001 E. Paradise Falls Drive Tucson, AZ 85712 Interior and Reclamation Mission Statements The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation’s natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and our commitments to island communities. The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. August 2009 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ADWR Arizona Department of Water Resources AF acre-feet AFA acre-feet/annually AGFD Arizona Game and Fish Department AMA Active Management Area AWS Assured Water Supply BE Biological Evaluation CAGRD Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District CAP Central Arizona Project CAWCD Central Arizona Water Conservation District CAWS Certificate of Assured Water Supply CFR Code of Federal Regulations cfs cubic feet per second CMID Cortaro Marana Irrigation District CRBPA Colorado River Basin Project Act CWA Clean Water Act DAWS Designation of Assured Water Supply EA Environmental Assessment ESA Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended FR Federal Register FWCA Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act FWID Flowing Wells Irrigation District GIS Geographic Information System HCP Habitat Conservation Plan HDMS Heritage Database Management System ITA Indian Trust Asset Listed species species listed as federally threatened or endangered under the ESA LSCRP Lower Santa Cruz Recharge Project M&I municipal and industrial mafa million acre-feet annually NIA non-Indian Agriculture O&M Operation & Maintenance NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NEPA National Environmental Policy Act P.L. Public Law Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation SHPO State Historic Preservation Office TAMA Tucson Active Management Area TMUD Town of Marana Utilities Department USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service CAP Water Transfer from the FWID to the TMUD Environmental Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 – PURPOSE AND NEED ....................................................................................................... 1 A. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1 B. Background/ Overview of Federal and State Water Regulations and Policies Directing CAP Entitlement Transfers ............................................................................................................................ 1 C. Purpose and Need for Action ................................................................................................................... 3 D. Project Location ....................................................................................................................................... 4 D.1. Flowing Wells Irrigation District .............................................................................................. 4 D.2. Town of Marana Utilities Department ...................................................................................... 4 E. Summary of Public Involvement .............................................................................................................. 4 CHAPTER 2 – PROPOSED ACTION AND NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ............................................ 6 A. The Proposed Action ................................................................................................................................ 6 A.1. Flowing Wells Irrigation District .................................................................................................. 6 A.2. Town of Marana Utilities Department .......................................................................................... 6 B. No-Action Alternative .............................................................................................................................. 7 B.1. Flowing Wells Irrigation District ................................................................................................. 7 B.2. Town of Marana Utilities Department ......................................................................................... 8 C. Alternatives Considered But Eliminated From Further Study ................................................................. 8 CHAPTER 3 – AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ........... 10 A. Water Resources .................................................................................................................................... 10 A.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................................. 10 A.2 Environmental Consequences ...................................................................................................... 13 B. Land Use ................................................................................................................................................ 14 B.1. Affected Environment ................................................................................................................. 14 B. 2 Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................................... 15 C. Biological Resources .............................................................................................................................. 16 C.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................................. 16 C.2 Environmental Consequences ...................................................................................................... 20 D. Cultural Resources ................................................................................................................................. 21 D.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................................. 22 D.2 Environmental Consequences ...................................................................................................... 22 E. Socioeconomic Considerations .............................................................................................................. 23 E.1 Affected Environment .................................................................................................................. 23 E.2 Environmental Consequences ....................................................................................................... 25 F. Summary of Impacts ............................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER 4 – CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION ................................................................... 28 CHAPTER 5 – ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND DIRECTIVES CONSIDERED ................................ 29 CHAPTER 6 – LIST OF PREPARERS ..................................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER 7 – LITERATURE CITED AND REFERENCES .................................................................. 33 Q:\Jobs\500's\527.13\EA\TMUD CAP Transfer EA 082409.doc vii CAP Water Transfer from the FWID to the TMUD Environmental Assessment TABLES Table 1. Distribution of Water in the Lower Basin of the Colorado River ................................................. 1 Table 2. Renewable Water Supply Opportunities and Alternatives ........................................................... 9 Table 3. Summary of Meter Connections in the TMUD Active Service Area ......................................... 12 Table 4. GIS Mapped Acreages within the TUMD Service Area ............................................................ 17 Table 5. Comparative Population, Economic, and Employment Characteristics for the FWID, TMUD, City of Tucson, and Pima County ............................................................................................... 24 Table 6. CAP/CAWD Firm Water Delivery and Assessment Rates for TAMA ...................................... 26 FIGURES (follow text) Figure 1. Vicinity Map Figure 2. FWID Service Area Figure 3. FWID Service Area Aerial Overview Figure 4. Town of Marana Utilities Department Aerial Overview Figure 5. Lower Santa Cruz Recharge Project Location Map APPENDICES Appendix A. ADWR Evaluation of Proposed Partial Transfer of Flowing Wells Irrigation District (FWID) CAP Municipal and Industrial (M&I) Subcontract Entitlement, January 12, 2007 Appendix B. Biological Evaluation (WestLand Resources, Inc.) Appendix C. Technical Memorandum, Cultural History (WestLand Resources, Inc.) Q:\Jobs\500's\527.13\EA\TMUD CAP Transfer EA 082409.doc viii CAP Water Transfer from the FWID to the TMUD Environmental Assessment CHAPTER 1 – PURPOSE AND NEED A. INTRODUCTION This Environmental Assessment (EA) describes the environmental effects of the proposed