International Boundary and Water Commission United States Section
MorelosMorelos DiversionDiversion DamDam ChannelChannel CapacityCapacity RestorationRestoration ProjectProject Update,Update, Dec.Dec. 20072007 ProjectProject UpdateUpdate
BackgroundBackground Issues/GoalsIssues/Goals ElementsElements ofof thethe projectproject ResourceResource AgencyAgency CoordinationCoordination CurrentCurrent statusstatus BackgroundBackground
TheThe USIBWCUSIBWC isis mandatedmandated byby thethe 19441944 TreatyTreaty toto maintainmaintain thethe floodflood capacitycapacity ofof thethe LimitropheLimitrophe ReachReach ofof thethe ColoradoColorado River.River. 19441944 TreatyTreaty authorizedauthorized constructionconstruction ofof MorelosMorelos DamDam toto divertdivert flowsflows allocatedallocated toto Mexico.Mexico. ConstructedConstructed inin 1950.1950. BackgroundBackground
IBWCIBWC MinuteMinute 182182 (1946),(1946), MinuteMinute 188188 (1948),(1948), andand MinuteMinute 208208 (1958)(1958) adoptedadopted recommendationsrecommendations forfor thethe designdesign ofof MorelosMorelos DamDam andand floodflood controlcontrol worksworks withinwithin thethe LimitropheLimitrophe Division.Division. IBWCIBWC MinuteMinute 217217 andand MinuteMinute 291291 establishedestablished requirementsrequirements forfor thethe clearingclearing andand removalremoval ofof vegetationvegetation andand sedimentsediment toto preservepreserve Mexico’sMexico’s diversiondiversion capacitycapacity andand thethe longlong--termterm flowflow capacitycapacity ofof thethe LimitropheLimitrophe Reach.Reach. IssuesIssues
FloodFlood eventsevents inin thethe 1980s1980s andand 1990s,1990s, onon thethe ColoradoColorado andand GilaGila RiversRivers – Deposited a substantial amount of silt within the portion of the Colorado River channel and floodplain between the confluence of the Gila River and SIB, IncreasedIncreased vegetationvegetation withinwithin thethe floodplainfloodplain MorelosMorelos DiversionDiversion DamDam Inspections:Inspections: – In 2001 and 2006, binational inspections revealed that the dam gates and spillway were severely impaired due to extensive sedimentation and vegetative growth. – Conditions pose unacceptable dam safety and flood control issues Morelos Diversion Dam- 1953
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Original excavation limits
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.. , .. . •' ~• ... /J ' : {J; • ' -~ b '~ . Morelos Diversion Dam- Aug 2007 - GoalGoal
RestorationRestoration ofof thethe spillwayspillway toto thethe originaloriginal designdesign inin orderorder toto safelysafely operateoperate thethe structurestructure TheThe proposedproposed actionaction wouldwould allowallow fullfull functionalityfunctionality ofof thethe diversiondiversion damdam toto dischargedischarge thethe requiredrequired designdesign floodflood flowflow asas requiredrequired byby internationalinternational treatytreaty ProjectProject ElementsElements
PhasePhase II (1(1 month)month) –– ClearingClearing ofof vegetationvegetation (38(38 acres)acres) –– TemporaryTemporary accessaccess roadroad acrossacross thethe ColoradoColorado RiverRiver PhasePhase IIII (2(2 months)months) –– ExcavationExcavation andand removalremoval ofof approx.approx. 33 ft.ft. soilsoil toto bringbring thethe terraceterrace elevationelevation aboveabove andand belowbelow thethe spillwayspillway toto approximatelyapproximately 107.6107.6 feetfeet meanmean seasea levellevel (msl)(msl) ProjectProject ElementsElements
PhasePhase IIIIII-- (1(1 month)month) –– ExcavationExcavation ofof approx.approx. 2.52.5 ft.ft. sedimentsediment directlydirectly aboveabove andand belowbelow spillwayspillway toto lowerlower thethe sitesite elevationelevation toto 103103 feetfeet mslmsl –– SedimentSediment wouldwould bebe drieddried andand transportedtransported toto disposaldisposal sitesite AnnualAnnual MaintenanceMaintenance –– SelectedSelected mowingmowing toto keepkeep designateddesignated areasareas clearclear Legend P1cpoeeclllltlgatlon Acrea D Rllacllllllold Ra11P ~ o~ CJ~~~~~tnta..- ResourceResource AgencyAgency CoordinationCoordination
BiologicalBiological AssessmentAssessment conductedconducted byby USIBWCUSIBWC EnteredEntered intointo SectionSection 77 consultationconsultation withwith USFWSUSFWS inin MarchMarch 20062006 withwith aa biologicalbiological opinionopinion drafteddrafted inin JulyJuly 20062006 –– TheThe amountamount ofof habitathabitat lostlost willwill bebe replacedreplaced andand restoredrestored withwith southwesternsouthwestern willowwillow flycatcherflycatcher habitathabitat andand willwill bebe maintainedmaintained andand protectedprotected –– FinalFinal BOBO issuedissued onon AugustAugust 23,23, 20062006 ResourceResource AgencyAgency CoordinationCoordination
ArizonaArizona StateState ParksParks-- NoNo adverseadverse affectaffect finding,finding, OctoberOctober 15,15, 20012001 USACEUSACE-- VerifiedVerified wetlandwetland delineation,delineation, NovemberNovember 30,30, 20062006 USACEUSACE SectionSection 404404 PermitPermit ApplicationApplication –– SubmittedSubmitted MarchMarch 20072007 –– PermitPermit requestrequest suspendedsuspended duedue toto additionaladditional requestrequest forfor informationinformation byby USACEUSACE CurrentCurrent StatusStatus
AcquireAcquire USACEUSACE individualindividual permitpermit –– AdditionalAdditional informationinformation hashas beenbeen compiledcompiled andand willwill bebe sentsent toto thethe CorpsCorps forfor permitpermit applicationapplication DevelopDevelop RestorationRestoration PlanPlan andand attainattain USFWSUSFWS approvalapproval IdentifyIdentify potentialpotential offsiteoffsite mitigationmitigation sitessites CoordinateCoordinate withwith MexicoMexico ScheduleSchedule
FundingFunding availableavailable forfor projectproject planning,planning, permitting,permitting, developmentdevelopment ofof aa restorationrestoration planplan ConstructionConstruction andand onsiteonsite restorationrestoration – 8 months once approvals and funding are in hand OffsiteOffsite mitigationmitigation – up to 4 years allowed ConstructionConstruction couldcould beginbegin inin FYFY 0909 subjectsubject toto availabilityavailability ofof fundingfunding Thank you!
For information:
Contact: Sally Spener 915.832.4175 [email protected] Or
Gilbert Anaya 915.832.4702 [email protected]