Ouray Park Canal Salinity Control Project Environmental Assessment PRO-EA-11-004
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Ouray Park Canal Salinity Control Project Environmental Assessment PRO-EA-11-004 Utah County, Utah Upper Colorado Region Provo Area Office U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Provo Area Office Provo, Utah December 2011 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. Ouray Park Canal Salinity Control Environmental Assessment PRO-EA-11-004 Utah County, Utah Upper Colorado Region Provo Area Office prepared by Walter Russ Findlay Provo Area Office Bureau of Reclamation U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Provo Area Office Provo, Utah December 2011 Contents Contents Page Chapter 1 – Need for Proposed Action and Background .................................. 1 1.1 Background ........................................................................................... 1 1.1.1 Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program ............................ 1 1.1.2 Ouray Park Canal Salinity Project .................................................. 1 1.2 Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action ...................................... 2 1.3 Decisions to be Made ............................................................................ 2 1.4 Permits and Authorizations ................................................................... 2 1.5 Scope of Analysis and Content of this EA............................................ 4 1.6 Related Projects and Documents .......................................................... 5 1.6.1 Green River Pumping Project (GRPP) ........................................... 5 1.6.2 West Side Combined Canals Salinity Control Project .................... 5 1.6.3 Brough Pipeline .............................................................................. 5 1.6.4 Ouray Park Pipeline Salinity Project .............................................. 8 1.6.5 UWCD SCADA System Upgrade Project ...................................... 8 1.6.6 Saliinity Program Environmental Documents ................................ 8 Chapter 2 – Proposed Action and No Action Alternatives ............................. 11 2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 11 2.2 No Action Alternative ......................................................................... 11 2.3 Proposed Action Alternative ............................................................... 11 2.3.1 Project Design ............................................................................... 12 2.3.2 Project Construction...................................................................... 15 2.3.3 Project Operation .......................................................................... 16 2.3.4 Transportation Requirements ........................................................ 17 2.3.5 Standard Operating Procedures..................................................... 17 Chapter 3 – Affected Environment and Environmental Effects .................... 19 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 19 3.2 Resources Eliminated from Analysis .................................................. 19 3.3 Affected Environment ......................................................................... 20 3.3.1 Water Resources ........................................................................... 20 3.3.2 Water Rights ................................................................................. 21 3.3.3 Water Quality ................................................................................ 21 3.3.4 Wetlands and Vegetation .............................................................. 22 3.3.5 Fish and Wildlife Resources ......................................................... 22 3.3.6 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species ........................... 25 3.3.7 Cultural Resources ........................................................................ 26 3.3.8 Paleontological Resources ............................................................ 28 3.3.9 Public Safety, Access, and Transportation ................................... 29 iii 3.3.10 Lands ....................................................................................... 29 3.3.11 Socioeconomics ....................................................................... 29 3.4 Environmental Effects ........................................................................ 30 3.4.1 Water Resources ........................................................................... 30 3.4.2 Water Rights ................................................................................. 30 3.4.3 Water Quality ................................................................................ 31 3.4.4 Wetlands and Vegetation .............................................................. 31 3.4.5 Fish and Wildlife Resources ......................................................... 32 3.4.6 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species ........................... 32 3.4.7 Cultural Resources ........................................................................ 33 3.4.8 Paleontological Resources ............................................................ 33 3.4.9 Public Safety, Access, and Transportation ................................... 33 3.4.10 Lands ....................................................................................... 34 3.4.11 Socioeconomics ....................................................................... 34 3.5 Summary of Environmental Consequences ........................................ 34 3.6 Indian Trust Assets ............................................................................. 35 3.7 Environmental Justice ......................................................................... 35 Chapter 4 – Environmental Commitments ...................................................... 37 Chapter 5 – Coordination and Consultation .................................................... 41 5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................... 41 5.2 Native American Consultation ............................................................ 41 5.3 Utah State Historic Preservation Office .............................................. 41 5.4 Utah Geological Survey ...................................................................... 42 Chapter 6 – Preparers ........................................................................................ 43 Chapter 7 – References ....................................................................................... 45 List of Figures Figure 1 – General Project Site Map Figure 2 – GRPP Facilities Map Figure 3 – GRPP Project Map Figure 4 – Project Right-of-Way Map List of Tables Table 1 – Permits and Authorizations Required Table 2 – Estimated Salt Reduction Table 3 – Easement Requirements Table 4 – Irrigation Delivery Data Table 5 – Resources Eliminated from Further Analysis Table 6 – Threatened, Endangered, and Candidate Species Table 7 – Species of Special Concern Table 8 – Summary of Environmental Effects Chapter 1 – Need for Proposed Action and Background This document is an Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing the potential effects of the Ouray Park Canal Salinity Control Project (Project), located in Uintah County, Utah. The Federal action (Proposed Action) is whether the Bureau of Reclamation should authorize the use of Federal funds to implement the Project, which includes the abandonment of the 13-mile-long Ouray Valley Canal, and the replacement of 5 miles of the existing open Ouray Park Canal with pipe. This EA has been prepared as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) regulations implementing NEPA. This EA will analyze the potential impacts of the Proposed Action. As required by the NEPA implementing regulations, if potentially significant impacts to the environment are identified, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) would be prepared. If no significant impacts are identified, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) would be issued by Reclamation. 1.1 Background 1.1.1 Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program The purpose of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program is to “protect the quality of water available in the Colorado River” (www.usbr.gov/uc/progact/salinity). The Colorado River provides water for more than 23 million people and irrigation for more than 4 million acres of land in the United States, as well as water for about 2.3 million people and 500,000 irrigated acres in the Republic of Mexico. Controlling the salinity of the Colorado River remains one of the most important challenges facing Reclamation. High salinity levels make it difficult to grow winter vegetables and popular fruits. In water systems, it plugs and destroys municipal and household pipes and fixtures. Recent salinities in the lower portion of the Colorado River are typically about 700 mg/L, but in the future may range between 600 and 1,200 mg/L, depending upon the amount of water in the river system. Salinity damages in the United