The Draft Environmental Impact prepared by the Bureau of Reclamation
addresses many issues and finds that there will be no major adverse
effects to the environment and the economics of the region. Moreover,
the Draft EIS suggests possible mitigations.
Here’s a summary of issues addressed and the Bureau of Reclamation’s
findings:
| • |
Surface
Water Flow and Water Quality: The proposed project
will not adversely affect surface water flows in Fountain
Creek, Jimmy Camp Creek, Williams Creek, or the Arkansas River.
Water quality in Fountain Creek, Jimmy Camp Creek, Williams
Creek, or the Arkansas River will not affect other water users
through water diversions or wastewater return flows. (...read
more) |
| • |
Geomorphology:
Colorado Springs Utilities will adopt measures to mitigate adverse
geomorphic effects of increased base flows in Fountain Creek
and Williams Creek Reservoir exchange flow releases, due to
the project. (...read
more) |
| • |
Fountain Creek:
The SDS project will not substantially affect channel stability
on Fountain Creek and will not increase flooding concerns along
Fountain Creek. (...read
more) |
| • |
Wildlife, Fish and
Other Aquatic Life: The SDS project will not adversely
affect wildlife or wildlife habitat. The SDS project will not
adversely affect aquatic habitat; impacts to aquatic habitats
will be mitigated to ensure protection of aquatic life. (...read
more) |
| • |
Wetlands and Other
Waters: The SDS project will not adversely affect wetlands
and waters in the project area and waters outside the project
area. Impacts to wetlands and waters in the project area will
be mitigated to ensure protection. Waters outside the project
area have undergone significant study and review. (...read
more) |
| • |
Western Slope Non-Project
Waters: Reclamation properly decided not to analyze Western
Slope water in the DEIS. (...read
more) |
| • |
Agriculture:
The DEIS addresses in detail the effects of the SDS project
upon the agricultural industry, with specific attention to the
agriculture-based economies of the Arkansas River Valley. The
DEIS finds — and Colorado Springs Utilities agrees —
that there already exist high levels of salinity in the Lower
Arkansas River Valley, and that the SDS project will not be
a major adverse contributor of salinity levels. (...read
more) |
| • |
Energy Consumption:
The Proposed Action, Colorado Springs Utilities preference
for the SDS project, has one of the lowest energy consumption
totals of the alternatives examined in the DEIS. (...read
more) |
| • |
Recreation Resources:
The proposed action will increase the type, location, and amount
of recreational activities in the area. (...read
more) |
| • |
Cultural and Paleontological
Resources: Specific individual cultural resources effects,
and the extent of those effects, will be determined during the
final project design. To date, several mitigation approaches
and agreements have been completed. (...read
more) |
