[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 174 (Thursday, September 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49024-49025]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23511]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Proposed City of Albuquerque Water Resources Strategy 
Implementation, Drinking Water Supply Project, Albuquerque, New Mexico

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a draft environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau of Reclamation 
(Reclamation) proposes to prepare a draft environmental impact 
statement (EIS) on the proposed City of Albuquerque Water Resources 
Strategy Implementation, Drinking Water Supply Project, Albuquerque, 
New Mexico. The City of Albuquerque, Public Works Department (City) 
will act as a joint lead agency for NEPA compliance for the proposed 
project. The City proposes to develop infrastructure that will allow it 
to fully utilize its contracted (Secretary of the Interior) allotment 
of San Juan/Chama Project surface water for drinking water and other 
consumptive uses, and to call for releases of its stored San Juan/Chama 
Project water in a manner consistent with the proposed use. The purpose 
of the proposed project is to provide a sustainable water supply for 
the City of Albuquerque by utilizing allocated surface water when 
available, and preserving the local ground water basin as a drought 
reserve. The proposed project will be implemented in conjunction with 
ongoing City efforts to implement local water reuse and non-potable 
supply projects and a water conservation program.

DATES: The dates and times of the scoping meetings will be as follows:
    1. Thursday, September 23, 1999; 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; 
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102.
    2. Tuesday, September 28, 1999; 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Socorro, 
New Mexico, 87801.
    3. Thursday, September 30, 1999; 6 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Espanola, New 
Mexico, 87532.
    The date of release of the draft EIS for public comment, and the 
public hearings to be conducted to receive comments on the EIS, will be 
announced in the Federal Register and in the local news media, as these 
dates are established.

ADDRESSES: The locations of the public scoping meetings will be as 
follows:
    1. Albuquerque Convention Center, Cimarron/Dona Ana rooms, 401 
Second Street NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102.
    2. New Mexico Tech, Macy Center, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, New 
Mexico, 87801.
    3. Northern New Mexico Community College, Joseph Montoya Building, 
921 Paseo de Onate, Espanola, New Mexico, 87532.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lori Robertson, Environmental 
Protection Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, 505 Marquette Avenue NW, 
Suite 1313, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102; telephone (505) 248-5326.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Historically, the City and other water users in Bernalillo County 
have relied solely on a deep aquifer, the Santa Fe Group aquifer 
system, for their water supply. This resource is part of a regional 
aquifer called the Albuquerque underground water basin.
    Aquifer studies conducted during the 1950's and 1960's indicated 
that the aquifer was extensive, and that flows in the Rio Grande 
recharged the aquifer sufficiently to allow extensive withdrawals 
without affecting the aquifer's long-term ability to supply water. 
However, recent studies by Reclamation, the U.S. Geological Survey, and 
New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources confirmed that the 
City's primary water supply aquifer was being depleted at a rate that 
is twice that of the recharge to the aquifer from the Rio Grande.
    In 1997, the City adopted the Albuquerque Water Resources 
Management Strategy (AWRMS). The AWRMS is based on optimizing the 
City's use of existing water resources and developing new surface water 
supplies. The strategy is intended to provide a safe and sustainable 
water supply for the City by minimizing the continued pumping and sole 
reliance on ground water resources.

Current Activities

    The City is currently planning to implement three water reclamation 
projects using reclaimed industrial wastewater, untreated surface 
water, and reclaimed municipal wastewater, for turf irrigation and 
industrial uses. These water reclamation projects will provide a non-
potable water supply for non-drinking uses and reduce demands on the 
ground water aquifer. The City is also in the early planning stages for 
the drinking water supply project for which this Notice of Intent is 
being prepared.
    The City implemented a broad-based water conservation program 
approximately 2 years ago. This program emphasizes low-demand 
landscaping, low-flow water fixtures, and public awareness regarding 
the scarcity of water and its overall value to the local and regional 
economy. The program has resulted in a reduction of almost 18 percent 
in overall City per capita water use. The goal of the program is to 
achieve a 30 percent per capita reduction in use.

Proposed Project

    Infrastructure developed for the implementation of the drinking 
water project will include a diversion of surface water from the Rio 
Grande, a water treatment plant to treat surface water to Safe Drinking 
Water Act requirements, and transmission pipelines to convey the 
treated water into the existing water distribution network. The City 
currently stores its San Juan/Chama Project water in Abiquiu Reservoir, 
has short-term water sales and lease agreements for interim uses, and 
calls for the water to be delivered down the Rio Chama and into the Rio 
Grande as needed.
    The City will also evaluate implementing an aquifer storage and

[[Page 49025]]

recovery program that would allow the City to divert and store surface 
water underground during wet years, and use this stored supply in place 
of surface water during dry years when surface water is less available.

Alternative Measures

    The City is currently examining potential alternative methods to 
divert, treat, store, and deliver its San Juan/Chama Project water as 
the primary source of its drinking water supply. Alternatives are being 
developed for the location and methods of diversion, method of 
treatment conveyance options, and storage/operation options. Agency and 
public scoping processes will be used to present system component 
options, evaluation criteria, and evaluation approaches for comment 
regarding environmental and operational issues that should be 
addressed.

Indian Trust Assets

    The environmental evaluation will assess the potential effects that 
the proposed project may have on Indian Trust Assets.

Environmental Justice

    The environmental evaluation will assess the potential effects that 
the proposed project may have on minority and low-income populations.
    Anyone interested in more information concerning the study, or who 
has information concerning the study or suggestions as to significant 
environmental issues and/or Indian Trust Assets, should contact Ms. 
Robertson as provided above.

    Dated: September 3, 1999.
Charles A. Calhoun,
Regional Director, Upper Colorado Region.
[FR Doc. 99-23511 Filed 9-7-99; 3:24 pm]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-P