[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
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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