[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 209 (Friday, October 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56186-56187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26164]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Moffat Collection System Project, City and County of Denver, Adams 
County, Boulder County, Jefferson County, and Grand County, CO

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Omaha District has 
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the 
direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of a water supply project 
called the Moffat Collection System Project (Moffat Project) in the 
City and County of Denver, Adams County, Boulder County, Jefferson 
County, and Grand County, CO. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to 
develop 18,000 acre-feet (AF) per year of new, firm yield to the Moffat 
Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and raw water customers upstream of the 
Moffat WTP pursuant to the Board of Water Commissioners' commitment to 
its customers. Denver Water's need for the proposed Moffat Project is 
to address two major issues: (1) Timeliness: the overall near-term 
water supply shortage, and (2) location: the imbalance in water storage 
and supply between the North and South systems. The Moffat Project 
would result in direct impacts to jurisdictional waters of the United 
States (U.S.), including wetlands. The placement of fill material in 
these waters of the U.S. for the construction of water storage and 
distribution facilities associated with developing additional water 
supplies requires authorization from the Corps under Section 404 of the 
Clean Water Act. The Permittee and Applicant is the City and County of 
Denver, acting by and through its Board of Water Commissioners (Denver 
Water).
    The Draft EIS was prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Corps' 
regulations for NEPA implementation (33 Code of Federal Regulations 
[CFR] parts 230 and 325, Appendices B and C). The Corps Omaha District, 
Denver Regulatory Office is the lead federal agency responsible for the 
Draft EIS and information contained in the EIS serves as the basis for 
a decision regarding issuance of a Section 404 Permit. It also provides 
information for local and state agencies having jurisdictional 
responsibility for affected resources.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS will be accepted on or before 
January 28, 2010. Public open houses and hearings will be held on 
December 1, 2, and 3, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments regarding the Proposed Action and 
Draft EIS to Scott Franklin, Moffat EIS Project Manager, U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Omaha District--Denver Regulatory Office, 9307 
South Wadsworth Boulevard, Littleton, CO 80128 or via e-mail: 
[email protected]. Requests to be placed on or removed from the 
mailing list should also be sent to this address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Franklin, Moffat EIS Project 
Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at 303-979-4120; Fax 303-979-
0602.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Draft EIS is to provide 
decision-makers and the public with information pertaining to the 
Proposed Action and alternatives, and to disclose environmental impacts 
and identify mitigation measures to reduce impacts. Denver Water 
proposes to enlarge its existing 41,811 AF Gross Reservoir by 72,000 AF 
to a total storage capacity of 113,811 AF. Gross Dam is located in 
Boulder County, CO, approximately 35 miles northwest of Denver and 6 
miles southwest of the city of Boulder. The enlargement would be 
accomplished by raising the existing concrete gravity arch dam by 125 
feet, from 340 to 465 feet high. The surface area of the reservoir 
would be expanded from approximately 418 acres to 818 acres. Using 
existing collection infrastructure, water from the Fraser River, 
Williams Fork River, and South Boulder Creek would be diverted and 
delivered during average to wet years via the Moffat Tunnel and South 
Boulder Creek to Gross Reservoir. There would be no additional 
diversions in dry years because Denver Water already diverts the 
maximum amount physically and legally available under their

[[Page 56187]]

existing water rights. In order to firm this water supply and provide 
18,000 AF per year of new firm yield, an additional 72,000 AF of 
storage capacity is necessary. To meet future demands, in most years, 
Denver Water would continue to rely on supplies from its entire 
integrated collection system. In a drought or emergency, Denver Water 
would rely on the additional water it would have previously stored in 
the Moffat Collection System to provide the additional 18,000 AF of 
yield.
    In addition to the Proposed Action (Alternative 1a)--Gross 
Reservoir Expansion (Additional 72,000 AF), the Draft EIS analyzes five 
alternatives: (1) Alternative 1c--Gross Reservoir Expansion (Additional 
40,700 AF)/New Leyden Gulch Reservoir (31,300 AF), (2) Alternative 8a--
Gross Reservoir Expansion (Additional 52,000 AF)/Reusable Return Flows/
Gravel Pit Storage (5,000 AF), (3) Alternative 10a--Gross Reservoir 
Expansion (Additional 52,000 AF)/Reusable Return Flows/Denver Basin 
Aquifer Storage (20,000 AF), (4) Alternative 13a--Gross Reservoir 
Expansion (Additional 60,000 AF)/Transfer of Agricultural Water Rights/
Gravel Pit Storage (3,625 AF), and (5) No Action Alternative, which 
assumes that Denver Water would not receive approval from the Corps to 
implement the Moffat Project. Denver Water would rely upon a 
combination of strategies including using a portion of its Strategic 
Water Reserve and imposing mandatory restrictions to reduce demand 
during droughts.
    Copies of the Draft EIS will be available for review at:
    1. Arvada Library, 7525 W. 57th Avenue, Arvada, CO 80002.
    2. Boulder County Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO 
80302.
    3. Denver Central Library, 10 W. 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver, CO 
80204.
    4. Fraser Valley Library, 421 Norgren Road, Fraser, CO 80442.
    5. Golden Library, 1019 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401.
    6. Granby Library, 55 Zero Street, Granby, CO 80446.
    7. Kremmling Library, 300 S. 8th Street, Kremmling, CO 80459.
    8. Summit County Library North Branch, 651 Center Circle, 
Silverthorne, CO 80498.
    9. Summit County Library South Branch, 504 Airport Road, 
Breckenridge, CO 80424.
    10. Thornton Branch Library, 8992 Washington Street, Thornton, CO 
80229.
    11. Denver Water, 1600 W. 12th Avenue, Denver, CO 80204.
    12. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Denver Regulatory Office, 9307 S. 
Wadsworth Boulevard, Littleton, CO 80128.
    13. Electronically at https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/html/od-tl/eis-info.htm.
    Oral and/or written comments may also be presented at Open Houses 
and Public Hearings to be held at 4 p.m. (Open House) and 6 p.m. 
(Public Hearing) on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at the Boulder Country 
Club (7350 Clubhouse Road), Boulder, CO; at 4 p.m. (Open House) and 6 
p.m. (Public Hearing) on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at The Inn at 
SilverCreek--Grand Ballroom (62927 US Highway 40) Granby, CO; and at 4 
p.m. (Open House) and 6 p.m. (Public Hearing) on Thursday, December 3, 
2009 at the Doubletree Hotel--Grand Ballroom II (3203 Quebec Street), 
Denver, CO.

Timothy T. Carey,
Chief, Denver Regulatory Office.
[FR Doc. E9-26164 Filed 10-29-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P