[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 80 (Friday, April 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22957-22958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09318]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers


Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Moffat Collection System Project, Denver County, Adams County, Boulder 
County, Jefferson County, Grand County, Summit County, Gilpin County, 
and Park 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 Final 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 or Project) 
in Denver County, Adams County, Boulder County, Jefferson County, Grand 
County, Summit County, Gilpin County, and Park County, CO. The purpose 
of the Moffat Project 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

[[Page 22958]]

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 City and County 
of Denver is the Permittee and Applicant, acting by and through its 
Board of Water Commissioners (Denver Water).
    The Final EIS was prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 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 Final EIS and information contained in the Final 
EIS serves as the basis for a decision regarding issuance of a Section 
404 Permit. The Final EIS also provides information for local and state 
agencies having jurisdictional responsibility for affected resources.

DATES: Written comments on the Final EIS will be accepted on or before 
June 9, 2014.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rena Brand, Moffat EIS Project 
Manager, via phone at 303-979-4120, fax at 303-979-0602, or email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Final 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 Dam and Reservoir by 
72,000 AF to a total storage capacity of 113,811 AF. Gross Dam and 
Reservoir 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 to 818 
acres. Denver Water is proposing to raise the dam an additional 6 feet 
to a total height of 471 feet with a surface area of 842 acres to 
create 5,000 AF of additional storage for environmental mitigation 
(``Environmental Pool''). The additional storage would be filled with 
water provided by the cities of Boulder and Lafayette. 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 its 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 North and South collection systems. 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 77,000 AF with the Environmental Pool 
for Mitigation), the Final EIS analyzed five additional 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) the No Action Alternative, which assumes 
that Denver Water would not receive approval from the Corps to 
implement the Moffat Project. The No Action Alternative would require 
Denver Water to use a combination of strategies to meet the need for 
additional water supply, including using a portion of its Strategic 
Water Reserve and imposing mandatory restrictions to reduce demand 
during drought periods.
    Copies of the Final EIS will be available for review at:
    1. Arvada Library, 7525 West 57th Avenue, Arvada, CO 80002.
    2. Boulder County Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO 
80302.
    3. Denver Central Library, 10 West 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 South 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 West 12th Avenue, Denver, CO 80204.
    12. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, Denver Regulatory 
Office, 9307 South Wadsworth Boulevard, Littleton, CO 80128.
    Electronically at: http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/Missions/RegulatoryProgram/Colorado/EISMoffat.aspx.

Rena Brand,
Moffat EIS Project Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha 
District, Denver Regulatory Office.
[FR Doc. 2014-09318 Filed 4-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P