Study: Project’s Impact ‘Minimal’

Plans to directly divert flows from the Rio Grande near Santa Fe shouldn’t harm the endangered silvery minnow or cause other serious harm to the environment, says an analysis released this week by the U.S.

Bureau of Land Management.

Environmental groups and other members of the public have until June 18 to comment on the findings.

The federally required study is among hurdles the city of Santa Fe and Santa FeCounty must clear before they can begin work on a massive project intended to help meet the area’s growing demand for water.

As drought and demands on the river have increased in recent years, issues have arisen concerning the Rio Grande silvery minnow, which depends on flows in the Middle Rio Grande to survive.

Current plans call for steps to mitigate and monitor impacts on the minnow as well as impacts on land use, water quality and native plants.

Once built, the project will divert surface flows from the Rio Grande about 15 milesnorthwest of Santa Fe and treat the water before it is piped to customers.

"That’s a huge step that we’ve been able to move forward now," Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya said of the final environmental document. "At least we can now take the next step."

Some of the next steps for the city and county: Find someone to build the estimated $145 million project and identify sources for all of the money needed to pay for it — including continuing efforts to get

state and federal help.

Local government taxes already have been increased in an effort to help pay the costs of enhancing the local water supply. However, the prospect remains that water rates also might be pushed higher to help cover expenses involved in importing more water via the Rio Grande.

The project will allow Santa Fe to more fully exploit water rights acquired through the federal San Juan-Chama Diversion Project, which delivers Colorado River water through a tunnel under the Continental Divide.

In addition to the city and county, the Las Campanas subdivision is a party to what is called the Buckman Direct Diversion.

The project will allow local water managers to rest the existing Buckman well field near the Rio Grande. Water levels there have declined in recent years, especially during periods of heavy pumping and drought, according to the final environmental document. Pumping the wells consistently would continue to deplete the aquifer and eventually affect flows in the Rio Grande.

Generally dry weather patterns over the past decade have underscored the need for a new source to supplement the Buckman wells, other wells located in the community and two municipal reservoirs east of the city.

Diverting water directly from the river at Buckman will reduce flows downstream, the document says, but the impact on the endangered minnow will be "minimal."

Construction of the diversion, booster stations, water treatment facilities and pipelines will remove some wildlife habitat and stir up sediment in the river. The project is expected to have a permanent impact on about 59 acres of land and a temporary impact on another 247 acres.

A temporary dam will isolate the construction site from the rest of the river to ease the impacts from stirred-up sediment, according to the document.

Prior to construction, a survey of native plants used by migrating birds will be conducted and federal agencies will work with designers on protecting vegetation.

In an effort to protect any cultural recourses, an archaeologist will be present during construction. In addition to the final environmental document, the project still needs a final biologicalopinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a permit from the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency. The Fish and Wildlife Service recently sent its draft biological opinion to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for comment. The final biological opinion could add additional requirements for protecting water and wildlife, according to Brian Millsap, the agency’s state administrator for the New Mexico Ecological Services Office.

Sediment cleaned from water after its drawn out of the river will have to be either put back in the river or trucked to a landfill, according to Santa Fe County Commissioner Jack Sullivan.

The EPA ultimately will decide what must be done with the sediment.

A request for design-and-build proposals issued in April seeks cost estimates on both options, Sullivan said. "That way whatever EPA decides, we’re covered," he said.

Construction costs will be split primarily between the city and the county, but both governments are still haggling over how the estimated $8 million annual cost of operating the system should be covered. That issue will be taken up at the next meeting of the Buckman Direct Diversion joint committee on June 7.

Bids on the project are expected in August and, if the bids are within budget, a contractor could be chosen by the end of the year, according to city water staff.

Contact Staci Matlock at 470-9843 or smatlock@sfnewmexican.com.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Santa Fe New Mexican

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