Here's an article from the Pueblo Chieftain with details about the the alternatives report for the proposed Southern Delivery System. SDS is a plan to move water from Pueblo Reservoir to Colorado Springs, Fountain and Security.
From the article, "The Bureau of Reclamation released its alternatives report for the Southern Delivery System environmental impact statement Wednesday. The draft EIS is expected to be completed by spring 2007, followed by public comment and release of the final EIS in early 2008...
"Because the proposed pipeline would link to the federal Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Reclamation must review it under the National Environmental Policy Act...
"Reclamation is considering seven alternatives including:
"No action: If the pipeline is not constructed, the most likely action would be a project recycling return flows, suggested in Colorado Springs' 1996 Water Resources Plan. A suggestion by Pueblo County consultant Ray Petros to include flood control with recycling was not included, because it goes beyond the scope of SDS. Reclamation recommended including the idea in other regional discussions on Fountain Creek.
"Proposed action: The pipeline as proposed by participants. It includes reservoirs on Jimmy Camp Creek for terminal storage and Williams Creek for return flow exchanges. Both are east of Colorado Springs.
"Wetlands: The Jimmy Camp Creek reservoir is eliminated to reduce impacts on wetlands. The proposal still includes a return-flow pipeline to Fremont County.
"Arkansas River: Intake for SDS would be moved to just west of the Fountain Creek confluence to minimize impact on Arkansas River flows through Pueblo. A return pipeline to Fremont County is still included in the alternative.
"Fountain Creek: The intake would remain at Pueblo Dam, but return flows would be piped back to the river, now along Fountain Creek, to minimize problems of sedimentation, erosion and water quality on the creek.
"Downstream Intake: The intake would be east of the Fountain Creek confluence, an attempt advocated by some in Pueblo as a way of forcing Colorado Springs to deal with water quality issues on the creek. The alternative did not pass cost screening, but was retained due to public interest.
"Highway 115: It would take and return flows with pipelines in Fremont County, bypassing Pueblo altogether. This alternative also does not pass cost screening, but was included because of political demands to consider an alternative incorporating Brush Hollow Reservoir. Brush Hollow was removed from the proposal, however.
Category: Colorado Water
6:27:31 AM 
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