Notice of Draft Environmental Assessment

For Public Review

The Bureau of Reclamation has released a draft environmental assessment to determine potential effects to the human and natural environment by River Mile 60 Controlled Outfall Urgent Implementation Project. Purposes of the proposed project are to:
• Temporarily provide controlled conveyance of Low Flow Conveyance Channel (LFCC) irrigation return and seepage flows at River Mile 60 directly into the river channel in support of efficient water delivery to Elephant Butte Reservoir under the Rio Grande Compact.
• Continue to deliver flows to the existing western areas downstream of RM 60 (termed LFCC West) within existing compliance (e.g., 2016 Middle Rio Grande Biological Opinion), with the goal of no negative impacts to the health of the federally listed bird habitat along the LFCC West beyond that covered by the 2016 Biological Opinion.
• Minimize negative impacts to the environment.
• Implement initial experimental water operations.
The environmental assessment is available for a public comment period beginning January 2 and ending January 18, 2022. The draft EA is available for review at

http:www.usbr.gov/uc/
DocLibrary/Environmental
Assessments/20221200-
RiverMile60Controlled
OutfallUrgentImplentation-
DraftEAandFONSI-508-AAO.pdf

and comments may be submitted to Ann Demint at [email protected] or 505-462-3654.

Published in the El Defensor Chieftain on January 5, 2023

El Defensor Chieftain