Opinion ID: 776160
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Proposed Action

Text: 48 In the draft WEIS, the Service proposed acquisition of a permanent and reliable supply of water to provide an average of 125,000 acre-feet of water annually to sustain 25,000 acres of wetland habitat at four designated primary wetland habitat areas: (1) Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, (2) Stillwater Wildlife Management Area, (3) Carson Lake, and (4) Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Indian Reservation. In addition to purchasing water rights from willing sellers, the Service considered other methods of acquisition including leasing, donation, transfer, and exchange. The Service concluded thatacquisition of water rights from Newlands Project owners is the most readily available source of water for wetlands maintenance. U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, Water Rights Acquisition Program for Pyramid Lake and Lahontan Valley Wetlands, Nevada, Report to the United States Congress, November 1993. 49 The Service evaluated five alternatives, four action alternatives and one no-action alternative. On November 4, 1996, the Regional Director for Region I of the Service issued the Record of Decision (ROD) documenting the decision and rationale for selecting Alternative 5. Under Alternative 5, the Service would supplement drainwater and spill-water by (1) purchasing up to 55,000 acre-feet of water rights in the Carson Division, in addition to the existing water rights acquisition program of 20,000 acre-feet, for a combined total of 75,000 acre-feet; (2) leasing water from water-rights owners as available; (3) purchasing water rights from the Middle Carson River corridor, up-river from the Lahontan Reservoir; (4) using treated sewage effluent as available; (5) using conserved U.S. Navy water as available; and (6) pumping groundwater near the primary wetland areas. The 75,000 acre-feet of water rights included up to 4,000 acre-feet of water rights that might be acquired in trust for tribal wetlands. ROD at 5. The Service explained that Alternative 5 would distribute the impact of acquisitions across a greater area through its reliance on a variety of water sources. Notably,Alternative 5 will minimize the conversion of irrigated farmland to non-agricultural uses, minimize adverse impacts to agricultural production and the agricultural economy, and minimize potential impacts to groundwater discharge. ROD at 8.