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Public gets overview of proposed pipeline

Project would supply raw water to far southwest La Plata County
A 4.6 mile pipeline would carry raw water from Lake Nighthorse, which is shown here, to the Lake Durango Water Authority water-treatment plant.

Curiosity more than concern apparently drew about 70 people to a meeting Tuesday to learn about the environmental impacts of a pipeline to supply potable water to the far southwest corner of La Plata County.

Scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m., the meeting started at 6:15 p.m. because the room at the Durango Community Recreation Center had to be expanded to accommodate an overflow crowd.

But all questions had been answered by 7 p.m.

At issue is the construction of a 4.6-mile pipeline to carry raw water from Lake Nighthorse to the Lake Durango Water Authority treatment plant.

The $3.4 million job is funded by the La Plata West Water Authority, the Lake Durango Water Authority and the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute tribes. Construction is scheduled to start in May 2015 and be finished by Dec. 31, 2015.

La Plata Water Authority needs treated water to quench the thirst of residents of Breen, Kline and Marvel. The water also will bolster the reserve of Lake Durango, which is hard-pressed to serve current subdivisions, among them Durango West I and II, Rafter J, Shenandoah and Trapper’s Crossing.

Lake Durango’s main source of water is a ditch off the La Plata River. It now will buy water from Lake Nighthorse.

At this moment, the Ute tribes don’t need water but are simply investing in possible development of their holdings.

The La Plata West Water Authority is the pipeline project’s lead agency, represented Tuesday by Jeff Shamburg from the Pagosa Springs engineering consultant Bartlett & West.

The environmental assessment of the pipeline project – which will cross Bureau of Reclamation land and private property – is barely under way.

From an intake structure on the north shore of Lake Nighthorse, the pipeline would rise along Wildcat Ridge to a booster-pump station. It would then turn west and run parallel to Wildcat Canyon Road (County Road 141) before turning north to Lake Durango.

A 30-inch pipeline is planned from Lake Nighthorse to the booster station, with an 8-inch pipe from there to Lake Durango.

A 30-inch pipe to the booster station precludes the need in the future to build additional intakes or booster stations for water-distribution networks.

Questions from the public involved routine matters – the capacity of the pipeline and how its path was chosen, how obtaining easements across private property is progressing and whether the pipeline will be buried or above ground.

The raw-water pipeline is another step by the La Plata West Water Authority to build a water-distribution network in southwest La Plata County.

Roy Horvath, the organization’s chairman, said more residents must come up with tap fees to make the project viable.

daler@durangoherald.com



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