The Verde Reservoirs Sediment Mitigation Project (VRSMP) Feasibility Study was authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58). The purpose of the feasibility study is to analyze options to address the problem of sediment accumulation, loss of storage capacity due to sedimentation, and water supply resiliency in the Verde River reservoirs of the Salt River Federal Reclamation Project (SRFRP). The results of the feasibility study, which includes an environmental review and financial analysis, will be used to make recommendations to the U.S. Congress on the best approach to address the problem. The VRSMP Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will analyze the environmental impacts of the alternatives detailed in the feasibility study. As part of the feasibility study, Reclamation is preparing a feasibility report to summarize  and presents the planning, engineering, economic, environmental, and social analyses of the alternatives analyzed in detail.

Background

In December 2021, Reclamation, in partnership with the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District and the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association (collectively SRP), as the non-federal cost-share partner and project sponsor, completed the Verde Reservoirs Sediment Mitigation Study appraisal report (VRSMS). The objective of the VRSMS was to examine potential alternatives to resolve the issue of lost storage capacity due to sediment accumulation in the Salt River Federal Reclamation Project’s (SRFRP) reservoir system on the Verde River in Arizona, which consists of Bartlett and Horseshoe Dams and Reservoirs. The VRSMS also assessed opportunities to create additional benefits for each alternative analyzed. The appraisal report recommended that a feasibility study be carried out to determine the technical, environmental, economic, and financial feasibility of implementing one of the Bartlett Dam modification alternatives analyzed in the VRSMS.

The VRSMP Feasibility Study will investigate and analyze: (a) the design of the two Bartlett Dam modification alternatives identified as viable for feasibility-level analysis in the VRSMS; (b) at least one non-structural sediment and water management alternative; (c) a no action alternative; and (d) other alternatives developed through the NEPA process.

The SRFRP is a federal Reclamation project. The SRFRP includes an approximately 248,000-acre service area in Maricopa County, Arizona, as well as infrastructure in portions of Maricopa, Gila, Yavapai, and Coconino Counties, Arizona. The SRFRP water supply is developed from seven storage dams on the Salt River, Verde River, and East Clear Creek and from water withdrawn from approximately 270 groundwater wells throughout the service area. SRP operates and maintains the SRFRP in accordance with contracts with the United States. The SRFRP delivers water through more than 1,200 miles of canals, laterals, and ditches to users including shareholders, cities, towns, irrigation districts, Indian tribes, and individuals.

Horseshoe Dam is an earthen embankment dam on the Verde River. Horseshoe Dam was originally constructed in 1946. Horseshoe Dam has been modified, including in 1949 to add spillway gates funded by the City of Phoenix. The total storage capacity of Horseshoe Dam and Reservoir was originally 144,030 acre-feet (AF) but, due to sedimentation, is currently approximately 108,000 AF.

Bartlett Dam is a multiple arch concrete dam on the Verde River. Bartlett Dam was originally constructed in 1939 and modified in 1994 and 1996 to address the National Dam Safety Program Act, in the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-303, 110 Stat. 3658). Bartlett Dam is located downstream of Horseshoe Dam. The total storage capacity of Bartlett Reservoir in 1939 was 182,608 AF. Due to sedimentation, Bartlett Reservoir has a current capacity of approximately 168,000 AF.

The VRSMP will evaluate alternatives to restore lost storage capacity at Horseshoe Reservoir and mitigate reservoir sediment accumulation, while addressing future water supply resiliency.

Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines

As part of the environmental analysis process, the Federal Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources Implementation Studies (PR&Gs) will be applied to examine the various technical, economic, hydrologic, recreation and ecosystem services considerations of each alternative, including the No Action Alternative. The requirements of a PR&G analysis are unique to the Feasibility Study process and are not included in the Council of Environmental Quality or Department of the Interior’s NEPA implementing regulations. The PR&Gs govern how federal agencies evaluate proposed water resource projects, programs, activities, and related actions involving federal investment and include the following components:

• The Principles and Requirements for Federal Investments in Water Resources (P&R) outline the overarching concepts that the federal government seeks to achieve through policy implementations and requirements for inputs into analysis of federal investment alternatives (CEQ 2013).

• The Interagency Guidelines (IG) provide guidance for determining the applicability of the P&R for affected federal agencies, including but not limited to the Department of Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and USACE (CEQ 2014).

• Agency Specific Procedures (ASP) are used for identifying which programs and activities are subject to the PR&G. DOI’s Agency Specific Procedures for Implementing the Council on Environmental Quality’s Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources Implementation Studies (707 DM 1 Handbook) is its ASP (DOI 2015).

The PR&Gs are not regulations and do not substitute for or supersede NEPA requirements or any other planning requirements required by law; nevertheless, we will integrate relevant portions of the PR&Gs analysis from the Feasibility Study into the EIS.

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For more information on the VRSMS, VRSMP Feasibility Report and EIS, please visit Reclamation’s project website, or email VRSMP@usbr.gov. If you would like to receive email notifications and updates on the VRSMP, please email VRSMP@usbr.gov with subject line "Add me to Email List."