The Bureau of Reclamation has developed a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT) Rural Water System Project.
The proposed project would include construction and operation of a dam, storage reservoir, water pumping plant, water treatment facilities and a pipeline that would provide water to Fort Apache Indian Reservation communities, 180 miles east of Phoenix, Ariz. The draft EIS analyzes the environmental impacts of constructing, operating, and maintaining the proposed system.
The proposed Miner Flat Reservoir would store approximately 8,600 acre-feet of water. The proposed dam would be 163 feet high and 407 feet in length. Water from the Miner Flat Reservoir would be released to the North Fork of White River and conveyed via pipeline to downstream Fort Apache Indian Reservation communities. Construction of the distribution system would include 50 miles of new water pipeline.
The Bureau is inviting the public to review and comment on a draft project. The document is available for review on the project website at https://www.wmat-rws-eis.com.
Reclamation and the WMAT will also host a virtual public meeting via Facebook Live on Aug. 27, 2022, at 10 a.m. PST. People will have the opportunity to ask questions about the draft EIS.
Public comments will be accepted through Sept. 12, 2022. Comments can be submitted during the virtual public meeting, by email at [email protected], through the project website, or via U.S. mail to:
Dominic Graziani
Bureau of Reclamation, Phoenix Area Office
6150 West Thunderbird Road
Glendale, AZ 85306
