Reclamation announced today that it will hold a public scoping meeting to provide information and answer questions about a proposed hydropower project on the South Canal located near Montrose, Colo. The project, proposed by the Delta Montrose Electric Association and Uncompahgre Valley Water Users, would provide revenues to UVWUA to maintain and improve their irrigation project and would help diversify DMEA's generating portfolio while meeting legislatively mandated requirements for renewable energy sources.

The South Canal is a key irrigation feature of the Uncompahgre Irrigation Project that supplies water to many farms and residences in Montrose and Delta counties. The hydropower project would generate electricity using the existing irrigation flows in the South Canal and thus would operate only in the irrigation season. One or two units would be constructed along the canal to take advantage of the reliable irrigation flows and "drops" in elevation of the canal.

The public meeting will be on March 9, 2011 at 7 p.m. at the Delta Montrose Electric Association office in Montrose located at 11925 6300 Rd.

Reclamation is also seeking comments for preparation of a draft environmental assessment on the proposed project. Comments can include: questions or concerns you have with the proposal; the most significant issues to be addressed; and any information or data that could help in review of the proposal. Comments can be provided at the meeting or submitted by April 4, 2011 by email or mail to Steve McCall at smccall@usbr.gov or Bureau of Reclamation, 2764 Compass Drive, Suite 106,Grand Junction, CO 81506.