Final Environmental Assessment for Effluent Irrigation of the Golf Course Holloman Air Force Base Otero County, New Mexico

Abstract : This Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzes the United States Air Force's proposal to construct a supplemental irrigation source for the golf course at Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB), near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The proposal would substitute use of potable water that is currently utilized for irrigation with treated effluent from the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The golf course at HAFB is currently irrigated with approximately 70 million gallons per year (mgy) of potable water. Currently 255 mgy of treated effluent is discharged from the WWTP into the wetlands complex at HAFB that provides important wetland and open water habitat to a number of wildlife and bird species. The Proposed Action alternative would divert 70 to 130 mgy of treated effluent from the WWTP for use on the golf course leaving approximately 125 to 185 mgy of effluent flowing into the wetlands complex. In addition to the Proposed Action alternative, two other alternatives are analyzed. The No Action alternative would maintain the flow of all treated effluent into the wetlands complex, while continuing to irrigate the golf course with potable water. A third alternative would irrigate the golf course with a combination of potable water and treated effluent. The EA analyzes the potential for impacts to biological resources, water resources, and land use from these three alternatives.