Laserfiche WebLink
<br />salinity In The Grand valley <br /> <br />I\:l <br />t,..) The Grand Valley contributes about 600,000 to 700,000 tons of salt <br />00 annually to the Colorado River. It is assumed that most of these salts <br />CJ (gypsum, calcite, and sodium sulfate) are leached from the soil and to <br />the underlying Mancos shale, and carried to the river by deep <br />percolation through excess irrigation, and by seepage from water <br />delivery and tailwater collection ditches. <br /> <br />Climatic Conditions <br /> <br />The Grand Valley has an arid climate and receives between 8 to 10 inches <br />of moisture annually. The average growing season varies from 154 days <br />to 190 days in different parts of the Grand valley. The climatic <br />summary for the Grand Junction area is presented in Appendix A. Average <br />monthly temperatures and precipitation data since the M&E program began <br />are provided in this Appendix table. The 1995 summer months were cooler <br />than average and had above average precipitation. Producers applied <br />less than average irrigation (refer to climatic summary in Appendix A). <br /> <br />Objectives Of The M&E program <br /> <br />The objectives of the M&E Program are contained in the April 1994 M&E <br />Plan. <br /> <br />CRSC Program status <br /> <br />The ninth year of funding for CRSC was completed in Fiscal Year (FY) <br />1995. In 1995, 34 contracts were approved and 8 contracts were <br />terminated. In FY 1995, 68 individuals were waiting funding. <br /> <br />Among cost-share practices, underground pipeline and gated pipe continue <br />to be the most popular and useful practices. In FY 1995, 88,488 feet of <br />underground pipeline and 42,457 feet of gated pipeline were installed. <br />Surge irrigation systems are gaining wide support. Many systems in the <br />valley are being modified to permit surge installations. <br /> <br />Table 1 provides CRSC Program progress for FY 1995 as well as cumulative <br />information since the start of the salinity program (both GVSP and <br />CRSC). Data were provided by the local NRCS office. <br /> <br />3 <br />