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<br />o <br />CJl <br />00 <br />00 <br /> <br />lateral improvement to proceed on the Price and Stubb systems, Cost effectiveness for the canal <br />improvements were estimated at $45 per ton for 11,500 tons per year of salt reduction. Canal <br />improvement construction on these facilities started in 1991 under cooperative construction <br />agreements with the Palisade Irrigation District and the Mesa County Irrigation District. <br />Construction will take approximately 3 years to complete. No significant impacts were identified <br />in the supplements. Replacement of habitat values will proceed as part of the Grand Valley <br />Unit. <br /> <br />Reclamation prepared an environmental assessment to evaluate the impacts of alternative <br />methods of canal lining of the East end of the Government Highline Canal. The landowners <br />along this reach were concerned with the need for additional right-of-way to construct the <br />improvements. Reclamation developed a plan which minimizes the need for right-of-way <br />acquisition without increasing the project costs significantly, Canal lining on this reach began <br />in 1992 with land acquisition for right-of-way. <br /> <br />Under the USDA onfarm and off-farm lateral improvement program for salinity control, <br />work continued at an accelerated pace in assisting farmers to plan and apply salinity control <br />practices. To date, 3,264 annual/long-term agreements and salinity control contracts have been <br />signed by farmers and 180 applications are awaiting approval. Participants are implementing <br />a variety of salinity control practices including: ditch lining, underground pipelines, gated pipe, <br />land leveling, and surge irrigation systems. This was the third year for implementation of the <br />Grand Valley surge irrigation demonstration program which was funded by Reclamation under <br />cooperative agreement with the Cooperative Extension. Under this program, 77 surge valves <br />have been installed by farmers. Evaluations are being conducted to determine the benefits of <br />these systems over conventional systems. The salinity reduction practices applied to date <br />account for an estimated total annual salt load reduction of 56,600 tons out of a total planned <br />reduction from USDA activities of 163,000 tons. <br /> <br />Dolores Project/McElmo Creek Unit (Reclamation-Department of Agriculture) - This unit <br />consists of installing salinity control measures as separable benefits of the ongoing Dolores <br />Project now under construction by Reclamation. Lining of Reach I of the Towaoc Canal "was <br />completed in 1992. Canal lining construction on Reach 2 of the Towaoc Canal is scheduled for <br />completion in 1993. The Rocky Ford Laterals contract was awarded in 1992 and is scheduled <br />for completion in 1994. Coordination continues with the SCS, Montezuma Valley Irrigation <br />Company, and the Dolores Water Conservancy District. <br /> <br />USDA Colorado River Salinity Control funds for contracts have been allocated to this <br />area for three years. Farmers have entered into 91 salinity control contracts to date and 336 <br />additional applications have been received. Program implementation is well underway with <br />farmers installing side-roll sprinkler systems, underground pipelines and gated pipe. The <br />estimated annual salt load reduction accomplished as of the end of the reporting period is 3,500 <br />tons. <br /> <br />9 <br /> <br />,U~ <br />