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<br />Salinity Control Opportunities <br /> <br /> <br />~ <br />U' <br />i-"' <br />N <br /> <br />Privatization Alternative.-A desalting firm is investigating the feasibi- <br />lity of a straight desalting alternative which does not include a powerplant, <br />The potential costs of the straight desalting alternative will be much higher <br />due to the loss of the inexpensive heat source and the revenues from the <br />powerplant, With passage of Public Law (P,L,) 104-20 in 1995, private <br />companies are now authorized to compete for funding in Reclamation's <br />basinwide program, <br /> <br />Grand Valley Unit <br /> <br />The Grand Valley Unit is located in west-central Colorado along the <br />Colorado River near Grand Junction, The unit was authorized for <br />construction by the Act of 1974 (P,L, 93.320), P,L, 98-569, enacted in 1984, <br />amended Title II provisions of that act and authorized the USDA Salinity <br />Control Program, <br /> <br />The purpose of the Grand Valley Unit is to reduce the estimated <br />580,000 tons per year of salt added to the Colorado River from the valley <br />asa result of conveyance system seepage and agricultural practices, <br /> <br />Studies indicate that salt loading to the Colorado River in the Grand Valley <br />occurs when conveyance system seepage and irrigation return flows pass <br />through highly saline soils and the underlying Mancos Shale Formation, By <br />reducing the amount of ground water percolating through these saline soils, <br />salt loading to the Colorado River would be reduced, <br /> <br />Reclamation is conducting a conveyance systems improvement program as a <br />cost-effective method of reducing off-farm seepage and salt loading, USDA <br />is implementing onfarm improvements, including upgrading irrigation <br />systems through cost assistance and improving irrigation management to <br />reduce deep percolation from farm operations, <br /> <br />La Verkin Springs <br /> <br />La Verkin Springs is located on the Virgin River in southwestern Utah, <br />The springs flow at a rate of 11.5 cfs with a salinity of 9,650 mgIL, The <br />springs contribute an estimated 109,000 tons per year of salt to the <br />Colorado River, Reclamation has evaluated several alternatives but has not <br />yet found a feasible method of salinity control. <br /> <br />Lower Gunnison Basin Unit <br /> <br />The Lower Gunnison Basin Unit is located in west-central Colorado in Delta <br />and Montrose Counties, The unit was authorized for investigation by the <br /> <br />8-4 <br />