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<br />SUMMARY <br /> <br />The Regional Director's proposed feasibility report for the Uinta <br /> <br />Basin Unit of the Colorado River Water Quality Improvement Program is <br /> <br />scheduled for completion in 1982. This status report will inform con- <br /> <br />cerned interests of the preliminary costs and impacts associated with the <br /> <br />plan at this time. <br /> <br />The Uinta Basin Unit investigation in northeastern Utah was author- <br /> <br />ized by Public Laws 93-320 and 96-375 to determine the most cost- <br />effective way to reduce the salinity in the Colorado River system by <br /> <br />reducing the' quantity of poor quality water entering the Duchesne and <br /> <br />Green Rivers. Irrigation return flows from these rivers flow eventually <br /> <br />into the Colorado River carrying over 240,000 tons of salt from the study <br /> <br />area. The salt is picked up from both off-farm and on-farm sources and <br /> <br />results in an increase in salinity at Imperial Dam of about 24 milli- <br /> <br />grams per liter (mg/L). The Soil Conservation Service and the Water and <br /> <br />Power Resources Service are coordinating individual studies in the total <br /> <br />salinity reduction effort. <br /> <br />Some of the irrigation facilities in the Uinta Basin were construc- <br /> <br />ted as early as 1905 with little overall consideration for seepage <br /> <br />prevention. Much of the system was cut directly into the saline soils <br /> <br />and rock. Conveyance system seepage through the unlined canals results <br /> <br />in a loss of water and the aforementioned salt loading. <br /> <br />A public involvement program aided in evaluating a number of alter- <br /> <br /> <br />natives. In January 1981, the planning team developed a plan to concrete <br /> <br /> <br />line as much of the canal and lateral system in the Uinta Basin as can be <br /> <br /> <br />justified under the salinity reduction objective. In February, meU&e'6 i5 <br />