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<br />o <br />-..I <br />IV <br />0. <br /> <br />ABSTRACT OF THESIS <br /> <br />HYDRO-SALINITY MODEL OF THE GRAND VALLEY <br /> <br />The contribution to the salt load in the Colorado River as it <br /> <br />passes through the Grand Valley in Colorado is the most significant <br /> <br />increase in the upper basin. Seepage and deep percolation losses <br /> <br />enter shallow saline aquifers resulting from interaction with salt <br /> <br />deposits in the underlying Mancos shale formation. When these flows <br /> <br />ultimately return to the river system, they are in equilibrium with the <br /> <br />salt concentrations of the aquifer soils and Mancos shale. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />To better describe the subsurface flows, a ground water mode 1 <br /> <br />has been included in a general hydro-salinity model. The independent <br /> <br />computations in the ground water model provide an additional estimate <br /> <br />of the subsurface flows and thus increase the accuracy of the overall <br /> <br />computations. The modeling procedure is then a process of adjusting <br /> <br />surface and subsurface estimates of ground water flows along with <br /> <br />resulting salt flows until all hydro-salinity parameters are compatible. <br /> <br />The re sults of the water and salt budgeting proces s indicate that <br /> <br />the salt loading in the Colorado River can be reduced by conveyance <br /> <br />;<- <br /> <br />channel lining, improvec\ irrigation system management, and more <br /> <br />efficient farming practices. Implementation in these areas should be <br /> <br />iii <br /> <br />'<.,-' <br />