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<br /> <br />Colorado River Basin Salimty Control Program <br /> <br /> <br />n <br />0') <br /> <br />e\cess of ~50.000 mg/L. by far the most concentrated source of salt in lhe Colorado River Basin. <br />Groundwater then surfaces in the Dolores Rl\'er. Scudies conducted by Reclamation show lhe river <br />picks up more lhan 205.000 tons of salt annually as it passes waugh rne Parado~ Ya1ley. <br /> <br />In its definite plan report (September 1978), Reclamation recommended thai a series of wells be <br />dnlled on born sides of the Dolores River to intercept the brine before it reached the nver. The <br />bnne would then be pumped to an evaporation pond in Dry Creek Basin. A draft en...irorunental <br />statement was prepared for this plan and made public on May 11. 1978; a fmal statement was filed <br />with EPA on March ~O. 1979. Due 10 the potential for environmental impacts. EPA recommended <br />that Reclamation investigate deep-well injeclion as an alternative method of disposal. <br /> <br />e..... <br /> <br />t..f <br /> <br />A pn\'ate consuhing firm completed a feasibility scudy of deep-well injection and concluded it to be <br />technically. economically. and eO\:irorunentally feasible. Reclamation then contracted with a <br />second consulting firm to do a more detailed scudy of IOjection and to design the disposal system <br />lOcludlng IOjectlOn well and surface faCIlities. A flOal design for the teSI injection well was <br />completed in August 1985, <br /> <br />Facliltles have been installed and mechanical tests performed NumeroUS mechanical and electrical <br />problems with the facilities have been identified and solved. Several new technologies v.ere <br />developed to overcome the e'\tremely high pressures created by the IOjection pumps. <br /> <br />Reclamation has completed its initial tesnng of the well. The tests results were used to determine <br />the capacity of the wen to accepl brine and develop specifications for the permanent facilities. A <br />full production test of the permanent facilities at..1.00 gpm started 10 1997. AI thiS rate of injection. <br />the facility should be: capable of disposing more than 100.000 tons of salt per year. The project has <br />t>een able to consistently meet lhls objecllve. A pilot test of a pretreaunent process is underway <br />which may allow higher rales of disposal <br /> <br />\'erification Studies-The brine collection field has been fully lested by gauging the Dolores River <br />above and below the brine IOflow area. Vo'hen me pumps are rumed on. salt gains in the reach drop <br />Immediately. Reclamation has contracted with USGS to conduct verification scudies beginmng in <br />1999. Like me ~1eeker Dome Unit (another sodium chlonde sourcel. momtorlng should be able to <br />accurately measure the effectiveness of the Unit. <br /> <br /> <br />Price-San Rafael Rivers Unit <br /> <br />The Price-San Rafael Ri'..ers Unit is located in easHemral Utah. 120 miles southeast of Salt Lake <br />City. encompassing Carbon and Emer)" Counties. Agriculcure and energy development (primarily <br />coal mining) make up the principal economic base in the area. Born the Price and San Rafael <br />Rivers drain imo the Colorado River via the Green River, <br /> <br />Salimt)" contributed to the Colorado Ri....er from the Price Ri,..er and San Rafael River basins occurs <br />pnnclpally as a result of the dissolution of soluble salts in the soil and substrata Recum flows from <br />Irrigation and runoff from precipitation Iransport salts to nacural drains and evenrually into the <br /> <br />57 <br />