WSP09806

• File Number: 8273.100
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agencies - Bureau of Reclamation
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 11/1/1985
• Author: BOR
• Title: 1985 Evaluation of Salinity Control Programs in the Colorado River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Dirty Devil River UT (BR)

The estimated salt load contributed by the river is 150,000
tons annually. At present, Reclamation's preferred plan is
the deep well injection of brines at Hanksville South Salt
Wash near Hanksville, utah, and Emery South Salt Wash near
Emery and Green River, utah. The recommended plan would
reduce the salt load by about 19,200 tons annually.

The deep well injection permit application is pending. The
utah State Engineer's Office has recommended the possibility
of granting a limited time water right rather than a per-
manent water right for injection. The schedule calls for
completing the Upper Colorado Regional Director's Final
Planning Report/Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(PR/DES) in September 1986.

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Lower Gunnison Basin, North Fork Area CO (BR)

Reclamation's plan formulation investigations are continuing
on the North Fork area. The Regional Director's Report and
Draft Environmental Statement are scheduled for completion
in August 1990.

The SCS has completed its salinity control study for onfarm
sources in the North Fork area and has estimated that about
200,000 tons of salts enter the Colorado River system from
off-farm canal and lateral related sources. In addition,
some saline springs are known to exist in the area. There,
are numerous irrigation channels within the area, and much
of the soil is derived from or is underlain by Mancos shale.
Reclamation's study objective will be to delineate the salt
loading areas, develop a salt loading mechanism model,
formulate alternative solutions to the problem, and select
one or more recommended courses of action.

Lower Virqin River Unit NV (BR)

Studies were programed by Reclamation to investigate the
viability of capturing Lower Virgin River saline underflows
and diverting them for use as powerplant cooling water in
southern Nevada. Up to 50,000 acre-feet of saline water
could be used for this purpose. The salinity of the subsur-
face Virgin River water ranges from 2,000 to 4,000 mg/L.
The State of Nevada and Nevada Power company are interested
in this project. A contract study is planned to determine
if Nevada Power Company can use this water as an alternative
source.

FY 1985 funds provided for investigation of the potential
alternatives for the collection, conveyance, and use of the

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