WSP09821

• File Number: 8276.200
• Description: Paradox Valley Unit - Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 9/7/1978
• Title: General News Articles/Press Releases: Sept 1978 - Nov 1981
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: News Article/Press Release

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03-18-1994 04:51PM

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c. Patrick Cloa.ry
Ua,ly ~if:rl\lj1el
The laleSI problem slalling tesl-
in~ of a hrine,injerlion well in
Paradox hH$ (mgine~rs wundering
what's havpening 14.000 feet
down. a federal official said.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation offi-
cial~ stopped testing about a
month ago because pressure gra-
dients weren.t what they expected,
Stan Powers, a cj,;l engineer with
the Recl.matiun Bureau. told the
Gr.nd Junction Geology Society
on Thursday,
Officials hop" III iniecl lllO.OOO
tons of sail per year below the
Leadville limestune layer as part
of a salinity.conlrol project.
The bureau has spent about S63
million of a S94 million project to
div"rl 180.000 Ions IIf salt per year
frulll the Dolur.s Hive.. said Ruth
Hutchins, a member oftbe geology
society, The projeet is expected to
b. completed in 1999.
Wben opera tine. two ~'ells
inJ~("1 rh'cr 1JI'lrlC into the lime-
stone I.ver, ~'hlCh is 14,000 reet
helow the earth's surface.
rh,' hun:'"1 in 1!l89 hegan a 730-
day time period to lesl'the well
befor" puning it in operation.
Powers said the hureau tests the
system. then shuts the well down
for maintenance and ev"luatiou,
The brine is hi2hly coneen-
tr.alcfJ sCldlUlIl chloride. which
causcs lremendotl!'i wear and tear
on machinery, he sai~.
This last test. for instance;
shows that system v.lves were
pumping under prcssure of 4,500
pounds per square inch. Those
valve. are being tested to see if
they can withstand that force o"er
a long period, Powers said.
The bureau has found lhat the
brine's ehemi"al makeup requires
it to be mixed with fresh water to
gct it to l10w down the 5-inch vipe.
he said.
"The thing's not actin2 like it
should:' Powers said,
Since about 1971, the bureau
has studied ways to cut down on
S:illl nowing into t},.... rivpr in thp.
ParaOox valley to salisy reQuire-
menls of a Colorado Rivcr trcaty
with Mexico,

13038664474

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