WSP10002

• File Number: 8270.100
• Description: Colorado River Basin Water Quality/Salinity -- Misc Water Quality
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 3/1/1989
• Author: USDOI
• Title: Quality of Water - Colorado River Basin - Progress Report No. 14 - January 1987
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Tn 1985. a USDA Basin Coordinator position vas established to assist
in c:;urying Ollt the Cololado River s<llildry program. Tile position is
responsible for ('ootoination ami eVi'l.lll<llion of USDA -"alinity control
actiVities in the Ba.<;in. The Conrriitlatol. hf>arlrjll<tllererf nl the Rllt"f'au of
Reclamation, Colorado Riv€'l- Salinity Plogram Cf)oldinator's attice in Denver,
Colorado, is the primary point of contact bet....€'en the Reclamation and USDA
agencies. The coordinatol is also ,-esponsible tor providing salinity control
program assistanCf! for each of Basin's SCS St:tte COllsf>rv,1tionisls; Dile-clor,
Vest National Technical Center: and other fedel'al, state, and local entities
and organizations.

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The USOA salinity control program is <ldministered primarily by the
ARTicultllral Conservation and Stabili7<ltioll Service (ASCS), tile SCS. and
Extension SeLvice (ES). \larking tht"ou~h Ihe USDA Salinity Conttol
Coordinating CommittN' and the Dirpctor of L.1nn Tleatment Progt";1m Division a~
the designared USDA ~illinity ('ontrol liilison officf'l. ASC$ <lnd SCS provide
major program managemen t leadersh i p and over a] I pi ogt am COOl dina t ion ....i th
Reclama.tion. HO\Jever. USDA agf'ncies and Title II oll-fnrm salinity contl-al
programs art'> funded and implemented separately from R(>clamation programs.

Since 1987. the USDA Salinity control program has been administererl
under tIJO program authorities. PriOl to 1987 ,,11 financial assistance and
cas t -share funding ....ere pi ov ided tht"ough spec it i c appl-opr ia t inl1 language for
the Aglicultllr-al COllSelV<ltion Program (ACP) ....ithin the ASCS. Also SCS funding
for technical assistance and monitol"iltR ....as not specifically dppropria[ed;
tllen.fore the agency relied on f'xisting Conservation Technical As~istallce
suPPOrt funds fOI- implementat ion. Beginning in Fiscal Yei'lr 1987 [UllrlS helve
been appropriatcd each year fUI implementation of the USDA Colot-ado Rivet-
Salinity COlltrol Plogt'am as aUlhori7.ed hy Puh]ic La.... Q8-569. In <lrldition, ACP
s"linity funds ....l?r.e "Iso availah]e fin lJ~e in the GI'and V."llley and Uinta
Basin. Since th~ remaining ACP funds ale exp~cted to be oulip;ated by Janui'l.ry
1, 1989. the only source of funding thereafter 'Jill be !tom the Colorado River
Sell ini ty Control Progl"i'tm.

The Extension Service (ES) canies out the information and educatif)n
<lctivities of the USDA COlOI.ldo Rivel Salinity Control Program. They also
advise irrigators on a variety of IJatel, soil. erop. and fi1rm m."lnagement
activities.

The Agli('ul rural Rese;nrh ServiC'e (ARS) ann the Cooperat ive St;up
Research Service also playa vi'.,l ro]", in the salinity contlol ploglam. The
ARS conducts research on irrigation ....atcl and soil managemenl. ....ater delivery
systf'm dE'sign, and oper-;1tional practices. The Cooperative State Reseal'ch
Service carries out cooperiltive research activities on 'JateT managpment.
salinity conlrol and crop production on saline soils.

The Fish and Vildlife Service (FilS) also pilrricipates in the
implementation anrl progress of the CRVlJIP. rvs provides guidance for
replacing ....ildlifp habitat potelllially lost primal ily thlough canal and
latetal lining and on-farm progl.:Jms.

The U.S. GeoloR"ical SUI-vej' (llSGS). 1J<ltPI" Rpsources Division.
opel-ates and maillrains slteamflo.... ga~ing and \Jatet quality sampling st<ltions
in the Colorado River Basin to provide data necessary for ongoing <l1l.'l.lysis of
the salinity control program. Each yea!". the US(;S updates the mOlJthlyand
annllal values of stleamflo.... and dissolved solids IOdd and cnncentl<ltion at ~O

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