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SALINITY CONTROL Units Authorized For Construction Title II of the "Colorado River Basin Sal- inity Control Act" 01 June 24,1974. (Pub- lic Law 93-320), authorized the Secretary 01 the Interior to construct. operate and maintain four salinity control unifs as the initial stage 01 the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program. The four units are Paradox Valley. Grand Valley, Cryslal Geyser. and Las Vegas Wash. Public Law 98-569. dated October 30, 1 984, deau- thorized Crystal Geyser, and authorized Lower Gunnison BaSin Unit, Stage One. It also authorized McElmo Creek Unit to be construcled under the Dolores Project. Paradox Valley Unit: The Bureau of Rec- lamation has begun work that will result In the drilling of a 15,500-foot-deep injec- tion test well. An assessment by Rec- lamation 01 data from the test deep-well injection will help determine the most cost-€Ifecllve means lor disposing of the saline water, which in the case 01 Para- dox Valley, is seven times the salinity 01 sea waler. The contract, for $14,184,347, will take 21 months to complete and was awarded in July 1986. To date, erosion control structures I,ave been completed, a temporary brine holding pond is com- pleled, and work has begun on the access road and injection well site. Grand Valley Unit: The Grand Valley Unil Final Environmental Impact State- ment was liled with the Environmental Protection Agency May 23, 1986, the Final Supplement to the Definite Plan Report was approved July 11, 1986, and the Record 01 DeciSion was also signed July 11. 1986, giving approval to proceed with construction of the profect. On July 22, the bid opening on West End Government Highline Canal, State Two, was held. On September 3, the contract was awarded to HAJCO Construction, Inc., of Sandy, Utah. lor $4.1 million, The work consisfs of conslructing 7.2 miles 01 detention ditch, wasleway tumout struc- tures, field lurnouls, underdrain culverls and two bridges. Work is expected to take 19 montlls. Lower Gunnison Basin Unit: Public Law 98-569, October 30, 1 984, authorized construction in the Uncompahgre Valley Area 01 the Lower Gunnison Unit. The Lower Gunnison Basin Unit Preconstruc- tion Report is being prepared. I The Winter Water replacement portion of the advance planning aclivities IS under- way to develop inlormation and activities necessary to remove wintertime flows from about 65 percent 01 the canals and laterals 01 the Uncompahgre Valley and to mitigate the need for such water by expanding the existing domeslic water supply system. La Vegas Wash Unit: Alternative strate- gies for salinity control are being tested by two verilicalion programs. In the Pitt- man area, a 3.5 mile bypass pipeline was inslalled to convey Iresh water that had been flowing in unlined ditches to the Wash. When the ditch seepage was stopped, fhe groundwater table In the area dropped. The reduced groundwater flow is expected to leach less salt from subsurface deposits. A sail load reduclion of 7,000 tons per year is anticipated. Another strategy to change the paltern of groundwater Ilow by lorming subsurface detention basins with peripheral slurry walls is being studied in Ihe Whitney area. The environmental assessment for the Whitney Verificalion Program was published in May 1986. Continued coordi- nation with local entities concerned with wastewater treatment, wellands park development, or other recreational activi- ties is required to maintain support for salinity control programs in Ihe Wash. McElmo Creek Unit: Public Law 98-569, dated October 30, 1984, authorrzed com- bining McElmo Creek Unit salinity lea- tures with features of the Dolores Project now under construction Sail deposits along tfll! Colorado River bank neilr Grand Junction, Colorado 11