WSP10582

• File Number: 8041
• Description: 208 Clean Water Grant
• State: CO
• Date: 3/31/1983
• Author: CWCB
• Title: Final Report on the 208 Clean Water Grant for the Water Quality Control Division of the Colorado Department of Health
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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3660

implement the plan. This represents nearly $7,500,000 over a
Six-year construction period. In addition, the Soil Conservation
Service has reported that tHere would be 100 additional jobs
during project implementation.

The environmental impacts mainly arise through the
disruption of wetland habitat. Preliminary studies indicate that
approximately 1750 acres of we~lands would be lost with the
implementation of the recommendad plan.

Another impact associated wJth the program is the water
savings of approximately 54,000 ~cre-feet. The redistribution of
this water for additional irriqat~on or other benefical uses may
create a significant impact on the area.

The final onfarm report for th McElmo Unit shows that the
annual costs for the operation, maintenance, and replacement will
rise from $3,000 to $184,000 per year after project implementa-
tion. This may be prohibitive to the farmers in the area if some
of the projected benefits do not materialize.

Summary

Approximately one half of the 9,000,000 tons of salt that
passes Hoover Dam originates in Colorado. Of this amount, nearly
2.5 million tons have been identified as originating in seven
salinity control units currently under investigation by the
Bureau of Reclamation, Soil Conservation Service, and Bureau of
Land Mangel,lent. When implemented, these projects would annually
remove about 1.53 million tons of salt from the Colorado River
and reduce the salinity concentration by about 140 mg/l at
Imper ia lOaf[, .

The major impacts associated with the various salinity
control units are economic, environomental, and legal. Toe local
economic impa~: is composed of the direct effect of nearly

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