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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />UNITED STATES <br />DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <br />BUREAU OF RECLAMATION <br />UPPER COLORADO REGION <br /> <br />NOTICE OF INITIATION OF INVESTIGATIONS <br /> <br />Name of Investigation: Dirty Devil River Unit, Utah - Colorado River Water <br />Quality Improvement Program. <br /> <br />Location of Investigation: Dirty Devil River Basin in southeastern central <br />Utah. <br /> <br />Date Investigations Initiated: Basic data collection was initiated in 1973 <br />when a number of water measurement and sampling stations were established. <br /> <br />Scheduled Date of Completion of Feasibility Report - Fiscal Year 1987. <br /> <br />1. Scope of Investi?ation: The study is concerned primarily with identifying <br />the salt loading mechanisms and identifying possible means of controlling <br />and reducing the salt contribution to the Colorado River system from the <br />Dirty Devil River. The study will be conducted by the Durango Projects <br />Office under the multi-objective planning guidelines set forth in the <br />Principles and Standards for planning water and land resources. <br /> <br />2. Problems: The Dirty Devil River drainage originates in the mountains of <br />the Wasatch and Aquarius Plateaus of southeastern central Utah and <br />extends south and east to the upper end of Lake Powell on the Colorado <br />River. Total dissolved solids contributed by the basin is estimated at <br />about 125,000 tons annually. Total dissolved solids concentrations in <br />Dirty Devil River flows range from 1,000 to 5,000 mg/L. Soils that have <br />commonly been derived from gypsum-bearing marine shales (Mancos) are the <br />main sources of salt in the basin. Irrigation return flows and natural <br />runoff from precipitation provide the vehicle for carrying the salt into <br />the river. Water containing salt drains into the lower part of the <br />Fremont River and Muddy Creek, whose confluence form the Dirty Devil <br />River near Hanksville, Utah, or drain directly into the Dirty Devil <br />Ri ver. <br /> <br />3. Prospective Solutions: Prospective solutions could involve plans for <br />selective withdrawal, collection and disposal, irrigation water system <br />improvements, industrial uses of the saline water, or possibly some <br />desalting methods. <br /> <br />4. Participation: Interested parties are requested to forward, within <br />30 days, and expression of interest in the investigations to inform us <br />of pertinent data that can be made available for our use, to furnish <br />comments and suggestions as may be considered appropriate, and express <br />possible interest in participation on the planning team. Participation <br />in the fish and wildlife, recreation. and beneficial use aspects of the <br />investigations is desired of all interested organizations and indi- <br />viduals. In most cases expenses incurred during participation will not <br />be reimbursable. <br /> <br />002472 <br />