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, , , --~ 00176" so \. UNITED -STATES DEPARTHENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF RECLAMATION UPPER'COLORADO REGION NOTICE OF INITIATION OF INVESTIGATION Name of investigation: McElmo Creek Unit, Colorado River Water Quality Improvement Program Location of investigation: Montezuma County in Southwestern Colorado, San Juan River Basin Date of investigations: Title II of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (Public Law 93-320) of June 24, 1974, authorized the Secretary of Interior to complete planning reports for the I1cElmo Creek Unit and other units in the Colorado River Basin. Projected date of completion of feasibility report is FY 1980. 1. Scope of investigations: To perform feasibility investigations on alternatives to reduce the salt load contributed by McE1mo Creek to Colorado River waters. A plan to accomplish a reduction is to be recom- mended in the feasibility report. 2. Problems: Data collected indicates that McElmo Creek carries an average annual salt load of about 120,000 tons at the Colorado-Utah state line. Irrigation return flows from southern Montezuma Valley, a large irrigated area in the McElmo Creek drainage, contribute a substantial amount of salt. Based on two years of data, the annual salt load from southern Montezuma Valley is about 70,000 tons. 3. Prospective solutions: One possibility would be to selectively withdraw flows of upper I1cElmo Creek and Mud Creek, a tributary to McElmo Creek, during periods of high salinity and low flaw. These flows cculd be evaporated, desalted or perhaps used for a beneficial purpose. Another possibility of decreasing the salt load would be programs to increase irrigation efficiency in the Montezuma Valley and ir.>prove their conveyznce facilities. This would require the agreement of irrigators in the area. A combination of alternative measures might be effective. 4. Participation by local, State, and Federal a~cies: Interested agencies are requested to forward, within 30 days, an expression of interest in the investigations, to inform us of pertinent data that can be made available for our use, and to furnish cow~ents and suggestions as may be considered appropriate. Participation in fish and wildlife, recreatioc, and water quality aspects of the investigation is desired by appropriate Federal agencies. These' investigations will be conducted consistent !Viti, the principles an<l standards of multiple-objective planning. Prepared: November 4._ 1977 ~'71 ;m ~~ Reg onal Planning Of icer Transmitted: November 10, 1977 Regl~~--