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~ --J --.J ..~. Environmental Scoping-Uinta Basin Unit A scoping meeting to gather public input conceming the environmental issues associated with the Uinta Basin Unit was held in Roosevelt, Utah, June 28,1984, said P. Kirt Carpenter, Projects Manager of the Bureau of Reclamation's Utah Projects Office in Provo. The purpose of the meeting was to identify those environmental issues which should be covered in the Unit's environmental statement which is now being prepared. The draft environmental statement is scheduled to be completed and available for public review and comment in the summer of 1985. The program is to control salt picked up by surface and ground water within the Uinta Basin by preventing the salt from entering the Colorado River. Approximately 450,CXX> tons of salt enter the Colorado River from the Uinta Basin annually. Alternatives being evaluated include: (1) lining irrigation canals and laterals to reduce seepage losses, thus reducing the salt load carried to the Colorado River; (2) collecting saline water and disposing of it through deep well injection, evaporation ponds, or a desalting plant; (3) using saline water for energy development, transportation of coal through a coal slurry pipeline, or for cooling purposes at a local powerplant; and (4) the retirement from irrigation of low yield, high salt contributing lands. If you could not attend the meeting but would still like to comment, please mail comments to: Bureau of Reclamation, Utah Projects Office, P.O. Box 1338, Provo, Utah 84603. LaVer1dn Springs Unit Because of renewed State and local interest, Reclamation reinitiated salinity studies in FY 1983 to evaluate new concepts for diverting the saline springs. A preliminary findings report recommending that the stud} be discontinued because of poor cost- effectiveness, was submitted to the Commissioner's Office in January 1984. The recommendation has been concurred in by the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum and the Commissioner's Office. The Preliminary Findings Report will be released as a public document in 1984. Microalgae Production Using Saline Water A research facility has been working on microalgae production plans for possible sites in Colorado using geothermal brines. They bel ieve that recent advancements will allow large-scale outdoor facilities to penetrate existing markets in synthetic oils, cosmetics, antibiotics, and pharmaceuticals in about 5 years. In a recent analysis using a San Luis Valley site in Colorado, a 113 acre plant producing algae for the castor oil market indicated that it is ready for commercialization. Apparently algae harvested for castor oil is worth about $1700 per ton. For questions concerning projects discussed in this newsletter, please contact the Public Affairs Office in the Region responsible for that project. Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Regional Office P.O. Box 11568 Salt Lake City, Utah 84147 Telephone: FTS 588-5403 Commercial: 801-524-5403 Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Regional Office P.O. Box 427 Boulder City, Nevada 80005 Telephone: Commercial: FTS 598-7420 702-293-8420 For answers to general questions or items you would like to see included in SALINITY UPDATE, write to: Editor, SALINITY UPDATE, D-1CXX> Colorado River Water Quality Office Bureau of Reclamation P.O. Box 25007 Denver Federal Center Denver, Colorado 80225 Telephone: Commercial: FTS 234-4180 303-234-4180