WSP12337

• File Number: 8272.300.50
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 12/31/1998
• Author: CRBSC Advisory Counc
• Title: 1998 Annual Report on the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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1998 ANNUAL REPORT

states and with the BLM's plans to convene a salinity coordination meeting early in 1999 for the
BLM state technical leads having responsibility for accomplishing salinity control efforts.

The Council is encouraged by recent BLM efforts toward accounting for and tabulating salinity

control activities on federal lands. The Council had been pleased with initial efforts of the BLM to

identify activities on public lands which can reduce the salt load in the Colorado River and for

attempting to develop methodologies for quantifYing those reductions as was discussed in the 1996

Review. In more recent years, the tabulation of salt saving activities had not occurred, The Council

is most pleased with the BLM's recently renewed efforts to review post-1996 BLM State Office

reports and tabulate identified specific salinity reducing activities, as well as estimate salt load

reductions due to treatment of other lands in saline areas. The Council urges the BLM to continue

to educate local personnel on how to identify and quantify salinity reducing activities. The Council

urges the BLM to move fOIWard with the development and implementation of a practical and reliable

program to allow verification of salt loading reduction activities by the BLM through the use of

programmatic funding by the BLM to conduct and support these activities. Further, the BLM is

urged to seek funding for salt reduction projects administered solely by the BLM or in cooperation

with state and other federal agencies. The Council recommends that the BLM continue developing,

in cooperation with the Forum's Work Group, a program which will allow the tracking of salt load

reductions and the expenditure of funds that result in a reduction of salt contributions.

The BLM lessees appear to not be taking advantage ofthe opportunity to apply for EQIP funds on
federal lands which are being leased for grazing. This forgone opportunity appears to come from
a lack of Washington level discussions between the USDA and the BLM personnel. The NRCS
EQIP manual indicates public land may be considered for enrollment if:

COLORADO RlVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL ADVISORY COUNCIL

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