7905

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7905
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Quality of Water, Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1995.
• USFW - Doc Type: Progress Report No. 17,
• Copyright Material: NO

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Currently, only a few methods of salinity control exist which have passed all the tests
of viability and are presently implementable-lining irrigation delivery systems, deep
well injection of brines, plugging of flowing brine wells, erosion control on saline lands,
and irrigation improvements. The potential use of saline water by industry has been
examined extensively with field testing at several powerplant sites. Implementation
problems remain with cost sharing, timing of construction schedules, and funding.
However, studies are continuing with private interests to apply new technologies to
desalinate saline springs (see Glenwood-Dotsero Springs Unit).

Appropriation Ceiling

In the original Salinity Control Act of 1974, the Congress placed a construction ceiling
of $125,100,000 (with indexing allowed) on the Reclamation portion of the Salinity
Control Program. Completion of ongoing contracts, construction cooperative
agreements, and wildlife habitat replacement will consume the remaining construction
ceiling.

While construction of additional cost-effective portions of the authorized Salinity
Control Program is possible, insufficient ceiling remains to complete Reach la of the
Grand Valley Unit, the East Side Lateral portion of the Lower Gunnison Basin Unit,
and an operation and maintenance (O&M) road in the Dolores Project.

The Salinity Control Program was originally authorized by Public Law 93-320 on
June 24, 1974, with an appropriation ceiling of $125,100,000 with indexing allowed.
Public Law 98-569 added two units to the authorization-Lower Gunnison Unit and
McElmo Creek Unit-and authorized measures to replace incidental fish and wildlife
values foregone. At that time, the appropriation ceiling was not increased for this
additional work. Table 4 shows the ceiling allocation for Reclamation by unit feature.

Given the limits on the existing program, Reclamation has allocated its remaining
funds to complete as many of the facilities as possible. The allocation provides for
completion of the wildlife habitat replacement program, all ongoing construction
contracts, and most (possibly all) salinity features covered by long-term construction
cooperative agreements. Reach la of the Grand Valley Government Highline Canal
and the East Side Lateral facilities in the Lower Gunnison Basin Unit would not be
awarded. Any adjustments needed in the final stages of the program would be made
on the last laterals to be constructed in the Grand Valley Unit. Table 5 presents the
salinity control unit ceiling allocations by fiscal year (FY).

Bureau of Land Management

Public Law 98-569 directed the Secretary of the Interior to develop a comprehensive
program for minimizing salt contributions from lands administered by the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) and to provide a report on this program to the Congress and
the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council by July 1, 1987. A report
entitled Salinity Control on BLM-Administered Public Lands in the Colorado River
Basin was completed for the Congress and the Advisory Council in July 1987. The

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