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Units Authorized For Planning Title II of the Colorado River Basin Salin- ity Control Act, Public Law 93-320, June 24, 1974, authorized and directed the Secretary of the Interior to expedite com- pletion of the planning reports on twelve units. Subsequent legislation has author- ized additional units. The,principal purposes of the investiga- tions are to study sources and causes of salinity in the Upper Colorado River Basin and to develop a Basinwide program to control salinity levels in the Colorado River... ''at or below 1972 levels..." while States of the Basin continue to develop and use their compact apportionments of water. The ten units authorized for planning under the Water Quality Improvement Program are at various stages within the planning process as follows: Big Sandy River Unit: At the request of the State of Wyoming, Reclamation did studies to determine if a proposed canal and lateral lining program would be feas- ible. These studies were completed in FY 86. Dirty Devil River Unit: The Dirty Devil River Unit Environmental Assessment and FONSI were approved in July and distrib- uted to the public in August 1986. Since Reclamation is unable to obtain a water right for deep well injection (the preferred plan), the study is being concluded. Glenwood- Dotsero Springs Unit: A re- port concluding the study was approved April 1, 1986. The preferred plan was not cost-effective. La Verkin Springs Unit: A preliminary findings report was released in August 1984 recommending the study be discon- tinued because of poor cost-effective- ness. The Salinity Control Forum and the Commissioner's Office concur with this recommendation. Lower Virgin River Unit: The viability of capturing Lower Virgin River saline under- flows and surface flows and diverting them for industrial use as powerplant cooling water is being investigated. Fiscal Year 1986 funds will provide for investigation of the potential alternatives for the collection conveyance and treat- ment of the saline water. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a Virgin Valley on-farm salinity report. Implementation of the USDA program is pending cost-sharing arrange- ments with the local entities. Meeker Dome Unit: The planning report concluding the study was approved August 20, 1985. Monitoring still shows that cleaning and plugging the wells was successful. Lower Gunnison Basin Unit-North Fork Area: A Preliminary Findings Memo- randum was approved in February 1986. Data collection is underway. Price-San Rafael Rivers Unit: A special report on the feasibility of the Bureau of Reclamation and the Soil Conservation Service developing a combined plan was presented to the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum (Forum) March 20, 1986. The Forum asked that a combined plan be investigated. Saline Water Use and Disposal Oppor- tunities Unit: This study is a joint effort between Reclamation and Western Re- source Transport (Westrans) to transport coal by slurry line and to study possible uses for saline water in the areas of Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada and Utah. Reclamation is awaiting a decision by Westrans on a future course of action. San Juan River Unit: This unit was approved as a new planning start in FY 86. The study will identify causes of salinity and means to control it in the San Juan River Basin, which includes Colora- do, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. The Plan of the Study was approved on October 10, 1985. Data collection is underway. Unita Basin Unit: The Planning Report/ Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DES) was filed April 25, 1986. The public hearing on the DES was held June 4, 1986. The plan is to line 55.5 miles of canals and laterals. Data collection on Phase II of the unit is underway. 1+ ,. 01- 1W 12 Operator stands near drillers console on the deep well injec- tion rig floor on Paradox Valley Unit, Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project Rig for deep well injection, Paradox Valley Unit, Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project