The State of Colorado's Watersheds Report 2005

• Year: 2005
• Title: The State of Colorado's Watersheds Report
• Author: Colorado Watershed Assembly
• Description: 2005
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

IF
Ila4UNNISON BASIN
SELENIUM TASK FORCE
Background and Mission
The Gunnison Basin Selenium
Task Force ( GBSTF) is comprised
of private, local, regional, state, and
federal interests committed to finding
ways to reduce selenium within the
affected reaches while maintaining
the economic viability lifestyle of
the lower Gunnison River Basin. The
Selenium Task Force was established
to address elevated selenium
concentrations in the lower segments
of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre
Rivers. The GBSTF works proactively
and in a collaborative manner with our
members to address local remediation
challenges.
Accomplishments
The GBSTF held a workshop
entitled "Curing the Selenium
Headache" in November of 2004 to
share the Task Force's understanding
of local selenium issues. The workshop
featured local experts and covered
topics such as, the use of available
technology and irrigation system
improvements to increase crop yields
and using GIS and the soil survey to
target remediation techniques.
Endangered Colorado razorback chub
The Shavano Conservation
District, a GBSTF member, published
a report entitled "Uncompahgre River
Basin Selenium Phytoremediation."
The project studied the feasibility
of using selected agricultural crops
and trees with local economic value
to remove selenium from soils and
water, thereby reducing selenium
loading from irrigated lands. The
study was funded by the State of
Colorado under an EPA 319 Nonpoint
Source Control Program (NPS)
Grant. The complete report can be
found on the Task Forces' website at
www.seleniumtaskforce.org
The GBSTF in cooperation with
the Mesa Conservation District (MCD),
completed a 319 NPS Program Study,
"Baseline Characterization Study of
Water Quality for Determining the
Effects of Changes in Land Use on
Selenium Loading in the Whitewater,
Colorado Area." The objective of
the data collection was to establish
a baseline characterization of water -
quality conditions in anticipation of
urbanization in areas underlain by
Mancos Shale. The complete report
can also be found on our website.
The Task Forces contin
to further our public
education I � •
i
local watershed reports
The Uncompahgre Valley Water
Users Association (UVWUA) and
other members of the Task Force were
successful in obtaining an additional
$150,000 in congressional funding for
the piping of irrigation system laterals.
We have found that the piping of
irrigation system laterals significantly
reduces seepage, salt, and selenium
loading. Seventeen thousand feet of
pipe were laid in the winter of 2005.
The UVWUA is now in the planning
and design stage for replacing an
additional seven miles of open canal
with pipe and should be completed
this winter.
Laying pipe for irrigation system
laterals
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