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<br />September 21-22, 1998, Agenda Item 20.h., <br />Page 2 of 4 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The most recent review report was completed in 1996, and like previous reviews it examined: <br />. current salinity and hydrologic conditions, <br />. future anticipated depletions of the basin water supply, <br />. projected salinity levels at the numeric criteria stations, <br />. the damages avoided [economic benefits] by controlling salinity, <br />. the amount of salt load to be controlled to maintain salinity levels at or below specified numeric <br />criteria at 3 downstream stations under average hydrologic conditions, and <br />. necessary revisions to the plan of implementation to control sufficient salt load in a cost-effective <br />marmer. <br /> <br />In mid-August staff sent a memo (copy attached) to approximately 125 interested parties in Colorado <br />,inviting them to provide input on changes to the scope of the 99 Review. The memo was also posted <br />on the Board's website in an effort to reach as broad an audience in the state as possible. The memo <br />suggested that unless new infonnation was provided by interested parties the staff was prepared to <br />recommend to the Board at the September meeting that the 1999 Review follow the content ,and <br />format of the 1996 review. As of September 15,1998 staff had received only one inquiry and no <br />comments based on the August memo. <br /> <br />Selenium control was raised in a January 1998 letter (copy attached) from the Colorado Water <br />Quality Control Division (wQCD) to the CRBSCP Forum as a potential issue for consideration in <br />the 1999 Review. The WQCD requested that the CRBSCP atternpt to incorporate selenium control . <br />as it develops salinity control projects. The Forum and USBR concluded that under current guidance <br />CRBSCP funds can not be expended solely for selenium control, but indicated a willingness to <br />explore joint projects when other funds are made available to defray the additional costs associated <br />with selenium control. This summer the Uncompahgre V alley Water Users Association successfully <br />submitted a project proposal to USBR that addresses both selenium and salinity control. The <br />demonstration project will replace 7.5 miles of open irrigation laterals with a piped system in an area <br />near Montrose where soils are both highly saline and selenium bearing. The additional costs <br />attributed to selenium control [approximately $800,000] will be provided through a separate USBR <br />water quality program making the cost of salinity control [approximately $700,000] competitive with <br />other CRBSCP projects throughout the Basin. Therefore, there does not appear to be a need to <br />specifically consider revisions to CRBSCP guidance as it might relate to selenium in the 1999 <br />Review. <br /> <br />Based on the lack of comments received, and the apparent success of efforts to develop a joint <br />salinity-selenium control demonstration project in Colorado without modifying the CRBScp, staff <br />recommends that Colorado take the position at the October Forum meeting that the 1999 Review <br />closely follow the same content and process as used in 1996. <br /> <br />C:ISRMlU.Ell.>80AADl>lfM\llOll:aH.WPIl . <br />_..~I'I", <br />