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Salinity Control Activities SIr<ppmgsplant'o'hydtog..n~U,de Planning work in the Upper Basin con. tinued on the Paradox Valley and Grand Valley Units, Colorado. These units of the CRBSGP were authorized by the Salinity Control Act (P.l. 93.320, June 23, 1974). Paradox Valley Unit. The work included enlarging the temporary brine disposal pond; constructing temporary brine disposal pipelines from the lest wells to the disposal pond; preparing the Defjnite Plan Report (OPR); and printing the Final Environmental Statement (FESI. Grand Valley Unit. The work included selecting the Stage I area: drilling ground water observation wells; completing an environmental assessment which showed the Stage J area would have no signifi- cant environmental impact; preparing the DPR lor the Stage I area; and negotiating with the Grand Valley Water Users Asso- ciation to revise the draft 01 the contract defining responSibility during construc- tion. operation. maintenance and faCility replacement. 6 Planning activilies in the Upper Basin concentrated on: 1) irrigation systems and imprOved management for the Lower Gunnison (Uncompahgre) and Uinta Basin Units; 2) deviSing plans to prevent salts from entering the river system Irom the McElmo Creek and Meeker Dome Units. Planning activitIes in the Lower Basin concentrated on the LaVerkin Springs Unit and the Lower Virgin River Unit (enlargement 01 the Littlefield Springs UOll). Feasibility studies continued on other units authorized for investigation. The Colorado RIver Basin Salinity Control Forum continued its studies lor reviSing the "Waler Quality Standards for Salinity, Including Numeric Criteria and Plan of Implementation for Salinity Control, Colo- rado River System:' in October 1978- Operations Crystal Oam ana Po_plant Reservoirs During the 1978 water year (September 30, 1977 to September 30. 1978), the Up. per Colorado River Basin yielded 11.500.000 acre.feet, or 98 percent ollhe long. time average. Upstream reservoirs recovered much 01 the waler storage that has been reduced during the severe 1977 drought. The disposition of the runoff was as lollows: Acre-Feet Net reservoir storage increase Evaporation loss Bank storage increase Release to lower basin 1,900.000 570.000 820,000 8.210,000 11,500,000 Total yield Water storage al Glen Canyon increased by 419,000 acre-feet from October 1977 10 September 1978. Storage at Flaming Gorge increased 747,000 acre-feet and Navalo and Blue Mesa gained 200,000 and 507,000 acre. feet respectively. Fontenelle filled during the year, and Mor. row Point stayed. as usual, nearly lull. Water year 1978 was the lirst complete year that Crystal Reservoir has been operated. Electric power produclion began at Crystal Dam in June. The dam's primary lunction is to reregulale releases from Morrow Paint to a more even llow in the Gunnison River downstream.