WSPC01779

• File Number: 8272
• Description: Colorado River - Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program - CRBSCP
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 2/1/1989
• Title: Salinity Update - February 1989
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

G[(314

5 THE SOLUTION

Water Commission, United States
and Mexico), and concluded
pursuant to the Treaty of
February 3, 1944.

Title II of Public Law 93-320
directed the Secretary of the Interior
to expedite the completion of
planning reports on 12 salinity
control units and to proceed with
construction of the Paradox Valley,
Grand Valley, Crystal Geyser, and
Las Vegas Wash Units.

) . In October 1984, the President
signed Public Law 98-569, the
Colorado River Basin Salinity
Control Amendment, which
amends Public Law 93-320. It
directs the Secretary of Agriculture
to establish a major voluntary
onfarrn cooperative salinity control
program within the Department of
Agriculture. The new Agriculture
program provides for cost sharing
of onfarm improvements consistent
with the degree of onsite and offsite
downstream benefits as determined
for the project area. Maximum
Federal cost shares are not to exceed
70 percent unless higher levels are
approved by the Secretary of
Agriculture. The new authority also
requires that 30 percent of the
Federal cost shall be repaid from the
Upper and Lower Basin water
development funds with revenue
generated from the sale of
hydropower.

For Interior, the amendment
{public Law 98-569) provides for the
following actions not previously
included in the Reclamation
program:

. Authorization of construction
of Stage I of the Lower
Gunnison Basin Unit and the
McElmo Creek Unit as a part of
the Dolores Project.

. The use of cost-effectiveness as
a decisionmaking criterion.

. Joint feasibility studies with
industrial water users as a part
of ongoing Saline Water Use
and Disposal Opportunities
activities.

. Authority for the Secretary of
the Interior to contract with
non-Federal entities for
organization, construction,
operation, maintenance, and
replacement of authorized
salinity control facilities.

. Authority to concurrently
replace incidental fish and
wildlife values foregone as
salinity control units are
constructed.

. Thirty percent reimbursable
from the Upper and Lower
Basin funds on the newly
authorized units to be repaid
either during the year the
expenditures are made or over
time with interest. By compari-
son, 25 percent of the construc-
tion costs of previously
authorized units are to be
repaid from the Basin Fund
over 50 years without interest.

. Compliance with procedural
and substantive State water law.