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<br />082144 <br /> <br />participated in the program. The first nine contracts will provide onfarm and <br />irrigation delivery system improvements serving 1,528 acres. When all <br />irrigation water management and salinity reduction practices are installed, <br />the salt load reductions in the Colorado River system are estimated to be <br />1,480 tons per year. <br /> <br />Taole 1, Summary of ACP and CRSC program accomplishments, presents a brief <br />overview of activities and accomplishments of both the existing program and <br />the new CRSC program. <br /> <br />As specified in Section 205 of the Act, actual USDA expenditures for financial <br />assistance to install salinity reduction practices under the CRSC program are <br />subject to repayment from Upper and Lower Colorado River Basin funds. With a <br />combined expenditure of $109,007 for fiscal year 1987, the Lower Colorado <br />River Basin Development Fund reimbursement obligation for 19B7 is $27,797 and <br />the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund reimbursement obligation is $4,907. The <br />Upper Basin reimbursement is repaid, with interest, to the Federal Treasury <br />over 50 years or over the life of the measures, whichever is less. The life <br />expectancy and repayment period being used for the Grand Valley and Unita <br />Basin is 25 years. ASCS is responsible for reporting annually to the USBR on <br />CRSC program cost-share expenditures that are subject to the reimbursement <br />provisions of the Act. <br /> <br />Section 202(c)(4) of the Act, as amended, authorizes the Secretary of <br />Agriculture to utilize grants and cooperative agreements with conservation <br />districts, local governmental agencies, colleges and universities, and others <br />as appropriate to carry out the activities of the program. Thus far, SCS has <br />entered into cooperative agreements with the Unita Soil Conservation District <br />in Utah and the Mesa Soil Conservation District in Colorado. These <br />cooperative agreements are joint working agreements that complement the <br />technical assistance and monitoring activities of SCS in the Unita Basin and <br />Grand Valley projects. This approach is believed to be an excellent means of <br />program delivery at the local level. <br /> <br />Based upon operating experiences during the first year, the Department sees no <br />need for administrative changes or legislation to provide the technical and <br />financial assistance for the CRSC program. <br /> <br />Planning <br /> <br />The Act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to identify salt source areas, <br />to determine salt loading resulting from irrigation and watershed management <br />practices, and to develop plans for implementing measures that reduce salt <br />loading to the Colorado River. The plans are published as USDA salinity <br />control reports for the identified salt-source areas. The plans are developed <br />in coordination with the USBR and in consultation with the public and affected <br />governmental interests. <br /> <br />Before enactment of the new CRSC program authority, the salinity control <br />planning studies and investi6ations were carried out by SCS through existing <br />authorities of Section 6 of Pub. L. 98-566, 16 D.S.C. 1006, under special <br />river basin study funds. In addition to the Grand Valley and Unita Basin <br />reports, other USDA salinity control reports have been published for: Moapa <br />Valley and Virgin Valley in Nevada; Lower Gunnison, McElmo Creek, and Mancos <br />Valley in Colorado; and the Little Colorado River and Colorado River Indian <br />Reservation in Arizona. No recommended plans or salinity reduction benefits <br />were identified for the Arizona studies. <br /> <br />11 <br />