WSPC06036

• File Number: 8045
• Description: Section D General Studies-Federal Projects-General
• Date: 4/18/1980
• Title: Moon Lake Power Plant Project-Reports 1979-80-Availability of Water and Impact on Water Quality from a Power Plant to be Constructed by Deseret Generation and Transmission Cooperative
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

.

11

.

percent. During the period from 1963 through 1978, the average decrease

in flow would have been 0.4 percent. Total dissolved solids would have

been increased at Green River, Utah by 0.7 mg/l during the drought year

of 1977 and by 0.8 mg/l for the 1968-78 period.

I

If Deseret had withdrawn 16,000 acre feet from the Bonanza Reservoir

during 1977, the decrease in flow at Green River, Utah would have been

the same 0.6 percent as if the water was diverted directly from the Green

River. However, the impact of such a diversion on water quality at Green

River, Utah would be to increase the TDS only 0.4 mg/l for the 1973-78

I

I

period. Use of water for irrigation from a dam on the White River would

I

cause a marked increase in salinity downstream, primarily because of

increased salt content in irrigation return flows. For example, at

I

Bonanza, if approximately 50,000 acre-feet of water were diverted annually

for irrigation on Ute Indian land (and Deseret and other anticipated with-

I

drawals occurred), the total dissolved solids at the Green River at Green

I

River, Utah would increase an average of about 8 mg/l during the period of

1963-78. This estimate is based upon an assumed irrigation return flow

I
I

of 30 percent having an average TDS of 2000 mg/l.

Reservoirs at Taylor Draw and at Wolf Creek would have a smaller adverse

i

impact on water quality at Green River, Utah than a reservoir at Bonanza.

~

Increased irrigation use and return flows are expected to be less in

Colorado than in Utah.

~

0296

1/

~

~ ~
~