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<br />002486 <br /> <br />Highline Breaks Watershed <br />Otero and Pueblo Counties, Colorado <br /> <br />Proiect Purooses: <br /> <br />The primary purposes are: 1) Agricultural water management - reduce negative water quality <br />impacts to surface and groundwater and improve application uniformity. 2) Watershed protection - <br />protect the soil resource base from excessive irrigation-induced erosion and sedimentation. <br /> <br />Soonsor Obiectives: <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Sponsors objectives were as follows: 1) Reduce negative water quality impacts to surface and <br />groundwater from nitrate, selenium, sediment, and total dissolved solid loading; 2) Achieve better <br />water management to improve water availability for on and off-site uses; 3) Protect the soil resource <br />base from excessive irrigation induced erosion. <br /> <br />The sponsors and NRCS agreed that there was adequate water quality data from numerous studies <br />to indicate the seriousness of the problems as well as being able to compare effects of alternatives. <br /> <br />Data were collected during field inventories and expanded to reflect the condition and needs for the <br />entire watershed. Treatment alternatives were considered and defined, based on the types and <br />extent of the problems taking place. The sponsors and the public participated in the formulation of <br />several treatment altematives. The effectiveness of each alternative in reaching the goals of the <br />sponsors was evaluated and a recommended plan selected. <br /> <br />With the sponsors' objectives identified, two levels of inventories were conducted. A cursory <br />inventory of the entire watershed, followed by a detailed inventory of over 80 percent of the area <br />were carried out. The total needs for the sampled area were identified. A list of potential measures <br />to deal with the identified problems was drafted, based on measure effectiveness, efficiency, <br />completeness, and acceptability. Since the majority of the soils and underlying geologic formations <br />in the watershed are similar, the problems and needs are similar. The watershed was therefore <br />evaluated as one treatment unit during the formulation process. <br /> <br />Project formulation followed the inventory, forecasting, and analysis of the resource conditions that <br />were found relevant to the identified problems and opportunities. Measures considered in the <br />formulation of alternative plans included various approaches. Approaches believed to be effective in <br />addressing one or more of the problems or opportunities, as well as protecting the environment, were <br />further analyzed. <br /> <br />Altematives were formulated to reduce nitrates and selenium concentrations in the Arkansas River <br />and the ground water to acceptable limits; to conserve and more effectively use available water; and *' <br />to reduce irrigation induced erosion to acceptable limits. <br /> <br />2 <br />