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<br />002489 <br /> <br />milligrams/llter. Tl1e TDS leVels are, therefore, increasing downstream due to concentrations of salt <br />in the remaining water. No TDS standards have been set for Colorado; however, TDS levels of 500 <br />is deemed desirable and below 1,000 is acceptable for agricultural purposes. It is anticipated that <br />total TDS will be lowered through project action since the same practices to reduce selenium and <br />uranium will also reduce TDS. <br /> <br />~ Water Quantitv <br /> <br />The economy of the watershed Is derived from irrigated agriculture and livestock. Surface irrigation <br />water availability varies considerably from year to year. The present irrigation system in the <br />watershed contribute to poor irrigation application. The average irrigation requirements for the crop <br />rotation in the project area are about 20 inches per acre year over and above normal precipitation. <br />Serious crop production reductions occur in the watershed on the water-short years. <br /> <br />Irriaation Induced Erosion <br /> <br />Excessive irrigation-induced furrow erosion is occurring on approximately 4000 acres. This occurs <br />mainly in the upper portions (300 feet) of the fields. Overall, irrigation-induced erosion averages <br />77,000 tons per year. Lower portions of fields are damaged by sediment disposition. An estimated <br />15,000 tons of sediment is contributed to the Arkansas each year. This sediment travels to the <br />Arkansas River through drains and creeks. The sediment is contributing to the reduction in flow <br />capacity of the Arkansas River downstream and reducing the storage of the John Martin Reservoir. <br />In addition to sediment, high concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS), trace metals, and <br />nutrients are being carried downstream to other users and into the John Martin Reservoir. Yield <br />reductions from the erosion and sedimentation are also occurring on the fields in the watershed. <br /> <br />Scocina Meetina <br /> <br />During the initial stages of planning, an analysis of a broad range of economic, environmental, and <br />social factors in the watershed was carried out. Those factors that were directly related to the <br />problems and opportunities, and/or those that might be significantly affected by any potential project, <br />were considered. The major concerns of the sponsors and interested stakeholders that attended the <br />scoping meeting, the public meeting and the environmental assessment meeting were ranked as <br />follows: <br /> <br />1. IWM/water conservation <br />2. Nutrient management <br />3. Delivery system seepage <br />4. Irrigation-induced erosion <br />5. Ground and surface water quality <br /> <br />8 <br />