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<br />characteristics, such as hydraulic conductivity, as well as to <br />identify quality and direction of ground water flow. <br /> <br />w <br />-...] <br />CD <br /> <br />The plan for stage Two, essentially the remainder of Grand <br />Valley, provides for lining selected canals and laterals. Lining <br />of the West End Government Highline Canal was completed in 1988, <br />preventing 5,600 tons per year of salt from entering the Colorado <br />River. Construction of the associated laterals is well under way. <br />About 17 miles of open ditch was replaced with piped laterals in <br />1989. Contracts for the installation of an additional 14.2 miles <br />of piped laterals will continue in 1991. When completed, these <br />lateral improvements will reduce salinity by an additional 20,000 <br />tons per year. <br /> <br />, ,. <br />V' <br /> <br />Preconstruction activities with the Grand Valley Irrigation <br />Company, Palisade Irrigation District, and Mesa County Irrigation <br />District continued in 1989. These activities included design data <br />collection, negotiations for operation and maintenance contracts, <br />public involvement, and rights-of-way. <br /> <br />Reclamation has purchased more than 500 acres of river bottom <br />lands and more than 500 acres of BLM lands have been transferred <br />to the Colorado Division of Wildlife to develop as a wildlife <br />management area for the project. Reclamation has executed a <br />contract with the Colorado Division of Wildlife for the management <br />of the wildlife lands along the Colorado River, downstream of <br />Fruita, Colorado. <br /> <br />Implementati~n of the USDA program, initiated in 1979, <br />continued through FY 89 with funds from both the Agricultural <br />Conservation Program (ACP) and Colorado River Salinity Control <br />(CRSC) Program. All carryover ACP funds have now been used and <br />all future activities will be funded through CRSC. As of September <br />30, 1989, a total of 115 CRSC contracts are in effect obligating <br />over $3.0 million. Since the program was initiated, approximately <br />2,1 c, miles of pipeline and 54 miles of ditch lining have been <br />~nstalled onfarm. The off-farm improvem~nts amount to 50 milds of <br />buried pipeline and over 11 miles of ditch lining. Major <br />improvements have been made on 1,100 acres of surface irrigation <br />systems, over 3,800 acres have been land leveled, 35 sprinkler <br />systems applied, and 29 drip systems installed. Irrigation water <br />management is being carried out on over 5,000 acres. The total <br />annual salt load reduction as of September 30, 1989 from USDA <br />activities is 36,360 tons. <br /> <br />SCS has placed a wildlife biologist in the Grand Junction <br />field office to provide full-time assistance on the wildlife <br />habi tat replacement program. In FY 1989, 19,' percent 0... the new <br />p3rticipants volunteered to include wildlife habitat practices in <br />ti.eir contracts. To date, approximately 155 acres of wildlife <br />habitat have been established. An extension agent (Irrigation) <br />provic1A9 full-time assistance on the information, education and <br />demonstration activities. <br /> <br />31 <br /> <br />, <br />',-' <br />