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1',) ':"'.J EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ,.r-... .;...) This U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1981 Annual Report on the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control program provides a general overview of USDA activities. It serves as an information and explanatory document for USDA agencies, U.S. Department of the Interior (USDI) agencies, the U.S. Environmental protection Agency (EPA), the Advisory Council, the Forum, and other cooperating agencies or interest groups. Title I 1. The USDA program on the Wellton-Mohawk project continues to make good progress with 306 applications having been received representing over 48,900 acres since the program began. There are now 207 contracts covering over 31,000 acres of the 50,000 acres targeted for assistance. 2. Over $9.4 million of Federal cost-share funds have been spent on irrigation water management improvement practices on about 22,000, acres resulting in a reduction of deep water percolation of 39,500 acre-feet, in 1981. Title II 1. The Grand Valley project has over 500 individual applications for cost sharing and technical assistance on about 7,000 acreS of irrigated agriculture. Improved irrigation water management reduced deep percolation by 2,690 acre-feet and resulted in 13,500 tons of salt load reductions to the Colorado River. This is equivalent to a 1.41 milligram per liter (mg/l) salinity reduction at Imperial Dam. 2. Planning for total onfarm irrigation water management systems and subsequent irrigation water management followup assistance are major Grand Valley project needs which will receive further emphasis, in 1982. Specific staff assignments have been made to address this need. 3. In Uinta Basin, a U.S. Fish and wildlife Service biologist has' just com- pleted a 2-year assignment working with the USDA Soil Conservation Service. This special arrangement has been beneficial for wildlife and wetland mitigation planning. 4. Of 154 Uinta Basin applicants, 70 percent of the farmers (106) have signed long-term agreements (LTA's) obligating over $3.0 million of the uinta $3.5 million AgriCUltural Conservation program (ACP) funds. A total 'of 12,028 irrigated acres has been treated after 2 years of implementation. 5. Martin Lateral, a Public Law 566 watershed protection project, is also being used successfully in the Uinta Basin to improve irrigation water management for salinity control. Three contracts covering 218 acres have been signed. Five remaining contracts are awaiting funding to complete the small 2,700-acre project. 1