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<br />ftft~ft4n <br /> <br />farm irrigation systems designed and in part funded by the Soil Conservation Service (SCS). <br />Participation in either of these programs is entirely voluntary. In general USBR is lining <br />large canals and lining or piping leaky main ditches. SCS is helping farmers to better <br />manage and deliver water once it arrives on farm With sprinkler systems and lined laterals. <br />Both activities aim at reducing salt load into the Colorado River by reducing the deep <br />percolation which causes highly saline return flows in certain geographic areas. In Colorado <br />those areas include the Grand Valley on the Colorado River, the Uncompahgre Valley in <br />the Gunnison Basin, and the McElmo Creek area near Cortez, Colorado. The salinity <br />control program also has procedures for addressing municipal and industrial salt discharges <br />through state water quality regulation. <br /> <br />USBR salinity improvements are federally funded in recognition that the Mexican <br />delivery is a nationwide obligation and because the federal government owns the major <br />portion of the saline land in the basin. A 25-30% repayment on USBR salinity project cost <br />is made to the federal treasury from a fund which collects a surcharge on federally <br />generated power. Local project participants make no direct payment for the USBR built <br />facilities. While they are required to sign contracts obligating themselves to maintain and <br />operate the newly improved systems, USBR fully reimburses participants for any additional <br />maintenance expenses on those new systems. The SCS program requires both cost sharing <br />by each individual participant and repayment from the same electric surcharge fund from <br />which the USBR is repaid. The. final payment breakdown for SCS on-farm measures is: <br />30% by local participants, 21 % by power revenues and 49% .by the U.S. There is no <br />requirement tying participation in the USBR program With participation in the SCS - <br />program. A farmer can be in the salinity program without committing to expend any funds <br />or making anyon-farm changes. <br /> <br />Importantly, the salinity program makes no claim to any saved or salvaged water <br />produced through tbe program. The fate of any produced water is left for allocation under <br />state law. Specifically, "in implementing the units ... the Secretary shall comply with <br />procedural and substantive state water laws." 43 USC Section 1592(b)(4). (1984 <br /> <br />13 <br />