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PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT The Uinta Basin Unit studies are being conducted in accordance with the Water Resource Council's Principles and Standards for Water and Related Land Resource Planning and Department of the Interior and Bureau of Reclamation Instructions. An on-going public involvement program provides interested and affected agencies, groups, and individuals opportunities to participate throughout the planning process. The Bureau's public involvement activities have been coordinated with anSCS public involvement program which began in January 1977. Public meetings have been held jointly with the SCS in Roosevelt, Duchesne, and Vernal to discuss general problems and needs concerning the program, including both on-farm and systems improvements. Many local individuals are participating in the study. Planning activities for the Uinta Basin Unit were officially launched with the transmittal of a Notice of Initiation of Investigation in November 1976 to several Federal, State, and local agencies. An organizational planning team meeting was held and several subteams comprised of represent- atives of Federal, State, local, and private interests were formed. The overall purpose of the planning team is to determine the amount and sources of salt loading in the Uinta Basin area and to formulate alternative plans for salinity control. Subteams comprised of represent- atives of Federal, State, local, and private interests and coordinated by the planning team leader are primarily responsible for the generation and review of baseline data. The subteams' recommendations are considered in plan formulation and in eventually selecting the preferred plan. Planning team meetings have been held to identify and review problems and issues in the areas of water resources, land resources, environmental considerations, socioeconomics, and public participation. At these meetings, problems and issues identified by the subteams were reviewed by the planning team. In May 1980, a public meeting was held in Roosevelt. Concerns expres- sed at that time were related to repayment of project costs and irrigators' fears of losing rights to water conserved by canal rehabilitation. In February 1981, public meetings were held in Duchesne and Roosevelt to present alternative plans to the public at large and to solicit additional ideas or concerns. Some additional concerns expressed related to the implementation of the SCS on-farm program ahead of the Bureau's system improvement program; the need for additional coordination between the water users, the Bureau, and SCS; and the need for storage to provide late season irrigation water. Some concerns such as development of storage facilities and additional water supply will be resolved under the author- ized units of the Central Utah Project and not as part of the salinity program. \}:JC4::j9 8