WSP00392

• File Number: 8276.150
• Description: Grand Valley Unit-Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 4/1/1992
• Title: 1991 Annual Report: Grand Valley Salinity Control Project Monitoring and Evaluation Program
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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5. Objectives Of The M'E Program

The objectives of the M&E Program are to measure and quantify the
effects of improved on-farm irrigation systems and practices being
installed in the Grand Valley to reduce salt loading to the
Colorado River.

The goals of the Irrigation M&E Program are: 1) to measure all
irriqations for the entire season on selected fields, 2) quantify
deep percolation reduction resulting from implementing irrigation
system and management improvements, 3) evaluate on-farm irrigation
system performance and recommend design improvements based on
actual system performance, and 4) identify management follow-up
needs and directions.

The impacts on wildlife habitat due to cost-sharing of salinity
practices were monitored and evaluated between 1983 to 1988 (Refer
to "Wildlife Habitat" portion of the 1986, 1987 and 1988 Annual M&E
Reports) as outlined in the 1983 Grand Valley Monitoring and
Evaluation Plan, pages 11 to 13. Acres of wildlife habitat
developed under the CRSC Program continue to be tracked and
recorded. wildlife habitat acres under the GVSP and GVSP-Long Term
Agreement (LTA) programs have been recorded and accepted (see
Section III).

Economic impacts, potential salinity reductions and soil salinity
levels are being evaluated. The M&E data will help determine
program effectiveness in reducing the salt load to the Colorado
River; and will help direct future salinity program activities.
This is contained in Section IV of this report.

This report is divided into three parts dealing with each of the
monitoring disciplines: Hydrosalinity, Wildlife, and Economics.
Each discipline is at a different level of project implementation
and data collection, therefore, each is dealt with separately in
this report.

6. eRSe program status

The fifth year of funding for CRSC was completed in Fiscal Year
(FY) 91. In 1991, there were 212 applicants which included 22
wildlife requests. Only 53 contracts could be funded with 1.5
million dollars of cost-share money.

Among cost-share practices, underground and gated pipe continues to
be the most popular and useful practices. Surge irrigation system
is gaining wide support. Many systems in the valley are being
modified to permit surge installations.

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