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. . Uinta Basin, Utah The Uinta Basin salinity control project,init1ated in 1980, is the second and l\) only other Title II USDA onfarm program underway at this time. The project is o being iIIIplelllented consistent with "USDA Salinity R.eport, Uinta Basin Unit, W Utah" published January 1979 and supplemented by a November 1980 AddelldUIII. ,.j;;;o The iIlIplementation plan includes the installation of sprinkler systems on 79,000 acres and improved surface irrigation ~ystems on 43,000 acres. Other associated water management practices are included in the land tteatment phases of the project for salinity control'. The total estilllated salt load reduction estilllates for the fully iIlIplemented Uinta Basin report is 76,600 tons per year. Present technical staffing has increased to lZ in 1982. Of these, there are two biologists, seven soil conservationists, three engineers, and three soil conservation technicians. Major technical assistance emphasis has been given to developillg complete IWM plans as a basis for long~term agreements, to design and install water management practices, and to onfarm IWM fOllow-up. The iIlIplementation strategy for the Uinta Basin was to target salinity control planning and application to priority areas within the project. The initial USDA salinity control study looked at nine different evaluation units and treated each area as a separate subunit to the entire Uinta Basin. As iIlIplementation started in 1980, the Dry Gulch area was identified for priority assistance. Since then iIlIplementation focus has been expanded to the Pelican Lake area. This feature has provided for much higher visability and localized iIlIpacts at the project level. ' A second feature to the Uinta Basin implementation strategy included the use' of complete IWM and salinity control plans as a basis for USDA cost-sharing through LTA's. The LTA approach prOVides for a more substantial commitment on behalf of the farmers and USDA, as well as providing assurance that long-term cost-share provisions will be locked-in for the life of the agreement. This allows for more comprehensive and effective onfarm planning and application. There are also annual cost-share provisions for those landowners who do not wish to participate in the LTA program. Pooling agreements with groups of landowners are also key features to project iIlIplementation through the ACP program. Under the LTA phase of the program, 139 applications covering 11,954 acres were received in 1982. This makes a total of 313 applications on 32,892 acres since this project started. Plans have been developed and contracts formalized for 48 pooling agreements (4,108 acres), and three individual (258 acres) in 1982. Since 1980, this makes a total of 162 LTA contracts on 17,501 acres. This represents approximately 50 percent of the total applications received to date. Anrlual practice requests for 1982 totaled 25 which included 15 pooling agreements and 10 individuals. A total of 93 annual practice requests have been received since 1980. In 1982, SCS fully serviced 44 annual ACP referrals with 29 participants completing their practices. Fourteen applicants cancelled their requests for cost-share assistance. Table IV-3 presents a summary of the practices applied in the Uinta Basin. The cumulative effects of these practices has served to raise irrigation efficiencies on about 1,470 acres from an average of 30 percent "before" to approxilllately 55 percent "after" practices were applied and maximUIII IWM has been achieved. This results in an estilllated 5,354 acre feet per year reduction in deep percolation and an annual salt load reduction of 12,850 tons for the project. At Imperial Dam, this salt load reduction translates into a 1.34 mg/l reduction in Colorado River salinity concentration. 16