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<br />. dloxk:Je-eluny and sanne water OIl an aJtematlng basis.
<br />MovIng saline watBr In a pipeHn:e on a Shared basis with.
<br />liquid carbon dioxide and coaI_ may offt!r the promise of .
<br />meeting projectobjectlves In a I1lQI8C06t-effecliye m&n1'1Ell;
<br />than with the capsule. .. .
<br />The AqlWmin projeol may proYide a aist_
<br />salinity control method fo~ the CoIor.adO A~ while
<br />proyld1ng On econom1caliy-<ompolltive melhOd at
<br />transporting coal and other commodities train nortI'lwest
<br />~, Utah, and Wyoming '" domestic and polential'
<br />export marKets. while at the same time providIng for thEI
<br />ben6ficial U9& of saline waters. Both' Aquatrain, Inc. and. ,
<br />RecIamatlonhavebeenactfvelyseekingotherstojoinwittl . ,
<br />them to"undertake thedesign, COIlStrUctJon,andfinancing -,' ,
<br />atthe~ '
<br />,Bureau oIl.a1d Management
<br />BLM Is continuing to study prooessesofsatt plckupand
<br />tnlnS(:X>rt In surface runoff.from rangelands and groUnd
<br />water on the public domain.
<br />The ooncIusIons,ln the 19n and 1978-79 BLM Sallnity-
<br />Status Reports rogardlng _ at man'a _ on
<br />salinity suggest a relationshIp betYteen IncressecI s81inity. ...
<br />and illCl'eElS9d runoff and soIlloas. However. the
<br />8$SOClated effects of oIH,las activities, minIng, off-road-
<br />vehicle, Usage. and grazlng need to be established to
<br />quantify salfnlty relationships. .
<br />Additional studies are needed to identify the location of
<br />point sources of salinity' Rl$Uttlng from groun<twater
<br />d\lICI1alge,
<br />The fOllowing activities are recommended for the
<br />ld6ntIfIcatIon.and ElYeIlt1JaI Implementation of salInity.
<br />oontroI measures to reduce salt yields from public lands: .
<br />1. Identification of watersheds which are /OCated on
<br />salln&$OiIswf\1chareexperiendnga...v.sle.~rates '
<br />at erosion,
<br />2. D6Ya/0pmentat_~IIty_forttieldentilled
<br />watersheds, with the purpose of eventual
<br />implementation of oontroI measures.
<br />3. lin~i.e,;tallvnofsaJinltycorltrolineasui'eswh8r8
<br />feasibie.' .-
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<br />USDA ROLE
<br />
<br />Numerous agencies within USDA are Involved in ,
<br />COlorado RiVer salinity control activities. ~A hl!8
<br />extensive ex~ and technical expertise in onfaJJn
<br />In1gatIon water management Major USDA functional
<br />8ctMtIes Inqlude:
<br />1: SalInity control basin studIes
<br />
<br />2. Project Implementatipn onfarrn
<br />a. Technical assistance
<br />b. FlnanCiaJasslstance
<br />c. EduCatioriaJ, infbrmational assIsIance
<br />
<br />3, R_ and demonstl1ltion
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<br />4. MonitqrinQ and evaluation -
<br />
<br />Poor ,_ dJstribullon and _ ~
<br />syst.ems on Irrigated agricultural /8.nds have resulted In
<br />excessive dl9trlbutlon system seepage. over-lrrigatlon, low .
<br />irrigation efficiencies, excesslvede9p percolation a.rM;f high
<br />surface runoff. Collectively, these problems have resulted
<br />in Increased salinity problems by the Ie6chlng of salts Into
<br />the river System. Approximately one mflllon acres are
<br />irrigated In 11 Identified IrrimrtIon salt SOUrceNeaS In the
<br />CoIo~ River basin. SCS estimates onfann water
<br />!TIllnagemerrt and salinity control measures would be
<br />cost-effective on over 600,000 acres In 11 dttrerent salt
<br />sourceareaa.
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<br />BasIn Studies
<br />
<br />The Soil ConservatIon Service haS the responsibility for
<br />conducting salinity confroI stuclles. under au:thorIly of
<br />RIYer Basln SlINeY funds. The studlas evaluata the
<br />magnitude of salt loadings, the treatment and
<br />rn8IlagerTlEln1 aHematives for Salinity control, and
<br />estimated project Implementation costs. Working in
<br />coopllIatlonwllhRocIamation,_F_agencIas,
<br />and concerned stata agencIas, USDA has COOl_
<br />.....,majorstudlas"'--.G_Valley,~; ,
<br />UI"", Baaln, Utah; Big Sandy, Wyoming; Moapa Valley,
<br />Nevada; VIrgin Valley, Navada and ArIzona; and lower
<br />Gunnison and Mc8mo Creek, Colorado. ThreeaddiJional
<br />studies- underway are Pric&San Rafael, Utah; Mancos
<br />Valley, Colorado; and Upper Virgln,_ Utah. . .
<br />
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<br />4, CoIIecIIon at _ quality da1a for the purposa at
<br />. monitoring the success of land use planS, activity
<br />. plans, and watershed 1~,I9ntatb, slrUClures.
<br />
<br />, Geological Suivey
<br />
<br />In cooperation with State. Ioca!, and other Federal
<br />agencIas, the USGS-WRD fN- Raooun:es DMslonI
<br />operates.about 7fI) ~ gagIng stations In the
<br />Colorado River Basin arid coIlecls W8ter-quality data at
<br />&bout 200 of thein. Information from the stationS
<br />cOnstitutes a nlaior_data base,-usect In much of the
<br />~RIYerBaslnprofectplilnnlng,_and
<br />
<br />operation, . .
<br />In addition, the USGS-WRD oon<fucts anaJyIIcaJ and
<br />r~__ai>!><alsaJadOocl1~ngthe
<br />"",,"nanca, evallablllty, 8nd physical, chem1cal, and
<br />bIologk:aJ_atsurfaceand ground WalIr,
<br />, Studies- range from evaluating the Impact and pr9d1ctive
<br />changeS in total dlssoIIIed soIidsexpectscl from Increased
<br />cooJ and o/J.shaIe mining to regional aquifer systems
<br />analysis In many sectors of the Colorado River BasIn.
<br />
<br />FIsh _ WIcIIM ServIce
<br />
<br />FWS activities are Importanttolhe Imple.,_,latIo.l and
<br />progress of the Colorado ~ Water Quality
<br />Impl'Cl'o'8l11ent Program '(he Colorado RIYer BasIn
<br />_fi'lePHS,_ .
<br />'FIsh andWl~11la Coonllnatkin Act """"'" planning aid
<br />IeIters, and comri1ents on draft envIronmentaJ Impact
<br />sfatements are but a feW of the many actMtIes that FWS
<br />. are inYOl\iecl with on the CFrwaIP. FWs pn:Mdes
<br />membenlI1lp '" HEP (H_ EvaJuallon _reI
<br />Teems wtllchoonductfleld _ and anaJyze the Im_
<br />of program Im~I....,bdLilandconstruclJononthearea's
<br />habI1alllsla at endangered _In a project..... and
<br />biological opinions are provided by FWa
<br />PHS provldessuggestlons,for replacing _
<br />_~ IosIthroughCMaland _lInlngandonfarm
<br />programs. Ash and wildlife measur\'lS planned to offset
<br />~ Impacts Include aoqulsltlon and dEweklpment of
<br />wlldllla_ consInJcIIon a1wataring..,..,. and
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<br />,UTAH
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<br />L6S1
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<br />Installation of feooe8 or escape 8lrUClln8 to recb:e big
<br />__Oofann,Im_"""asaelacl_
<br />atplsnlings,strlp-flaryestingatllOl1l8crops,_
<br />_'and smaJl.JlOIl(ls are _ pIamed,.',
<br />, Through the c(osa00ull'"auv., lI1d coonliodk... or
<br />Reclamation, - the SoIl ConservatIon SeMce, the Ash a1d
<br />,WlIdIIlaSelvloe, theSla1a9, and Iocal__
<br />replaCenMlllt will"be 6Y8IU8l8d and ,aeo.,.,....)JldIo,os .
<br />made.lmplenl9i1tatlon of Incidental W1k11fe habftat
<br />replllcemeot'will prriceed when authoftty, such as that
<br />if1cluded In the Forum's proposed IegtSlatlon, is receiYed.
<br />
<br />EPA ROLE
<br />The Pl1nc1poJ EnvIronmentaI_ ~
<br />prognms dasllng with saJlnlty control "'" ('l _
<br />Quality ~ Plannlng. (2) w_QuaJIty
<br />.......... and (3) thO -.. PoIIUIant """'-
<br />E1lmlnallon Syslom (NPDES) Pannlls. Primary
<br />impIol,"',ldIIu.,ofthese progrems Is __'"
<br />thO_howeYer,EPArelalna_llfldllJlPliwaJ
<br />reeponalblll1las. '
<br />AddltlonaJ EPA _'nclude provIdng program
<br />support anti guidance for Stale and Fon.m salinityoontrol
<br />_ ExaIoplas at these _Include aIocaIIng
<br />208l1.nda '" help _Ish the Sallrily Control_a
<br />E><oc:uM Director _ ~-..onybefonl
<br />Congress In _ at the __ bosk>-wIde
<br />sallnltylXl"ln'afIttt;and_wlth/ndMduaJ_",
<br />assist In Implementing state sallnfly control acUvities.
<br />EPA reviews ancI commeOts on Interior and USDA
<br />erMronmentallmpoct.-..... onsal!r1l\YcontroI
<br />_ because at IIa reoponaIbllIIas u_ the CIeon
<br />w_ ActandtheNatlonaJEnvlronmenIaJ Policy AcLEPA
<br />. encourages alternatives whk:h mlnimlz:e and mitIgale
<br />aa.oarse salinity Impacts through VllI'iOUs ~uaChes,
<br />Incl<Jdlng WalIr~and 1_....01_
<br />WalIr,
<br />EPAhasWOll<edclooelywlththeBunlsuat_
<br />on thedeep-well Injection e.IternaIIYefor brlnedtsposalfn
<br />the Paredox Val"'" salinity control proJocl ,
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<br />w~.
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<br />SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE
<br />AND BUREAU OF LAND
<br />MANAGEMENT STUDY AREAS
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<br />-$-
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