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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />I\) <br />(Jl <br />00 <br />..... <br /> <br />Reclamation acquired 560 acres along the Colorado River west <br />of Fruita, Colorado known as the Horsethief Canyon Area. In <br />December 1988, Reclamation and the Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife (CDOW) entered into a formal agreement giving the <br />CDOW management responsibility for the property. The CDOW <br />assumed full management responsibility for this property in <br />April 1989. Since April 1989, the CDOW has prepared a draft <br />Development Management Plan for the area and transmitted that <br />to Reclamation for review and approval pursuant to the <br />December 1988 agreement. It is anticipated that the final <br />management plan for Horsethief Canyon will be completed and <br />approved in 1990. Implementation of the plan will occur over <br />the next 5-years. <br /> <br />Since April 1989, the CDOW has planted crops suitable <br />for either wetland or wildlife habitat, installed a new <br />irr igation pump, done general clean-up of the former ranch <br />and instituted a temporary hunting program for the area. <br /> <br />In addition, Reclamation has acquired 500 acres of, BLM <br />lands adjacent to the HorsethiefCanyon property which are <br />being managed by the CDOW through a separate funding <br />agreement with Reclamation. <br /> <br />USDA's onfarm and off-farm lateral improvements in Grand <br />Valley, during this reporting period, have been accomplished <br />primarily under the Colorado River Salinity Control program <br />(CRSC). During the period, 57 CRSC contracts were signed <br />with participants obligating about $1.5 million. In <br />addition, 104 long term agreements were signed obligating <br />$360,000 of ACP salinity funds. All CRSC and ACP funds were <br />obligated and a backlog of plans are prepared and awaiting FY <br />1990 funding. As of September 30, 1989, 115 CRSC contracts <br />are in' effect with participants. Onfarm pipeline <br />installation and ditch lining accomplished during the <br />reporting period totalled about,32 miles. The total work <br />accomplished thus far is approximately 274 miles of pipeline <br />installation and ditch lining. <br /> <br />Off-farm lateral improvements for the ~r iod consisted <br />of nearly 5 miles of pipeline improvements. Total off-farm <br />lateral and ditch lining accomplishments for the project are <br />61 miles of pipeline and ditch lining. <br /> <br />The total USDA program to date has reduced the annual <br />seepage and deep percolation by 10,900 acre-feet and reduced <br />the ,salt load by an estimated 36,360 tons per year. <br /> <br />The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) has assigned a <br />wildlife biologist in the Grand Junction office to provide <br /> <br />-8- <br />