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<br />. <br /> <br />EPA prepared a draft workplan of action items addressing <br />concerns with the wetland replacement program. The draft was <br />revised somewhat by the SCS and distributed to the respective <br />State conservationists for comment in July 1992. <br /> <br />o <br />-.J <br />u:;) <br />oJ <br /> <br />. A meeting was held with SCS staff from Colorado in May to <br />discuss the proposed "Wetland Evaluation Procedures Worksheet" <br />designed to evaluate wetland functions. SCS is refining the <br />worksheet. <br /> <br />. USDA and Reclamation provided a well-organized tour for EPA <br />and, FWS of wildlife replacement activities on the Grand Valley <br />unit in October 1991. We believe that USDA is making a very <br />dedicated effort to encourage wildlife/wetland replace-ment <br />and to track onfarm habitat gains and losses with this <br />project. <br /> <br />A Ineeting was held early in 1992 with Reclamation and FWS to <br />enhance coordination on Reclamation projects that involve <br />wetland impacts. <br /> <br />. Region 8 and Reclamation signed an EPA-funded interagency <br />agreement to search available literature and prepare a report <br />on the functions of wetlands enhanced or created by <br />irrigation. In addition, EPA Region 8 developed a workplan, <br />for a project to (1) assess the functions of irrigation- <br />induced and/or enhanced wetlands and (2) develop a procedure <br />using indicators to determine the functions for these types of <br />wetlands. The project is to be initiated in fiscal year 1993 <br />by EPA's Corvallis Environmental Research Laboratory. Because <br />of the relevance to the onfarm wetlands program, SCS has been <br />asked to participate. <br /> <br />. Comments were provided to SCS on its interim monitoring and <br />reporting guidance for the salinity control program, including <br />wildlife/wetland habitat. <br /> <br />A general permit to discharge under the National Pollutant Discharge <br />Elimination System was issued by Region 8 for limited activities <br />within the geographical boundaries of the Southern Ute Indian <br />Reservation in southwest Colorado. The permit covers various <br />activities associated with methane gas production by coalbed <br />degasification and has stringent salinity limits. As of <br />September 1992, three notices of intent had been filed to discharge <br />under this permit. <br /> <br />EPA helped organize several interagency meetings to establish a <br />workp1an and funding to develop better planning tools for BLM and <br />USDA field staff involved in Colorado River Basin rangeland salinity <br />control projects. As a result, EPA provided funds to the USDA ARS <br />to initiate a 3-year project to (1) assess the state of knowledge of <br />salinity transport in rangeland runoff in the Colorado River Basin, <br />(2) develop and field-verify techniques for correlating salinity of <br />the runoff water to sediment production estimates, and (3) develop <br /> <br />7 <br /> <br />. -,~~_, "a " ,',{.,_",'. <br /> <br />