WSP00978

• File Number: 8271.300
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program - General Information and Publications-Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 6/1/1982
• Title: Optimizing Salinity Control Strategies for the Upper Colorado River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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the laterals and only 20 percent of the canals should be linecl. The cost-
effective canal lining program is limited to Mancos Shale soil types. The
total canal lining program can be found in Table D-2 in Appenclix D. It should
be mentionecl that the Ironstone ancl M q D Canals were subjectecl to a partial
Level D analysis for the Mancos ancl nonMancos shale areas.

The optimal salinity control program for the Uncompahgre Valley portion
of the Lower Gunnison is included (Figure 25). At the present time, this is
the only portion of the area which is being consiclered for improvement by the
Water ancl Power Resources Service. PL 93-320 specifiecl the Lower Gunnison as
a potential salinity control project; however, the WPRS has apparently re-
strictecl their investigation to only the Uncompahgra River area. Stoppage of
the winter water in this case also greatly c1iminishes the importance of canal
, lining for control in this area. ' ,..,

. '1J'intah Basin

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Figure 26 presents the optimal salinity control strategy for the Uintah
.aii"s'in inclucling the Ashley Creek and Brush Creek drainages. The canal lining
which is inclicated on the graph and in Table 10 is basically the canal lining
to be done unller the Central Utah Project and little more needs to be done.
Most of the rS1llSinin.~ canal lining will be in the Ashley Valley. This analy-
sis did not consider the consolidation of several of the canals in the Ashley.
Valley near Vernal, Utah, which is being proposed by the Water ancl Power
Resources Service. The optimal canlll lining program for the area can be found
in Table D-3 in Appenclix D.

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The Uintah Basin is expected to lose a cons.iderable amount of its water
to energy ancl relatecl development in the area because of its proximity to oil
shale, coal and tar sancls c1eposits. The effect or the quality of this c1eple-
tion cannot be determined at this time.

Price-San Rafael-Mucldy Creek Draina~es

Figure 27 illustrates the optimal cost-effective salinity control program
for this area. The crescent-shapecl band of irrigation development is located
almost entirely in Mancos Shales and has operation ancl irrigation characteris-
tics similar to the Lower Gunnison of Colorado. The canals in this region are.
also usecl for winter livestock water ancl elimination of this practice. will '
recluce an estimated 30,000 Mgm of salt per Year to the Colorsdo River.
Table D-4 in Appenclix D tabulates the total optimal canal lining for this
area.

It is expectecl that much of the area's agricultural water rights will be
transferracl to energy relatecl users. Some transfers have already taken place
to supply cooling water for fossil fuel thermal-electric generation facili-
ties. In allclition, there is a large coal slurry pipeline proposed for the
Muclcly Creek drainage which will require substantial amount:s of water.

Table 11 presents the data which have been plotted in Figure 27. One
hunclred percent of laterals in the area should be linecl uncler existing condi-
tions. The on-farm program inclucles the improvement of existing surface

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