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<br />SALINITY CONTROL OPPORTUNITIES <br /> <br />~ <br />~... <br />c..:: <br /><D <br /> <br />This section briefly summarizes studies and opportunities for proposals to be <br />made under the Basinwide Salinity Program. Although many of the alternatives <br />were originally found not to be cost effective, local cost sharing, private <br />construction, and innovative approaches could make these alternatives . <br />competitive. <br /> <br />Ashley Valley Wastewater Treament Lagoons <br /> <br />The Ashley Valley Wastewater Treatment System is a significant source of salt <br />loading and selenium to Ashley Creek and the Green River. The system provides <br />sewerage for Vernal, Utah and surrounding areas. A set of sewer lagoons were <br />constructed in the late 1970's to service the area. The lagoon system was <br />constructed on a mancos shale bench. The lagoons leaked badly and most of the <br />effluent emerges as saline and seleniferous seeps adjacent to Ashley Creek. <br />These seeps flow about 2.5 cfs and contribute approximately 9,000 tons per <br />year of salt and over 2,000 pounds per year of selenium to Ashley Creek. <br />While ade~ately treating the sewer, the leaking lagoons have themselves <br />become a source of salt, selenium, and other trace elements which are toxic, <br />and presently threaten the endangered razorback sucker. Attempts to seal <br />these lagoons have failed.' <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />The lagoon system was over built to handle projected growth that has not <br />occurred. Thus there is limited local capacity to pay to replace this system. <br />During the energy crisis of the late 1970's it appeared that oil, oil shale, <br />and tar sands development was going to significantly increase the population. <br />This increased population has not developed, and there is no local payment <br />capacity to rebuild this system. The selenium and other toxic trace elements <br />are threatening the continued existence of the razorback sucker, <br /> <br />An interagency committee consisting of the State of Utah,' EPA, Bureau of <br />Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS, and the Ashley valley Waste <br />Water Treatment District are attempting to resolve this and other irrigation <br />related salt and selenium issues which also threaten the razorback sucker. If <br />salinity control joined this consortium and contributed $30 per ton toward the <br />project, the rest of the group could probably fund the remaining $6- to $7- <br />million required for a fix. The salinity control portion would be <br />approximately $ 3.4-million. The total fix would benefit numerous water users <br />and the razorback sucker both locally and throughout the Colorado River Basin, <br /> <br />Big Sandy River <br /> <br />The Big Sandy River study area is located near Farson and Eden in Sweetwater <br />County in southwestern lfyOllling. The study was specifically directed toward <br />reducing salt pickup from seeps and springs along a 26-mile reach of the Big <br />Sandy River west of Eden, Wyoming. <br /> <br />Investigations indicate that seeps, which surface in the Bone Draw and Big <br />Bend areas, produce saline water at a rate of about 27 cubic feet per second <br />(ft'/s). The salinity here varies from 1,000 to 6.000 mgjL along the Big <br />Sandy River, with a total annual contribution of more than 164,000 tons of <br />salt. Indications are that salt is picked up by water contacting the shale of <br />the Green River Formation beneath the surface and eventually seeping into the <br />river. Irrigation was identified as a significant contributor to the water <br />source recharging the springs. <br /> <br />23 <br />