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<br />Reclamation has discontinued efforts for developing and implementing further salt reduction strategies <br />for the Las Vegas Wash Unit. A strategy is apparently not available that is cost effective, technically <br />I-"' feasible, and publicly acceptable at this time. A final repon was published in September 1989. <br />t)1 Quanerly water quality monitoring is continuing. <br />CJ <br /> <br />c <br /> <br />Lower Gunnison Basin <br /> <br />The Lower Gunnison Basin Unit is located in west-central Colorado in Delta and Montrose Counties. <br />. The unit was authorized for investigation by the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 <br />(Public Law 93-320). Ponions of the unit were later authorized for construction in 1984 by an <br />amendment to the act, Public Law 98-569. <br /> <br />An estimated 360,000 tons of salt is added to the Colorado River from the Uncompahgre Project, a <br />Reclamation irrigation project built in the early 1900's. Studies indicate that salt loading occurs when <br />irrigation conveyance system seepage and irrigation return flows pass through highly saline soils and <br />the underlying Mancos Shale Formation. By reducing the amount of ground water percolating <br />through these saline soils, salt loading to the Colorado River would be reduced. <br /> <br />With Reclamation funding, the water districts have nearly completed the winter water facilities. <br />Reclamation has completed plans for local improvements to the irrigation delivery systems. Onfarm <br />improvements, including upgrading irrigation systems and improving irrigation management, are <br />being implemented by USDA. <br /> <br />In 1992, a study was completed on ways to reduce the .cost of the canal and lateral lining program <br />through construction cooperative agreements, cost sharing, and redesign of the delivery system to <br />reduce canal and lateral lengths. Piping the laterals would be very cost effective, about $70 per ton. <br />Construction of the lateral system is scheduled to begin after the winter water portion of the unit is <br />completed in 1995 if funds are availahle. Construction of the canal system has been deferred due to <br />its relatively high cost and poor cost effectiveness. <br /> <br />The USDA salinity control plan for the Lower Gunnison Basin was prepared in 1981. The <br />environmelltal impact statement was published in 1982. The USDA plan calls for treatment of <br />approximately 135,000 acres of irrigated land and improvements of off-farm laterals. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Implementation was initiated in 1988 by targeting funds into the Tongue Creek sub-area in Delta <br />County. Since that time, funding has been allocated to the other sub-areas, and implementation is <br />now underway in all of the Lower Gunnison Basin Unit. The major practices being installed are <br />underground pipelines, ditch lining, land leveling, irrigation water control structures, sprinkler <br />systems, gated pipe, and surge irrigation systems. <br /> <br />Lower Gunnison Basin, North Fork <br /> <br />The Lower Gunnison Basin, North Fork is located in Delta and Ouray Counties of west-central <br />Colorado. It included irrigated areas on the North Fork of the Gunnison River, along the <br />Uncompahgre River south of Colona, Colorado, and north and east of the city of Delta along the <br /> <br />30 <br />