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<br />N <br />o <br />c.o <br />(.11 <br /> <br />Let's discuss briefly the programs authorized by Title I. The central <br />fea.ture is the construction of a large desalting plant to reduce the <br />salinity of the Wellton-l-1ohawk drain. Early in the planning process, it <br />became obvious that it was desirable, both from an economic and a water- <br />saving point of view to reduce the size of the desalting plant by reducing <br />the quantity of water which the plant would have to desalt--in other words, <br />reducing the return flows from the Wellton-Mor.awk Division. To accomplish <br />this reduction, the Secretary is authorized to accelerate the cooperative <br />program of Irrigation ~anagementServices with the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation <br />and Drainage District for the purposes of improving irrigation efficiency. <br />The Secretary is also authorized to acquire lands or interest in lands within <br />the Division to reduce the existing 75,000 irrigable acres. Either in con- <br />junction with or in lieu of land acquisition, the Secretary is authorized <br />to assist water users in the Division in installing system improvements such <br />as ditch lining change in field layouts, sprinklers or bubbler systems, etc., <br />to increase irrigation efficiencies. <br /> <br /> <br />Twice during the last 10 years, floods on the Gila River have infiltrated <br />the aquifer underlying the Wellton-Mohawk Division and have had to be pumped <br />into the Wellton-Mohawk drain. To minimize the added load this increasep drain , <br />flow would have on the desalting plant, the Secretary is authorized to acquire <br />. fee title or other interests in lands above Painted Rock Dam, a Corps of Engineersl <br />flood control structure on the Gila River, for temporary storage of floodwaters. . <br />No funds shall be expended, however, until it is finally determined by a Federal f <br />Court that the Corps of Engineers lacks legal authority to use the lands for <br />this purpose. ' <br /> <br />With these measures, it is felt that the flow in the drain can be reduced <br />to about 175,000 acre-feet per year or less from the present ~20,000 acre-fee~ <br />per year. The desalting plant would operate as follows: <br /> <br />The 175,000-acre-foot-per-year flow in the drain, at an estimated <br />salinity of 3,100 ppm, will be divided - part of it going into the <br />desalting plant and part of it bypassing the plant. The plant will <br />be designed for loo-mgd capacity, but will be operated normally <br />at 90 mgd to permit necessary maintenance without interrupting normal <br />production. One hundred forty-four thousand acre-feet per year, or <br />129 mgd, will be diverted into the plant. The plant will produce <br />101,000 acre-feet per year of desalted water with a salinity of 240ppm. <br />This product water will be mixed with the bypassed drainage water, <br />about 31,000 acre-feet per year, to produce 132,000acre~feet per year <br />of 910-ppm water which will be delivered to the Colorado River above <br />Morelos Dam. The blended water will have the same salinity as that <br />estimated for the waters arriving at Imperial Dam in 1980, the first <br />year of plant operation. The reject str.ea.m from the desalting plB.nt, <br />43,000 acre-feet per year, will be conveyed to the Santa Clara Slough, <br />north of the Gulf of California in Mexico. It will be necessary to <br />extend the existing Main Outlet Drain Extension for 53 miles from <br />its present terminus at Morelos Dam. <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br />"..~ ,",,-.L." . <br /> <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />