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o 0'.1 CJ) (Jf Bureau of Reclamation Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1998 Colorado'River Water Use Data Colorado River Simulation System (CRSS) is used extensively by Reclamation to forecast salinity conditions' and evaluate compliance with the water quality (salinity) standards. To accomplislrthis task, accutatewater use data is needed as a base for these predictions. In cooperation with thi: Upper Basin States. Reclamation has created a GIS database of irrigated field boundaries and crop types to refine current water use estimates in the entire basin. In 1998, Reclamation completed its water use estimates for the Colorado River Basin thru 1990. Reclamation started work on the 1991-95 period in 1998. Update to: Economic Impacts Model In cooper*ion with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Reclamation is nearing completion of a major update of its salinity impact model. The model is current version of the moclel is available in a Lotus spreadsheet format. Crop types and acreages in the model have been'updated. The crop damage functions have been updated using scientific studies conducted!by the USDA Salinity Research Lab in Riverside, California. Car radiator impacts have been:dropped due to advances in their designs. Studies by MWD completed on M&I impacts insouthem California. These impacts will be integrated into the model in 1999. Salinity management costs (agricultural drainage costs) will also be investigated in 1999. Salinity Control Verification Studies Salinity cqntrol verification studies can be extremely difficult to conduct; however, they are essential to our understanding of the mechanisms of source controls. At times these studies can be both expensive and difficult to measure due to the diffuse nature of the problem. Some areas are geologically more suited to monitoring and verification. ReclamatiQn has commissioned a series of studies (conducted by the USGS) to evaluate the effectiveness of salinity control measures in areas where significant progress has been made in implemen~ng salinity control practices. Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-427, "Trend Analysis of Selected Water Quality Data Associated with Salinity-Control Projects in the Grand Valley, in1heLower Gunnison River Basin, and at Meeker Dome, Western Colorado," founll evidence that salinity levels in the main river channels dropped significantly in these project areas. Th~ Meeker Dome evaluation positively concluded that the well plugging project continues to be very effective. Studies were also conducted in the Grand Valley area to further investigat~ the drop in salinity levels that the USGS has observed in the river by evaluating drainage water leaving the project area. A fact sheet was prepared by the USGS showing that the downward!trend observed in the river was also observed in the irrigation drainage water. Studies are also urlderway in several of the USDA area. The Uintah Basin Unit Monitoring and Evaluation, Study was published in February 1998. It updated a USGS study of the Uintah Basin showing si~ificant downward trends in the river. 20 ,;}' "'! '", ,:J .} (} l ,; "'!