WSP02016

• File Number: 8271.300
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program - General Information and Publications-Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/1981
• Author: R Evans W Walker
• Title: Optimizing Salinity Control Strategies for the Upper Colorado River Basin -- Part 2 of 2 - Page 187 - end -- Appendices
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Lower Gunnison Salinity Control Unit
The Lower Gunnison area encompasses about 74,800
hectares of irrigated land (Figure 2-2). In an average
year, approximately 3,250 hectares are idle (USDA, SCS,
1976,1979c). Five federal reclamation projects provide
full or supplemental service to about 44,300 hectares: (1)
the Uncompahgre Project -- 30,900 ha; (2) Fruitgrowers Dam
Project -- 1,090 ha; (3) Paonia Project -- 6,200 ha; (4) the
Smith Fork Project -- 3,840 ha; and (5) the Bostwick Park
Project supplies water to an additional 2,270 ha in the
Cimarron Creek Drainage about 15 km east of Montrose. The
irrigated areas which contribute the most salinity to the
Lower Gunnison River are in the Smith Fork-Crystal, North
Fork and Uncompahgre Subbasins.
Salinity Contribution--
The approved 208 plan for the area (Colorado Department
of Local Affairs, 1979) stated that agriculturally induced
salinity is the most significant water quality problem in
the area. However, that report erred in reporting that salt
levels do not cause problems within the region. This is
refuted by observing the large amounts of waterlogged,
salinized soils as a result of over irrigation and restricted
drainage.
Iorns et al. (1965) estimated that 71,480 hectares of
irrigated land along the Lower Gunnison-Uncompahgre Rivers
produced an average of 11.4 Mgm/ha for a total of 812,800
Mgm. The USDI, BR (1979a) estimates the total annual salt

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