Laserfiche WebLink
<br />o <br />o <br />C\;., <br />-.J <br /> <br />BUIffiA.'1'I'~~ <br />~:JlA!Wi&n <br />GrandJ~ction Projecu Office <br />P.O. Box 60340 <br />2764 Compass Drive . <br />Grand Junction. Colorado 81506-8758 <br /> <br /> <br />OtV'" <br /> <br />, <br />l <br />" <br /> <br /> <br />United States Department of the Interior <br /> <br />GJ-700M <br />RES-9.00 <br /> <br />DEG 2 0 1,,4 <br /> <br />,,-----.-.. <br /> <br />! <br />! <br /> <br />I DIBVh' ;J. <br />SC <br />ASp <br />F <br />I <br />L <br />E <br /> <br />" C__'~.''''''I <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />To: <br /> <br />Interested Parties <br /> <br />From: <br /> <br />Carol DeAngelis <br />Area Manager <br /> <br />Subject: Supplement to the Feasibility Report for the L~~n~8asin <br />Un'it7Eaat::sj;de:Late1'lil s <br /> <br />"'1;____ . <br /> <br />Attached for your information is a copy of the subject report on piping <br />irrigation laterals and some small canals on the east side of the Uncompahgre <br />River in Montrose and Delta Counties, Colorado. <br /> <br />The project is proposed as a continuation of salinity control efforts on <br />Reclamation's Uncompahgre Project. Its primary purpose is to decrease salt <br />loading from irrigation practices to the Colorado River and reduce downstream <br />impacts. <br /> <br />The report contains a recommendation and supporting documentation for the <br />construction of portions of the five deferred components of the Lower Gunnison <br />Basin Unit of the Colorado River Water Quality Improvement Program. Congress <br />authorized the Unit in 1984. Approximately 195 miles of existing earth <br />laterals and 7 miles of existing small main canal segments would be replaced <br />with buried pips. The cost of each 1 ton reduction in salt loading to the <br />Colorado River system (i.e., the cost effectiveness) is estimated at $70 for <br />these pipeline systems. <br /> <br />As you may be aware, continuation of salinity control efforts in the Colorado <br />River basin is dependent on Congress passing legislation to increase the <br />program's cost ceiling. The existing ceiling, established in the 1974 <br />salinity Control Act, will not allow new construction. When the Congress <br />convenes in January, new legislation will be introduced. If that legislation <br />passes, this project and other salinity control projects in the basin will <br />compete for funding_ Until that time, a firm schedule cannot be established <br />for construction of East Side Laterals project. <br /> <br />The East Side Laterals Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) was distributed <br />for public comment in May 1993. It summarized the proposed action, <br />environmental impacts of the project (vs. continuing to defer improvements), <br />and environmental commitments associated with the project. We are now <br />finalizing the assessment and are interested in obtaining any additional <br />