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, LOWER MUDDY CREEK . This year we will be taking a closer look at South Salt Wash (near Emery), Salt Wash and other tributaries in the lower end of the Muddy Creek drainage. As the map shows, a iarge percentage of salt originates in this area in the form of springs and surface runoff. The springs and the concentrated saline groundwater associated with them may be controllable, probably by pumping the water from wells and disposing of it by injection into deeper wells or evaporation in shallow ponds, It could also be used: - as powerplant cooling water; - as process water for tar sands development; - for power generation in a solar salt gradient pond; or - as a transport medium in a pipeline. The last alternative is the "Aquatrain" proposalna plan to use saline water to carry coal and other products in a pipeline from Colorado, Wyoming and Utah to the west coast The map shows a proposed Aquatrain route through the Dirty Devil Basin. EMERY AREA Salt entering Muddy Creek in this area comes from surface runoff and groundwater flowing over and through saline shales. Irrigation drainage, including canai seepage, contributes to saline groundwater. Eliminating winter canal seepage by piping winter canal flows is a cost-effective salinity control measure, Piping or concrete lining the entire canal system is not cost effective based solely on salinity control; however, it could.be if a portion of the costs are paid by the irrigation company, A small portion of saline groundwater, less than 1 percent of the totai basin salinity, is wastewater from Consolidated Coal's Browning Mine, We will study measures to control this flow. Additional work in the Emery area will involve canal seepage studies, groundwater studies, and cost ana- lyses of alternative control methods, The continued support of irrigation companies and people in the area will be essential in successfully implementing control measures. . FREMONT RIVER We haven't found any significant salt sources in this area that would be economically controllable, so we are placing less emphasis on the Fremont in our investigation, Most of the Fremont salinity is caused by diffuse natural runoff with some irrigation drainage. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? Write or call collect Rege Leach, Study Team Leader, at (303) 247-0247, We can give presentations on the study to in- terested groups, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NEWSLETTER? We are planning to issue one about every6 months. Let us know what information you'd like to see in it Send us your name and address if you want to be placed on the mailing list We can also place you on the mailing list to receive Salinity Update, a newsletter issued by our Denver office that contains information on the salinity problem and the control program throughout the Colorado River Basin, 002457