WSP02214

• File Number: 8272.600.60
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program - Basin Member State Info - Utah
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 9/1/1991
• Title: Upper Colorado River Basin Rangeland Salinity Control Project - Natural Resource Inventory - Phase I Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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watersheds by digitizing the Watershed Map of the state of
Utah (USDI, GS et aI, 1980). The size ranged from a few
hundred acres to greater than 250,000 acres with most
watersheds being approximately 150,000 acres to 200,000
acres. The drainage area parameter allows managers to
assess the size and complexity of a planning effort within a
watershed. This parameter was not given a numerical rating
in this evaluation.

(3) The Major Land Resource Areas (USDA, SCS, 1965) within
the individual watersheds were determined by the map overlay
process. This data gives planners, managers and technical
specialists the ability to evaluate the general vegetative
and soil character of a watershed. This parameter was not
given a numerical rating in this evalUation.

(4) The Areas of Responsibility and Land Status Map, State
of utah (USDI, BLM, 1977) was evaluated by the map overlay
process. The percentage of acreage of each major land
ownership within a watershed was estimated visually to the
nearest 5%. The accuracy level of this procedure is not
high. The utility of giving a manager or planner an
approximate characterization of land ownership within a
watershed can be decisive information in coordinated
resource planning. This parameter was not given a numerical
rating in this evaluation.

(5) The Salinity Map, State of Utah (USDA, SCS, March 1973)
has been extensively utilized by the Bureau of Reclamation
in their planning efforts. Salinity was measured in
mmhos/cm units and divided into four rating categories.
Each watershed was given the rating of the highest saline
category that fell within its boundaries. The numerical
ratings were used as the rating points in the inventory as
follows:

UNITS (mmhos/cm)
<4 mmhos/cm in the soil profile
<4 mmhos/cm above 8" soil depth
and 4-16 mmhos/cm below 8" soil
depth
4-16 mmhos/cm above 20" soil
depth and >16 mmhos/cm below 20"
soil depth
>16 mmhos/cm on surface and
throughout the soil profile.

(6) The map of the Estimated sediment Yield Rates for the
State of Utah (USDA, SCS, August 1973) was made using the
PSIAC, 1968, Sediment Yield Procedure. The numerical PSIAC
ratings have one as the highest yield and six as the lowest.
For the purposes of this evaluation that rating system was
modified by reversing the rating order so that the highest
sediment yield reflected the highest rating value. The

CATEGORY
Nonsaline ---------
Slightly Saline ---

RATING
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1 ---

2 ----Moderately Saline -

3 --- Strongly Saline ---

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