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,:~,;,itJ' ,'.",~".. ~':-;;; .- """"I C"') r;-.. (.;.' o ::::::' CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION concentration of the Colorado River at Imperial Dam by I mg/L. The level of detail and accuracy will be sufficient to identify and evaluate alternatives, in addition to canal and lateral lining, and to seleet a recommended eourse of action for the rest of the valley. Data from the Stage One monitoring will be available to aid in the decisions. A definite plan report and an environmental statement will be prepared. If the cost effectiveness of the preferred plan is aceeptable, the report and statement will be used to seek funding for implementation. Administration of the Investigatjon The Congress of the United States authorized thE! Secretary of the In- terior to construct off-farm facilities for the Grand Valley Unit. The Bureau of Reclamation is responsible to the Secretary for carrying out those activities, including advance planning. Overall supE!rvision of the activ- ities is charged to the Upper Colorado Regional Director. Technical direc- tion and assistance is to be supplied by the Engineering and Research (E&R) Center in Denver, Colorado. The E&R Center's Colorado River Water Quality Office will provide liaison, coordination, consultation, advisement, and assistance. Most of the program performance, including field level work and coordination between government, private, and contract entities, will be conducted by the Grand Junction Projects Office under the supervision of the Projects Manager. Description of the Study Area. The Grand Valley Unit area includes, for the most part, the entire Grand Valley, occupying an area about 12 miles wide and 35 miles long which lies along the Colorado River. Grand Junction, located at the confluencE! of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers in the central part of the valley, is the larg- est Colorado community west of the Continental Divide and is the business and economic center of western Colorado and eastern Utah. Smaller commu- nities in thE! valley are Palisade and Clifton to the east of Grand Junction and Fruita, Loma, and Mack to the west. The climate of the area is arid and average temp,,,ratures are mostly moderate. The average annual precipitation is about 8 inches and recorded o 0 temperatures have ranged from -23 to 105 F. The frost-free period aver- ages 191 days per year. Agriculture, primarily cash and forage crops and livestock production, is the principal industry in the Grand Valley, with approximately 71,000 acres of irrigated cropland. Corn, small grains, and alfalfa are the pre- dominant crops, although fruit production is significant in the eastern portion of the valley. Manufacturing, especially light industry, has ex- perienced steady increase in importance, diversity, and volume over the last few years. Oil shale and coal developments in nEdghboring areas are presently providing significant stimulus to the econOI1Y of the valley. 5