WSP02745

• File Number: 8220.100.40
• Description: CRSP
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 6/30/1984
• Author: USDOI
• Title: 28th Annual Report on the Statuts of the Colorado River Storage Project
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

because of changing market conditions,

Studies are underway with the State of
Wyoming to determine the feasibility of
piping saline water to Jim Bridger Power-
plant for powerplant cooling in conjunction
with Chevron-Texasgulf use,

The USDA onfarm program, as outlined in
their Big Sandy Report, is being reevaluated
to see it low pressure spflnkler Ifflgatlon
is a viable project plan,
Dirty Devil River Unit:
BaSIC data collection was completed to
more accurately Idenfity, to locate, and to
quantify the alternative plans capable of
reducing the salinity entering the river, The
study is scheduled for completion in Fiscal
Year 1 986, Present plans call for collecting
the saline flows from Salt Wash and South
Salt Wash and disposing of the flows by
deep well injection,
Glenwood.Dotsero Springs Unit:

The preferred plan would collect saline
flows from Glenwood and Dotsero Springs
and deliver the flows through a 140-mile
pipetine to evaporation ponds for disposal
near West Salt Creek on the Colorado-Utah
border, The plan is not being pursued since

12

Brine Intrusion in fields, looking upstream on the
Dolores Rrver in Paradox Valley

it is not as cost-effective as other plans
being implemented in the basin and, under
Colorado water law, evaporation is not
considered a beneficial use of water, Other
alternatives are to ufilize the saline water
as part of WESTRANS or to find a local in-
dustrial use, The study is scheduled to look
at several local industrial uses in greater
detail before the completion of the Regional
Director's Planning Report and Draft Envi-
ronmentallmpact Statement in Fiscal Year
1985,
La Verkin Springs Unit:
A preliminary findings report was released
in August 1984 recommending the study
be discontinued because of poor cost-
effectiveness, This recommendation has
been concurred in by the Salinity Control
Forum and the Commissioner's Office,
Lower Gunnison Basin Unit:
The Planning Report and Final Environ-
mental Impact Statement were filed with
EPA on January 12, 1984, Reclamation has
recommended to the Secretary of the Inter-
ior that the Planning Report and Final
Environmental Impact Statement be adopted
and transmitted to the Office of Manage-
ment and Budget and to the President for

Sail slowly chokes out farm land

advice on forwarding the report to Congress
for consideration for authorization, Advance
pianning studies were initiated on the
winter water portion in Fiscal Year 1 984,

Legislation authorizing construction of this
unit was passed in October 1984,
Lower Virgin River Unit:
Additional studies were programmed to
investigate the viability of capturing Lower
Virgin River saline underflows and surface
flows and diverting them for industrial use
as powerplant cooling water. Fiscal Year
1985 funds will provide for investigation of
the potential alternatives for the collection,
conveyance, and use of the saline water,
USDA has published a Virgin Valley onfarm
salinity report. Implementation of fhe USDA
program is scheduled for initiation in 1985,
McElmo Creek Unit:
The most economical plan identified in-
corporates at least a part of theMcElmo
Creek Unit with the Dolores PrOject which
is now under construction, The Highline
Canal of the Montezuma Valley Irrigation
Company, a part of the McElmo Creek Unit,
will be combined with the Towaoc Canal
of the Dolores Project for reduced seepage