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<br />USDA Program for the Lower Gunnison Basin Unit <br /> <br />Major Elements of the Survey <br /> <br />Additional data and analyses of salt loading sources in irrigated and <br />watershed areas are needed before impacts of alternative improvement <br />programs can be evaluated. Major elements of the survey will include <br />updating of the prel iminary water and salt budgets, determining irrigatio~ <br />system and management Lmprovement alternatives, estimating treatment <br />opportunities in upstream watershed areas, estimating costs and effects <br />of alternative ~reatment practices, and developing a program for imple- <br />menting the needed improvements. This effort wil I be concentrated in <br />the high salt source areas of the Lower Uncompahgre and the Surface and <br />Currant Creeks reach of the Gunnison River near Delta. <br /> <br />Water and Salt Budgets <br /> <br />A water budget will be prepared to show an overview of the inflow- <br />outflow water pattern for the Lower Gunnison Unit and for each irrigabor, <br />system. Present and improved irrigation system alternatives wii 1 be <br />evaluated. <br /> <br />The prel iminary salt budget for the Lower Gunnison Basin Unit wi1 I be <br />refined to reflect additional data collected during the study period. <br /> <br />Irrigation System and Improvement Needs <br /> <br />The evaluation of irrigation system improvement needs will initially <br />concentrate on the Lower Uncompahgre Subbasin area in coordination with <br />the USBR Uncompahgre Project Improvement Program scheduled for completion <br />in FY 1977. <br /> <br />Using a computerized water requirements model, the impacts of present <br />and three alternative levels of water management will be evaluated for <br />the Lower Gunnison Basin Unit. Alternatives will be evaluated to estimate <br />the impacts and cost of the potential improvement programs. <br /> <br />Watershed Treatment Needs <br /> <br />Evaluation of problems on privately-owned upland watershed areas will <br />concentrate on reducing erosion and sediment yields in the very high <br />sediment yield area (1.0 to 3.0 tons/square mile/year). This comprises <br />approximately 138 square mi les in the Lower Uncompahgre and Delta areas <br />having saline subsurface soils associated with Mancos shale. <br /> <br />Evaluation of problems and needs on National Resource Lands will be made <br />by the Bureau of Land Management. Coordination will be maintained with <br />the Bureau of Land Management. <br /> <br />00308? <br /> <br />12 <br />