WSP03161

• File Number: 8276.150
• Description: Grand Valley Unit-Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 12/1/1976
• Title: Draft - Grand Valley Salinity Study
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Soil Conservation Service field office studies included a farm by farm

in'ventory which had the support and cooperation of 2.,210 landowners who

provided information on their irrigation systems.

The Soil Conservation Service inventoried the on-farm irrigation systems

and determined improvement needs, costs and impacts. The Bureau of

Reclamation inventoried the off-farm canal and lateral system and

determined improvement opportunities. Close coordination of the studies

were required, so that the total system can be operated compatibly and

efficiently.

The Agricultural Research Service, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado

State University, and Colorado Water Conservation Board are conducting

or have carried out research and demonstration programs in the Valley

and their results along with results from monitoring the system provide

a valuable data base to establ ish present conditions and expected results

with improved irrigation efficiency.

PROBLEMS

One of the concerns for the Colorado River is degradation of the water

qual ity due to its increasing salt load. Analysis of water qual ity

data by the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) indicate that the Grand

Valley contributes about 600,000 to 700,000 tons of salt annually to

the Colorado River. Most of these salts are thought to be leached

from the soil and underlying Mancos Shale and carried into the river

by deep percolation and seepage from the water delivery system.

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