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<br />ident~cdirrigationsaltsour~areasintheColorado
<br />!Uver;Basin, SCS (Soil Conservation Servi~) "timates
<br />onfarin wate_f management and salinity control measures
<br />woul4be co$t-effective on_over 600,000 acres in II
<br />differ!nt salt,souioe areas,
<br />
<br />,
<br />lrrfgatlon Salt Source
<br />Stu?les
<br />ThQ SCS conduets the salinity control studies of
<br />irrigali-onsaltsourceareasintheBasin.Thesestudiesare
<br />donepnderthe River Basin Studies authority of Public
<br />Law gJ-566. The studies evaluate the magnitude of salt
<br />loadiq" the treatment and management alternatives for
<br />salinitYcont~l,andestimatedprojectimplementation
<br />costs.~o~1dngincooperationwithReclamation,other
<br />Federllagencies,andconcernedstateagencies', USDA
<br />has co,nple'teJ;l eight major'studies to date-Grand Valley,
<br />cnlorf,do; Uinta Basin, Utah;,Uig Sandy, Wyoming;
<br />Moa.. Valley, Nevada; Virgin Valley, Nevada and
<br />ArizoQ.a; and Lower Gunnison, McElmo Creek, and
<br />Manc()s Valley, Colorado. Studies are undenvay in the
<br />Price-San RaJael Rivers Unit,' Utah, and studies are
<br />pendidg on Palo Verde Irrigation District. Three: other
<br />areas have bqen investigated: one was suspended and
<br />twohidno~ommcndcdplans.
<br />
<br />
<br />Saltiaccumulationon field and on bank of canal.
<br />
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<br />
<br />WH~RE TO NOW?
<br />The )!:valuation Process
<br />USDf.and Interior will continue to use the annual
<br />jointevjlluationprocess. Using "a budget constraints
<br />comput~r model, the e_valtiation process will determine
<br />the oplip1al combinaljon of projects-and construction
<br />timinglJecessatytomeetsaltloadreductiongoalsat
<br />minimujninve$tmentlcvets.ThiIJprocessj'lrovidesa
<br />progranfmanae:ement'toot,tosupportaccomplishmentof
<br />salinitypontrolobjectiyesatovcrallmaximumcost_
<br />effecti~ness.T:hisapproachtolong-term,program_wide
<br />analysis~s helpful to Federal program managers'when
<br />weighinlthe many budget choices each year,
<br />Basedionthe,analysis,itappearsthattotalconstruction
<br />costs fo{the program to meet lhe numeric criteria and
<br />reQuireiS8ltlolj.dreductionarenOwprojectedtObeabout
<br />$570 mllion(I~84pricelevel). That is sig'nificantlyles's
<br />than pre iouse8timates($1.9billioninI983)andisdueto
<br />a basic cmange in the evaluation of the program.
<br />Arep.ymentanalysis model has beendevelopcd to
<br />evalUatc;the'Lower Colorado ~iver Basin Fund's ability
<br />to repaY1-ts share ofthe total program costs. It indicates at
<br />the S57o-;millioliinvestmentlevcl;that Ihe Fund can meet
<br />its upfroptpayrt"ent obligation~,'assum)Ilginflationis'no
<br />moreth~n4-1/2pcrcentannually. , .
<br />PurSUe Beneficial'Use' of Saline
<br />Wat~rs ' .
<br />Consiession~lauthoritYforjointfeasibmtystudies
<br />with ind,ustrialwater usefi allows efforts to continue in
<br />the area'ofben~ficial water USe.
<br />Some;ofthe'currentstructural methods of salinity
<br />control,iuchasdesaltingandlinedeva'porationpondsfor
<br />pointan~dirfu!\Csattsources,areprovingexpensivcwhen
<br />comparel1 to irrigation improvements. Therefore,
<br />deve.lopltte'n.t ofalternativebeneficial.u~esofsalinewater
<br />andmno}<allvemeasurestoreducesahnttyconcentrations
<br />aren~ary,
<br />
<br />Project Implementation
<br />
<br />Present USDA_salinity control project implementation
<br />activities lite being accomplished under ~isting USDA
<br />authorities and funding. The two implementation
<br />projects uridenvay are Grand Valley (initiated in 1979)
<br />and Uinta Basin (started in 1980), These projects focus
<br />primarily upon improvements of onfarm irrigation
<br />systems, related lateral delivery systems, and irrigation
<br />water management practices to improve irrigation
<br />efficiencies and reduce deep percolation.
<br />Technical assistance for planning, design, and
<br />installation of onfarm Irrigation systems and water
<br />mariagcm~nt is provided by SCS under the conservation
<br />teehniealassislance program. Funding for financial
<br />assistan:ceto landowners to install irrigationwatcr
<br />management system improvements and related salinity
<br />control measures is provided by the ASCS (Agricultural
<br />Stabilization and Conservation Scrvice) with the ACP
<br />(Agricultural Conservation Program). Educational and
<br />Informationsullllortandassistanceisprovidedtbrough
<br />funds allocated by the ES (El\.tension Service) and the
<br />State Cooperative Extension Serviccs'of Utah and
<br />Colorado. Educational and Information assistance is
<br />necessary to inform farmers and landowners about the
<br />salinity control projects, new technologies, and how
<br />improved irrigation water management can benefit
<br />individual farmers and downstream Colorado RivCf
<br />wateruscf)l.
<br />
<br />Research and'
<br />Demonstration
<br />
<br />The <,\evclopment and testing of new technolOgy,
<br />.improv~d irrigatiollequipment, and differentirrlgation
<br />, techniques are vitally importan.t research activities
<br />presently beingtundcd by the Agricultural Research
<br />Service,Additionalresearcbsupportisbeingprovidedby
<br />the CSRS (Cooperative Slate Research Service)through
<br />sevcral Western State agricultural eitperiment stations.
<br />Progress is being made through research efforts and
<br />demon8l.rationsites within the Grand Valley and Uinta
<br />Basin implementation projects.
<br />
<br />Continue Program
<br />Implementation
<br />
<br />Interior and USDA agencies' investigations to refine
<br />the plans will continue as fundingpennits on irrigation
<br />salt source control unitsaswellasotherunitstodefinethe
<br />most cost-effectivc mea:sures. Construction oit Grand
<br />Valley Stage Two will 'soon begin, preConstruction
<br />act~vlt-i~s (deep well injection testing) will continue on
<br />ParadoxValley;andreformtilationofplanswillcontinue
<br />on the Las Vegas Wash Unit. USDA onfarm
<br />implementation in Grand Valley, Ui'nta Basin, and other
<br />units will proceed as prosramfunding permits,
<br />The Forum has indicated it will continue to work'with
<br />InteriotandAgrJeultureonprogramimplementationto
<br />be certain the quality of Colorado River water is
<br />maintaincd at the '1972historicallevelsas the Basin States
<br />oontinue to develop their compact-apportioned waters.
<br />Forquestionsconcemingtheprogramorspecific
<br />projects, contact the
<br />
<br />Colorado River Wa'ter Quality Office
<br />Bureau of Reclamation, D-lOO(J
<br />PO Box 25007
<br />Denver, Colorado 80225
<br />Telephone: FTS 776-6782
<br />Commercial: 303 -236-6782
<br />
<br />For'queslions.about State activities,-contact the'
<br />
<br />Executive Director
<br />Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum
<br />106 West 500 South,Suite101
<br />Bountifut, Utah 84010
<br />Telephone: FTS 588-6320
<br />Commercial: 801-292--4663
<br />
<br />Details regarding the program can be found in the
<br />Status Report, Colorado River Wafer Quality Improve-
<br />ment Program, January f983; the 1985 Evaluation 0/
<br />Salinity Control Programs in the Colorado River BasIn;
<br />and the Quality o/Water, Colorado River Basin Progress
<br />Report No. f2, January f985.
<br />
<br />
<br />On farm irrigation improvemetits:-laser land levelling
<br />technique.
<br />
<br />Monitoring' and
<br />Evaluation
<br />
<br />, SCS has responsibility to monitor and evaluate the _,
<br />progressandimpactsofonfamisalinityeon_trolaciivitiei-,,'-
<br />Limited fuDdingbas restricte~fihc-scope of earlier '?;
<br />. monitoring activities; however,-,more tlt9roush'and ',;
<br />comprehen$ive monitoring plans have been developed, -
<br />and are'being implemented.
<br />
<br />Also, the Proposed Report on tl1e 1984 Review, Water_
<br />Quality Standards for Salinity, Colorado River System,
<br />and the SeVenth Atmual Progress R~porl, -Water_Qualitj
<br />Standards/or Salinity, Colorado River Sysiem,
<br />December 1985. .
<br />
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<br />The enjoyment of good 9uMity water.
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